SAGA OF ASHOKA THE GREAT
The story so far: King Vindusara of Magadha dies when, of his many sons, the two contenders fort throne, Suthima and Ashoka, are away. Being the eldest. Prince Sushiena has the a claim to the throne, but he is selfleh and cruel and that is why nobody likes him. Prince Ashoka has proved his merit as an administrator. Everything now depends on who reaches Pataliputra finst Ashoka achieves that, arrivieng with his army to light his father’s funeral pyre, while Sushima, partly Decause of his laziness and portly because of a deception played on ham through two dancing girls sent by Yasa, Ashoka’s friend, does not tum up. Sushima’s other brothers and friends who try to stop Ashoka tom performing the last nites of his father are killed by Ashour’s friends and army)
The sorrow that had engulfed the T city of Pataliputra because of King Vindusara’s death, deepened when the news of the death of the king’s several sons spread. But people realised that none but the princes themselves were to be blamed for the tragedy.
At midnight Prince Ashoka was vested with the royal authority. He sat on the throne, but did not wear the crown. He declared that he was himself not happy the way he ascended the throne. Coronation, that is why, should wait.
Ministers and nobles appreciated Ashoka’s attitude. But nobody was at peace. Who knew what would be Prince Sushima’s move?
But, at Taxila, Prince Sushima was still idling away his time, certain that his only rival to the throne, Prince Ashoka, was lying at Ujjain, paralysed. He had been naive enough to take as true the yarn spun by the two dancing girls.
It was once again a message from his mother, the chief queen of King Vindusara, that woke him up to the reality. If the queen had earlier asked Irim to reach the capital at once because the king was critically ill, she was now advising him against approaching the city. From the fate of the other princes, she could apprehend what might happen to her son!
The messenger, apart from giving Prince Sushima the queen’s letter, reported to him all about the anxious moments preceding the king’s funeral, Ashoka’s arrival, and the bloody battle between his army and the princes who envied him, resulting in the death of the princes.
Sushima gave out a loud yell of anger and frustration. “I’ll throttle the servant-girl’s son to an instant death!” he shrieked out. “Where are my bodyguards? Go and tell the captains of my battalions to get ready immediately to march upon Pataliputra.”
“But, O Prince, hasn’t the great queen, your noble mother, advised you to stay put? Perhaps she will let you know when the time is propitious for you to proceed to the capital!” said the messenger, humbly and anxiously.
“Shut up!” hollered Ashoka, giving the man a push. “Hadn’t I been named the Crown Prince by my father himself? How could those mischievous nobles ignore me simply because I was late for the funeral? It is the doing of that wicked Prime Minister of my father, Khallataka. He shall be the first man to fall to my sword!” When the reports reached Pataliputra that Prince Sushima was heading towards the capital with all the soldiers who had been stationed at Taxila under his command, the ministers and nobles became pensive. Ashoka summoned them to an emergency conference.
“What’s your advice?” he asked. They kept quiet.
“My friends and counsellors, is this the time to keep mum?” Ashoka said, taking them to task.
“My lord! For us and for all practical purposes, you’re the king. The decision to delay your coronation was yours, not ours. Now, what is the course of action for a king when he is confronted by an enemy?” asked Prime Minister Khallataka, and he looked at the other ministers.
“To fight!” answered the other ministers in one voice.
“Thank you. But I would like to give Sushima a chance. He can continue to be at Taxila as the governor-our viceroy-if he retreats peacefuly,” said Ashoka.
“My lord, I do not think he will be content with the position of a subordinate. In no time will he declare independence. That. I’m afraid, might set an example for other regional rulers of our great empire.” said one of the ministers.
After a brief silence, Khallataka said, “What the minister said is quite probable. But noble is the sentiment of our king. Prince Sushima should be given a chance to choose peace, If he retreats to Taxila, it is good for the time being. As soon as we receive some intelligence that he is conspiring against the king or if he announces his decision to secede, he can be cut to size.”
“But how to present the proposal to him? He may simply march into the city in his bid to enter the palace!” wondered Ashoka
Said Khallataka: “Since I have proposed peace, I must take upon myself the task of meeting Prince Sushima. I propose erecting a welcome-arch at the entrance into the city. I will stand there with a garland in hand. Except for a few elderly nobles, no armed soldiers should be around me. The prince will understand that we the old ones can only talk and not fight! As soon as he stops, I will garland him and put forth the proposal of peace.” “My brave and learned Prime Minister! I’m overwhelmed by your gestures. But I fear for your life.” observed Ashoka.
I’m of course taking a grave risk.But if I fall to Sushima’s sword, I would meet that end for the sake of the empire. Prince Sushima would gain nothing by killing me. He would “Is that so, Maharaj?” There was no smile on Marthand’s face. “Ever since the baby came, her mother has been ill, and I’m worried about her health. That’s why I want you to look into the baby’s horoscope and tell me what her fate is going to be. Also, when her mother will recover from her illness.”
Goswami Maharaj pulled out a neat bundle of palmyrah leaves from his bag and untied it on the table. He then began drawing a diagram and writing some letters and figures in the columns, all the while making some calculations by his fingers. “There’s no immediate cause for worry, Commander, thougout may take some time for the mother to recover fully. I suggest that you make a special offering to goddess Lokeshwari, and she will certainly bless both mother and daughter. How’s your son?”
“By the grace of Lokeshwari, he’s hale and healthy,” replied Marthand- varma, “I only hope his mother will be all right by the time we celebrate his third birthday.” “When will that be?” queried the astrologer.
“That’ll come off in another two months, replied the Commander.
“You must join us in the celebrations.” Goswami Maharaj accepted the invitation and took leave of Marthandvarma.
The birthday of young Vijay- krishna was nor celebrated because his mother passed away suddenly, Goswami Maharaj attributed the tragedy to the malefic influences of the planets at the time of the birth of Vajreshwari that was the name given to Marthandvarma’s baby daughter and realised that she would have to grow without the care and affection of a mother.
King Soorasen and Queen Suryaprabha decided that they would send one of the senior maids-in- waiting to the Army Commander’s residence to take care of the baby,
The next three or four years were uneventful for Veerpuri. King Soorasen thought it prudent to give had fallen ill; her physicians said that she was not in a position to undertake a long and arduous journey.
But the coronation could not wait any longer. The auspicious time the astrologers had determined would not occur again before another five years And there can be no coronation without the queen beside the king. “My lord, pardon me, but I must suggest that you should take another wife. That’s the only solution to the problem. We understand that your son, Prince Mahindra, is being educated in keeping with Buddhist lore. Even if Princess Vidisha were to give birth to other sons, they too may go the same way. A prince who does not believe in war cannot defend an empire when the need arises. Better you have a son or two by another queen, proposed Radha gupta, the new Prime Minister.
Ashoka was not yielding to the suggestion, but Yasa came with a message from Vidisha Devi, urging him to marry again, for she would never be able, mentally and physically, to discharge the duties of the consort of a reigning monarch. Ashoka at last took another wife, Asandhimitra, and the coronation was performed with great pomp and show,
But he could not forget Princess Vidisha and their two children. He often felt depressed. Though nobody suspected his ability as a ruler, he paid the least attention to the business of state.
“Our king is missing his first wife Vidisha Devi so much that one day he might leave the throne for the sake of living a quiet, peaceful life with her. He must be given a taste of real power and pride of a king. That can come only from victories in battles. Nothing is as exciting as standing triumphant amidst the dead bodies of the vanquished,” one day Prime Minister Radhagupta told the General of the army, Virsingh. They discussed the issue for a long time. Just then reports reached them that the King of Kalinga had died without leaving any heir behind him. A council of rulers were ruling the land. “The only kingdom which both the mighty Chandragupta and his worthy heir Vindusara desired to conquer, but did not risk a war against it, is Kalinga, It is a strange land, prosperous through its commerce with the distant islands of Bali and Sumatra and strong because of the unity among the several dynasties ruling the small territories under a liberal king. But with the king gone, the unity is bound to disappear. This is the golden moment for leading an expedition against it, the Prime Minister told King Ashoka, in the presence of the General.
Ashoka needed a diversion; it was necessary for him to take up a task that would need all his attention. “Our army has not fought any battle for years. It will rust unless it is put to some challenging military exercise. Otherwise we will he in danger if attacked,” added the General.
“Make the necessary arrange- ments for an expedition against Kalinga. But, to begin with, send as many spies as you can into that land. Their purpose should be two-fold; to gather intelligence about the strength and weakness of the land, and to spread suspicion among the different ruling dynasties,” said Ashoka “It is wise of you to pass this instruction,” said the Prime Minister. Before long Magadha was ready to launch a great military expedition.