SAMRADITYA SAGA Part 2 - TANGLES OF HATRED

Everyone's own way

King Sinh returned to Jaipur. After coming back, he first gathered his ministers.
Expressing his thoughts, he said, “Without war, our goal has been accomplished. Unnecessary violence could be avoided. But the scene of ‘Matsyagalagal’ was in my mind on the way. There was a lot of churning about it. Why did Durmati create a ruckus? The desire for the expansion of the kingdom provoked him to do so. Such riots continue to happen on the stage of this physical world! Beings becomes a victim of death by doing such misdeeds and falls into the pit of downfall.
Sensory pleasures are more dangerous than poison. I have experienced those pleasures for millions of years. Don’t know how much poison must have accumulated in the soul! There is only one way to free the soul from the effect of that poison, and that is monkhood! I want to accept monkhood.
• Now I am neither interested in the administrative affairs.
• Nor am I attracted to sensory pleasures
• There is no attachment or hatred towards any soul either
I have nothing to do with the physical world anymore! One task is left from my end - Coronation of Prince Anand! After doing that, I will accept monkhood.”
The king concluded his speech. The cabinet was shocked listening to the words of the king. No one had any idea that the king would decide to renounce the state and accept monkhood so soon!
The minister stood up. 
Greeting the king, he said, “This has been the tradition of the royal family of Jaipur since innumerable years. When the prince steps at an appropriate age, the king and queen accept monkhood after his coronation. In this context, this decision of the King is appropriate.
Moreover, the king and queen have attained Jindharm from Acharya Shri Dharmghoshsuriji. Dharm has become a part of them. Spirituality is in their thoughts. Therefore, it is natural for the feeling of accepting monkhood to arise in their heart.
Your Majesty! We will not be an obstacle in your path. We wish that your path is smooth!” The minister’s voice got heavy.
Other ministers present there also became sad. The atmosphere became gloomy.
The king ordered the Rajpurohit, “Check for a good time to coronate Prince Anand and tell me. Don’t be late.”
Without thinking for long, Rajpurohit  immediately checked and said, “Fifth day from today is the day of Vasant Panchami. It is the best day for the coronation of the prince.”
King ordered the cabinet, “Preparations for coronation should be done as soon as possible.”
Here, when the king was discussing with his cabinet in Neelmani Prasad, secret consultations were going on in Anand’s palace with Durmati. King Durmati had not returned to his capital after accepting the refuge of King Sinh. He had secretly reached Jaipur by another route and was secretly staying in Anand’s palace.
Initiating the conversation, Anand said, “Just yesterday I got the information that the king wants to coronate me. And now he is discussing with the cabinet ministers.”
“Prince, don’t be stupid. The cabinet that was not favouring you to become the crown prince, will they support your coronation? Impossible!”
“But I don’t even want anyone’s donation like this, even if it’s the empire. The king gives me the empire and I take it, where is my strength in that? I want the kingdom, but on my own strength. I will take the kingdom but with the strength of my sword. Mighty kings get the kingdom only with the help of their muscle power. But I need your help for this. You will have to support me.’’
“Prince, you will get my support as and when you want. We will do as per your orders,” Durmati flattered Anand.
‘’Then I will present you 100 villages near the border of your kingdom and will also give you the post of ‘Mahasamant’.
“We are friends, prince. There is no barter system in friendship! You will be the king and I will be your personal friend. That’s enough for me.”
“One does not become the king just like that. Some courage will have to be shown for this. Some danger will have to be faced. I think, I’ll have to kill the present king to become the king.”
Listening to Anand’s cruel intentions, even a stone-hearted person like Durmati trembled. He stared at the prince with wide eyes.
“Did you get scared? Did you get shocked by my words?”
“No, nothing like that. But after all, your father...”
“It’s all rubbish! He is not my father but the enemy of every life. I feel like strangling him whenever I get a chance! As long as he’s alive, I won’t become the king. The cabinet is against me anyway.”
“Look, Kumar! No matter what, killing the king is not a joke. The king himself is an unbeatable warrior. He alone has the ability to face thousands of soldiers!”
“Hey, but where do we have to come face to face on the battlefield and fight against each other? We have to take resort of deceit and…”
‘’Treachery? That too with the king! Prince, I have disobeyed the king’s orders. But I have never even thought of cheating him!”
“Okay, I’ll teach you tricks. You don’t worry. Cheating in politics is not a sin.”
Durmati was lost in deep thoughts. Anand started walking in the room.
Durmati said, “Whatever you do, take steps carefully. Don’t you know about Commander Jaipal? He is mighty and also the king’s personal friend. Without any hesitation, he had pushed two kings who were hostile to King Sinh into the lap of death in the blink of an eye. I am witness to that incident.”
“King, why have I extended a hand of friendship with you? This is the reason! If a mighty and fearless man like you is with me, then I need not be worried. You stay behind me and kill the commander before he attacks me!”
“Prince, this task is not that easy.”
“I know. If it was easy, what was the need to bring you here? Wouldn’t I handle all this alone?”
The room echoed with Anand’s  laughter. There was echo of cruelty in his laughter.
“King, we will wait for the right time and opportunity. When time comes, we will complete the work.”
“This is what I wanted to tell you. Such things cannot be done in haste. Some patience and intelligence is required.”
“But till then, you will have to stay in Jaipur only. And what if you call 100 of your trusted soldiers to Jaipur?”
“Then the entire plan will be spoilt! Nothing remains hidden from the spies of Jaipur. Whatever we are talking about here, some spy must surely be hovering over us.”
“Soldiers will have to be called in disguise because they will be needed. I don’t have a single soldier from Jaipur at this time. We will have to stay safe from Commander Jaipal here, won’t we?”
Durmati also started thinking. From one side, this seemed to be in his favour. Tomorrow, if the prince turns away and the commander surrounds him, then he can at least run away with the help of his trusted soldiers and save his life!
He immediately sent a message to his kingdom Aranyapur and called for hundred disguised soldiers as soon as possible and got their stay arrangements done by Anand.
***
When the king talked about the coronation of Anand to Queen Kusumavali, Kusumavali remained silent at first.
After some time, she said, “Did you call Anand and tell him that you want to coronate him?”
‘’No, I’ll talk now.”
“You even fixed the date of coronation. You know how stubborn he is. What if he refuses?”
“I have even told the ministers to collect the necessary materials and make other preparations for coronation!”
“My mind is not agreeing. I think we should accept monkhood at the earliest. That’s the best way.”
“On the very next day after coronation, we will accept monkhood under Gurudev Shri Dharmghosh suriji!”
“Coronation will be handled by the cabinet. Let us leave today. My mind has been completely stirred. Now every moment, I feel very painful in this palace. What a prison this palace is for me now! I am getting insane to go away from this city and state. If you permit, then I’ll go to Gurudev today itself!”
“Queen, where are there any days left now? We will leave immediately after coronation on Vasant Panchami!”
“Forgive me, king! But is it necessary for you to do the coronation? Can’t the coronation happen without you?”
“It is possible! But now if we adopt the life of a saint without coronation, then it will not be appropriate. Even the cabinet will not allow us!”
“Well as you wish. I am a maidservant at your feet. What more can I do? I am not liking anything. The fear of some inauspicious happening is eating me up.”
“Queen! Auspicious or inauspicious, everything is subjected to karma. We have to be cautious in good happenings and alert in bad. Whatever has to happen, it will happen. Who has been able to erase or change the future? Devi! Remove the from your mind. Be fearless and relax!”
Kusumavali was pleased at the king’s fearless speech and balanced personality. But since she had received the secret news that Durmati had come in the prince’s palace, she immediately informed Commander Jaipal through Madanrekha to be careful - ‘The king should not go anywhere alone. Jaipal should accompany like a shadow all the time. You have to stay together.’ Jaipal had also received news from his personal spies that Durmati was staying in Anand’s palace. He was alert. Squads of armed soldiers were arranged around the palace.
Anand came to know about this through one of his maids - ‘Armed soldiers have been patrolling around the palace. Your coronation is fixed that’s why security arrangements have been made.’
Durmati took a chance and poisoned Anand’s ears, “Prince, do you understand anything? Why are armed soldiers stationed around the palace on an occasion like coronation? I have another fear about it.”
“What is that?”
“It’s a plan to shut you forever before your plan works out!”
“What do you mean?”
“You will be called to the palace. Then you will be surrounded and beheaded.”
“The king can never do this.”
“When you can think of doing this, then why can’t the king? And then ‘everything is fair in politics' was your statement. Suppose the king does not do this, his ministers or the commander can do it!”
“I am not understanding anything.”
“I am understanding very well. Prince, you very will know that your mother doesn’t like you at all! She is not even willing to see your face. Have you ever seen your mother? Do you remember your mother’s face? She is considering you as ‘father’s killer’. That’s why, she wants you to leave you this world before you kill your father!”
The prince’s anxiety increased. He got worried.
Meanwhile, the watchman came and said, “Prince, Commander Jaipal himself has come to meet you.”
Hearing this, Durmati started sweating! He hurriedly stood up and hid in the underground section of the palace. Anand went to the gate of the palace and welcomed Jaipal. Both of them came and sat in the prince’s cabinet.”
“Prince, I have come on behalf of the king to give you the good news that your coronation has been fixed on the day of Vasant Panchami. The king wants you to meet him at the palace. You probably haven’t met the king after he returned from the war journey.”
“That’s right, I haven’t met him.”
“Were you busy with any important work?”
“No, what important work will I have? You can have, Commander!”
“Then shouldn’t you meet the king? When will you come to meet him? In the afternoon or in the evening? Let me know so that I can inform the king.”
“And what if I don’t go to meet the king?”
“But why so?”
“I don’t want to meet him.”
“Any reason?”
“You don’t need to know the reason.”
“I need to know the reason because your coronation has been announced. Preparations are going on and all this responsibility is on my head.”
“It’s not on my order.”
“As per the king’s order.”
“Then talk to him.”
“So are you not ready for coronation? Are you not willing? I will have to tell the king.”
The prince said, “I don’t believe in attaining the kingdom by someone’s mercy. I can get the kingdom by myself, understood? Go and tell this to the king also.”
Commander Jaipal felt insulted but he didn’t say anything. After sometime he got up and said, “I am leaving now.”
Kumar was getting happy in his mind, “Jaipal you cannot trap me!”