SAMRADITYA SAGA Part 4 - DISORDER OF ENMITY

Nandak encounters a she-cobra

“Nandak!”
“Dhanshri!”
“I want to tell you something extremely important and secretive!”
“Say it here itself. Only the two of us are here!”
“Nandak, we will not go across the sea.”
“What do you mean?”
“You and I, let us run away and go somewhere far. Let's take as much money from here as we wish and leave.”
“And then?”
“Then what? We will drown into sensory pleasures. Our love is so intense that we will always remain immersed in love. We will enjoy our life.”
“Then what will happen to Dhan?”
“Oh silly! He can do whatever he wants! He can go wherever he wishes! There is no need for either of us to bother about him. Or else I will think of a way to end his life so that we don’t need to be afraid of anything in the future!”
Nandak trembled on hearing about Dhanshri’s cruel intentions. He did not give any reply.
Dhanshri said, “What happened Nandak? Why aren't you saying anything? Are you scared? Don’t you have the courage? No problem! If you can't kill him, then I will! Then you won’t have any issue, right?”
“I have a huge issue. I will never commit the sin of killing my master, nor will I allow you to do it! Don't ever make such a mistake! Remove this thought from your heart! You don’t like Dhan! But one thing is certain, that you will never find a husband like Dhan evening if you set out to search!
He is virtuous, handsome, loving and generous. Have you ever seen so many good qualities in one person? And has he wronged you in anyway? He has always loved you, given you money and all sorts of comforts. What has he not given you? Why don’t you like him? I don't understand this. How can you have such cruel thoughts for him? Why do you have such intense hatred towards him? Try to understand. Discard such horrible thoughts from your mind. If you don't want to travel across the sea and return to Susharm, then I myself will make all the arrangements for you. Understand one thing properly, listen carefully, I adore and respect Dhan. I'm totally loyal to him. I love you too. But I will definitely not be a part of your wrongdoing.”
Nandak told Dhanshri everything very clearly. She was shocked to hear this. She got up and started strolling in the room. Within a few minutes, lines of anger appeared on her face. Her face became red.
She looked at Nandak and said arrogantly, “Nandak, I don't need your advice. Go away from here! Do your work! I don't want to discuss this topic with you anymore! I don't want to talk to you at all!”
Nandak didn't say anything. He left from there quietly. But stress and fear had occupied his mind. He went straight to the office. If Dhan wouldn’t have gone to the seaside, then Nandak would have gone there only.
He was freaked out. ‘That wicked woman! God knows what she will do and when.’ He could neither think or say anything! ‘And such a horrible thought! How can I even tell this to Dhan? He might not even believe me!  And even if he does, then he will definitely go and discuss it with Dhanshri. Dhanshri will understand that I have told Dhan. Then she will hold grudges and poison Dhan's mind against me. He will not believe, but she will make up stories. Unnecessarily, there will be problems in the family and her home will be destroyed. I shouldn’t say anything to Dhan. But I will have to be careful enough so that she does not harm Dhan. I’ll appoint bodyguards in such a way that Dhanshri and Dhan don’t get to know! I have to protect Dhan at any cost. He is my friend as well as my master. I cannot repay his favours! He is so simple, innocent and straight forward. Inspite of owning immense wealth, he has no ego. He has never treated me as a servant. Infact he has given me more love and respect than a brother. How can I even hear the plans of killing him? And that too from his own wife! Truly, she's a serpent. She has bitten me once, but now I should stay away from her!’
Nandak was lost in deep thoughts. Meanwhile, Dhan reached the office. He saw Nandak in stress.
He asked him, “Nandak, what is the matter?” Nandak was surprised. He got up nervously and hugged Dhan. 
“Why will I worry when I have such an honourable master? I was just thinking about our sea voyage. We will get the ship tomorrow morning, right?”
“I have just checked the ship! It is so strong that even if it is thrown up and down in a stormy ocean, it will remain as it is! Start loading it from tomorrow. If it gets fully loaded with all the necessary items in a couple of days, then we will proceed on our journey.”
Nandak kept staring at Dhan’s happy and joyful face. Today, Nandak was feeling very light. Tides of affection and sympathy rose in his heart towards Dhan.
***
Dhanshri!
After Nandak left, Dhanshri was fuming like a serpent. ‘Coward, timid! He’s out to be a great devotee of his master. When he liked me, where did his loyalty towards his master go? He used to show me big dreams even in the daytime. Now, when we have the chance to run away, our way to escape is clear, he is suddenly making tall claims of loyalty. Stupid! Such a coward cannot help me! Now, I will only have to find a way! I cannot let Dhan live! But now I have only two days in my hand. I will have to do something! I have to finish this in two days!’ She stayed awake the entire night. She was filled with evil and disgusting thoughts.
Early morning, after getting done with her morning chores, she was sitting on a bench outside her house and watching the passers-by on the main road. The second quarter of the day had begun. A hermitess was walking slowly on the road. She was draped in a single black cloth. There was a big red tilak on her forehead. Her thick, black and long hair was tied up with flowers. She had big eyes with a tinge of redness in them. She was a little fat. She held a copper vessel in one hand and a small stick made of bones in the other.
Dhanshri kept staring at her. The hermitess also looked at Dhanshri. Their eyes met. The hermitess stopped for a second and started walking towards Dhanshri’s house. Dhanshri was curious. ‘Why is she coming uninvited towards our house? Maybe she wants alms.’
The hermitess came and stood in front of Dhanshri.
Dhanshri asked, “Do you want alms?”
“Yes.”
Dhanshri filled her vessel.
The hermitess asked, “Is there any problem?”
Dhanshri became alert. Now, she saw the hermitess from a different perspective. ‘She does not seem like an ordinary hermitess. She read my mind and found out my problem! These type of hermitesses know the art of hypnotism and black magic! I will ask her if she can help me!’
“Who does not have problems in this world? Everyone has problems! If you have a solution to my problem, then let me know. I will give you whatever you want.”
“What solution do you want, tell me! The spell of murder, hypnotism and various others.”
“I want such a spell that makes a person die slowly, after a lot of suffering.”
“I have such a spell too! If you want, I can teach you right now.”
Dhanshri agreed. The hermitess taught her the spell. Dhanshri was very happy and gave her five gold coins. The hermitess was also happy and left from there.
Dhanshri danced alone in her house. Her heart felt light. She had effortlessly found the solution that she was looking for. Sometimes, good fortune supports one in fulfilling sinful acts. Without the support of good fortune, we cannot be successful in our sinful ventures either. To be successful in any aspect of life, good fortune plays a very important role.
Dhanshri started thinking, ‘Now whenever I want, I can try this spell on Dhan! But, I cannot try it in these one or two days. If I do it right now, then Nandak will be suspicious that I have done it. And then, that loyal servant will spoil my name. Rumours will spread about me. No, no! I should not do that! I will do this only after we have started our sea voyage. Even if Dhan has to suffer for a few days, he will die in pain. And I will be at peace only after he dies.
Dhan and Nandak came home for lunch in the afternoon. Dhanshri welcomed Dhan lovingly. She served lunch to both of them.
Dhan told Dhanshri, “Today, the ship will be loaded. You come in the evening and just check everything. Get your things loaded. We have to leave tomorrow morning from here!”
Dhanshri said, “Sure, I will accompany you in the evening and check all the things that I need. You do not need to worry!”
Nandak was shocked seeing Dhanshri’s behaviour and way of talking. ‘How did such a great change come in this woman all of a sudden? Did she receive teachings from some great saint? Or maybe she thought over the things I told her yesterday. The change is good’ Nandak’s suspicious heart became restless. ‘Is this female tendency? She will say one thing, think another and do something else! There is no need for me to be fooled by it. I have to be careful! This woman can never be trusted! I should not fall for her sweet talks!’
It was late afternoon. Dhanshri, Dhan and Nandak sat in a horse carriage and left to go to the sea shore. The sea side was not far. They reached in around ten minutes. There was a small boat on the shore. All three of them sat in the boat. The boatman took the boat towards Dhan’s ‘Vaishraman Ship.’ The boat reached the ship soon. First Dhanshri boarded the ship, then Dhan and Nandak followed.
The ship was about a hundred feet long and hundred feet broad. The basement, the front and the back of the ship had about six sections in all. They were loaded with commodities. On the top floor, there were three rooms in the front and behind! One room in the front of the ship was for the captain and his crew. The second room was for the military and the third one was for cooking and dining. From the rooms at the back, the first one was for Dhanshri and Dhan. Dhanshri decided to cook meals in her own room. She said to Dhan and Nandak, “The three of us will eat here only.” There was a door on the left wall of that room. There was a flight of stairs near the door a small tent downstairs. On one corner of that tent, there was a small room which was used as a restroom. This was only for Dhanshri and Dhan.
In the middle of the tent, comfortable mats were laid in a circle. Here, Dhan could sit with others and enjoy the sea-view in the morning and evening.
All three of them inspected the ship carefully.
Dhan asked Dhanshri, “Devi, how did you find the ship?”
“It’s very beautiful!”
“So, should we begin with our journey tomorrow?”
“As you wish.”
***
When the Ship Vaishraman left the banks of Tamralipti, only one person was worried. That was Dhanshri! The ship set sail on the sea. The wind was clear. The sea was calm. The clouds of the month of June had not yet left the southern horizon.
The Captain of the ship, Surdev was a skilled and experienced sailor. In his life, he had faced various kinds of problems. From oceanic storms, cyclones, mountainous coasts, narrow waterways to mechanical glitches of the ship, he had experienced it all. He could figure out the way and divert the ship just by observing the vast ocean!
The ship, Vaishraman, continued its peaceful journey rocking on the waves. Dhanshri had set up her room in just one day. The room was quite big. She made the kitchen on one side. On the other side, she made the bedroom. In one corner, she laid four mats in a circle and made the sitting area. Around it, she put beautiful silk curtains.
She even set up Nandak’s room. Though Nandak had refused, Dhanshri did not listen to him. She said, “I know you are upset with me. It’s your wish if you don’t wish to talk to me. I still love you as much as I used to! And it will remain the same even in the future!” Nandak remained silent.
Two days passed by. Dhanshri was confused. She was ready to use the spell on Dhan and fill his body with pain which would eventually lead to his death. But even then, the timid nature of a woman made her think twice before doing so.
‘If I use the spell on Dhan, then he will die! But will Nandak accept me after that? What if Nandak does not accept me later? I will be stuck! He is very loyal to his master. But after Dhan’s death, I will definitely convince him! Till Dhan is alive, Nandak will stay loyal to him only!’
Nandak was somewhat relieved because of Dhanshri’s changed behaviour. Still, the thought of something unpleasant happening had occupied his mind! ‘What could Dhanshri do to kill Dhan?’ Nandak was constantly anxious thinking of all this. But he never thought that she would practise black magic on him. He neither knew of any such practices nor had he ever heard about it from anyone!
There was no chance of Dhan being suspicious of Dhanshri! He would fearlessly discuss about business with Nandak! Sometimes, he would miss his parents! He would talk to Nandak and relive the old memories. He would even talk freely with Dhanshri! In those two days, Dhanshri also showered Dhan with love!
Dhan was experiencing the same kind of coolness that prevails before a storm!