• Ally •

The deluded look at objects of enjoyments as giving happiness by removing the unhappiness. The wise clearly see that the same object which gives happiness now will become a source of unhappiness.

Madālasā Upadesha

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Backdrop:

Keśava and Abhīstāda exchange their thoughts with each other. Keśava gave her the Yuṣmota Ākhyāyikā  and tells her to read to decipher his words.   
   

Characters:

Abhīstāda: Crowned Princess of Rāthnānathi
Keśava: Crowned Prince of Smaranāgarh
Indraneel: Personal Advisor to Keśava
Swamari's Yuvraj: Smaranāgarh's ally kingdom Crowned Prince

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Clad in the serene white his body was weak, the lines of bones arose as he spoke. Yet his face shone with the fascinating insight. Keśava sat near his feet absorbing the knowledge he was giving. The meditant's words weren't restricted to one place, they drifted too far, like him. Those words were comprehensive in their sense, they never compelled some to disseminate. As if on their own they travelled too distant.

Now that the sun has already perished in the blanket of darkness, the dullness may have prevailed but with the hope, the sun emerges again. The assorted urges submerge but when the beam of perception reaches them the gloominess vanishes. The feather of a bird had fallen, detached as she reached home, with every journey a loss appeared but with the nourishment to lead the life.

The flaring glow of the fire emerged to glisten the region in the dusk, situated in the ornate lamps. The lamps were bestowing a glimpse of the mastery of the artist. If noticed carefully one could catch sight of the faint stroke of the colours, the way they submerge, the black over the red. Outlining the latter lending a defined look. The miscellaneous details were done propelling it to be rough. Nonetheless, whenever they hand strokes over it, it has always felt like petals of flowers have been caressed. 

The fire that once spread can never be controlled and yet at the equivalent, in the lamp, it remains restricted to the lamps. Indistinguishable, the words of rishi demonstrated that if the senses are put under control it's simpler to endure and if they hold over them lessen, it's hard to restrain them again. Since the days had already fallen he took his leave. Keśava arranged a place for him to stay that would not disturb his Sādhana.

Indraneel was standing all the while, with the dedication toward Keśava. he could wait for long but as the rain appeared pleasing according to the situation, the wait had a similar predicament. At this moment it wasn't pleasing, but the soothing were the words of the rishi. There was the formidable burden of the information that he wanted to confide. Still, his words steadied him.

Keśava noticed his distorting articulation and when he was done with his daily duties he called him in his chamber. Asked him to infer what was holding him, as his expression was dulling with the passing time.

"Yuvraj of Swamari is going to come here, but the number of people guiding him isn't what we have expected yet the army at the border is more than satisfactory. However, not to the fullest. Some of our spies saw and it looked as if they were preparing for war. I couldn't understand why he would come here then. The war doesn't seem to be with us but with whom?"

He was taking notice of his words carefully and he wasn't receptive if the war wasn't with them then who. Why would anyone dig a hole when it's not going to be put to use? Put up with the sword out of the sheath when you aren't going to use it. That night he was thinking about the same but in the morning instead of his thoughts, it was Yuvraj himself who came to meet him.

The meeting started with exchanging pleasantries and a few light words were exchanged. The words like the soft feather, the harshness of them appeared like the hollow shaft. Even for a few seconds they appear layered with the sweet words but the resentment in them never diminished. Yuvraj was never pleased and the more he saw he wanted to get hold of it.

"Have you realised that you are the sole proprietor of the vast empire and the way you prefer you can always manage over it? Now that the King is no longer capable, don't you think that the command should be transferred to you officially? You are the one to whom all of this entirely. Or someone still didn't want to let go of his powers, that the title is more important than the son."

Keśava was anticipating the cruel words to be directed at him but not toward his father. He had a relationship with him as a son but his obligation to him was also as a crowned prince and citizen. Being an inhabitant, it was his responsibility to speak for his king. "To all of us, he is still the king. The age may not discredit him of the sacrifice he had made, not asking but in his personal life too, nothing can take away his valour. Haven't you been here as our guest..." He ceased to rectify the anger that had already taken over his hands as they got on the swords, who was still waiting to become bare to take over the injustice but his hand was held by Indraneel. To stop him and remind him of the limitations, of a Yuvraj and an ally.

"... if I haven't been stopped. Then I the bare sword would have halted only when it had rest upon you."

Even when his eyes roared, glowing in the blaze of hostility, Yuvraj wasn't affected as if he already had something else in his words. No words could be affected, he could comprehend how well he was guided by something. He made his words faint with his laugh as he inquired about Yuvraj.

"It looks the people of Smaraṇāgarh don't comprehend how to take a joke, was just playing with the words, when you our friends I can, maybe tease you a little." He was himself conscious that his words were explicit and precisely meant like the thoughts in his mind. "Have always heard that you have one of the best facilities for the training of warfare. Would you not have a match with me?"

He glanced at Indraneel and he requested to compile as he was allied and he was compelled to receive him with reverence. They went toward the practice area, but that was specially made for the visitors. Since it was common practice to have matches between each other he had made a separate one so it doesn't give meticulous information about the special technique and weapon.

As they both were to enter he gave attention to the faint commotion of nūpur, it was not coerced for him to even speculate about it as the sound was already registered in his mind and it belonged to her. He has already recognized her as Omajā. 

There she was with mayūraḥ in her lap, caressing him. That day they both developed an affection for each other, maybe realised that the distinction between the two was physical but eternally they were the same. Someday both have taken birth as each other while showing the affection she put her hair behind. Her hair has already got dusty with the soil as they tickled the ground. There he discerned her but someone was annoyed with the presence.

He turned toward Keśava but found him motionless; he spoke to himself. His voice intertwined with wrath was itself sharp like a weapon slashing through the air. "Don't you know you don't deserve to be here, this place is itself for warriors."

She looked at him stunned. "Dev...

She wasn't allowed to continue as he interrupted. "Yuvraj"

Realisation transpired that he was a crown prince and required the reverence equivalent to his status. She greeted him with her hands in a namaskāra position. "Pranāma Yuvraj, my humble reverence to you. May you be blessed but I have a question. How do you know I am not a warrior?"

She disputed as she was never afraid to put forward the issue and speak against what she felt was wrong.

He was amused by her but the anger still has control over him. "How do you think you can be a warrior? Those hands of yours look beautiful with the mahawar nor with the swords. For far it appears that these hands have never taken hold of any weapon. Neither the compassion that you have transpired to be of a warrior."

Keśava heard his words for the second time and he was seething in anger. The words were directed at her but it stung him. Because that wasn't not only directed to her but did limit the scope of knowledge for anyone. His lips trembled as the first words made their way but Omajā wanted to take a grip of it.

The qualm could only be answered by her. She hasn't not only learned the art of warfare but was also competent in retorting his question logically. Her first arrow would be affected, the one which he had told her weakness was her strength.

She asserted. "Yuvraj, you have asked me how I seem to be a warrior. But there is no difference between you and me as of eternal. To you, I may appear different but I have always held that quality. I am a soul. Suddo'si buddhosi buddho'si niranjano'si. This has been always untouched by any contaminants, it is apparent and conscious. How can you differ it, when the sun never fails to shower its light upon us. Then how can you differ?"

She tried to make her discern through illustration. "Viśpálā never halted, she led the war in which she was blessed by Aśvin Kumara. Maa Kālikā has to herself take up the weapon to fight against injustice. Maa Satyabhmaa slew Narkasura, for the mistreatment of thousands of women. It was Sri Radhika who came forward to protect us all from Marshana and Harshana. All these women who have given the exhibition of their valour. How could you think I can't be a warrior?"

Her words were full of accusation, he couldn't answer so she spoke again. "And of the compassion you say; that should be always present in the Prince so he could understand the pain and reflect it. Accordingly, justice could prevail and the anger you are speaking about looks good on the battlefield."

She was going to go away from there but couldn't stop to exhibit what she had said, to prove him wrong. "If you still think my words are less then let me prove it to you." She held the bow and arrow and looked at Keśava. He was himself mesmerised by noteworthy words that he couldn't react.

She stood in the alidha position. She stretched her left leg but the right leg was bent in the backward position. The distance between both of the legs was maintained as her eyes focused on the target and she placed the arrow accordingly. And then shot the arrow correctly at the target. Without saying she went away from that place. She had given the answer she wanted, now it was he who had to change.

That day all the doubts of Keśava were cleared about her. He knew she was an able ruler who could always put up with the stance for herself.

Sādhana: Evokes a divinity, identifying and absorbing it into himself

Rishi: Sages who after intense meditation (tapas) realized the supreme truth.

Yuvraj: Crowned Prince

Dev: Respected word to address men, literally god.

Namaskāra position

Mahawar: Red colour applied on hands

Mayūraḥ: Peacock

Suddo'si buddhosi buddho'si niranjano'si: You are pure, Enlightened, and spotless. (In reference to soul)

Alidha: Position for archery in DanurVeda.

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