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"One whose task is never hindered by cold, heat, fear, love,
prosperity or lack of it, is really superior."

Mahabharata - 5.33.20

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Darkness had enclosed the surroundings when she reached the state of Rāthnānathi. The Fort was lit up with lamps and due to its light, it could be seen from afar. From the dark, the light spiralled, for the heart that had been clogged.

Even for the greatest to see the triviality in darkness and darkness in glow was overwhelming. When that light is touched nothing is restrained; in the darkness, the self has to be bare from qualities to remain untouched. Away from what's mine and what's yours.

To her, there was no confusion about the war, it had to happen, and when she was prepared for it. As she entered the guards looked at her and confirmed her identity through the royal ring, the same that was once with Keśava. About her arrival no one was cognizant so there was no one to see it. Except for Niddhi, her main attendant who looked after her every need.

She asked her to dispatch a message to the ministers and the king about a substantial meeting, as there was something that was to be discussed. Meanwhile, she went toward the chamber of Vrīnda who was herself intertwined in her thoughts. In the periphery of night, she was listening to itihāsa. But as soon as she saw Abhīstāda she scampered toward her and hugged her.

She placed her lips over her forehead, she was seeing her after a long time. Her vulnerable composure couldn't be ignored by her as she remembered that she went there as a commoner and had endured all the difficulties. It was for her that she sustained all of it, for the moment she was gripped by remorse but Abhīstāda was abrupt to notice it.

She shook at her and her lips formed into a curve as she again embraced her. "For this reason, I went there and it was victorious, Mahārājā and Sridhara, they were out of danger and your message had reached him. It is prudent with him."

Though she was relieved that her message had reached him and wanted to know about it. However, foremost she was worried about her. "But for me, you have to endure all of these difficulties, you have left all the luxury of the palace for me. You weren't required but you went there for me..."

She glared at him and held her hand as she was going away. It was my responsibility that has been fulfilled. And those obstacles that you are talking about, I never felt any of them all I experimented with was unconditional affection. No matter how hard I tried there I had to leave something..."

She couldn't tell her this soon that it was this stay that enabled her to deduce the perception of how thin was the lie. Even when one didn't enclose everything yet the whole fraction is already affixed and invariably feels the tenderness. For her, it was Késava who assisted her to behold the varied perceptive.

Like always Vrīnda couldn't understand what she yearned to assert. Her words weren't clear and like always they were like the quandary. One part was in one sentence and another in another sentence, and it was for the listener to identify. "What do you want to say? I couldn't understand."

"For that, you have to read what Sridhara has to say." She gave the letter that was given to her by Sridhara. It was sent in the early morning before she could leave. "I am not aware what he had jotted down in this letter but it seems he expressed his feelings, and as he told me to him you were always the one, to whom he always belonged and from whose heart had unconditional affection."

She smiled at her as she turned to return, returning to the court where all the ministers had assembled. As she entered all of them greeted her and she paid her reverence to all of them. Without wasting time she told them about the war that was being planned by Swamari's Yuvraj. He was conspiring in the invasion of the Kingdom.

Adyānt heard her and couldn't believe that he would plan it. "Abhīstāda are you sure about it?"

She nodded and briefed her father and ministers about it. "Yuvraj Keśava told me about it, even Yuvraj of Swamari visited the city himself. I was there when he was talking, he conversed with him about how we are ineffective and he departed. His visit was to inspect Smaranāgarh so the help could not reach us."

As all of them were contemplating about Vijāya, the military defense minister spoke."What should be done?"

Pradhan Mantri observed the seriousness and since any step could tarnish their relationship but also cause the life he retorted. "Since we haven't received any information from their side, I don't know how he would react about it if we confess anything. We cannot send an ambassador to them for the peace agreement as that would be done at the cost of our prominence, it would appear as if we are weak. We have to think about it."

"But there is nothing worse than talking, to save a life."

Vijāya answers him. "It would be like accusing them. There has been no communication from their side."

They thought and discussed it for a long time but no conclusion was reached. She looked at father and he sensed the doubts that had been raised in everyone's mind and he answered. "The preparation should be done so the act isn't swift for us and we are prepared. And accordingly, we can see, guard every village so that the attack doesn't cause the lives of innocent people."

Almost all of them agreed it was later with him as Abhīstāda asserted. "I agree with Pramabhattakara. I have some information on it by Yuvraj Keśava, he did try to help in whatever he could. But it wasn't sufficient. It would be in favor of the lives that we wait but in that time we plan accordingly. If anyone disagrees with any matter they can oppose it."

The court was dismissed as everyone conceded and it was decided that they would be working accordingly. Since it was already late they all went to their chamber and Abhīstāda decided to meet her parents later. 

As the next started she assumed her responsibility. Her day was divided into eight parts according to the direction of the sun. Once she was done with her prayers she started with the first part of the day. It included looking into the accounts of receipts and expenditure; since she was away it was arduous work to even look into the previous account after she was satisfied with her work she started with the second part. 

She looked into the affairs of both citizens and country people and heard her plea without making them wait for long like she accepted most were about irrigation once she ensured about it and located the duties to respective ministers. She took a bath and ate her food, after which she spent her time studying the shastra.

During the fourth, she looked into revenue and calculated how much would be spent and how the economy would work if there would be war. She called the superintendent of koṣṭhāgāram and asked him about the taxes. 

"The taxes are collected as directed by the center about one-sixth of the produce is collected. It is spent according to as it has decided. Provision is paid by the people for the army, taxes are levied on religious purposes, some taxes are paid by vassal kings and others, pársva taxes are collected when there is large margin-left and taxes that are levied on lands below tanks, lakes, built by the king. All of these are sufficient to run the empire during the crisis."

"And what is the condition of the grain?"

He looked into his account as he responded. "It can be used for eight months but I am not sure if more adverse conditions will arise as we have seen drought in the past."

Then she met with the assembly of his ministers, and received the confidential input gathered by the spies; then she went to meet her mother.

Her mother was a courageous queen she was invariably conscious and didn't let the thoughts overpower her but after seeing her daughter after months, the tears themself made their presence to meet her, as she took her in her embrace and cuddled her. For a few moments, even she couldn't understand what has happened to her but the motherly love has taken over as she instructed her daughter.

Abhistada told her about her present condition when her mother guided her about it. "My dear daughter the moment like these are going to test, for war there is no certainty. When you were in my womb there was a war that was going to take place with Smaranāgarh."

Her mother's words confused her as she wasn't aware of any war for may long she could remember they were an ally. Vrinda's mother, the wife of the prime minister was from there. How could they share the sour relation, even if so what were the fatalities that were caused? And after all these destructions.

"How are they allies?"

She educated her about it. "It was due to the confusion between two kingdoms, they were friends of my father. So I asked them to convey the reason behind the war, was when he both of us came to know about the confusion and the war was halted. King of  Smaranāgarh wasn't pleased about it and he wanted to connect us all in relation so, Vrinda was married to Pradhan Mantri."

She ceased her words as she gazed at her daughter and lovingly caressed her cheeks. "That's why your father was worried and it may have been a confusion. War like these creates confusion. And innocent soldiers lose their life because the lust of power counts behold. To award war one should look for all the available factors and avoid the death until it's the last option to sustain the dhārma."

Her mother's words enabled her to conceal and speculate about it deeply from a distinct aspect of which she hasn't contemplated.

Later she met the superintendent and inspected elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, and. In the last and the eighth part, she discussed the various plans of the military.  And discussed the operations with the commander-in-chief.

She inspected the bow and arrow. The arrows were specially designed into various shapes. These included; serrated, razorblade, cow's tail, crescent-shaped, needle-shaped, spear-headed, teeth of Calf, two Pronged, the petal of a flower, the beak of Crow, tomar, prasa, and nata parva.

These all were specialized in their act and even one was suitable to kill the enemy, as their edges were so powerful and beside it on some of them were laced with the poison that eventually spread in the body and later killing.

Mace, dagger, falchion, and spear were also included and out of them all her most favorite was the Chakra, a disc-shaped weapon that was enough to slit any body part if applied with force and skills.  

After she was done with her daily duties at the close of the day, she observed sandhya prayer. Like the day the night was also divided into eight fractions. During the first part of the night, she talked with the secret envoys.

Later period was utilized for the bath and then the food was prepared and given to her. After which she spent the time on the shastras. And she entered the chamber where she went to sleep. And lets the deep slumber be surrounding her for the other two divisions of the night.

In the fifth part, she was awakened by the sounds of instruments as she learned the sciences of life and planned the duties of the day. Later she sent the spies and allocated them the work to notice any suspicious activity related to the attack.  

She was doing the last faction of the night meeting the priest. She noticed the cow and calf together. The calf caressing the mother by his neck and mother-loving putting her head above him. Abhīstāda went near to both of them and with a touch full of love, she held them close, when she heard the words echoing around her.

"Yuvraj has killed his father and has taken the charge as King. Now is when the whole scenario has been altered."

Koṣṭhāgāram: Storage House

Yuvraj: Crowned Prince

Itihāsa: Thus it was, the record of the traditional accounts, such as Puranas, Mahabharata, and Ramayana.

Mahārājā: King

Pradhan Mantri: Prime Minister.

Náyaka: Leader

Vardhaki : Carpenter

Mauhúrtika: Astrologer

Sama: Equals to 14 angulas

The weapons discused above.

The shape of the arrows.

Source: Danuveda Samhitā; translation by Purnima Ray.

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