The Gandhara kingdom was a mountainous state located to the north-west of Bharatavarsha. The Gandharas were an intelligent people. However, though Gandhara was a part of the extended Aryavarta, many orthodox Aryan kingdoms would find the Gandharas unchaste as their customs, rituals and lifestyle often differed from the mainstream Aryan system.

     Subal was the king of Gandhara. He had a number of sons and one daughter called Gandhari. Shakuni was Subal’s eldest son and was famous for his outstanding intelligence. There was a myth that Shakuni could impeccably identify a person just by seeing his shadow once! He was the pride of Gandhara. Although he was not particularly great as a warrior, Shakuni was an astute military strategist. His skill in dice games, however, was proverbial. He regularly resorted to deceptions for winning dice games and no one could detect his tricks. But he played such games only for fun and to hone his extraordinary mental abilities.

     King Ugrasen of Mathura invited King Subal to attend his beloved niece Devaki’s swayamvara ceremony. There was a political will behind this invitation which was to mend the difficult relations between the Gandharas and the Vrishnis. Subal accepted the invitation and detailed Shakuni to visit Mathura on his behalf. As instructed by his father, Shakuni visited Mathura to be present during the function.

In Mathura, a life-changing incident befell Shakuni. He became a different person with completely different priorities. 

Hastinapur

The powerful Hastinapur kingdom was ruled by the Kauravas—the descendants of Kuru the Great. The Kuru king Pratip had three sons—Devapi, Bahlik and Shantanu. Devapi became an ascetic in his early youth and left the kingdom. The second son, Bahlik, was made the king of Vahik Desh (a kingdom located west of Hastinapur) while the youngest, Shantanu, became the king of Hastinapur. Shantanu’s first wife was Ganga who bore him Devavrata—an extraordinary personality and an unparalleled warrior. But in spite of his merit and popularity, he could not succeed his father to the throne.

Shantanu had fallen in love with a much younger Satyavati—the adopted daughter of a fisherman. The fisherman put a condition that Shantanu must secure the throne of Hastinapur for Satyavati’s son. In order to facilitate his father’s marriage to Satyavati, Devavrata surrendered all his rights to the throne and also remained a bachelor throughout his life to avert any potential feud between his children and those of Satyavati in the future. In recognition of his outstanding sacrifice, the gods gave him the name ‘Bheeshma’.

Shantanu and Satyavati had two sons—Chitrangad and Vichitraveerya. Chitrangad was killed in his youth by a Gandharva of the same name. Vichitraveerya became the king but he was grossly incompetent. It was Devavrata who was actually ruling over the kingdom, as a regent though. However, Vichitraveerya died childless due to sudden illness. In order to get a suitable heir to the throne, Vichitraveerya’s young wives—Ambika and Ambalika were asked to bear sons through Niyoga. They reluctantly agreed to bear Rishi Vyasadeva’s (Satyavati’s son from her pre-marital union with Rishi Parashar) sons. But their sons were flawed, unfortunately. While the older Dhritarashtra was born blind, the younger Pandu was an albino. Vyasa’s union with a maid of Ambika begot Vidur who would grow into an extremely wise and righteous man. As the eldest Dhritarashtra was blind, Pandu was anointed as the crown prince with Devavrata as the regent and Vidur as the adviser.

When Dhritarashtra and Pandu reached marriageable age, Devavrata started looking for suitable brides for them.

Mathura

The Yadavas had many clans like the Vrishnis, the Andhakas, the Kukuras, the Haihayas, the Chedis, the Bhojas and so on. The Vrishni Yadavas were the most prominent among them. They ruled over the kingdom of Saurasena, named after Shurasen, their king. Mathura was its capital city. The Vrishnis did not prefer hereditary monarchy as the mode of governance. Instead, they governed their land through some unanimously selected chieftains who were as good as kings.

After Shurasen’s death, his good friend Ugrasen was chosen by the fellow chieftains as the head of the state and like Shurasen, he was a just ruler. Ugrasen had an adopted son, Kansa and a niece, Devaki who was more than a daughter to him. Kansa was a devious man who had ambitions of becoming the king of Mathura. Shurasen had one son, Vasudeva, and four daughters. Shurasen gave away his eldest daughter, Pritha, to his childless friend Kuntibhoja, a Bhoja warlord. Kuntibhoja renamed Pritha as Kunti after adoption.

Devaki and Vasudeva (the parents of Lord Shri Krishna Vasudeva) loved each other secretly. Though Ugrasen liked Vasudeva very much, he never saw him as Devaki’s husband. As Devaki reached the marriageable age, Ugrasen arranged a swayamvara ceremony for Devaki to choose her husband from many suitors. But an untoward incident happened during the ceremony.

Prologue

The young man was waiting with bated breath. He was standing behind a dense bush that was beautifully cropped in the shape of a lotus petal. He was getting impatient.

A light footstep was heard. He became all ears and tried to peep through the bush.

She was coming!

The man blinked a couple of times quickly so that he would not have to bat an eyelid for quite some time, for he did not want to miss even a single glimpse of that girl.

She was now fully visible. She gracefully walked towards a couch-shaped rock and quietly sat on it with her back to the man.

The man knew what she would do now. She would sing a song in a low voice looking at the setting sun. The voice of the girl was like the sound of a flute and the tune was too dulcet to forget.

The man had come prepared today. He wanted to tell the girl something very important and also had brought a precious gift for her. He clenched his fist around a black leather satchel hanging from his shoulder. The gift was inside the bag.

He had been staying in this city for the last seven days as an honourable guest. On behalf of the host, the girl—a royal herself—had been looking after all the esteemed invitees including this man. He was smitten by her looks and charming personality at the very first sight. Within a few days, his infatuation had turned into a deep, consuming love. The girl perhaps realised that. Her behaviour towards him seemed to have been extra kind—at least the man felt so. He had made up his mind that he would formally propose to her today. He was very much confident that she would not refuse. 

The girl, meanwhile, started humming a tune and the man was listening, spellbound.

Suddenly, the man felt something squirm near his feet. With a start, he looked down. It was a snake—easily the biggest he had ever seen! The dreadful serpent crept rapidly through the neatly mowed grass of the garden. It was slithering towards the rock that the girl was sitting on.

His girl was in danger! Without a second thought, the man dashed forward as fast as he could.

The girl was completely lost in her singing. The snake, by then, had reached the rock and was climbing over the boulder’s jagged surface. The man, panting, reached the place almost at the same time. Without thinking anything, he grabbed the girl from behind and pushed her on the other side of the rock and in the act tumbled over her. The snake changed its direction quickly at the commotion and disappeared into a cranny.

The girl, crimson with astonishment and rage, could not just believe what had happened. She got up quickly, trembling. The man also got up with some difficulty. The girl’s doe eyes were now smouldering with fury. The man realised that he had been misunderstood.

‘H…how dare you! You…you…’ the girl was stammering.

‘Please…please, understand. There was a…’ the man faltered and pointed his finger towards the snake that was no more there. The only proof of his innocence was lost.

‘Shut up, you scoundrel!’ the girl’s voice, though not raised much, was spine-chilling. Her beautiful face contorted with a searing anger.

She called me a scoundrel! How could she!

Though there was still some light in the sky, it was already all dark for the man. He tried to make a desperate last attempt to save the day, ‘Believe me, Devi, please. I just tried to save you… I just….’

‘I don’t need to be saved! You tried to molest me actually. You thought I was alone and helpless. I always knew, you had it in your mind. I saw it in your eyes the very first day I met you. You have been stalking me here for the last two days. I noticed everything but didn’t care simply because you happen to be a guest. But I could not even imagine you’d stoop so low and dare this much!’

     The girl’s affronts were flogging the crestfallen man. Meanwhile, some armed guards showed up.

     Surprisingly, she calmed down a notch and took a step towards the man who stood like a lifeless effigy. She said in a rather low voice, ‘I could have you beheaded right now, but our noble culture grants immunity to an officially invited foreigner, regardless of his crime. Just get lost and never dare show me your face ever again.’

     One of the guards placed his hand very roughly on the man’s shoulder. The man was not used to such a brusque touch—from a socially inferior person at that! He turned around sharply and rammed his knuckles straight into the guard’s chin. The guard fell down on the ground like a severed tree trunk.

     The other sentinels pounced on the young man like hungry wolves showering punches and kicks in torrents. He put up a brave fight but they were too many for him. The man was brutally thrashed. Then, one of them held him by the scruff of his neck and made him stand up. The others lifted their blades to hack him into pieces.

     The battered, bloodied man knew his time was come. He had no strength left to stage a fightback. But before he died, he had to see the girl’s face for one last time. He looked at the girl who was standing like a marble statue. Her peculiar countenance seemed like a mystery to the man. Was she feeling sad for him? The man’s heart thumped. Did she have a place for him in her mind, however small? The man felt light for one fleeting moment, completely oblivious of his present situation.

     He did not know that the girl herself had been in trouble for quite some time. She did not want to get involved in any untoward incident further.  

     ‘Don’t kill him! He has been punished enough already,’ the girl’s tired voice floated in the air.

     ‘Deviji, this man should not live. He dared touch you!’ One guard said with folded hands, asking for the permission to slaughter him.

‘No! This petty rascal happens to be a foreigner and a guest. Have you all forgotten that tomorrow is my best friend’s wedding? Do not spoil the happy mood of the city with any violence.’

Petty rascal! Me? She dared call me a rascal?

The young man felt as if his mouth had been filled with ashes. Was that what he had craved for? He felt he would have better been left dying a painful death than to survive on her clemency. He hated himself.

     The swords came down immediately. The guards took their hands off the man. One showed him the exit without saying anything. Another grabbed him by the collar and gave a savage push. He wobbled a little before regaining his balance and walked away at a snail’s pace, with his head sunk into his chest.

     By the time he reached the exit gate, he had a completely different taste in his mouth. A bitter malice had welled up to his lips now.

     He turned back once. The guards were still watching him. The girl was not there anymore. She had left.

While he deserved to be feted for saving the girl’s life, these bloody people presented him with an insult worse than death!

Today was their day alright; but he would have his, too. And on his day, he would give them back much more than what he got today. He swore to take a devastating revenge on the girl and these proud people. He spat out a blob of spittle that landed on a beautiful red rose.

You will have to pay for this. You are very proud of your ‘noble culture’, no? My foot! I shall destroy the entire clan you are so proud of and make you watch the ruin!

The girl’s pretty face surfaced in his mind for a moment. Tears brimmed in his eyes. He was being burnt and drenched at the same time. The man left the place in a huff. He wished he could leave this damned city at once but that was not possible. He must attend tomorrow’s function by any means to avoid a scene. Otherwise, he would have a lot of explaining to do, even to his own people.

The special gift he had brought for the girl could not be delivered.

PART I

1

Devaki was looking a little restless now. She had so far been an epitome of poise and grace. Dressed in the most expensive silk and bedecked with dazzling jewellery, she was looking like a goddess. She was the beloved niece of Ugrasen, the Vrishni king of Mathura.

Her feathery fingers were clutching at the heavy garland with unnecessary tightness. She was looking at the doorway through the corner of her eyes. Was she expecting someone to come?

Devaki’s swayamvara ceremony was just about to begin. The inaugural dance and music performances by the best artists of Mathura had just concluded. The guests were gearing up for the main attraction. Devaki—one of the most desired girls of Aryavarta—was to choose her husband from a number of admirers now. She would soon start roaming around with the garland in her hand. She would choose her life partner by garlanding him. This was the most awaited and exciting moment of the ritual. Every lovestruck young man was nervously watching the girl, expecting the garland to fall on his shoulders.

But Devaki was not moving. She was taking time. The guests were getting impatient. Even Ugrasen himself could not understand why his niece was not making a move.

‘Kanya Devaki, start walking. Everybody is waiting, can’t you see?’ Ugrasen whispered.

Suddenly a strapping, robust man stormed into the hall. Though middle-aged, he moved with an unbearable swagger.

He was well-known to Ugrasen who stood up from his seat and shouted a surprised greeting at him, ‘Good heavens! How come you are here, Shini? What a pleasant surprise! Come, come bless my daughter, she is choosing her husband today.’

Saying this, Ugrasen introduced the stranger to the assemblage: ‘O my esteemed guests, please allow me the liberty and pleasure of introducing to you this extraordinary gentleman who is a jewel among the Vrishni Yadavas. He is Shri Shini. He is a cousin of the late King Shurasen.’

Shini—an outstanding warrior—did not really need an introduction. Most of the guests either knew him or had at least heard of him. He bowed to Ugrasen reverentially and said in a rumbling voice, ‘O Maharaj Ugrasen, please accept my apology in advance. I am going to do something which may not please you very much. I shall take Devaki with me now. I shall get her married to my dear nephew Vasudeva. They are deeply in love and are meant for each other.’

     Ugrasen stood nonplussed. It was not that he did not like Vasudeva. On the contrary, the young boy had impressed him very much by his intelligence and pleasant manners. But Ugrasen actually never thought of him as Devaki’s husband.

     Shini took a step towards the guests and issued them a brave warrior’s challenge.

‘Here, I take the girl away with me. If anyone has any objections, come forward and fight me.’ Saying this, Shini unsheathed his enormous sword.

‘Anyone?’ Shini shouted haughtily.

     No one responded. Shini’s reputation as a warrior deterred the guests from taking meaningless risks.

     ‘Very wise of you,’ grinned Shini.

Turning around, he addressed Devaki spreading his hand towards her. ‘Come Kanya, I shall get you the man of your life.’

With a delighted smile, Devaki held his arm. They started to walk towards the exit. Ugrasen was scratching his head as he could not understand whether to stop or allow them.

‘Stop!’ An irate shout was heard from the crowd.

Shini turned back flashing a crooked smile, ‘Ah…at least there is someone here with some guts. Good! But who is it?’

It was Somadatta, the crown prince of Vahik Desh. The young, courageous prince came forward with a crescent-shaped cavalry sword in his hand. His face was red with anger.

‘You simply cannot take her away like this,’ screamed the young prince.

‘Oh, really? Can’t I?’ Shini asked sarcastically.

‘At least you have to defeat me before doing that.’

‘So be it. Let’s then have a quick fencing game.’ Saying this, Shini slashed the air with a wild swing of his sword.

Somadatta rushed in with the upraised sword and pounced on Shini, who quickly side-stepped with nimble footwork. Although slightly off-balance, Somadatta still managed to bring the sword down on Shini’s head dangerously. Shini parried the blow by holding his sword horizontally overhead. Somadatta quickly freed his sword from the lock and tried to jab Shini in the throat. But again Shini moved his head aside with an amazing body feint and held Somadatta’s wrist with the left hand. A right-handed Shini easily twisted his arm even with the weaker left hand and headbutted him in the face.

Somadatta’s head reeled. With a bleeding nose, he was down on his knees. But he was not to give up so easily. He got up immediately on his feet and desperately lunged at Shini’s jugular like a leaping snake. Shini did not expect such a spirited fightback from Somadatta. Although he managed to step aside, he could not save himself completely. Somadatta’s sword grazed his shoulder leaving a deep cut.

     Shini looked at the wound on his shoulder. It was smarting and bleeding. The sight of his own blood infuriated him. He came back to his elements. With a jerk of his shoulder, he got rid of the uttariya that covered his torso. Shini now stood bare bodied. He looked severe. 

     Drawing blood on his formidable opponent, Somadatta got a little carried away and came too close to Shini for another assault. But an enraged Shini did not give away any more chance to his rival. He struck on Somadatta’s sword so powerfully that the blade broke off from the handle and flew away quite a distance before falling on the floor with a clink. A stunned Somadatta blankly looked on at the bladeless hilt held in his hand. Shini kicked Somadatta in the stomach. Somadatta fell down on the floor clutching his belly with both his hands. The fight was over.

Somadatta was wallowing on the floor helplessly. But Shini’s anger had not yet died down. He mercilessly kicked Somadatta in his face again. He rolled over on the ground with his face smeared with blood and the dust from Shini’s boot.

The humiliation was unbearable. The Kshatriya princes and aristocrats present there were appalled at Shini’s ungracious behaviour. However, fearing a similar treatment, nobody dared voice any protest.

     ‘Feel obliged that I have spared your life. Go home and take some medicines!’ Shini mocked at his fallen rival. He held Devaki’s hand tightly and stormed out of the hall. Devaki turned back for a moment and looked at Ugrasen’s face with an unspoken apology. Ugrasen looked totally vacant. He was sensitive enough to read Devaki’s mind. He realised that she herself desired Vasudeva and her present sense of guilt would soon be lost into the blissful marital romance that her future promised.

     Somadatta was still lying prone, battered and humiliated. One man slowly came out of the throng of dumbfounded guests. He walked up to Somadatta with measured steps and bent down to hold his hands.

‘Get up, Kumar Somadatta. I am Shakuni from Gandhara.’ He said with a low, dry voice.

     ‘Shakuni!’ Somadatta wiped the dripping blood from his nose and mouth and said in a choked voice, ‘If you are a friend, please do me one favour. Dig your knife into my chest and carry my corpse to my father. I simply can’t go home carrying this humiliation on my back!’

     Shakuni almost whispered, ‘I am neither your friend nor your enemy—at least not yet. I just wanted to tell you that you need to live to get avenged, Kumar Somadatta. Go home. The battle has just started!’

     There was something in his voice that gave Somadatta the strength to get up on his feet.