VishKanya

Synopsis:

Vishkanya is a story that revolves around Alka; a VishKanya who is sent to kill a just yet violent emperor Chandraketu of the Malay region. Alka is an abandoned child who was captivated and raised to be a VishKanya by Vishwadyumna; one of the main antagonists.

Chandraketu has had a troubled and horrifying childhood, as a result of which he always tries to free away from his past with help of wine, women, and war.

Purushottam(Puru) is the main protagonist who is chief of the espionage network for the country. He is a very emotional, just, and shape-shifting animagi belonging to the rakshasa tribe. He was trained and appointed by Malay's Rajguru; Acharya Vishnugupta who is a brilliant strategist, along with Devayani.

Devayani is the main female protagonist along with Alka. Devayani is a very ambitious, focused, and strong-witted lady who has been rejected by Vishnugupta to be the chief of espionage network against Puru. As a result of which Devayani abandons the Malay region and goes to the Naga people.

Another Antagonist is Surasa; a NagKanya. Vishwadyumna has an enticement to glory and power while Surasa seeks vengeance as she was ousted by the Naga king and his people, which had made her part ways with her children.

Surasa can control one's inner self by catching their shadows and forces them to engage in many macabre's. She is planning to take over the land of Naga's and bhils' so that she can use their forces to take her revenge. Vishwadyumna blackmails Surasa with the whereabouts of her children and forces her to ally her.

Due to this increased tension and uncertainty, Acharya tries to get Devayani back to Malay so that she can help Chandraketu find his true purpose. Devayani agrees to return but she doesn't agree to marry Chandraketu.

Meanwhile, Alka tries to trap Chandraketu emotionally and succeeds in it.

However, in doing so, she falls for Puru. Acharya tells Puru that he wishes Chandraketu to fall for Devayani instead of Alka. Puru gets shattered to hear this as he was truly in love with Devayani. This further worsens Puru and Devayani's relations as he keeps his distance from her and Devayani also misconstrues his stance.

When Puru goes on in his animagus form to spy upon Surasa, he understands her heart's pains and that she was wrongly framed. He then decides to dig deep into this. Vishwadyumna asks Alka to kill Puru first, which turns her against him. Devayani manages to help Chandraketu overcome his tragic past and also reveals Alka's truth. Alka upon being questioned reveals her back story and how a wrong tradition of VishKanyas spoils the life of too many innocent girls. Alka then helps them get a lot of valuable information about Vishwadyumna that he is a vampire and that the secret to kill him is known only to bhil people.

Puru discovers that Devayani and Alka were abandoned children of the Naga king and Surasa. Till then the war against Vishwadyumna starts. Surasa agrees to help him for the sake of her children. Chandraketu and Devayni manage to get Bhils and Nagas on their side but Rakshasas decide to stand with Vishwadyumna. Bhils tell Chandra and Devayani that they have been handed over a series of clues to understand what can kill Vishwadyumna. 

Chandraketu realizes his love for Devayani and proposes to her for marriage. Devayani politely refuses and counts his sins and tells him that he will have to pay for his karma. Alka listens to them and also decides that she must also pay for her karma. 

In the final fight, Devayani reveals her naga powers and exercises her control over her mind to finally defeat Surasa. Puru returns and tells them about the truth. Alka travels to the land of Naga's with her mother and makes them realize their mistake. Devyani and her sister finally unite and get their family back. After Surasa's retreat and upon finding Alka's treason, an enraged Vishwadyumna plans a group attack on Devayani and Alka on their return with the Rakshasa people. While saving Devayani, Alka dies.

A gravely injured Devayani tells Puru about her true feelings. Listening to this makes Chandraketu's morale break down. A seething Puru along with Bhils and Naga's, wages war against Dasyu's and Rakshasas. Rakshasas capture Puru through his weak emotions. Acharya opens his eyes towards duties and tries to take him back. Chandra deciphers the Kautilian cipher to get the whereabouts of Trishul but gets killed by its power but not before handing it to Puru.

Puru finally conquers his tribes' emotions and kills Vishwadyumna. Devayani recovers from her injuries and marries Puru. The people of Malay accept Puru as their king and Devayani as their queen to conclude the story.

                                                     ~

Chapter 1 of Manuscript:

It was a very beautiful morning. Cold gusts of soothing wind were shaking the curtains of windows gently. Over the horizon, the Sun God had started to paint the canvas of the sky with breathtakingly beautiful shades of pink, orange, yellow, red, and faint blue. Birds were starting to wake; their soft chirps could be heard from over the palace windows. But it seemed like nature would need to do something more extravagant or vintage to win Purushottam’s attention.

He was squinting at a scroll of parchment while struggling hard to keep it straight. Puru’s espionage network had sent out a warning. The parchment was small and had some strange figures drawn on it.

‘𑀯𑀺𑀱𑀓𑀦𑁆𑀬𑀸’

It somehow had managed to keep him engrossed so deeply in the thoughts since its arrival, that when Pratihari announced Acharya’s arrival, it gave him an absolute start. The scroll slipped from his hand as an obvious reaction and rolled itself again like a stubborn kid.

‘Send him in,’ he replied, evidently restraining his wish to curse loudly.

‘What on the earth would make you miss the Pratah Arghyam, Puru?’ Acharya asked calmly as he marked his way in the dimly lit chamber. Acharya Vishnugupta, who also was rajguru; was a slightly stout and fair-looking man draped in simple hermit’s clothes adorned by rudraksha beads. His hairs were tied in a bun over the head. His gaze was calm, and his total demeanor was completely stoic and composed. There was something very tranquil about him that made Puru’s agitation lower a bit.

‘Nothing…I was just…’ Puru hesitated, finding nothing appropriate to be provided as a valid excuse. ‘This just came in and….’

‘You got engrossed in contemplating over if’s and but’s…as usual…’ Acharya cut in with an approving smile, as Puru handed over the scroll of parchment to him. As soon as he saw it, his triprundram(three horizontal lined tilak) turn into a grave frown.

‘Ingenious...,’ Acharya remarked, trying to sound casual, but his first reaction had already depicted the anxiety that had been embarked upon his mind. Taking a deep sigh, he asked, ‘What do you think of the obvious perpetrator of this?’

Puru raised his beautifully arched brows. ‘Not only brave but also one of the meticulous planners who will never let it go down to a perfunctory analysis. He believes in writing his glorious future with the blood of others and not by shedding that of his own…highly ambitious and would stoop to any level to get his goal achieved,' he presented his analysis of Vishvadyumna, chief of Dasyu tribe. ‘If he has chosen to use this way, we must extrapolate that the executor shall be the best,’

‘That is but obvious. What worries me more is whether the storm has already hit the shore or is it yet to announce its arrival,’ Acharya walked to the window and let his gaze wander at the sky.

‘Does it matter?’ Asked Puru impetuously, trying to fathom the intensity of repercussions.

‘Ohh…very much…If ‘she’ has already made herself comfortable, we might have lost a significant bit of time to prepare for the safety of the emperor. You see, it’s very difficult to stop a thunder once it has stricken with full force.’

This thought exasperated Puru, but he seemed to have been left with no option but to agree.

‘And what does Naga King Karkotak have to say about our proposal? Did he respond?’ Asked Acharya, hoping for a positive reply.

Puru shook his head. ‘Not yet. But there were several disasters reported by Bhil people and rakshasa people about someone clandestinely hoodwinking their people. Possible that this was due to their shadows getting caught…you know…as we had discussed.’

‘Hmm… Surasa…I know...she catches your shadow and then takes total control of your inner self…,’ Acharya replied, continuing to gaze at the reddened sky. ‘Surasa is Karkotak’s archrival, and she would possibly try to create more havoc. He continued, ‘This would tremendously pressurize him to take an action…and if I am right, he will be compelled to come to us,’ Acharya smiled lopsidedly as if he had coerced out a whip-smart solution to this deeply bothering problem.

Puru never liked it to corner someone to force helping them nor did he approve of any idea of having to deal with Naga people directly. It ringed something broken within his heart, which he would never want to face again. His face showed his discomfort quite conspicuously.

Acharya turned towards him. ‘Where the hell is Chandraketu? I think I summoned him before I came here…’ he asked, seemingly unperturbed by Puru’s discomfort.

Puru’s face turned visibly red. He knew that Chandraketu would not be in the state to report to his Guru at this very moment, neither physically nor mentally. Experience had taught him to talk to his emperor only after the start of the third hour of the first prahar.

‘This attraction and enticement towards women are the only aspects of his nature that I hate the most. Also, that is the only thing that makes me worry like hell.’ Seethed Acharya, as Puru’s silence spoke volumes about his master’s whereabouts. Puru agreed to every bit of his Guru’s words, but he was far too disciplined to speak ill of his master openly.

Acharya paced the chamber in silence while lost in deep thoughts. Puru somehow found that momentary silence to be highly eerie. But having worked as the cheif of the espionage network, he was far too used to dealing with eerie silences.

‘Fix a meeting with Bhils and Aadivasi’s of the forests sharing borders with us. I presume that they are enraged…’ Acharya shot a questioning look to Puru, which he reciprocated with a silent nod.

‘The last war which emperor thrust upon them was horrible. It killed almost half of their tribesmen just because they refused to let us through. That cleared our path to Kalinga, but I simply couldn’t justify the macabre bloodshed it caused…’

Acharya chose to remain silent. These paradoxical mannerisms of Chandraketu had proved themselves even beyond his control. Though Chandraketu was a just ruler, it hardly justified his attitude towards the rest of the world. The implications of Chandraketu’s hateful upbringing, his troubled childhood, and convoluted perceptions were proving very chaotic to handle. Chandraketu was a skilled warrior and supremely talented disciple, but he had never been able to achieve the resonance between body and mind, which lead to becoming a great leader.

Sighing heavily, Acharya rubbed his chin for a moment. The facts seemed disturbing, and the palpable sense of uncertainty made him restless. Perhaps he will have to meditate now to concentrate more effectively. Without instructing anything further, he just left the chamber. Puru realized that he had to talk to the Naga king again. For, the word in the parchment translated to ‘Vishkanya’ (written in Brahmi script), and nothing but poison could be used to nullify poison.

~

It felt sweltering to him as if his lavish palace-room had been fuming hot, emanating loads of steam vapors. As he stopped by the window, gazing outside, it seemed like it might be a bit cooler, out in the natural habitats. A soft breeze of air seemed inviting. He felt like taking a stroll outside. Taking a flambeau and his sword, he left the palace. Everything was unnaturally silent. To his dismay, it was equally hot outside. The blackened sky looked widowed without the beautiful glowing moon, whereas the silently standing trees looked rather haunted…! The only sound accompanying him was the soft creaking of dried leaves getting crushed under his strong feet. It actually felt kind of grotesque, spooky, intimidating…!

'Can Emperor Chandraketu the great, feel fear? Can he be threatened? Can he be intimidated? No…!!! It is impossible…! Chandra was destined to be great…rather… greatest!!... What he has to fear for? Chandra… The conqueror of the world! He who cannot be defeated!' Chandra told himself as he progressed further towards the river, clutching his sword as firmly as he could.

He suddenly came to an abrupt halt. Somebody was crying...desperately. The atmosphere was starting to have a palpable sense of despair. The involuntary sobs were increasing…! He gazed everywhere in the dark, helping his vision a bit with the flambeau, but couldn’t figure out anybody. Damn...he should have asked at least someone to accompany him…! Was this frightening him? No... No…!

Then why the hell was his heart beating so fast? Why was he longing to just turn away and go back? His leg suddenly hit something...It was a corpse...bloodied remains of a human body... God… He quivered a bit and suddenly stepped back...another corpse...mutilated...half-eaten by vultures...He felt a strong urge to run away...corpses had surrounded him...wherever his sight could go…!

He felt a touch on his shoulder...cold as a coffin…. fierce...! He turned...It was a lady...her eyes had swollen red... perhaps she had been crying for days...she was gazing stolidly at him...her gaze pierced through his heart...he tried to free himself...but he could not...she whispered….'You are a killer…! sinner…! you killed my sons...all of my sons…!' 

'No... I did not...it was a war…!' He tried to reason, but not a single syllable came out from his throat. 'What was all this fiasco?' He never had felt like this before…! A fierce warrior like him…. why suddenly these whirlwinds of emotions were taking over him…? Chandra kept struggling with his thoughts.

The lady, meanwhile, was accompanied by many other ladies….'You widowed us...you took away our purpose to live as well...! You merciless butcher…!' He couldn't stand this any further…he started running...and tripped over one of the corpses falling prone within them…! Horrible, that felt horrible...the putrid waft of rotten flesh…!

He stood up and started running towards the river... as soon as he reached the shores, he leapt into the flowing water...It felt soothing, the cold...icy...purifying touch of the river…!

But when he came outside...and watched his hands in the dim light of the lonely flickering flame of flambeau...a chill ran down his spine...they were red… still red! When he turned and watched the river once again...it was completely blood red... Indeed, the river had turned red…!!!

He could feel that blood dripping down his spine...he frantically tried to wash that away…. The lady was now laughing... she started closing in…someone was still crying...laughs and blood.... cries and blood…!

Chandra woke up with a start and sat bolt upright, shivering badly, and panting hard, drenched entirely in his own sweat.

~

Puru was frog-marching towards his horse when he almost ran on Alka. As a result of this, the basket of flowers that she was carrying, thrashed to the ground with a loud thud. Alka, raging with anger, threw an angry stare towards Puru.

‘I had a premonition that something grotesque will hit my path today. And I had presumed that it would be you,’ She jeered.

Puru just rolled his eyes and bent down to help her with the flowers. ‘Do you even realize that these flowers now can’t be used for worship? You’ve doubled my work,’

Puru still avoided retaliating and concentrated on putting flowers back into the basket. Perhaps his outwardly calm composure pestered Alka more. The unnecessary force being applied in the actions depicted so evidently. ‘Often silence and ignorance make a more effective impact than an outright display of anguish,’ Devyani’s words ringed through Puru’s mind, and a beautiful smile suffused on his handsome face.

‘Ohh…why am I even telling this to you?’ Alka scowled as Puru's smile triggered her even more. ‘You understand nothing but warfare. It’s very difficult for a spy to understand tenderness, mannerisms…leave aside love. And perhaps men always take pride in thinking that a woman must be obliged to sacrifice everything for them, even her self-esteem,’ Alka didn’t understand what made her say so, but there it was.

This broke Puru’s trance, and he was brought back to the mortal world. ‘You presume a lot of things Alka, not a good attitude to exhibit,’ he replied calmly.

‘Are you going to tell me that you understand love and…and of course how righteous it is for a woman to prioritize her homely duties over everything else?’ Asked a flabbergasted Alka.

'True love asks for nothing, Alka. It is as pure and genuine as this flower. It would always radiate flowery essence even after being crushed,’ He lifted a beautiful flower from her basket and held it between them.

‘All as an expectation from a woman…’ she taunted.

‘It’s about how much faith you have in your love,’ Puru replied, choosing not to mind Alka’s acidic taunt.

'And everyone has to prioritize somewhere, Devi. Love is to support you through it. If you're experiencing otherwise, that's no true love,'

Alka raised her brows. Puru perhaps was the first man to talk so differently.

'Because love is not about equilibrium between two souls. Pray, do not confuse this with friendship,' continued Puru. 'Love is about completing the incomplete within you. Not about balancing any emotion but about making the emotions of two souls as one! Love may start with friendship, but its destination is solace! And how can it bind you for something if you two are one soul? There would never be a question of separate emotion...because if one has it, the other has it too…! That is why they say, True love, bestows freedom and thaws the frozen hearts!'' Puru smiled innocently and his eyes radiated pure ecstasy.

Alka's face was now turning tender. 'So, you would not want your life partner to sacrifice her priorities or anything else?'

'Never. You haven't understood my point. Such a sacrifice would cause her immense pain. With true love, her pain and my pain won't be different anymore! So why would I ask her to sacrifice? And if one does, I would say it's infatuation...not love,' Puru finished, putting the flower back in Alka’s hand. But her gaze remained fixed at Puru’s eyes.

'Try to see it this way. Your parents love you truly, don't they? Alka nodded. 'True love is like that. Supportive, freeing, and caring. And I wish you find someone real soon Alka, cause otherwise, you would always make me late like this…' Puru winced and stormed away.

Alka was left too surprised to react. She belonged to a country of male-dominated doctrine, and she always had had to rebel for what was rightfully hers. Every step of her life was a war fought for respect. All those ferociously fought battles had made her build a prejudice for men. But Puru? He had seemingly been different. When Emperor Chandraketu had conquered her land, she had been left horrified because of an expected humiliation. Nonetheless, Puru had brought her here safely along with many other ladies that he could save. However, Alka’s prejudice hadn’t allowed her to believe Puru quickly. Now with this conversation, her hatred and prejudice started thawing, even without her realizing that. She just kept looking at Puru’s narrowing figure as he rode away and away and allowed a beautiful smile to take over her face.

~

'They say that Mahadev's pooja helps detachment. Then why doesn’t my agony and agitation go away?' Thought Devayani as she started climbing down from temple stairs.

‘Agitation is a misuse of mind…,’ said an elderly sage, who was sitting under a humongous banyan tree.

‘Can he read my mind?’, She thought. A concoction of surprise and bewilderment occupied her face.

‘Yes and no,’ replied the sage with a tone that intended that he was rather enjoying this conversation. ‘Your face showed me your emotions quite conspicuously,’ he finished.

A startled Devayani immediately corrected her facial expressions to look in control.

‘Sit down, child,’ he said. Mesmerized by his aura, Devayani followed almost instantly. ‘I was saying that what agitates you is defined by your mind and nothing else, nothing can turn into agony unless you permit so,’

Devayani smiled wanly. ‘What if it was a betrayal?’ She asked.

‘Betrayal or rejection?’ Added the man, refusing to lower his gaze from Devyani’s beautiful face.

‘In my case, both seem the same,’ Devayani replied with welled eyes.

‘Then you might not be paying attention to subtle details,’ The sage replied with a warm smile, but it hit Devayani’s mind.

'Guruji, I was more worthy as a choice than him. Puru and I both longed for the same position and ultimately Puru won. Why?' Devayani let out a dry laugh.

‘Just because he was an Animagi…he belonged to Rakshasa tribe that’s why he has that shapeshifting ability… so Acharya chose him…but I had more qualities, I am not an emotional wimp like him. I…,’

‘Devayani, he was your best friend…you both went to the same guru as kids, and everyone knew of your potential,’ The sage replied, cutting in.

‘Of course,’ replied Devayani, feeling a wee bit embarrassed. ‘That’s why it felt more like betrayal,’ she admitted.

‘Prejudice isn't always correct because usually, it's built by extrapolation. That notion won't always give accuracy. Do a retrospective analysis of his behavior towards you, and I am sure you will understand why he is different. He has always been supportive of you, Devayani, no matter what.' The sage deliberated to see the effect of his words on Devayani.

Devayani heaved a great sigh. Perhaps she had over-reacted to the rejection. It had been her dearest ambition to be the chief of the espionage network of their country, which certainly would have made her father proud. But her dream was turned down to ashes, inadvertently by her best friend Puru. When your dearest dream gets turned down, its pain usually is unfathomable. Devayani was shattered completely after this.

Even now, her face contorted with the same pain.

'Also, one thing Devayani, remember excellence matters more than being declared the best. Excellence is a state of mind, whereas the latter is a consequence of a competition, which is usually unnecessary between friends. Friendship doesn't compel for similarity in thought process; on the contrary, it asks for equilibrium between two souls so that any emotion, be it anguish, depression, stress, anxiety, joy, or fear, balances equally. For where there is balance, there is peace.'

Devayani was mesmerized as she heard the sage with rapt attention. 'How come this sage knows it all?' She stood petrified, not even acknowledging what he had said.

‘You left the kingdom, you came and settled down here in the Naga region. It was just equivalent to running away. You even insulted Puru, for something which was not even his fault. Completely paradoxical to your usual controlled self,’

A hot shame ran down Devayani’s spine. It was now becoming strenuous for her to even look up and face the sage.

‘He had the coveted position of a favorite, and usually, a favorite has no friend. Looking at his emotional nature, you must have known that he valued you more than you could fathom,’ said the sage with a very tender voice. But his emotional breakdown helped Devayani coerce out his identity. Who but her own Guru can know her like this?

‘I am extremely sorry Acharya. Perhaps I couldn’t handle the failure,’ Devayani chose to be honest.

Acharya's face broke into a wide smile. He nodded in admiration at Devayani's instant display of grit. He understood her anguish and her dejection, but she needed to learn to control it too.

‘Devayani, usually when a situation concerning the deepest desires of one’s heart doesn't turn out like what they had anticipated, they react like this. Either they break down, start becoming bitterly introverted, or start brutally hurting another’s emotions. It then becomes so hard to believe that such people were once called sensitive. I understand that it was your dream, but a reaction like this, hardly makes any sense,’ Acharya finished, gently stroking Devayani's head with fatherly love.

Devayani remained rooted to the spot, in absolute silence. ‘The situation is turning very grave, that is why I had to come here in disguise. I have something for you. You must come back with me to Malaya.’

Devayani sighed, and to Acharya’s satisfaction, it was followed by an approving nod.

~

Puru stared at the star-strewn sky as he sat by side of a flowing river resting against a damp tree. 'Memories, an extraordinary gift!' He thought. 'If they are ecstatic, you can relive your life through them, and if sad, you may just turn your present into ash!' Resting his handsome face against the damp trunk of the tree, he tried to relive through some of the beautiful memories. But controlling the mind is a conundrum! It usually wavers randomly wherever it wants!

'Why the hell is Alka's composure so frail? She is completely unfathomable. On one hand, she was seething highly for injustice from men towards women, and on the other, she wasn’t even thankful for the help he had provided her… Bah...how paradoxical she is! Seems like she is not able to decide her stance. Devayani, however, is such a noble soul; her dedication towards her duties and goals is unquestionable. He wondered how she had managed to keep it so. She kept her attitude high above everything. Once she had made her mind about someone, that was irrevocable. Devayani was visibly different from all others....' He kept comparing Alka and Devayani, unable to concentrate on anything else.

Devayani’s ambitions and goals were everything for her and she had excellent control over the display of her emotions. ‘Susceptible mind works like poison sometimes…It notices every subtle thing and then doesn’t let it go,’ she used to say. Alka however seemed more quizzical, uncertain, and convoluted as a personality. ‘Perhaps I should not just jump to conclusions,’ he thought. At the same time, he kept hoping that he was able to explain his mind properly to Devayani. With mind continuing to play its hide and seek through his memoir, Puru did not actually realize when he fell asleep, unaware of the storm that was for sure to engulf all of them.

                                                                                              (To be continued...)