Part 25 (1/2)

Birth is completely unimportant. It is just a means of entry into this world of action, into this karmabhoomi. Karma is all that matters. And your karma is divine.'

Sita smiled. Ram was about to say something when the attendant came rus.h.i.+ng in with the salt. Ram added some to his food and resumed eating as the attendant retreated from the room.

You were saying something,' said Sita.

Yes,' said Ram, I think that...'

Ram was interrupted again, this time by the doorkeeper announcing loudly, The chief of the Malayaputras, the Saptris.h.i.+ Uttradhikari, the protector of the way of the Vishnus, Maharis.h.i.+ Vishwamitra.'

Sita frowned and looked at Ram. Ram shrugged, clearly conveying he did not know what this visit was about.

Ram and Sita rose as Vishwamitra entered the room, followed by Arishtanemi. Sita gestured to her attendant to get some was.h.i.+ng bowls for Ram and herself.

We have a problem,' said Vishwamitra, not feeling the need to exchange pleasantries.

What happened, Guruji?' asked Ram.

Raavan is mobilising for an attack.'

Ram frowned. But he doesn't have an army. What's he going to do with ten thousand bodyguards? He can't hold a city of even Mithila's size with that number. All he'll achieve is getting his men killed in battle.'

Raavan is not a logical man,' proffered Vishwamitra. His ego is hurt. He may lose his bodyguard corps, but he will wreak havoc on Mithila.'

Ram looked at Sita, who shook her head with irritation and addressed Vishwamitra. Why in Lord Rudra's name was that demon invited for the swayamvar? I know it was not my father.'

Vishwamitra took a deep breath as his eyes softened. That's water under the bridge, Sita. The question is, what are we going to do now?'

What is your plan, Guruji?'

I have with me some important material that was mined at my ashram by the Ganga. I needed it to conduct a few science experiments at Agastyakootam. This was why I had visited my ashram.'

Agastyakootam was the capital of the Malayaputras, deep in the south of India, beyond the Narmada River. In fact, it was very close to Lanka itself.

Science experiments?' asked Ram.

Yes, experiments with the daivi astras.'

Sita drew a sharp breath for she knew the power and ferocity of the divine weapons. Guruji, are you suggesting that we use daivi astras?'

Vishwamitra nodded in confirmation as Ram spoke up. But that will destroy Mithila as well.'

No, it won't. This is not a traditional daivi astra. What I have is the Asuraastra.'

Isn't that a biological weapon?' asked Ram, deeply troubled now.

Yes. Poisonous gas and a blast wave from the Asuraastra will incapacitate the Lankans, paralysing them for days on end. We can easily imprison them in that state and end this problem.'

Just paralyse, Guruji?' asked Ram. I have learnt that, in large quant.i.ties, the Asuraastra can kill as well.'

Vishwamitra knew that only one man could have possibly taught this to Ram. None of the other daivi astra experts had ever met this young man. He was immediately irritated. Do you have any better ideas?'

Ram fell silent.

But what about Lord Rudra's law?' asked Sita.

Lord Rudra, the previous Mahadev who was the Destroyer of Evil, had banned the unauthorised use of daivi astras many centuries ago. Practically everyone obeyed this diktat from the fearsome Lord Rudra. Those who broke the law he had decreed would be punished with banishment for fourteen years. Breaking the law for the second time would be punishable by death.

I don't think that law applies to the use of the Asuraastra,' said Vishwamitra. It is not a weapon of ma.s.s destruction, just ma.s.s incapacitation.'

Sita narrowed her eyes. Clearly, she wasn't convinced. I disagree. A daivi astra is a daivi astra. We cannot use it without the authorisation of the Vayuputras, Lord Rudra's tribe. I am a Lord Rudra devotee. I will not break his law.'

Do you want to surrender, then?'

Of course not! We will fight!'

Vishwamitra laughed derisively. Fight, is it? And who, please explain, will fight Raavan's hordes? The namby-pamby intellectuals of Mithila? What is the plan? Debate the Lankans to death?'

We have our police force,' said Sita quietly.

They're not trained or equipped to fight the troops of Raavan.'

We are not fighting his troops. We are fighting his bodyguard platoons. My police force is enough for them.'

They are not. And you know that.'

We will not use the daivi astras, Guruji,' said Sita firmly, her face hardening.

Ram spoke up. Samichi's police force is not alone. Lakshman and I are here, and so are the Malayaputras. We're inside the fort, we have the double walls; we have the lake surrounding the city. We can hold Mithila. We can fight.'

Vishwamitra turned to Ram with a sneer. Nonsense! We are vastly outnumbered. The double walls...' He snorted with disgust. It seems clever. But how long do you think it will take a warrior of Raavan's calibre to figure out a strategy that works around that obstacle?'

We will not use the daivi astras, Guruji,' said Sita, raising her voice. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a battle to prepare for.'

It was late at night; the fourth hour of the fourth prahar. Ram and Sita had been joined by Lakshman and Samichi on top of the Bees Quarter, close to the inner wall edge. The entire Bees Quarter complex had been evacuated as a precautionary step. The pontoon bridge that spanned the moat-lake had been destroyed.

Mithila had a force of four thousand policemen and policewomen, enough to maintain law and order for the hundred thousand citizens of the small kingdom. Notwithstanding the strategic advantage of the double walls, would they be able to thwart an attack from the Lankan bodyguards of Raavan? They were outnumbered five to two.

Ram and Sita had abandoned any plans of securing the outer wall. They wanted Raavan and his soldiers to scale it and launch an a.s.sault on the inner walls; the Lankans would, then, be trapped between the two walls, which the Mithilan arrows would convert into a killing field. They expected a volley of arrows from the other side, in preparation for which the police had been asked to carry their wooden s.h.i.+elds, normally used for crowd control within Mithila. Lakshman had taught them some basic manoeuvres with which they could protect themselves from the arrows.

Where are the Malayaputras?' Lakshman asked Ram.

The Malayaputras had, much to Ram's surprise, not come to the battle-front. Ram whispered, I think it's just us.'

Lakshman shook his head and spat. Cowards.'

Look!' said Samichi.