Mayajaal: the snares of illusion || On hold ||

Chapter Two

A man in safron dhoti and red pagdi walked on the stony street fillee with people. He could hear constant chattering around him. Every now and then, bullockcarts would pass by him filled with either people or grains. This was a fine morning in the every day life of Brajdas.

On his way, he stopped by a small shop of an old man Govardhan. His eyes lit up seeing the safron dressed man. "Ah Acharya, please tell me how I can serve you!"

Brajdas smiled and eyes softened at the man. He was quite familiar with the shop. Whenever he would need something related to spiritual things, he would come here.

He didn't say anything but his eyes started scanning the things placed on the counter and hung above the ceiling. He could also see few other spiritual materials in the shelves behind Govardhan. And then his eyes landed on a silver pendant of Lord Krishna playing with a cow. His smile reached his ears as he gripped the item and turned at the old man standing in front of him.

"I want this."

Govardhan nodded and raised his hands to take the pendant out tied in the red necklace. "It is a fine choice for your daughter Acharya. It's her birthday afterall. Please wish her from my behalf. I'm sure she would find solace and love from your pleasant surprise."

Brajdas paid and entered the bustling street again. The world around him was his home filled with many individuals:  people with good heart, no selfish interest, low crime rate, satisfied heart, and most importantly, families believing in living a simple life. It was almost heaven for him that he was reluctant to part with.

He entered the palace courtyard and marched toward the main hall.

"Good morning Acharya." A servant bowed down, followed by stream of servants who did the same. Brajdas smiled and joined his hands. "Good morning."

Brajdas entered the personal chambers of King Vishnugupta's palace. He remembered when he first came here, he didn't really think Vishnugupta would be kindhearted to receive a guest with poor quality clothing with a wife behind him. It was years before Vrinda was born.

Wave of nostalgia pass through his mind as he thought about it. From that day on, Vishnugupta became his follower and did everything he could to keep the Acharya beside him in every way, even politically. That's how Brajdas became both Spiritual master and political advisor of Kingdom Bharatvarsha.

Vishnugupta sat on his red chair with silver outlining. His hands gripping the edge tightly as he reread the letter from one of his alliance kingdoms again and again. He pursed his lips. What was the meaning of this? Why were they troubling the Kingdoms he had an alliance with? He took a deep breath and raised his eyes to see Dhananjay, bowing down his head.

King Leonard from Ignativs Kingdom certainly had big ambitions. But why should he trouble to take hold of all the small kingdoms surrounding Bharatvarsha?

"What do our spies say from Phoenice Kingdom?"

Dhananjay raised his head. "Maharaj, situation is bad. Our spies have seen the two kingdoms making alliance. If they plan on backstabbing our alliance kingdoms, we wouldn't be able to take them. Ignativs Kingdom is much bigger than all of the small kingdoms combined in terms of both weaponry and soldiers. If they were to attack our alliance kingdoms around us, they won't be able to handle."

"What if we decided to warn both the kingdoms against their plans?"

Dhananjay licked his lips and looked at the sky. "We may be able to overpower them considering the military strength we have, which is comparatively equal to both of them combined. If the two kingdoms happen to attack us, with the help of alliance kingdoms, we can counter them easily."