The Maharani Pt. 03

Part Three: Chanakya

Parvati expanded her territory by seeking out the larger kingdoms around her. She annexed Gwalior, then later Ajmer. She had perfected the technique of firmly squeezing kingdoms into submission. It was much cleaner than a full scale bloody assault and allowed easier assimilation of the conquered people. It involved 'retiring' the king of Gwalior; but sadly the king of Ajmer had to be beheaded. However, it proved to be a popular move because he had been a tyrant.

Parvati stayed away from the Punjab. She was not yet ready for Mahmud of Ghazni.

To the south lay a few kingdoms that stretched to the Vindhya Mountains. And beyond the mountains, rumors of great kingdoms. Of immediate interest to her were the kingdoms that lay to the east; in the lush plains fed by the great rivers -- Ganga and Jamuna. She set about annexing them, one by one.

It was during this period of expansion that a wandering Brahmin demanded an audience with her. It was not at all unusual for ordinary citizens to meet the queen and air their grievances. In fact she welcomed it and set aside certain days entirely for this.

But they had to state the purpose of their visit so that officials could gather relevant information beforehand to help the queen prepare for the appointment. She paid attention to detail and really took these meetings seriously. This fellow however refused; except to state that he was here to help the queen and would speak to her alone and not to underlings. And so, of course, the officials denied him access to the queen.

Apart from his arrogance it did not seem he had much else to offer. He was dressed in a spotless white dhoti, his bare torso adorned by a slender loop of white cotton thread that hung from his left shoulder. All his worldly possessions were gathered in a small bundle of cloth that hung from his other shoulder.

He left in a huff and settled down in front of the palace gates and waited. An ascetic could wait for ever because his wants are few. In the case of this Brahmin those wants were met by ordinary folk passing by who revered the advice and blessings of an ascetic Brahmin. They left behind food and other items essential for daily living.

Days went by before the queen became aware of his existence. Then, curiosity drove her into granting him an audience. He stood before her with an expressionless face and waited. No obeisance, no greeting, just a silent gaze.

Finally the queen said, "What did you want to see me about?"

"To see if you are ready to become a Maharani or remain a mere Rani."

There was a rumble among the courtiers at the sheer arrogance of the man and one even rose to strike him only to be stopped by a gesture from the queen. Her interest was piqued. Maybe he had something to back up his ludicrous claim or maybe he was just a conceited fool. Let's find out, she thought.

"Well," said the queen, "we now know why you are here; let's start with who you are?"

"My name is Chanakya and I am a Brahmin from Kashmir."

"Chanakya? Wasn't that the name of Chandragupta Maurya's prime minister?"

"Yes I adopted his name after it became clear to me that his mission in life was the same as mine."

"And what is this mission?" asked the queen.

"To prevent foreigners from invading Hindustan. The original Chanakya wanted to stop the Greeks from ever coming back and I want to thwart Mahmud of Ghazni. I was a student at the University of Takshashila when Mahmud last visited Hindustan. My studies were rudely interrupted and I swore then that I would find a way to end future invasions."

"And have you found a way?" asked Parvati.

"Yes I have," and he paused for effect, "The way is to establish a strong empire, then a dynasty that stretches for hundreds of years. I know it will not last forever but that is not my purpose. My purpose, first and foremost, is to stop Mahmud. Like the original Chanakya made Chandragupta a Maharaja and established the Mauryan Empire, I will make you into a Maharani and you can establish your own empire. That is if I find you worthy."

At this the court exploded and the queen had everyone removed, except the haughty Brahmin.

"Tell me," said the queen, when they were alone, "Why should I take you seriously? What do you possess, apart from rudeness and conceit, which will convince me that you can achieve your goal?"

"I possess knowledge, and the intelligence to put that knowledge to practical use," said he loftily, "I have read and re-read the Arthashashtra, or 'the science of material gain' written by the original Chanakya, many times; I now know it word for word. I have diligently sought teachers who not only taught me the ancient texts or shastras but explained the truth behind them. I have learnt that it is not by acts of supernatural beings that great things are achieved, but by the assiduous application of the ideas that one believes come from those supernatural beings and are contained in these so called holy texts or 'shastras'."

"And what you perceive as arrogance," continued Chanakya, "is absolute belief in me, in my knowledge and in my intelligence to interpret and implement my knowledge. I am absolutely sure of my mission and absolutely sure that I can accomplish it if I meet the right person."

"And how do I convince you that I am the right person?" asked the queen with a twinkle in her eye because she was beginning to like this fellow.

"By answering a few questions," said Chanakya.

"Go on," said the queen and waited. She dramatically placed a hand under her chin and feigned an expectant look on her face. She was ready to mentally joust with this vain Brahmin.

"What is the difference between telling the truth and lying?"

"None," she said promptly, "it is the end that defines the means."

Not so original. She had got that from the teachings of Lord Krishna in the Gita.

"What is the meaning of power?"

"It is one of the means by which you achieve your goals. In order to wield it effectively one must be able to depersonalize it. Power is visible when used. Mainly it is the threat of its use that makes it a useful tool. And I emphasize tool, because that is all it is - a tool to express yourself and impose your will. We all have cruelty within us, and what separates us, is the amount inherent within us and the degree to which we let it express itself. As a ruler it can make me a tyrant if I use it overwhelmingly. But make no mistake, I will have to use it and it will make me a tyrant to some."

Whew! That was a long winded answer, she thought. Where had all that come from?

"What is the difference between good and evil?"

"None," again promptly, for she had thought about this herself and worked out an answer some time ago, "It is a matter of interpretation. Killing one person can be evil and killing a thousand can be good. It depends on your personal point of view, and the belief of people at large at a particular time and the so called laws that people invent invoking divine beings."

"Do you believe in God?"

"Yes."

"So if priests told you not to do something because God did not want you to, what would you do?"

"It is their interpretation of God's will and if my interpretation is different I will do as I please."

"What about the wrath of God that the priests say would surely follow if you do not do as they say?"

"I did not immolate myself on my husband's pyre. That I was told was evil and God would punish me. I am still here, aren't I; and flourishing."

He stood with his arms crossed across his chest and nodded, "You are intelligent and capable of independent thinking. You are educated and able to look at issues dispassionately. I feel, instinctively, that you have compassion. You have the attributes that a great ruler should have."

"All this," exclaimed the queen theatrically, "because I answered a few lousy questions?!"

There appeared the hint of a smile on his stern face.

Then he bowed his head and brought his hands together in salutation, "Please allow me to be your tutor so that I can achieve my goal and bring meaning to my life."

This sudden switch from conceit to humility took her by surprise. Now what is he up to? She thought. But his eyes were transparent with honesty.

"All right," she said, "let's see what you can do. But for now you support yourself and live outside the palace."

The next day there was a great hullabaloo that disturbed the queen's morning yoga work out. It seemed Chanakya had decided it was time to tutor the queen and had attempted to walk past the guards into the palace. On being physically restrained he had started cursing the guards in ancient Sanskrit. This scared the daylights out of the guards because the curse of a Brahmin and that too an ascetic was surely going to lead to terrible things and they went scurrying for their captain. The on call captain that day was none other than Goray Lal himself. He of course could not give a toss for the caste system and curses of Brahmins ascetic or hedonistic.

He simply picked up the cursing Chanakya and held him up at arm's length and quietly told him to stop cursing. This so scared the daylights out of Chanakya that he began screaming as loud as he could in terror.

The queen was vexed and brought an end to this nonsense by ordering Goray Lal to unhand the screaming Chanakya. She then called her Palace guard together and told them to recognize Chanakya and allow him ingress at all times.

And so it was that in the months that followed, Chanakya became a fixture at the queen's side. He was always on hand to guide and advise her, to help pass laws, and in private one on one sessions to tutor her in the art of governing. To have access to the queen at all times he was allowed into the palace itself and given private chambers.

One day, one of these tutoring sessions was free ranging but centered on taxation.

This session was fractious because Chanakya was irritated as the queen did not appear to be getting what he was teaching her. Matters came to head when she asked, "How can I provide good government without raising taxes?"

This got him ranting, "Are you not listening to what I am saying? Do you want to be a major ruler and the founder of a dynasty or just another small potentate? Tell me, do you want to learn? If not, say so and stop wasting my time."

"Oof," she said in frustration, "you have no control over your temper. For an otherwise brilliant person you have the emotional stability of a two year old."

Completely ignoring her jibe, he said edgily, "I am waiting for your answer."

Exasperated, but wanting to hear him out she said, "Yes, yes, I am listening, tell me."

Having vented his anger he carried on in a more conciliatory tone, "The answer is in local government. You let the people decide what they want at a small local level. Let local officials be selected by the people; let those selected be answerable to the people of that locality. You stay out of it. You appoint overseers for a large region. Be careful who you appoint and make sure they stay out of local politics. As your kingdom grows, this will become more crucial."

"Never let these overseers get too powerful. And always remember to keep the smallest unit of your government at a local level where people can feel that they are empowered to control their own destiny. Keep the bulk of your taxes local and make sure people see the money being spent locally."

He concluded, reflectively, "There are lots of ways to raise your revenue to provide good government. Taxation is just one."

"Now enough of that, my queen," he said abruptly, bottom shuffling to where she sat on soft cushions, "Time for some pleasure."

In a flash, he lifted her half sari and petticoat out of the way, parted her thighs and buried his face in her crotch.

She was completely taken aback by this sudden assault. Nothing in their relationship so far had been even remotely sexual.

Before she could move away, or even protest, his tongue was busy on her labial folds and the sensation was mind blowing. His lingual ministrations were just perfect. Each slurp had the right amount of pressure to excite the labial nerve endings relentlessly and the timing was just right. Each excursion would stop just as she felt the stimulation reaching a climax and the next would start just as the memory of the last was fading. It got to her. It awakened her lust that was always simmering under her queenly façade. She just lay back and forgot about who was doing this to her and decided to enjoy the sensation and work out the complexities later.

He moved to her clitoris, teasing it out of its hood. Then he parted her thighs and smoothly entered her vagina with his tongue, slowly working it further and further in.

She noticed that there was a rhythm to his tongue fucking which reminded her of the ebb and flow of a musical raga. Completely different from Goray Lal's all out assault - this was cultured and done so expertly that she was already feeling the start of an orgasm.

Precisely at that moment, he moved his face away and looking directly into her eyes, said, "Completely different from Goray Lal, eh?"

This was so shocking and unexpected that she gasped and looked at him in alarm, flapping her parted thighs in an effort to get away, "What, what?"

"Relax, my queen," he said, soothingly, "your secret is safe with me," as he held her firmly by the knees, preventing her from jerking away.

"You were very good; very careful. I came to know of it only because I made it my business to know everything about you. And then I discovered it purely by chance. There was no pattern to your meetings with him, no public display of affection; if anything you seem to be very strict and businesslike with him. I applaud you on your discretion."

She looked at him, mouth open, still in shock. Then she gathered herself, "Alright, so you know. What are you going to do with that knowledge?" Already in her mind she was running through various scenarios to stop this guy blackmailing her.

He held one of her feet gently in both his hands and began kissing her toes! He looked up at her, "My queen, I am your servant, your slave. You give my life meaning. I cannot ever do you any harm."

She was aghast. What had happened to this fellow? Complete turnaround from his usual haughty self. She looked at him to get a clue.

She could have sworn the expression on his face was the spitting image of that on Goray Lal's face in his goddess worshipping mode! Alright; this she understood. Men for some reason were prone to going ga ga over her. It did not diminish them in her eyes or give her a power high. It just made her feel secure. It assured her that they would sacrifice themselves for her rather than hurt or harm her in any way. After all, security or rather the search for it was the driving force that propelled her. It was at the core of her empire building ambition.

But who would have thought that this self assured Brahmin's core was mushier than overcooked rice! For all his haughtiness, his rudeness, his egoistical ranting, he was but a love sick boy! Or was he? Oh well, she thought, let's see where this leads, feeling more relaxed than she had ever felt in Chanakya's company.

He had resumed his licking of her genitals. Using only his tongue, gently and rhythmically, he was gradually bringing her to a boiling point. His left hand found her left breast. She removed her blouse to give him better access and began squeezing her right breast with both her hands even as he alternated between pinching her left nipple and pressing her other breast. She moaned loudly and grasping his head with both her hands, began humping her hips at his face.

Every now and then he would move off to survey in wonderment what lay revealed in front of him. Perfectly toned thighs led to a hairy bush that barely concealed soft, pink lips now glistening with the fluids of her arousal. A firm belly and curvy waist led to divine breasts with pink nipples erect with excitement, and then that face that made strong men weak in the knees and weak men drool. Her mouth was open, her breathing deep and even, and her eyes closed as her brain savored the incredible sensations. The lack of stimulation made her open her eyes in inquiry and annoyance to find Chanakya looking at her in wonder. He promptly resumed the oral onslaught on her labia, vagina and clitoris and manual assault on her breasts till she gave in once again to the wonderful sensation and closed her eyes to savor it fully.

He worked his magic and this time he did not stop till she hit the take off point and tumbled into a full fledged orgasm. With a gasp she came. A staccato burst of low moans heralded her orgasm and she flooded his chin with her come. For what seemed an eternity she rode the rainbow and then gradually descended to ground zero.

It was one of the deepest and most satisfying climaxes of her sexual life. It took a while for her to get her breath and her senses under control. She was still weak in the knees, so she remained supine.

When she opened her eyes, he was still in the same position, between her legs, gazing at her with what she could have sworn was puppy like devotion.

"Did you enjoy it, my queen?" Why do they always ask this stupid question? But her vexation was quickly replaced by the joyful memory of her orgasm and she smiled dreamily.

"How did you do it? That was mind blowing." It was not as if she was sex starved and so ready to be triggered into a glorious orgasm. Just a couple of nights before, Goray Lal had expended himself in her many a time. In her mouth, cunt and at least twice in her ass. He just loved her ass!

"Tantra," he said, and was at once back to his lofty lecturing manner, "I have read all that has ever been written about it. In my travels I have met with people who actively practice it. The sexual aspects of Tantra were taught to me by a Devdasi considered to be the foremost exponent of Tantric sex. You can be taught quite easily. With your knowledge and practice of Yoga you are halfway there already."

And then he lost his patronizing tone and stood before her in awkward silence. Her blinding naked beauty was too much even for this worldly wise tantric Brahmin. He reverted to a pre pubescent lusty boy. He took off his dhoti and stood with hands behind his back and a very erect penis sticking out in front, expecting he knew not what.

She looked at him and smiled inwardly. The sight of an erect cock always got her going. She shuffled over and engulfed the tip of his rod with wet lips and began running her tongue along the underside of his penis.

It was his turn to gasp. He looked down and saw this vision from heaven sucking on his cock and almost passed out. For all his self assuredness he had never really thought he could have got to this point. True, he had been attracted to this kingdom because he thought he could use it to stop Mahmud. But a secondary hidden agenda had been the rumors of the beauty of its queen. Yes, this Brahmin was a lusty fellow. He had fucked his way around Hindustan, impregnating supposedly barren women who spent the night praying in a temple for a child and were then just as happy when a Brahmin assured them that God had heard their supplication and sent him to give them a child. These women could be very demonstrative of their gratefulness!

Being an ascetic had its advantages. In many a temple when he assumed the Shiva position to meditate, it attracted women like flies to a sweet shop. Not all women, just the right ones -- the lusty. They would wash his cock and balls reverently as if it was Shiva's Linga and then collect the soiled water and drink it! Some would sit by his side for hours and meditate with him. These he would take to a secluded part of the temple and fuck the life out of. He had even fucked three together at one time! And they would return home and be looked upon as true Shiva devotees for had they not spent hours in the temple?!