chapter 8

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'What is the ideal way of life?' asked Vashishta.

In the early hours of the morning, the four Ayodhyan princes sat facing their guru,

having just completed the Guru Stotram.

'Well?' prompted Vashishta, having been met with silence.

He looked at Lakshman, expecting him to take the first shot. However, to Vashishta's

surprise, the boy sat tense, barely able to conceal his hostility.

'Is there a problem, Paurav?' enquired Vashishta.

Lakshman cast an accusatory glance at Ram, then stared at the ground. 'No, Guruji.

There is no problem.'

'Do you want to attempt an answer?'

'I don't know the answer, Guruji.'

Vashishta frowned. Ignorance had never deterred Lakshman from attempting a response

before. He spoke to Bharat. 'Vasu, can you try and answer?'

'An ideal way of life, Guruji,'said Bharat, 'is one where everyone is healthy, wealthy,

happy, and working in consonance with his purpose in life.'

'And, how does a society achieve this?'

'It's probably impossible! But if it were possible at all, it would only be through

freedom. Allow people the freedom to forge their own path. They will find their way.'

'But will freedom help each person realise his dreams? What if one person's dream is

in conflict with that of another's?'

Bharat gave that question some careful thought before replying. 'You are right. A

strong man's effort will always overwhelm that of a weak man.'

'So?'

'So the government has to ensure that it protects the weak. We cannot allow the strong

to keep winning. It would create discontent among the masses.'

'Why, Dada?' asked Shatrughan. 'I would say, allow the strong to win. Will that not be

better for the society as a whole?'

'But isn't that the law of the jungle?' asked Vashishta. 'The weak would die out.'

'If you call it the law of the jungle, then I say that this is the law of nature, Guruji,' said

Shatrughan. 'Who are we to judge nature? If the weakest deer are not killed by tigers, the

population of deer will explode. They will eat prodigious amounts of greens and the

jungle itself may die out, in the long run. It is better for the jungle if only the strong

survive — it is nature's way of maintaining balance. The government should not

interfere with this natural process. It should merely establish systems that ensure the

protection of the weak, giving them a fair chance at survival. Beyond that, it must get out

of the way and let society find its own path. It's not the government's job to ensure that

all achieve their dreams.'

'Then why even bother with a government?''It's needed for a few essentials that individuals cannot provide: an army to protect the

borders from external attack, a system of basic education for all. One of the things that

differentiates us from animals is that we do not kill our weak. But if the government

interferes to such an extent that the weak thrive and the strong are oppressed, society

itself will collapse over time. A society should not forget that it thrives on the ideas and

performance of the talented among its citizens. If you compromise the prospects of the

strong, and lean too much towards the interests of the weak, then your society itself goes

into decline.'

Vashishta smiled. 'You have carefully studied the reasons for the decline of India

under the successors of Emperor Bharat, haven't you?'

Shatrughan nodded. Bharat was a legendary Chandravanshi emperor who lived

thousands of years ago. He was one of the greatest rulers since the great Indra of the

Devas. He brought all of India under his rule and his government had been the most

compassionate and nurturing of all times.

'Why, then, did Bharat's successors not change their ways when they could see that it

wasn't working anymore?' asked Vashishta.

'I don't know,'said Shatrughan.

'It was because the philosophy that guided Emperor Bharat's empire was itself a

reaction to an equally successful, but radically different one which determined how

society was organised earlier. Emperor Bharat's empire could be described as the

apogee of the feminine way of life — of freedom, passion and beauty. At its best, it is

compassionate, creative and especially nurturing towards the weak. But as feminine

civilisations decline, they tend to become corrupt, irresponsible and decadent.'

'Guruji,'said Ram, 'are you saying there is another way of life? The masculine way?'

'Yes. The masculine way of life is defined by truth, duty and honour. At its peak,

masculine civilisations are efficient, just and egalitarian. But as they decline, they

become fanatical, rigid and especially harsh towards the weak.'

'So when feminine civilisations decline, the masculine way is the answer,' said Ram.

'And, as masculine civilisations decline, the feminine way should take over.'

'Yes,'said the teacher. 'Life is cyclical.'

'Can it be safely said that today's India is a feminine nation in decline?' asked Bharat.

Vashishta looked at Bharat. 'Actually, India is a confused nation today. It does not

understand its nature, which seems to be a hotchpotch of the masculine and feminine

way. But if you force me to choose, then I would state that, at this point in time, we're a

feminine culture in decline.'

'Then the question is: is it time to move towards a masculine way of life or a revived

feminine culture?' argued Bharat. 'I'm not sure India can live without freedom. We're a

nation of rebels. We argue and fight about everything. We can only succeed by walking

down the path of femininity, of freedom. The masculine way may work for a short span

of time, but it cannot last. We are simply not obedient enough to follow the masculine

way for too long.'

'So it seems today,' said Vashishta. 'But it wasn't always so. There was a time whenthe masculine way of life characterised India.'

Bharat was silenced into contemplation.

But Ram was intrigued. 'Guruji, you said that the feminine way of life established by

Emperor Bharat was unable to change even when it needed to, because it was a reaction

to the ills that an earlier masculine culture had degenerated into. Possibly, to them, the

earlier way of life was stamped as evil.'

'You're right, Sudas,'said Vashishta, using Ram's gurukul name.

'Can you tell us about this earlier masculine way of life? What was this empire like?'

asked Ram. 'Could we find answers in it, to our present-day ills?'

'It was an empire that arose many millennia ago, and conquered practically all of India

with stunning swiftness. It had a radically different way of life and, at its peak, it scaled

the heights of greatness.'

'Who were these people?'

'Their foundations were laid right here, where we are. It was so long ago that most

have forgotten the significance of this ashram.'

'Here?'

'Yes. It was here that the progenitors of that empire received their education from their

great guru. He taught them the essentials of an enlightened masculine way of life. This

was his ashram.'

'Who was this great sage?' asked Ram in awe.

Vashishta took a deep breath. He knew that the answer would evoke shock. The name

of that ancient great rishi was feared today; so much so that it was not even uttered

aloud, ever. Keeping his eyes fixed on Ram, he answered, 'Maharishi Shukracharya.'

Bharat, Lakshman and Shatrughan froze. Shukracharya was the guru of the Asuras, and

the Asuras were demonic fanatics who had controlled almost the entire Indian landmass

thousands of years ago. They were finally defeated by the Devas, respected today as

Gods, in brutal battles fought over a protracted period of time. Although the Asura

Empire was eventually destroyed, the wars took a heavy toll on India. Millions died,

and rebuilding civilisation took a very long time. Indra, the leader of the Devas, ensured

the expulsion of the Asuras from India. Shukracharya's name was reduced to mud, his

memory violated by righteous indignation and irrational fear.

The students were too stunned to react. Ram's eyes, though, conveyed curiosity, unlike

the others.

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Vashishta stepped out late in the night, expecting a tumult among his students; the

conversation about Guru Shukracharya had been meant to provoke. Lakshman and

Shatrughan were sound asleep in their rooms, but Ram and Bharat were missing.

Vashishta decided to walk around the premises in search of them, the moonlight

providing adequate illumination. Hearing soft voices ahead, he soon came upon the

silhouette of an animated Bharat in the company of a girl.

Bharat seemed to be pleading. 'But why…'

'I'm sorry, Bharat,' the girl said calmly. 'I will not break the laws of my people.''But I love you, Radhika … I know you love me… Why should we care about what

others think?'

Vashishta quickly turned around and began to walk in the other direction. It was

inappropriate to intrude on a private and painful moment.

Where is Ram?

On a whim, he changed course once again and walked up the stone pathway that led to

the small temples built into the central facade of the rock face. He entered the temple of

Lord Indra, the king of the Devas; the one who defeated the Asuras. The symbolism of

Indra's temple being in the centre was powerful, for Indra had led the army that

obliterated Shukracharya's legacy.

Vashishta heard a soft sound from behind the massive idol, and instinctively moved

towards it. The space at the back was large enough to comfortably accommodate four or

five people. The shadows of Vashishta and the idol seemed to dance on the floor as

flames leapt from a torch on the wall.

As his gaze travelled beyond the idol, he could vaguely make out the figure of Ram on

his knees, prising open with a metal bar a heavy stone that covered an ancient inscription

on the floor. Just as he succeeded, Ram sensed Vashishta's presence.

'Guruji,'said Ram, as he dropped the tool and stood up immediately.

Vashishta walked up to him, put his arm around his shoulder and gently sat him down

again as he bent down to examine the inscription that Ram had uncovered.

'Can you read what it says?' asked Vashishta.

It was an ancient, long-forgotten script.

'I have not seen this script before,'said Ram.

'It is particularly ancient, banned in India because the Asuras used it.'

'The Asuras were the great masculine empire you mentioned today, isn't it?'

'That's obvious!'

Ram gestured towards the inscription. 'What does it say, Guruji?'

Vashishta ran his forefinger along the words of the inscription. '"How can the universe

speak the name of Shukracharya? For the universe is so small. And Shukracharya is so

big."'

Ram touched the inscription lightly.

'Legend holds that this was his aasan, the seat that he sat upon as he taught,' said

Vashishta.

Ram looked up at Vashishta. 'Tell me about him, Guruji.'

'A very small minority still maintains that he probably was one of the greatest Indians

that trod the earth. I don't know much about his childhood; apocryphal accounts suggest

that he was born to a slave family in Egypt that abandoned him when he was but an

infant. He was then adopted by a visiting Asura princess, who raised him as her own, in

India. However, records of his works were deliberately obliterated and the ones that

remained were heavily doctored by the powerful and wealthy elite of that time. He was

a brilliant, charismatic soul who transformed marginalised Indian royals into the greatest

conquering force of his time.''Marginalised Indian royals? But the Asuras were foreigners, weren't they?'

'Nonsense. This is propaganda spread by those with an agenda. Most Asuras were

actually related to the Devas. In fact, the Devas and Asuras descended from common

ancestors, known as the Manaskul. But the Asuras were the poorer, weaker cousins,

scorned and half-forgotten members of an extended family. Shukracharya remoulded

them with a powerful philosophy of hard work, discipline, unity and fierce loyalty for

fellow Asuras.'

'But that would not add up to a recipe for victory and dominance. So how did they

succeed so spectacularly?'

'The ones who hate them say they succeeded because they were barbaric warriors.'

'But you obviously disagree with them.'

'Well, the Devas weren't cowards either. It was the Age of Kshatriya, warrior-like

qualities were highly sought after. They were probably as good as the Asuras in the art

of warfare, if not better. The Asuras succeeded because they were united by a common

purpose, unlike the Devas who had too many divisions.'

'Then why did the Asuras eventually decline? Did they become soft? How were the

Devas able to defeat them?'

'As it often happens, the very reason for your success, over a prolonged period of

time, can lead to your downfall. Shukracharya united the Asuras with the concept of the

Ekam, the One God. All who worshipped the One God were equal in His eyes.'

Ram frowned. 'But that was hardly a new idea! Even the Rig Veda refers to Ekam, the

One Absolute. To this day we call him the Sum of all Souls, the Parmatma. Even the

followers of the feminine principle, like the Devas, believed in the Ekam.'

'There is a nuance that you're missing, Sudas. The Rig Veda states clearly that while

the Ekam is the One God, He comes to us in many forms, as many Gods, to help us grow

spiritually, in the hope that we will eventually understand Him in His original form.

After all, variety is what surrounds us in nature; it is what we relate to. Shukracharya

was different. He said that all other manifestations of the Ekam were false, leading us

into maya, the illusion. The Ekam was the only True God, the only Reality, so to speak.

It was a radical thought for that period. Suddenly, there was no hierarchy in the spiritual

journey of both, the one who knew no scripture, as well as the one who was an expert on

them, simply because they both believed in the Ekam.'

'This would make all human beings equal.'

'True. And, it worked well for some time for it obliterated all divisions within the

Asuras. Furthermore, the dispossessed and oppressed among other groups like the Devas

began to join the Asuras; it suddenly raised their social status. But like I've said many

times, every idea has a positive and a negative. The Asuras thought that everyone who

believed in their Ekam was equal. And what did they think of those who did not believe

in their Ekam?'

'That they were not equal to them?' asked Ram, tentatively.

'Yes. All efforts to impose the concept of the One God upon minds that do not respect

diversity will only result in intolerance. The Upanishads contain this warning.'

'Yes, I remember the hymn. Especially this couplet: Giving a sharp sword to a child

is not an act of generosity, but irresponsibility. Is that what happened with the Asuras?'

'Yes. Shukracharya's immediate students, having been chosen by him, were

intellectually and spiritually equipped to understand the seemingly radical concept of the

Ekam. But the Asura Empire inevitably expanded, including within its folds increasing

multitudes of people. As time went by, these believers held on to their faith in the Ekam

but became exclusionist, demanding undivided devotion; their God was true, the other

Gods were false. They grew to hate those who didn't believe in their One God, and

ultimately began to kill them.'

'What?' Ram asked flabbergasted. 'That's preposterous! Doesn't the hymn on the

Ekam also state that the only marker as to whether one truly understands the One God is

that it becomes impossible to hate anyone? The Ekam exists in everybody and

everything; if you feel any hatred at all towards anything or anyone, then you hate the

Ekam Himself!'

'Yes, that's true. Unfortunately, the Asuras genuinely believed they were doing the right

thing. As their numbers grew, their storm troopers let loose a reign of terror, tearing

down temples, smashing idols and shrines, slaughtering those who persisted with the

practice of worshipping other Gods.'

Ram shook his head. 'They must have turned everyone against them.'

'Exactly! And when circumstances changed, as they invariably do, the Asuras had no

allies. The Devas, on the other hand, were always divided and hence did not attempt to

force their ways on others. How could they? They could not even agree among

themselves on what their own way of life was! Fortuitously then, they were spoilt for

choice when it came to allies. All the non-Asuras were tired of the constant provocation

and violence from the Asuras. They joined forces with their enemies, the Devas.

Ironically, many Asuras themselves had begun to question this over-reliance on

violence. They too changed allegiance and moved over to the other side. Is it any

surprise that the Asuras lost?'

Ram shook his head. 'That is a major risk with the masculine way, isn't it? Exclusivist

thought can easily lapse into intolerance and rigidity, especially in times of trouble. The

feminine way will not face this problem.'

'Yes, rigid intolerance creates mortal enemies with whom negotiation is impossible.

But the feminine way has other problems; most importantly, of how to unite their own

behind a larger cause. The followers of the feminine way are usually so divided that it

takes a miracle for them to come together for any one purpose, under a single banner.'

Ram, who had seen the worst of the divisions and inefficiencies of the feminine way of

life in the India of today, appeared genuinely curious about the masculine order. 'The

masculine way needs to be revived. The way of the Asuras is a possible answer to

India's current problems. But the Asura way cannot and should not be replicated. Some

improvements and adjustments are necessary. Questioning must be encouraged. And, it

has to be tailored to suit our current circumstances.'

'Why not the feminine way?' asked the guru.'I believe leaders of the feminine way tend to shirk responsibilities. Their message to

their followers is: "It's your decision". When things go wrong, there's no one who can

be held accountable. In the masculine way, the leader has to assume all the

responsibility. And only when leaders assume responsibility can society actually

function. There is clear direction and purpose for society as a whole. Otherwise, there is

endless debate, analysis and paralysis.'

Vashishta smiled. 'You are oversimplifying things. But I will not deny that if you want

quick improvements, the masculine way works better. The feminine route takes time, but

in the long run, it can be more stable and durable.'

'The masculine way can also prove to be stable, if we learn lessons from the past.'

'Are you willing to forge such a new path?'

'I will certainly try,'said Ram with disarming honesty. 'It is my duty to my motherland;

to this great country of ours.'

'Well, you are welcome to revive the masculine way. But I suggest you don't name it

Asura. It is such a reviled name today that your ideas will be doomed from the very

beginning.'

'Then what do you suggest?'

'Names don't matter. What matters is the philosophy underlying them. There was a

time when the Asuras represented the masculine way and the Devas, the feminine. Then,

the Asuras were destroyed and only the Devas survived. The Suryavanshis and

Chandravanshis are descendants of the Devas; both representatives of the feminine. But,

for all you know, if you achieve what I think you can, the Suryavanshis could end up

representing the masculine way of life and the Chandravanshis could carry forward the

legacy of their ancestors, the Devas. Like I said, names don't matter.'

Ram looked down again at the inscription as he pondered over the unknown person

who had carved this message long ago. It seemed like an act of impotent rebellion.

Shukracharya's name had been banned across the land. His loyal followers were not

even allowed to speak his name. Perhaps this was their way of applying a salve to their

conscience at not being able to publicly honour their guru.

Vashishta put his hand on Ram's shoulder. 'I will tell you more about Shukracharya,

his life and his philosophy. He was a genius. You can learn from him and create a great

empire. But you must remember that while you can certainly learn from the successes of

great men, you can learn even more from their failures and mistakes.'

'Yes, Guruji.'

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