Chapter 25 An Atrocious Ritual

• 1st Century, 57 BCE: Shankha's hidden chamber, somewhere in Malwa, West-Central India
• At the time Vikram was busy combatting the undead near the Udaipur fort Shankha was watching the scene through his magic ball. As the creatures slaughtered Vikram's men one by one, a sadistic smile crossed his lips. 'So there you are my dear brother, a gladiator prince .. fighting ghouls .. entertaining people. I see you have become a hero. But Shankha has other plans, what can you do? Whenever the country is in turmoil your kshatriya blood starts boiling. But you don't understand the simple fact that to ascend government ranks one has to be politically motivated. A prince should imitate the qualities of a fox and lion. Just by living an austere life and practicing idealism can't make you the king of Pataliputra, even if you have been predicted to become so.
• Astrologers and priests had predicted the lives of men from times immemorial, but wise men have always won over ill-fate. Even to carry his father's legacy forward a monarch's son has to usurp the throne sometimes. To keep and enjoy power .. one has to keep changing policies with the times. You have a long way to go to understand that whatever brings success and power is virtuous to a ruler - cunningness, conspiracy, killings, massacre everything is justified. Politics is the most precarious game. It can never be played in a decent and orderly manner. Moral code of individual prescribed by the religious scriptures doesn't apply to the ruler. Morality is essential for people. Only moral citizens willingly obey laws of the state and sacrifice their lives for their nation. It cultivate civic sense and patriotic spirit. The method of government should be force and not persuasion because force breeds fear. The masses are only interested in their security. And no matter what, they'll obey their ruler if he is able to provide them security both from within the state or outside.