Asoka, el refugio

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I won't talk to you.

You will also leave me.

Grandfather too is leaving.

When you grow wings,

you too will fly away.

Emperor Chandragupta Mauya

has embraced Jainism...

for which he is abdicating,

giving up his throne...

his kingdom and his people.

Grandfather, Asoka has taken

your sword. He says it is his.

You are leaving me,

but the sword is mine.

Asoka, my son, this

is not just a sword.

It's a demon.

When drawn, it hungers blood.

It doesn't see friend or foe.

It sees only blood. Just blood.

Before it can do more harm,

let us get rid of it.

"This is not just a sword.

It's a demon.

It doesn't see friend or foe.

It sees only blood. Just blood."

The Takshila army is mightier

than ours.

Half our army has not reached.

General Shivrath, hasn't reached...

or my brother Susima

has not let it reach?

We will not lose. For even if

wars are fought on battlefields...

they are won by the mind.

Takshila army, keep moving.

Prince, Takshila army is advancing.

Stop them, General,

by force or by deceit.

Their army has been halved.

Now they want to surrender.

The enemy deserves a chance.

Don't you agree, General?

Takshila's flags are down.

We want to surrender, Prince.

Our army has laid down their weapons.

Takshila kneels before Magadha.

Surrender to me.

The weapon is with me.

That is no weapon.

This is a weapon.

The head that won't bow to us

will be cut off.

What are you taking with you?

Nothing.

All that and you say it's nothing?

Give us some of it.

Should I?

That's too much.

Want more?

- No, we'll share it.

You better smarten up.

Prince Asoka is arriving,

victorious from Takshila.

The stars never lie.

- Damn your stars.

Susima's mother is King Bindusara's

favored queen.

With her around no one will

dare eye the throne.

And what of Asoka's mother,

Queen Dharma?

She is less of a Queen

and more of a slave.

Only Prince Susima

can claim the throne.

Where is Susima?

General Shivrath.

The great General Shivrath.

It is you who suggested that

Asoka be sent to Takshila.

You said he would lose, didn't you?

"Send him with half the army

and he won't return alive."

You said so, right?

Then what is this?

What do we do with you now?

You have failed.

What is the fate of a defeated soldier?

Let me be sentenced to death.

Defeat hasn't crushed the warrior's

ego. He still holds his head high.

I want him to lower his head.

These arms and medals

belong to Magadha's proud army.

Do you think you deserve all this?

No.

Take them off.

Strip him naked.

Here, brother.

The General is now ready for war.

He has lowered his head.

Now you can kill him.

You don't know Asoka. I have tried

to kill him all of eleven times.

Don't worry.

Asoka will die for sure.

You know your job well.

I advise you to attack him while

he is bathing in the river...

when he is most vulnerable...

emerging out of the water, then...

All I want is to know who sent you.

Long live King Susima.

You missed. Again.

See, there isn't a scratch on me.

I want you to leave Magadha.

- Why should I?

The coming six moonless nights

are not auspicious for you.

My good or bad luck rests

with my sword.

Is that your wish? I run away?

I'm no coward.

I'm not afraid of anyone, Mother.

- But I'm afraid.

How can you know a mother's pain?

9 months I nurtured you in my womb.

I am your son, Mother.

I will understand your pain.

Even if I have to carry you around

for nine months.

Let me know your pain, Mother.

You are right, Mother.

Nine moments maybe...

but for nine months, you're too heavy.

Don't change the subject,

will you leave or not?

I heard you. I promise, Mother.

Asoka.

- I promise, Mother.

I promise, pundit-ji.

How are you?

We've not met since your return.

I heard that someone tried to kill you.

Someone did try to kill me, yet again.

Who would want that, Asoka?

A fool that misses each time.

Beware, Asoka.

One shouldn't underestimate the enemy.

He who faces me with a sword

is my enemy.

Not someone who lunges from behind.

Either way, the one who survives

ascends the throne.

No, Susima.

The throne belongs to the one...

who has the courage to sit on it.

That's a childhood trait of yours.

What I want, what I like...

is your desire too.

You even took Grandfather's sword.

Get off the throne, Asoka.

Make me do so, Sugatra.

Not like this, Sugatra.

If you must have the throne

then fight for it.

In front of everyone.

Meet me tomorrow morning

and I'll fight you, before everyone.

Tomorrow morning...

in front of everyone.

Sleep well, Asoka.

Tonight is your last night.

You are finished.

I will fight him.

Go ahead... fight him.

He dared to sit on the throne today.

Tomorrow, he may raise the sword

on me.

Your Majesty, it is my belief that

we analyze the situation...

Prime Minister, my belief is

that you stay silent.

It's you who has encouraged him.

- Why blame the Prime Minister?

Asoka is under Dharma's control.

Stop him, Dharma.

If something should happen tomorrow...

the blame will be entirely yours.

What's happening here?

Mother is taking a vow of silence.

- That will not happen here.

Everyone, leave.

What childishness is this?

A vow of silence, for life?

You won't talk to me ever again.

Why, Mother?

She won't speak to anyone.

Mother says why speak

when her own child turns a deaf ear?

Mother wants you to leave Magadha

and strive to live an ordinary life...

Give her your word that no one will

come to know you're Prince Asoka.

I must go? Leave?

So that others can laugh at me

for running away scared?

You don't want your son to sit on the

throne? But I wanted it for you.

Here. I give in. Now speak to me.

Vitasoka, tell Mother to greet

an ordinary man.

Mother's like you, brother.

She won't speak till you leave.

All right, I'll go.

Even if you ask, I won't return.

Speak to me.

Brother won't be here.

He has gone, leaving Magadha.

Gone? So he's scared.

The brave Prince has fled

to save his life.

Idiot. Change your tune.

What's the matter with you?

Nothing.

Friends like us have nothing to hide.

Last night, when I went home,

my wife was not there.

Where did she go?

When I asked her in the morning...

she said she was

with her friend, Kamini.

Silly. She must have been with Kamini.

You idiot, I was with Kamini.

No, I was with Kamini.

I was there too.

You must have gone after me.

Strange. My wife's name

is also Kamini.

That dark one?

- Yes.

Have you heard? Prince Asoka

has gone leaving Magadha.

He must have gotten scared

of Prince Susima.

When Jupiter enters

its twelfth position...

every great man must go into exile.

- Really?

Like Rama, Pandavas, Princes.

Strange.

You're not from here. Who are you?

An ordinary traveler.

The sun remains the sun

even behind clouds.

Your destiny indicates

that you are in no way ordinary.

What lies in my destiny then?

That I am a prince?

One day I will be enthroned?

Be an emperor?

Even emperors are ordinary.

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