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- Chanakya converses with an ex-colleague about what is the current state of Pataliputra.
- Ajay: Vishnu, I've never seen a teacher as helpless as today in Pataliputra. From youth, I have remained witness to the changes in Magadh. And when I've observed those changes, I've felt that the society needs a renaissance. This was provided by Buddha's and Mahavira's teachings. The people of Magadha accepted these teachings. And a sector of the society believing in these teachings calling themselves 'upasak' came up. With the new communal divisions and the 'upasak' sect, there have been a setback to those customs which the society had followed until now. With new philosophies emerging on the Dharmic horizon, the society began feeling that they are now free from the 'varnashrama' system. It is difficult to say how many people joined these faiths based on their teachings, but it is true that this has happened to get free from the existing elite and scholars. And this class has started to rebuke the ancient customs. And those believing in the customs started boycotting the upasaks. The resulting fissures started the breakdown of the society. Besides, there were fissures among the upasaks as well. People started hating each other. Moreover, the noble families of Magadha for their power started taking sides. And in Nanda rule, this rose to its zenith. The Nanda rule started supporting those against the customs for their protection against the conservatives when they realized that they would not accept their rule. Unable to prevent these changes in the society, the conservatives became defeatist.
Chanakya: But don't you think Ajay that on the basis of principle and ideology, a person should be free to accept any faith?
Ajay: I agree. But the conflict between the old and the new is not limited to questions of beliefs. The changes in the Dharmic horizon started bringing new changes in the society,
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