Rewari Kingdom, Inner pace of Bawal, evening of 7th March 1557.

  Aditya, seated beside Crown Prince Randeep in the front row, stood up and gave the prince a reassuring pat on the shoulder. As he made his way to the stage, the room fell silent, every eye turning to him.

  He bowed respectfully to King Todar Mal before addressing the assembly. "Your Majesty," he began, "the answer lies before us. In my view, we should consider allowing the people to participate in governance and alleviate the burden on the monarchy. Let them choose their own leaders who can voice their concerns, ensuring they do not feel alienated and that such situations can be avoided."

  The suggestion was met with immediate scrutiny. The room's tension was palpable as delegates exchanged uneasy gnces.

  Ministers and other courtiers stood up and bombarded him with back to back questions, "Prince Aditya, could you crify what you mean by involving local people in governance?"

  "Does this include tax collection and other administrative duties?"

  "We already have the sarpanch system in pce to address local issues. How would your proposal improve upon this?"

  Aditya responded thoughtfully, "While the sarpanch system has its merits, it is often based on hereditary positions rather than true representation. A sarpanch chosen by birth might not necessarily represent the true voice of the people.

  By allowing the people to elect their leaders, we can ensure that those in power truly reflect the will and needs of the local popution, thereby enhancing governance and accountability"

  The response triggered a wave of protests amongst the courtiers.

  Acharya(title of brahman priest) Sukhdev Agnihotri in attire of head priest, stood with a stern expression, "With all due respect, Prince Aditya, your proposal challenges our traditions. Our shastras describe society as a body: the Brahmins as the head, Kshatriyas like yourself as the hands, Vaishyas like merchants as the stomach, and Shudras like peasants as the legs.

  Each css has its designated role, and altering this structure could undermine our traditions and lead to inefficiency in governance."

  He added in arrogance, "Given their majority, if lower castes were granted such rights, they would likely choose leaders from within their own community. Granting them such rights could not only undermine our traditions but also lead to potential anarchy in society."

  Another Brahmin minister, Harihar Pandey, politely interjected with sarcasm, "Also, Your Highness, as much as we respect your thought for the upliftment of the lower castes by bringing them to our equal, who are less educated and have no experience in making major decisions unlike us, they would definitely prioritize their own interests, potentially undermining society.

  The truth is no matter what they cannot be treated equal. I believe your kindness has led you to this misjudgment, and I request you reconsider it, heeding the wisdom of a Brahmin."

  Following this Aditya faced a barrage of questions and objections. Each challenging his idea and putting him in wrong light.

  He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and recalled his master from past life, the hard training he had gone through and the daily customary prayer he had been forced to memorise then he recited the shloka:

  "????????????? ??? ?????? ?????????????: |???? ????????? ??? ???????????????????? "

  (chātur-var?ya? mayā s?i?h?a? gu?a-karma-vibhāga?ha?tasya kartāram api mā? viddhyakartāram avyayam)

  "It transtes to: 'The four categories of occupations were created by Me according to people's qualities and activities. Though I am the creator of this system, know Me as the non-doer and eternal.' This shloka is from the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 13.

  Prove me 'wrong', if I am incorrect?" he expined as he eyed all those who questioned him.

  The court was visibly shocked by Aditya's recitation of the Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit. Given the complexities of court matters, it was almost impossible for anyone outside the Brahmin css to accurately quote such sacred texts. Bringing up such matters in court was totally unexpected.

  However, Aditya was fortunate enough to have this Bhagwat Geeta memorized by his master from the past life, and thanks to that, he led a disciplined life. He felt hurt remembering his master, but a sense of pride flourished through him after reciting the divine lines.

  Amidst the shock and disbelief, Acharya Sukhdev Agnihotri's face grew ashen. He understood all too well the implications of what was about to come.

  Aditya continued ,"Esteemed Brahmin I may not be as learned as you but in this shloka our Lord krishna has himself mentioned that all these caste are made by him based on the nature of talent and its not based by birth but rather work and choice.

  Now I wonder which one to chose, your outdated arguments or words left by our wise lord on which our dharma is based?"

  Acharya Sukhdev became visibly enraged at being contradicted so openly. He wanted to sh out, but given Aditya's accuracy and higher authority, he knew that anything he said could work against him. He didn't dare to challenge him, incase he knows much deeper. The whole court fell silent.

  Aditya addressed the courtiers, "It's a shame that we take so much from the common people but refuse to acknowledge them. We look down on them, yet they are the ones we recruit as low-ranking soldiers in times of need.

  It's their taxes from the farms that make us prosperous.

  And most importantly, it was not the high-caste warriors who saved you but my soldiers, many of whom are from the lower castes. They proved themselves to be far superior.

  So I ask this court not to underestimate their capability or assume they will be corrupt, especially when it was the high-caste Nayaks (lords) who led to the rebellion."

  The atmosphere became tense. The courtiers hadn't expected such a confrontation while trying to solve their kingdom's crisis. The revetion about Aditya's army being so effective, despite their low caste, was a shock to them, challenging their long-held beliefs.

  General Ratan Singh then raised a critical point. "Your Highness, while we deeply respect your contributions and understand your authority, but implementing such a rule may provoke strong resistance not only within our kingdom but also among the other member kingdoms, which are reluctant to embrace change.

  Tradition is deeply rooted in our society, and such significant changes could face substantial opposition.

  We might even encounter another rebellion, simir to what happened with the women's inheritance ws and other reforms that did not sit well with certain segments of our society and contributed to unrest."

  A murmur of agreement spread through the room. Courtiers exchanged worried gnces, reflecting concern over the potential for unrest.

  Aditya replied, "It seems you fail to understand the major reason behind the rebellion. It was not because of our new ws, but rather the fws in our system that foreigners exploit by colluding with those in power who prioritize their own interests over the kingdom's.

  While there may be fws in implementation, who can guarantee that any new w will not face simir exploitation?

  Should the ruler be burdened and shackled, unable to make decisions in the best interest of his kingdom?"

  A sense of curiosity fell over the crowd as Aditya's words challenged the prevailing political dynamics. Some courtiers nodded thoughtfully, seeing potential in his approach, while others looked uneasy about the potential loss of their authority.

  Crown Prince Randeep, looking both intrigued and concerned, asked, "Your Highness, are you suggesting changes to the sarpanch system or reforms to tradition?"

  Aditya shook his head and responded, "I do not wish to dwell on norms and traditions but rather to provide a solution for the kingdom's future stability. I am not against the sarpanch system; rather, I propose changing its selection process.

  I suggest implementing regur elections for the sarpanch, appointing those who receive the majority of vilgers' support, without any form of discrimination, and granting them more administrative powers. This approach will not disrupt the current ruling authority.

  If unrest were to arise, the vilge chief, the sarpanch, would be held accountable first, rather than the king. Moreover, if the sarpanch position is made temporary, it will encourage the officeholder to align more closely with the people's needs rather than personal interests, at least publicly.

  For member kingdoms, I would suggest not to panic as this is a special suggestion for this kingdom given the unique crisis it's facing, and I assure no such w would be passed without consulting the royalty."

  The crowd's reaction was mixed; some courtiers nodded in approval, while others looked apprehensive about the proposed changes.

  Chief Minister Bharadwaj Gupta then spoke up, "But Your Highness, while I commend your views on commoners' upliftment, I fail to see how this would solve our current governance issues in the provinces."

  Aditya responded, "We can create a Panchayati Raj system, where the sarpanch from a province forms a panchayat (vilge council) and the head becomes the Nayak(lord) for a certain period.

  Since zamindars are nearly extinct in this kingdom, we can use the Mahal Wari system of tax collection under the sarpanch. However, I agree that the form is still raw and needs more ideas to be refined for implementation.

  I believe if given time, I can propose a draft during my stay for the court to discuss, ensuring the ruling authorities are not undermined."

  The crowd reacted with a mixture of positivity and apprehension as they got absorbed into the implications of Aditya's proposal.

  Seeing the chaos of noise, King Todar Mal intervened, "Silence!."

  As the court fell silent, the king inquired, "Imperial Prince Aditya, we are grateful for your suggestion and I personally view it positively. You are the savior of this kingdom and we appreciate your opinion. Even if we maintain our autonomy, we will follow your suggestion if it receives an imperial decree.

  However, I must remind you that if your draft is not accepted by the royal council, you will need an imperial decree to enforce it."

  The crowd's reaction was mixed. Some courtiers exchanged approving nods, appreciating Aditya's initiative, while others wore expressions of apprehension, concerned about the potential shifts in power dynamics.

  Aditya bowed and replied, "Be assured, Your Majesty, give me seven days, and I shall provide a draft that will reflects our shared vision for a better future."

  The king nodded, "Then this matter will be discussed after seven days. Now proceed with the other matters."

  Chief Minister Bharadwaj Gupta then addressed the assembly, "Now, let us address the matter of our military capabilities and the possibility of sending reinforcements as per the imperial directives."