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cared to secure the neighbouring countries before he attacked Nanda."
Both of them proceeded to Himavantakūta and made a deal with the king Parvataka for whatever help he rendered to Canakya and Candragupta, they were prepared to offer half of Nanda's kingdom to him. So it was a joint campaign this time. It went on smoothly well till they reached one town which was so well fortified and so well defended that Candragupta and Parvataka found it difficult, almost impossible to get its possession. At this time, Cânakya appeared on the scene in the form of Tridanḍin, an ascetic who carries three long staffs that are tied together. As if by magic that he seemed to have worked out, the city fell.
Similarly, the city of Pataliputra was captured and Nanda surrendered himself to the conquering army and begged of Caṇakya merciful treatment. He was graciously allowed to leave the country. Canakya also said that Nanda could carry with him all that he could manage in his carriage. Nanda chose to take with him his two wives and his daughter along with some family treasure but Nanda's daughter, who caught sight of Candragupta fell instantly in love with him. The father allowed her to marry Candragupta but when she was getting into Candragupta's carriage, nine of the spokes of one of the wheels of the carriage broke. Candragupta looked upon it as a bad omen and therefore would have nothing to do with the princess. But before he asked her to get off his carriage, Căṇakya stopped him by interpreting the event in a different way. He said it predicted that his dynasty would continue to flourish for nine generations.
Nanda's kingdom was duly divided according to the promise that Canakya had made between Candragupta and Parvataka. The latter however was most eager to have in his possession the Viṣakanya in Nanda's court along with his share of the kingdom and Canakya generously gave her to him. (A viṣakanya is a young woman who has been brought up right from her childhood on graduated doses of poison to which she develops immunity but affects any person that has sexual intercourse with her.)
During the wedding ceremony of Candragupta and the Nanda
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