O Emperor Dhanānanda – Lord of the empire headed at Magadha, the greatest realm of the Earth in terms of land, population and wealth – son of the deceased former Emperor Mahāpadma, vanquisher of the Pañcālas and of various Southern Nāga tribes – the following is communicated to you in utmost urgency by your humble slave, sworn to loyalty and to your service, Prime Minister Sakadala.
By now, you are aware that Prince Pabbata has freed the princes of the Yaudheya, Ārjunāyana, Trigarta, Rajanya, Ushinara, Jyabaneya, Dharteya, Bharga and many other Western frontier states, who had been kept as hostage in the Pāṭaliputra Dungeons to maintain peace and to extract tribute.
Truth be told, I am hardly worthy of your forgiveness in allowing such a heist to take place right under your very palace.
I will, regardless of what punishment you deem appropriate for me, identify the traitors who perpetrated this crime and bring them to you for execution – I have already taken every individual connected to the prison system and wall security into custody for interrogation. Answers are being extracted, and I will act on them swiftly.
I have dispatched spies to re-capture the freed princes from the bordering states, and this shall be done swiftly.
In view of preventing external support to the rebellion in Magadha, I advise the immediate fortification of the Uttarapatha and other subsidiary roads near the Western frontier with 1500 elephant corps and supporting troops, with widespread organized parades and demonstrations of strength, in full view and hearing of the dwellers of important cities near the border. I further advise the deployment of spies to the bordering states to sabotage their siege equipment, to cause strife within their countries, and to liberate your nephews who have been kept hostage in their forts, in view of the fact that our peace with them has already been sabotaged.
