Chapter 168

“The Brahmana said, ‘At that region where the Ganga entered the plainsthere lived a great Rishi, devoted to the austerest of penances. Of rigidvows and great wisdom, he bore the name Bharadwaja. One day, on coming tothe Ganga to perform his ablutions, the Rishi saw the Apsara Ghritachi,who had come before, standing on the bank after her ablutions were over.

And it so happened that a wind arose and disrobed the Apsara standingthere. And the Rishi beholding her thus disrobed, felt the influence ofdesire. Though practising the vow of continence from his very youth, assoon as he felt the influence of desire, the Rishi’s vital fluid cameout. And as it came out, he held it in a pot (drana), and of that fluidthus preserved in a pot was born a son who came to be called Drona (thepot-born). And Drona studied all the Vedas and their several branches.And Bharadwaja had a friend named Prishata who was the king of Panchalas.And about the time that Drona was born, Prishata also obtained a sonnamed Drupada. And that bull amongst Kshatriyas, Prishata’s son, goingevery day to that asylum of Bharadwaja, played and studied with Drona.And after Prishata’s death, Drupada succeeded him on the throne. Dronaabout this time heard that (the great Brahmana hero) Rama (on the eve ofhis retiring into the weeds) was resolved to give away all his wealth.Hearing this, the son of Bharadwaja repaired unto Rama who was about toretire into the woods and addressing him, said, ‘O best of Brahmanas,know me to be Drona who hath come to thee to obtain thy wealth.’ Ramareplied, saying, ‘I have given away everything. All that I now have isthis body of mine and my weapons. O Brahmana, thou mayest ask of me oneof these two, either my body or my weapons.’ Then Drona said, ‘Itbehoveth thee, sir, to give me all thy weapons together with (themysteries of) their use and withdrawal.’

“The Brahmana continued, ‘Then Rama of Bhrigu’s race, saying, ‘So be it,’gave all his weapons unto Drona, who obtaining them regarded himself ascrowned with success. Drona obtaining from Rama the most exalted of allweapons, called the Brahma weapon, became exceedingly glad and acquired adecided superiority over all men. Then the son of Bharadwaja, endued withgreat prowess went to king Drupada, and approaching that monarch, thattiger among men, said, ‘Know me for thy friend.’ Hearing this Drupadasaid, ‘One of low birth can never be the friend of one whose lineage ispure, nor can one who is not a car-warrior have a car-warrior for hisfriend. So also one who is not a king cannot have a king as his friend.Why dost thou, therefore, desire (to revive our) former friendship?’

“The Brahmana continued, ‘Drona, gifted with great intelligence, wasextremely mortified at this, and settling in his mind some means ofhumiliating the king of the Panchala he went to the capital of the Kurus,called after the name of an elephant. Then Bhishma, taking with him hisgrandsons, presented them unto the wise son of Bharadwaja as his pupilsfor instruction, along with various kinds of wealth. Then Drona, desirousof humiliating king Drupada, called together his disciples and addressedthem, ‘Ye sinless ones, it behoveth you, after you have been accomplishedin arms, to give me as preceptorial fee something that I cherish in myheart.’ Then Arjuna and others said unto their preceptor, ‘So beit.’–After a time when the Pandavas became skilled in arms and sureaims, demanding of them his fee, he again told them these words,’Drupada, the son of Prishata, is the king of Chhatravati. Take away fromhim his kingdom, and give it unto me.’ Then the Pandavas, defeatingDrupada in battle and taking him prisoner along with his ministers,offered him unto Drona, who beholding the vanquished monarch, said, ‘Oking, I again solicit thy friendship; and because none who is not a kingdeserveth to be the friend of a king, therefore, O Yajnasena, I amresolved to divide thy kingdom amongst ourselves. While thou art the kingof the country to the south of Bhagirathi (Ganga), I will rule thecountry to the north.’

“The Brahmana continued, ‘The king of the Panchalas, thus addressed bythe wise son of Bharadwaja, told that best of Brahmanas and foremost ofall persons conversant with weapons, these words, ‘O high-souled son ofBharadwaja, blest be thou, let it be so, let there be eternal friendshipbetween us as thou desirest!’ Thus addressing each other and establishinga permanent bond between themselves, Drona and the king of Panchala, bothof them chastisers of foes, went away to the places they came from. Butthe thought of that humiliation did not leave the king’s mind for asingle moment. Sad at heart, the king began to waste away.'”