SECTION CXXXIII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Arrived at Hastinapura, that best of Brahmanas, the
son of Bharadwaja, continued to live privately in the house of Gautama
(Kripa). His mighty son (Aswatthaman) at intervals of Kripa's teaching,
used to give the sons of Kunti lessons in the use of arms. But as yet
none knew of Aswatthaman's prowess.
"Drona had thus lived privately for some time in the house of Kripa when
one day the heroic princes, all in a company, came out of Hastinapura.
And coming out of the city, they began to play with a ball and roam about
in gladness of heart. And it so happened that the ball with which they
had been playing fell into a well. And thereupon the princes strove their
best to recover it from the well. But all the efforts the princes made to
recover it proved futile. They then began to eye one another bashfully,
and not knowing how to recover it, their anxiety became great. Just at
this time they beheld a Brahmana near enough unto them, of darkish hue,
decrepit and lean, sanctified by the performance of the Agnihotra and who
had finished his daily rites of worship. And beholding that illustrious
Brahmana, the princes who had despaired of success surrounded him
immediately. Drona (for that Brahmana was no other), seeing the princes
unsuccessful, and conscious of his own skill, smiled a little, and
addressing them said, 'Shame on your Kshatriya might, and shame also on
your skill in arms! You have been born in the race of Bharata! How is it
that the cannot recover the ball (from the bottom of this well)? If ye
promise me a dinner today, I will, with these blades of grass, bring up
not only the ball the have lost but this ring also that I now throw down!'
Thus saying, Drona that oppressor of foes, taking off his ring, threw it
down into the dry well. Then Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, addressing
Drona, said, 'O Brahmana (thou askest for a trifle)! Do thou, with
Kripa's permission, obtain of us that which would last you for life!'
Thus addressed, Drona with smiles replied unto the Bharata princes,
saying, 'This handful of long grass I would invest, by my mantras, with
the virtue of weapons. Behold these blades possess virtues that other
weapons, have not! I will, with one of these blades, pierce the ball, and
then pierce that blade with another, and that another with a third, and
thus shall I, by a chain, bring up the ball.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Drona did exactly what he had said. And
the princes were all amazed and their eyes expanded with delight. And
regarding what they had witnessed to be very extraordinary, they said, O
learned Brahmana, do you bring up the ring also without loss of time.'
"Then the illustrious Drona, taking a bow with an arrow, pierced the ring
with that arrow and brought it up at once. And taking the ring thus
brought up from the well still pierced with his arrow, he coolly gave it
to the astonished princes. Then the latter, seeing the ring thus
recovered, said, 'We bow to thee, O Brahmana! None else owneth such
skill. We long to know who you are and whose son. What also can we do
for thee?'
"Thus addressed, Drona replied unto the princes, saying, 'Do the repair
unto Bhishma and describe to him my likeness and skill. The mighty one
will recognize me.' The princes then saying, 'So be it,' repaired unto
Bhishma and telling him of the purport of that Brahmana's speech, related
everything about his (extraordinary) feat. Hearing everything from the
princes, Bhishma at once understood that the Brahmana was none else than
Drona, and thinking that he would make the best preceptor for the
princes, went in person unto him and welcoming him respectfully, brought
him over to the place. Then Bhishma, that foremost of all wielders of
arms, adroitly asked him the cause of his arrival at Hastinapura. Asked
by him, Drona represented everything as it had happened, saying, 'O sir,
in times past I went to the great Rishi Agnivesa for obtaining from him
his weapons, desirous also of learning the science of arms. Devoted to
the service of my preceptor, I lived with him for many years in the
humble guise of a Brahmacharin, with matted locks on my head. At that
time, actuated by the same motives, the prince of Panchala, the mighty
Yajnasena, also lived in the same asylum. He became my friend, always
seeking my welfare. I liked him much. Indeed, we lived together for many,
many years. O you of Kuru's race, from our earliest years we had studied
together and, indeed, he was my friend from boyhood, always speaking and
doing what was agreeable to me. For gratifying me, O Bhishma, he used to
tell me, 'O Drona, I am the favourite child of my illustrious father.
When the king installeth me as monarch of the Panchalas, the kingdom
shall be thine. O friend, this, indeed, is my solemn promise. My
dominion, wealth and happiness, shall all be dependent on thee.' At last
the time came for his departure. Having finished his studies, he bent his
steps towards his country. I offered him my regards at the time, and,
indeed, I remembered his words ever afterwards.
"Some time after, in obedience to the injunctions of my father and
tempted also by the desire of offspring, I married Kripi of short hair,
who gifted with great intelligence, had observed many rigid vows, and was
ever engaged in the Agnihotra and other sacrifices and rigid austerities.
Gautami, in time, gave birth to a son named Aswatthaman of great prowess
and equal in splendour unto the Sun himself. Indeed, I was pleased on
having obtained Aswatthaman as much as my father had been on obtaining me.
"And it so happened that one day the child Aswatthaman observing some
rich men's sons drink milk, began to cry. At this I was so beside myself
that I lost all knowledge of the point of the compass. Instead of asking
him who had only a few kine (so that if he gave me one, he would no
longer be able to perform his sacrifices and thus sustain a loss of
virtue), I was desirous of obtaining a cow from one who had many, and for
that I wandered from country to country. But my wanderings proved
unsuccessful, for I failed to obtain a milch cow. After I had come back
unsuccessful, some of my son's playmates gave him water mixed with
powdered rice. Drinking this, the poor boy, was deceived into the belief
that he had taken milk, and began to dance in joy, saying, 'O, I have
taken milk. I have taken milk!' Beholding him dance with joy amid these
playmates smiling at his simplicity, I was exceedingly touched. Hearing
also the derisive speeches of busy-bodies who said, 'Fie upon the
indigent Drona, who strives not to earn wealth, whose son drinking water
mixed with powdered rice mistaketh it for milk and danceth with joy,
saying, 'I have taken milk,--I have taken milk!'--I was quite beside
myself. Reproaching myself much, I at last resolved that even if I should
have to live cast off and censured by Brahmanas, I would not yet, from
desire of wealth, be anybody's servant, which is ever hateful. Thus
resolved, O Bhishma, I went, for former friendship, unto the king of the
Somakas, taking with me my dear child and wife. Hearing that he had been
installed in the sovereignty (of the Somakas), I regarded myself as
blessed beyond compare. Joyfully I went unto that dear friend of mine
seated on the throne, remembering my former friendship with him and also
his own words to me. And, O illustrious one, approaching Drupada, I said,
'O tiger among men, know me for your friend!'--Saying this, I approached
him confidently as a friend should. But Drupada, laughing in derision
cast me off as if I were a vulgar fellow. Addressing me he said, 'Thy
intelligence scarcely seemeth to be of a high order inasmuch as
approaching me suddenly, you sayest you are my friend! Time that
impaireth everything, impaireth friendship also. My former friendship
with you was for a particular purpose. One of impure birth can never be
a friend of one who is of pure birth. One who is not a car-warrior can
never be a friend of one who is such. Friendship can only subsist between
persons that are of equal rank, but not between those that are unequally
situated. Friendship never subsisteth for ever in my heart. Time
impaireth friendships, as also anger destroyeth them. Do you not stick,
therefore, to that worn-off friendship between us. Think not of it any
longer. The friendship I had with thee, O best of Brahmanas, was for a
special purpose. There cannot be friendship between a poor man and a rich
man, between an unlettered hind and a man of letters, between a coward
and a hero. Why dost thou, therefore, desire, the revival of our former
friendship? O you of simple understanding, great kings can never have
friendship with such indigent and luckless wight as thou? One who is not
a king can never have a king for his friend. I do not remember ever
having promised you my kingdom. But, O Brahmana, I can now give thee
food and shelter for one night.'--Thus addressed by him, I left his
presence quickly with my wife, vowing to do that which I will certainly
do soon enough. Thus insulted by Drupada, O Bhishma, I have been filled
with wrath, I have come to the Kurus, desirous of obtaining intelligent
and docile pupils. I come to Hastinapura to gratify your wishes. O, tell
me what I am to do.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by the son of Bharadwaja,
Bhishma said unto him, 'String your bow, O Brahmana, and make the Kuru
princes accomplished in arms. Worshipped by the Kurus, enjoy with a glad
heart to your fill every comfort in their abode. Thou are the absolute
lord, O Brahmana, of what ever wealth the Kurus have and of their
sovereignty and kingdom! The Kurus are yours (from this day). Think that
as already accomplished which may be in your heart. Thou art, O Brahmana,
obtained by us as the fruit of our great good luck. Indeed, the favour
thou hast conferred upon me by your arrival is great.'
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 133 ---------------------
