SECTION CLXVIII
(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"The Brahmana said, 'At that region where the Ganga entered the plains
there lived a great Rishi, devoted to the austerest of penances. Of rigid
vows and great wisdom, he bore the name Bharadwaja. One day, on coming to
the 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 standing
there. And the Rishi beholding her thus disrobed, felt the influence of
desire. Though practising the vow of continence from his very youth, as
soon as he felt the influence of desire, the Rishi's vital fluid came
out. And as it came out, he held it in a pot (drana), and of that fluid
thus preserved in a pot was born a son who came to be called Drona (the
pot-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 son
named Drupada. And that bull amongst Kshatriyas, Prishata's son, going
every day to that asylum of Bharadwaja, played and studied with Drona.
And after Prishata's death, Drupada succeeded him on the throne. Drona
about this time heard that (the great Brahmana hero) Rama (on the eve of
his retiring into the weeds) was resolved to give away all his wealth.
Hearing this, the son of Bharadwaja repaired unto Rama who was about to
retire into the woods and addressing him, said, 'O best of Brahmanas,
know me to be Drona who hath come to you to obtain your wealth.' Rama
replied, saying, 'I have given away everything. All that I now have is
this body of mine and my weapons. O Brahmana, you mayest ask of me one
of these two, either my body or my weapons.' Then Drona said, 'It
behoveth thee, sir, to give me all your weapons together with (the
mysteries 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 as
crowned with success. Drona obtaining from Rama the most exalted of all
weapons, called the Brahma weapon, became exceedingly glad and acquired a
decided superiority over all men. Then the son of Bharadwaja, endued with
great prowess went to king Drupada, and approaching that monarch, that
tiger among men, said, 'Know me for your friend.' Hearing this Drupada
said, 'One of low birth can never be the friend of one whose lineage is
pure, nor can one who is not a car-warrior have a car-warrior for his
friend. 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, was
extremely mortified at this, and settling in his mind some means of
humiliating 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 his
grandsons, presented them unto the wise son of Bharadwaja as his pupils
for instruction, along with various kinds of wealth. Then Drona, desirous
of humiliating king Drupada, called together his disciples and addressed
them, 'Ye sinless ones, it behoveth you, after you have been accomplished
in arms, to give me as preceptorial fee something that I cherish in my
heart.' Then Arjuna and others said unto their preceptor, 'So be
it.'--After a time when the Pandavas became skilled in arms and sure
aims, demanding of them his fee, he again told them these words,
'Drupada, the son of Prishata, is the king of Chhatravati. Take away from
him his kingdom, and give it unto me.' Then the Pandavas, defeating
Drupada in battle and taking him prisoner along with his ministers,
offered him unto Drona, who beholding the vanquished monarch, said, 'O
king, I again solicit your friendship; and because none who is not a king
deserveth to be the friend of a king, therefore, O Yajnasena, I am
resolved to divide your kingdom amongst ourselves. While you are the king
of the country to the south of Bhagirathi (Ganga), I will rule the
country to the north.'
"The Brahmana continued, 'The king of the Panchalas, thus addressed by
the wise son of Bharadwaja, told that best of Brahmanas and foremost of
all persons conversant with weapons, these words, 'O high-souled son of
Bharadwaja, blest be thou, let it be so, let there be eternal friendship
between us as you desirest!' Thus addressing each other and establishing
a permanent bond between themselves, Drona and the king of Panchala, both
of them chastisers of foes, went away to the places they came from. But
the thought of that humiliation did not leave the king's mind for a
single moment. Sad at heart, the king began to waste away.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 168 ---------------------
