SECTION CLXIX
(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"The Brahmana continued, 'King Drupada (after this), distressed at heart,
wandered among many asylums of Brahmanas in search of superior Brahmanas
well-skilled in sacrificial rites. Overwhelmed with grief and eagerly
yearning for children, the king always said, 'Oh, I have no offspring
surpassing all in accomplishments.' And the monarch, from great
despondency, always said 'Oh, fie on those children that I have and on my
relatives!' And ever thinking of revenging himself on Drona, the monarch
sighed incessantly. And that best of kings, O Bharata, even after much
deliberation, saw no way of overcoming, by his Kshatriya might, the
prowess and discipline and training and accomplishment of Drona.
Wandering along the banks of the Yamuna and the Ganga, the monarch once
came upon a sacred asylum of Brahmanas. There was in that asylum no
Brahmana who was not a Snataka, no one who was not of rigid vows, and
none who was not virtuous to a high degree. And the king saw there two
Brahmana sages named Yaja and Upayaja, both of rigid vows and souls under
complete control and belonging to the most superior order. They were both
devoted to the study of the ancient institutes and sprung from the race
of Kasyapa. And those best of Brahmanas were well-able to help the king
in the attainment of his object. The king then, with great assiduity and
singleness of purpose, began to court this pair of excellent Brahmanas.
Ascertaining the superior accomplishments of the younger of the two the
king courted in private Upayaja of rigid vows, by the offer of every
desirable acquisition. Employed in paying homage to the feet of Upayaja,
always addressing in sweet words and offering him every object of human
desire, Drupada, after worshipping that Brahmana, addressed him (one
day), saying, 'O Upayaja, O Brahmana, if thou, performest those
sacrificial rites by (virtue of) which I may obtain a son who may slay
Drona, I promise you ten thousand kine, or whatever else may be
agreeable to thee, O first of Brahmanas, truly am I ready to make gifts
to thee.' Thus addressed by the king, the Rishi replied, saying, 'I
cannot (perform such rites).' But Drupada without accepting this reply as
final, once more began to serve and pay homage unto that Brahmana. Then,
after the expiration of a year, Upayaja, that first of Brahmanas, O
monarch, addressing Drupada in sweet tone, said, 'My elder brother
(Yaja), one day, while wandering through the deep woods, took up a fruit
that had fallen upon a spot the purity of which he cared not to enquire
about. I was following him (at the time) and observed this unworthy act
of his. Indeed, he entertains no scruples in accepting things impure. In
accepting that (particular) fruit he saw not any impropriety of sinful
nature: Indeed, he who observeth not purity (in one instance) is not very
likely to observe it in the other instances. When he lived in the house
of his preceptor, employed in studying the institutes, he always used to
eat (impure) remnants of other people's feasts. He always speaks
approvingly of food and entertains no dislike for anything. Arguing from
these, I believe that my brother covets earthy acquisitions. Therefore, O
king, go unto him; he will perform spiritual offices for thee.' Hearing
these words of Upayaja, king Drupada, though entertaining a low opinion
of Yaja, nevertheless went to his abode. Worshipping Yaja who was (still)
worthy of homage, Drupada said unto him, 'O master, perform thou
spiritual offices for me and I will give you eighty thousand kine!
Enmity with Drona burneth my heart; it behoveth you therefore to cool
that heart of mine. Foremost of those conversant with the Vedas, Drona is
also skilled in the Brahma weapon and for this, Drona hath overcome me in
a contest arising from (impaired) friendship. Gifted with great
intelligence, the son of Bharadwaja is (now) the chief preceptor of the
Kurus. There is no Kshatriya in this world superior to him. His bow is
full six cubits long and looks formidable, and his shafts are capable of
slaying every living being. That great bowman, the high-souled son of
Bharadwaja, habited as a Brahmana, is destroying the Kshatriya power all
over the earth. Indeed, he is like a second Jamadagnya intended for the
extermination of the Kshatriya race. There is no man on earth who can
overcome the terrible force of his weapons. Like a blazing fire fed with
clarified butter, Drona, possessed of Brahma might and uniting it with
Kshatriya might, consumeth every antagonist in battle. But (thy) Brahma
force is greater in itself than (Drona's) Brahma force united with
Kshatriya might. Therefore, as I am inferior (to Drona) in consequence of
my possession of Kshatriya might alone, I solicit the aid of your Brahma
force, having obtained you so superior to Drona in knowledge of Brahma.
O Yaja, perform that sacrifice by means of which I may obtain a son
invincible in battle and capable of slaying Drona. Ready am I to give
thee ten thousand kine.' Hearing these words of Drupada, Yaja said, 'So
be it.' Yaja then began to recollect the various ceremonies appertaining
to the particular sacrifice. And knowing the affair to be a very grave
one, he asked the assistance of Upayaja who coveted nothing. Then Yaja
promised to perform the sacrifice for the destruction of Drona. Then the
great ascetic Upayaja spoke unto king Drupada of everything required for
the grand sacrifice (by aid of fire) from which the king was to obtain
offspring. And he said, 'O king, a child shall be born unto thee, endued,
as you desirest, with great prowess, great energy, and great strength.'
"The Brahmana continued, 'Then king Drupada, impelled by the desire of
obtaining a son who was to slay Drona, began, for the success of his
wish, to make the necessary preparations. (And when everything was
complete) Yaja, after having poured libations of clarified butter on the
sacrificial fire, commanded Drupada's queen, saying, 'Come hither, O
queen, O daughter-in-law of Prishata! A son and a daughter have arrived
for thee!' Hearing this, the queen said, 'O Brahmana, my mouth is yet
filled with saffron and other perfumed things. My body also beareth many
sweet scents; I am hardly fit for accepting (the sanctified butter which
is to give me offspring). Wait for me a little, O Yaja! Wait for that
happy consummation.' Yaja, however, replied, 'O lady, whether you comest
or waitest, why should not the object of this sacrifice be accomplished
when the oblation hath already been prepared by me and sanctified by
Upayaja's invocations?'
"The Brahmana continued, 'Having said this, Yaja poured the sanctified
libation on the fire, whereupon arose from those flames a child
resembling a celestial who possessing the effulgence of fire, was
terrible to behold. With a crown on this head and his body encased in
excellent armour, sword in hand, and bearing a bow and arrows, he
frequently sent forth loud roars. And immediately after his birth, he
ascended an excellent chariot and went about in it for some time. Then
the Panchalas in great joy shouted, 'Excellent, Excellent.' The very
earth seemed at that time unable to bear the weight of the Panchalas mad
with joy. Then, marvellous to say, the voice of some invisible spirit in
the skies said, 'This prince hath been born for the destruction of Drona.
He shall dispel all the fears of the Panchalas and spread their fame. He
shall also remove the sorrow of the king.' And there arose, after this
from the centre of the sacrificial platform, a daughter also, called
Panchali, who, blest with great good fortune, was exceedingly handsome.
Her eyes were black, and large as lotus-petals, her complexion was dark,
and her locks were blue and curly. Her nails were beautifully convex, and
bright as burnished copper; her eye-brows were fair, and bosom was deep.
Indeed, she resembled the veritable daughter of a celestial born among
men. Her body gave out fragrance like that of a blue lotus, perceivable
from a distance of full two miles. Her beauty was such that she had no
equal on earth. Like a celestial herself, she could be desired (in
marriage) by a celestial, a Danava, or a: Yaksha. When this girl of fair
hips was born an incorporeal voice said, 'This dark-complexioned girl
will be the first of all women, and she will be the cause of the
destruction of many Kshatriyas. This slender-waisted one will, in time,
accomplish the purpose of the gods, and along with her many a danger will
overtake the Kauravas.' On hearing these words, the Panchalas uttered a
loud leonine roar, and the earth was unable to bear the weight of that
joyous concourse. Then beholding the boy and the girl, the
daughter-in-law of Prishata, desiring to have them, approached Yaja and
said, 'Let not these know any one else except myself as their mother.'
Yaja, desiring to do good unto the king said, 'So be it!' Then the
Brahmanas (present there), their expectations fully gratified, bestowed
names upon the new-born pair, 'Let this son of king Drupada, they said,
be called Dhrishtadyumna, because of his excessive audacity and because
of his being born like Dyumna with a natural mail and weapon.' And they
also said, 'Because this daughter is so dark in complexion, she should be
called Krishna (the dark).'
"The Brahmana continued, 'Thus were born those twins of the great
sacrifice of Drupada. And the great Drona, bringing the Panchala prince
into his own abode, taught him all weapons in requital of half the
kingdom he had formerly taken from Drupada. The high-souled son of
Bharadwaja, regarding destiny to be inevitable, did what would perpetuate
his own great deeds.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 169 ---------------------
