The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 133

Section CXXXIII. ( *Sambhava Parva continued.* ) Vaisampayana said, "Arrived at Hastinapore, that best of Brahmanas—the son of Bharadwaja—continued to live privately in the house of Gautama (Kripa). His mighty son (Aswathamā) 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 Aswathamā's prowess. "Drona had thus lived privately for sometime in the house of Kripa, when one day the heroic princes, all in a company, came out of Hastinapore. 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. And they began to eye one another bashfully, and not knowing how to recover it, their anxiety was 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 *Agni-hotra*, and who had finished his daily rites of worship. And beholding that illustrious Brahman, 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! Ye have been born in the race of Bharata! How is it that ye can not recover the ball (from the bottom of this well)? If ye promise me a dinner to-day, I will, with these blades of grass, bring up not only the ball ye have lost but this ring also that I now throw down.' Thus saying, Drona—that oppressor of all foes—taking off his ring threw it down into that dry well. Then Yudhish-thira, 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 thee 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 thou bring up the ring also without loss of time.' "Then the illustrious Drona, taking a bow with an arrow, pierced the ting with that arrow and brought up the ring 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 thou art and whose son. What also can we do for thee?' "Thus addressed, Drona replied unto the princes, saying, 'Do ye repair unto Bhisma and describe to him my likeness and skill. That mighty one will recognize me. The princes then saying 'So be it,' repaird unto Bhisma and telling him of the purport of that Brahmana's speech, related everything about his (extraordinary) feat. Hearing everything from the princes, Bhisma 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 palace. Then Bhisma—that foremost of all wielders of arms—adroitly asked him the cause of his arrival at Hastinapore. And asked by him, Drona represented everything as it had happened, saying, 'O sir, in times past I went to the great Rishi Agnivesha for obtaining from him weapons and 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 Brahmachari, with matted locks on my head. At that time, actuated by the same motives, the prince of Panchala—the mighty Yajna-sena—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 thou of the Kuru 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 Bhisma, he used to tell me—O Drona, I am the favorite 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. "'Sometime 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 *Agni-hotra* and other sacrifices and rigid austerities. And Gautami, in time, gave birth to a son named Aswathama of great prowess and equal in splendour unto the Sun himself. Indeed, I was joyed on having obtained Aswathama, as much as my father had been on obtaining myself. "'And it so happened that one day the child Aswathama observing some rich men's sons drink milk, began to cry. At this I was so beside myself that I lost all knowledge of direction. Instead of asking him who had only a few kine. (so that if *he* gave me one, he would no longer he 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 his playmates gave him water mixed with powdered rice. Drinking this, the poor boy, from inexperience, 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 dancing with joy amid his playmates smiling at his simplicity, I was exceedingly touched. Hearing also the derisive speeches of busybodies 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 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 Bhisma, 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 blest beyond compare. Joyfully I went unto that dear friend of mine seated on a throne, remembering my former friendship with him and also his own words to me. And, O illustrious one, approaching Drupada, I said,—O thou tiger among men, know me for thy 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. And addressing me he said,—Thy intelligence scarcely seemeth to be of a high order, inasmuch as, approaching me suddenly, thou sayest thou art my friend! Time that impaireth everything impaireth friendship also. My former friendship with thee 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 charioteer can never be a friend of one who is such, Friendship can subsist between persons that are of equal rank, but not between those that are unequally situated. Friendship never subsisteth for ever in any heart. Time impaireth friendships, as also anger destroyeth them. Do thou not stick, therefore, to that worn-off friendship between us. Think not of it any longer. The friendship I had with thee, O thou 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 thou of simple understanding, great kings can never have friendship with such indigent and luckless wights as thou? One who is not a king can never have a king for his friend. I do not remember ever having promised thee 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 Bhisma, I have been filled with wrath. I come to the Kurus desirous of obtaining intelligent and docile pupils. I come to Hastinapore to gratify thy wishes. O, tell me what I am to do.'" Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by the son of Bharadwaja, Bhisma said unto him, 'String thy bow, O Brahmana, and make the Kuru princes accomplished in arms. Worshipped by the Kurus, enjoy with a glad heart to thy fill every comfort in their abode. Thou art the absolute lord, O Brahmana, of whatever wealth the Kurus have and of their sovereignty and kingdom. The Kurus are thine (from this day). Think that as already accomplished which may be in thy heart. Thou art, O Brahmana, obtained by us as the fruit of our great good luck! Indeed, the favor thou hast conferred upon me by thy arrival is great!'" Thus ends the hundred and thirty-third Section in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.