The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 168

Section CLXVIII. ( *Chaitra-ratha Parva continued.* ) "The Brahmana said, 'At that region where the Ganges enters the plains there lived a great Rishi devoted to the austerest of penances. Of rigid vows and great wisdom, his name was Bharadwaja. One day coming to the Ganges for performing his ablutions, the Rishi saw the Apsarā Ghritāchi, who had come before, standing on the shore after her ablutions, were over. And it so happened that a wind arose and disrobed the Apsarā standing there. And the Rishi beholding her thus disrobed felt the influence of desire. Practising the vow of chastity 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 (*Drona*). And from 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 the 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 woods) was resolved to give away all his wealth. Hearing this, the son of Bharadwaja repaired nnto Rama who was about to retire into the woods, and addressing him said,—O thou best of Brahmanas, know me to be Drona who hath came to thee for obtaining thy wealth!—Rama replied, saying,—I have given away everything. All that I now have is this body of mine (and my weapons)! O Brahmana, thou mayst ask of me one of these two, either my body or my weapons!—Then Drona, said,—It behoveth thee, sir, to give me all thy weapons together with (the mysteries of) their use and withdrawal.—' "The Brahmana continued, 'Then Rama the scion of Bhrigu's race, saying,—*So be it*,—gave all his weapons unto Drona. And Drona obtaining them regarded himself as crowned with success. And Drona, obtaining from Rama that most exalted of all weapons called *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 the monarch, that tiger among men said,—Know me for thy 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 charioteer own a charioteer for his friend. So also one who is not a king cannot have a king for his friend. Why dost thou there fore 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 Panchalas, the Brahmana went to the capital of the Kurus, called after the name of the elephant. Then Bhisma 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 addressing them said,—Ye sinless ones, it behoveth ye, after ye have been accomplished in arms, to give me as preceptorial fee something that I cherish in my heart!—Then Arjuna and the others said unto their preceptor,—So be it.—After a time when the Pandavas became accomplished in arms and sure of aim, Drona demanding of them his fee again told them these words:—*Drupada the son of Prishata is the king of Chchatravati. Taking away from him his kingdom*, *give it unto me!* Then the Pandavas, defeating Drupada in battle and taking him prisoner along with his ministers, offered him unto Drona. And Drona beholding the vanquished monarch said,—O king, I again solicit thy friendship! And because none who is not a king deserveth to be the friend of a king, therefore, O Jajua-sena, I have resolved to divide thy kingdom amongst ourselves. While thou art the king of the country to the south of the Bhagirathee (Ganges) I 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 thou high-souled son of Bharadwaja! Blest be thou, let it be so! Let there be eternal friendship between us as thou desirest!—Thus addressing each other and establishing a permanent bond between themselves, Drona and the king of the Panchalas both of them chastisers of all 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.'" Thus ends the hundred and sixty-eighth Section in the Chaitra-ratha of the Adi Parva.