(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 ye 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 ye 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 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 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 thou art and whose son. What also can we do for thee?"
"'Thus addressed, Drona replied unto the princes, saying, "Do ye 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 palace. 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 thou 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 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. 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 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 thou 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 kind 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 wight 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 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 thy wishes. O, tell me what I am to do."'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by the son of Bharadwaja, Bhishma
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 what ever 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 favour thou hast
conferred upon me by thy arrival is great."'"