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
thee 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 thee eighty thousand kine! Enmity with
Drona burneth my heart; it behoveth thee 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 thy Brahma force, having obtained
thee 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 thou 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 thou 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.'"
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