SECTION CXXXI
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Desirous of giving his
grandsons a superior education, Bhishma was on the look-out for a teacher
endued with energy and well-skilled in the science of arms. Deciding, O chief
of the Bharatas, that none who was not possessed of great intelligence, none
who was not illustrious or a perfect master of the science of arms, none who
was not of godlike might, should be the instructor of the Kuru (princes), the
son of Ganga, O tiger among men, placed the Pandavas and the Kauravas under the
tuition of Bharadwaja's son, the intelligent Drona skilled in all the Vedas.
Pleased with the reception given him by the great Bhishma, that foremost of all
men skilled in arms, viz., illustrious Drona of world-wide fame, accepted the
princes as his pupils. And Drona taught them the science of arms in all its
branches. And, O monarch, both the Kauravas and the Pandavas endued with
immeasurable strength, in a short time became proficient in the use of all
kinds of arms.'
"Janamejaya asked, 'O Brahmana, how was
Drona born? How and whence did he acquire his arms? How and why came he unto
the Kurus? Whose son also was he endued with such energy? Again, how was his
son Aswatthaman, the foremost of all skilled in arms born? I wish to hear all
this! Please recite them in detail.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'There dwelt at the source
of the Ganga, a great sage named Bharadwaja, ceaselessly observing the most
rigid vows. One day, of old, intending to celebrate the Agnihotra sacrifice he
went along with many great Rishis to the Ganga to perform his ablutions.
Arrived at the bank of the stream, he saw Ghritachi herself, that Apsara endued
with youth and beauty, who had gone there a little before. With an expression
of pride in her countenance, mixed with a voluptuous languor of attitude, the
damsel rose from the water after her ablutions were over. And as she was gently
treading on the bank, her attire which was loose became disordered. Seeing her
attire disordered, the sage was smitten with burning desire. The next moment
his vital fluid came out, in consequence of the violence of his emotion. The
Rishi immediately held it in a vessel called a drona. Then, O king, Drona
sprang from the fluid thus preserved in that vessel by the wise Bharadwaja. And
the child thus born studied all the Vedas and their branches. Before now
Bharadwaja of great prowess and the foremost of those possessing a knowledge of
arms, had communicated to the illustrious Agnivesa, a knowledge of the weapon
called Agneya. O foremost one of Bharata's race, the Rishi (Agnivesa) sprung
from fire now communicated the knowledge of that great weapon to Drona the son
of his preceptor.
"There was a king named Prishata who was a
great friend of Bharadwaja. About this time Prishata had a son born unto him,
named Drupada. And that bull among Kshatriyas, viz., Drupada, the son of
Prishata, used every day to come to the hermitage of Bharadwaja to play with
Drona and study in his company. O monarch, when Prishata was dead, this Drupada
of mighty arms became the king of the northern Panchalas. About this time the
illustrious Bharadwaja also ascended to heaven. Drona continuing to reside in
his father's hermitage devoted himself to ascetic austerities. Having become
well-versed in the Vedas and their branches and having burnt also all his sins
by asceticism, the celebrated Drona, obedient to the injunctions of his father
and moved by the desire of offspring married Kripi, the daughter of Saradwat.
And this woman, ever engaged in virtuous acts and the Agnihotra, and the
austerest of penances, obtained a son named Aswatthaman. And as soon as
Aswatthaman was born, he neighed like the (celestial) steed Ucchaihsravas.
Hearing that cry, an invisible being in the skies said, 'The voice of this
child hath, like the neighing of a horse, been audible all around. The child
shall, therefore, be known by the name of Aswatthaman, (the horse-voiced). The
son of Bharadwaja (Drona) was exceedingly glad at having obtained that child.
Continuing to reside in that hermitage he devoted himself to the study of the
science of arms.
"O king, it was about this time that Drona
heard that the illustrious Brahmana Jamadagnya, that slayer of foes, that
foremost one among all wielders of weapons, versed in all kinds of knowledge,
had expressed a desire of giving away all his wealth to Brahmanas. Having heard
of Rama's knowledge of arms and of his celestial weapons also, Drona set his
heart upon them as also upon the knowledge of morality that Rama possessed.
Then Drona of mighty arms, endued with high ascetic virtues, accompanied by
disciples who were all devoted to vows ascetic austerities, set out for the
Mahendra mountains. Arrived at Mahendra, the son of Bharadwaja possessed of
high ascetic merit, beheld the son of Bhrigu, the exterminator of all foes,
endued with great patience and with mind under complete control. Then,
approaching with his disciples that scion of the Bhrigu race Drona, giving him
his name, told him of his birth in the line of Angiras. And touching the ground
with his head, he worshipped Rama's feet. And beholding the illustrious son of
Jamadagni intent upon retiring into the woods after having given away all his
wealth, Drona said, 'Know me to have sprung from Bharadwaja, but not in any
woman's womb! I am a Brahmana of high birth, Drona by name, come to thee with
the desire of obtaining thy wealth.'
"On hearing him, that illustrious grinder of
the Kshatriya race replied, Thou art welcome, O best of regenerate ones! Tell
me what thou desirest. Thus addressed by Rama, the son of Bharadwaja replied
unto that foremost of all smiters, desirous of giving away the whole of his
wealth, 'O thou of multifarious vows, I am a candidate for thy eternal wealth,'
'O thou of ascetic wealth, returned Rama, 'My gold and whatever other wealth I
had, have all been given away unto Brahmanas! This earth also, to the verge of
the sea, decked with towns and cities, as with a garland of flowers, I have
given unto Kasyapa. I have now my body only and my various valuable weapons
left. I am prepared to give either my body or my weapons. Say, which thou
wouldst have! I would give it thee! Say quickly!'
"Drona answered, O son of Bhrigu, it
behoveth thee to give me all thy weapons together with the mysteries of hurling
and recalling them.'
"Saying, 'So be it,' the son of Bhrigu gave
all his weapons unto Drona,--indeed, the whole science of arms with its rules
and mysteries. Accepting them all, and thinking himself amply rewarded that
best of Brahmanas then, glad at heart, set out, for (the city of) his friend
Drupada.'"
){kind=link}
0 Comments
If you have any Misunderstanding Please let me know