01.122
Core-Pancharatra:Bhishma appoints Drona as teacher for Kurus.
Vaiśampāyana said:
Then the mighty Bhāradvāja approached Drupada and said, “O king, know me as your friend.”
Drupada said:
This intellect of yours is immature, O brāhmaṇa, and not very proper—since you forcibly say to me, “I am your friend,” O twice-born.
For kings of exalted status never befriend such men as these—O dull-souled one—who are deprived of wealth and destitute of riches.
Even friendships decay with time; let them decay. My friendship with you, indeed, was formerly bound by mutual strength.
Friendship that does not decay is never seen in this world. Desire plays with it, and anger tears it apart.
Do not seek this decayed friendship—form a new one. Our former friendship, O best of brāhmaṇas, was based on advantage.
The poor is no friend of the wealthy, nor the ignorant of the wise. A coward is no friend of the brave—what worth is former friendship?
Only those of equal wealth and equal lineage form friendships and marriages—not the prosperous with the destitute.
An unlearned man is no friend to the learned, nor is the non-charioteer to the warrior. What worth is a past friendship to one who is not a king?
Vaiśampāyana said:
Thus addressed by Drupada, the mighty Bhāradvāja stood silently for a moment, overwhelmed by anger.
He, the intelligent one, having firmly resolved in mind to move against Pāñcāla, went to the city of the chief Kurus, called Nāgasāhvaya.
Then the princes, having come out together from Gajasāhvaya, joyfully roamed about there, playing with a ball.
That ball of the boys playing then fell into a well, and they did not take up the task of retrieving it.
Then Droṇa, seeing the princes puzzled, softly laughed and spoke, skilled as he was from Pañcāla, being powerful.
Ah! Shame on the strength of warriors, shame on your learned weaponry—you who are born in the lineage of Bharata, and cannot retrieve a ball.
This bundle of grass, consecrated by me with a weapon-mantra—observe its power, which no other possesses.
I shall retrieve the ball with a reed—this reed joined with another, forming my means of capture.
Seeing that, the princes, their eyes wide with wonder, beheld the retrieved ball and said to the one who pierced it.
We salute you, O brāhmaṇa. This is not seen in others. Who are you? Whom do we recognize you as? What shall we do?
Droṇa said:
Report me to Bhīṣma, both by appearance and qualities. He of great intellect will now understand me.
Vaiśampāyana said:
Saying "so be it," all of them spoke to Bhīṣma, the grandsire, that the brāhmaṇa's words were true and marked by exceptional action.
Bhīṣma, having heard the princes, recognized that person as Droṇa, and thought thus: “Indeed, he is a fitting teacher.”
Then Bhīṣma, the best among warriors, personally brought him in with honor and thoroughly asked the reason for his coming; Droṇa revealed everything.
O sinless one, I had gone earlier to the great seer Agniveśya to acquire knowledge of weapons, desiring to master Dhanurveda.
As a celibate, self-disciplined, matted-haired student, I stayed there for many years with the intent to master Dhanurveda.
Indeed, the powerful prince of Pāñcāla, Yajñasena, studied with me, laboring and focused under the teacher.
There he was my friend, helpful and dear to me. With him, I delighted in long companionship and joint study from childhood, O Kaurava.
O Bhīṣma, he who was affectionate and sweet-spoken approached me and said this joy-increasing statement.
I, the dearest son of my great-souled father Droṇa, shall be consecrated as king by the Pāñcāla prince—when that time comes.
O friend, I swear to you truthfully—the kingdom shall be yours to enjoy; my pleasures, wealth, and enjoyments shall be under your control.
Thus addressed, I departed, having mastered the weapons, with a desire for wealth, thinking, “Having heard he is consecrated, I am fulfilled.”
Well-pleased, I returned again to my dear friend established in the kingdom, remembering our past union and his words.
Then, O lord, having approached Drupada as a former friend, I said, “O tiger among men, know me to be your friend.”
Drupada, though I approached like a friend, saw me and, smiling as if unacquainted, said this.
O brāhmaṇa, your understanding is undeveloped and improper if you forcibly call me your friend, O twice-born one.
Friendship never exists between exalted kings and such persons, O dull-souled one, who lack splendor and have fallen from wealth.
One unversed is not a friend of the learned, nor is a non-warrior friend to the warrior; even a king is not accepted as a friend to a prince simply due to past ties.
Thus addressed by Drupada and overcome with anger, I came to the Kurus, O Bhīṣma, with worthy disciples, seeking aid.
Bhīṣma accepted him as the teacher along with the sons of Pāṇḍu, taking all of them, his grandsons, as the various Vasus.
O king, he formally gave them to Droṇa as disciples, and the great archer accepted the Kauravas as his students.
Having accepted them all, Droṇa, confident in mind, spoke alone in private to those who had performed the proper rites.
There is a task I desire that revolves in my heart. That must be done for me by those trained in arms. Speak truly, O faultless ones.
Hearing that, the sons of Kuru remained silent, O lord of men. But Arjuna, scorcher of foes, then promised to fulfill it entirely.
Then, kissing Arjuna’s head again and again and embracing him with affection, Droṇa wept with joy.
Then mighty Droṇa taught the Pāṇḍava princes various weapons, both divine and human.
O best of Bharatas, many other princes too assembled and approached Droṇa, the best of Brāhmaṇas, for learning weapons — including the Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, and kings from various regions.
The charioteer’s son Karṇa also approached Droṇa as teacher, competing with Arjuna and highly intolerant, he took refuge in Duryodhana and greatly despised the Pāṇḍavas.
