Drone in Hastinaapur

Ball Incident

[1-133] Vaishampayan Jee said - "After he had arrived in Hastinaapur, he started living in Kripaachaarya's house secretly. At times Ashwatthaamaa used to teach Paandav in the absence of Kripaachaarya, but nobody knew about his powers yet. All were living like that, that one day Kuru princes came out of Hastinaapur and started playing with ball. As they were playing, their ball fell in a well. They tried their best to take the ball out from that well, but could not succeed. At the same they saw a Braahman of dark complexion (Read here a question on "Dark Complexion") coming to towards them. They surrounded him immediately. Seeing them unsuccessful in taking out the ball from the well, Drone smiled a bit and said to them - "Shame on your Kshatriya might and shame on your skills of arms. How come that being born in Bharat Vansh you cannot take out the ball from this well? If you promise me a dinner today, I can not only take out your ball from this well with these blades of grass, but also the ring which I will throw in the well now."

Hearing this Yudhishthir said - "O Braahman, With Kripaa's permission, you will get which will last for your life." Drone then took a few blades of grass and said - "See, I take these blades of grass and invest them with the help of the Mantra as my weapons. These blades of grass will turn into weapons and will have such power which no other weapon has. I will pierce the ball with one of these blades, then another one into the blade and then another thus making a long chain of blades, and thus I will take the ball out."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "So Drone did what he said and all princes were amazed to see this. They were very happy to get their ball back. Then they asked him to bring out the ring also without delay. Drone took his bow and arrow, pierced the ring with the arrow and took it out of the well immediately. The princes were astonished to see this. They said - "O Braahman, We bow to you, we have never seen such skill anywhere else. We want to know who are you, whose son are you and what else we can do for you?" At this Drone said - "Go to Bheeshm, and describe me to Bheeshm, and tell him about my skills, he will recognize me."

The princes went home and described Drone to Bheeshm. Bheeshm immediately understood that he was none other than Drone. He thought that he would be a good Guru for the princes, so he went to Drone himself, welcomed him and brought him home. He asked him as what brought him to Hastinaapur. Drone described everything as it happened. Then he said - "Some time back, I went to Rishi Agnivesh to obtain his weapons and to learn the science of arms. In this process I lived with him for many years as a Brahmchaaree. At the same time, the Prince of Paanchaal Yagyasen (Drupad), also lived there for the same purpose. He became my friend and always wished for my welfare. I also liked him very much and we lived there together for many years. Because we had studied together from our earliest days, and he was my friend from my boyhood days, he always said and did what was agreeable to me. He used to say, "I am the favorite child of my father. When he will make me king, the kingdom will be yours, I promise. My kingdom, wealth and happiness will all be dependent on you." After our studies finished he went to his kingdom. I regarded him at that time and remembered his words afterwards.

After sometime I married Kripee (Gautamee), and we had a child Ashwatthaamaa like the Sun himself. One day Ashwatthaamaa saw some rich men's sons drinking milk, he began to cry for milk. I got very sad at this and decided to ask a cow from a man who had many instead of from him who had only a few. For that I wandered from country to country, but I could not obtain a cow for him. After I had come back, some of the playmates of my son gave him water mixed with powdered rice. The poor boy danced with joy saying, "I have drank milk, I have drank milk." Although I smiled at their simplicity but it touched my heart. I said to myself - "Fie on you Drone whose son is dancing after taking rice powder mixed water saying, "I have taken milk, I have taken milk." So I had to leave Braahman's duties, which I had not done so far, and said to myself - "Fie O Drone, on your such duties that you cannot earn so much money which can even give some milk to your son who dances after drinking rice flour solution instead of drinking milk." So I decided to even if I have to cast off Braahman I would not be anybody's servant or the wealth.

So I went to my friend, the King of Somak, Drupad, with my son and wife. Hearing that he had been appointed as the King, I was very happy. I went to him as a friend should go to his friend and said  - "Know me for your friend." But he insulted me as if I was a vulgar fellow. He said to me, "Your intelligence is not of high order, so you cannot call me your friend. Great kings can never be friends of such low people. It is true that we both were friends, but at that time our circumstances were the same. Now we are in different circumstances. This impairs friendship also. So do not stick to the old friendship. That friendship can never exist between a poor and a rich man. A Kshatriya cannot have friendship with a non-Kshatriya, in the same way who is not a king can never have a king as his friend. Then why do you want to continue this friendship?" So I left the place vowing to do that which I will certainly do soon. I was very angry, so I came to Kuru. I come to Hastinaapur to desire for intelligent pupils. I have come to gratify your wishes. Now you tell me what I have to do."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Bheeshm said - "Take your bow, and teach princes the science of arms. Live in peace here. You are the Lord of all the wealth etc whatever Kuru have. Think it accomplished whatever is in your heart. It is our good luck that we have got you."

[1-134] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Thus at the recommendation of Bheeshm, Drone started living in Hastinaapur. After a while, Bheeshm took his grandsons to him and handed over to him as his pupils. He gave him a neat and clean house also filled with wealth and other necessary things. One day he called all his pupils, made them touch his feet, and said - "I have a particular purpose in my mind, promise me that when you will be accomplished in your knowledge, you will fulfill it."

Hearing this all pupils stood silent, but Arjun said - "I will whatever it is." Drone gladly embraced him and blessed him repeatedly crying with joy. After that many other princes also started coming to him to learn arms. The son of Raadhaa of Soot caste, Karn, also became his pupil. But from jealousy he often defied Arjun, and supported by Duryodhan he disregarded Paandav. Arjun was devoted to the science of arms, so he always stood beside his Guru and was the foremost student among all. Seeing this Drone was also sure that nobody will be able to compete Arjun, the son of Indra.

One day Drone gave narrow-mouthed vessels to his other pupils to fill water, so that the filling of water can take long time to fill; but he gave broad-mouthed vessel to his own son so that he could fill his vessel soon. Arjun had known this, so he filled his vessel with Varun Astra and came back to his Guru at the same time when his Guru's own son came back. Thus Arjun was no inferior to his Guru's son. Arjun was very much devoted to his Guru as well as to the science of arms. Seeing his devotion, Guru Jee asked his cook to never give food to Arjun in dark, and also not to tell him that he had instructed him to do so. After this instruction, one day a strong wind rose and the lamp went out, but he found that he was able to eat in the dark also. This event inspired him to practice shooting his arrows in the dark. When Drone heard the twang of Arjun's bow in the night, he said to him - "I tell you the truth that there will be nobody who will be equal to you in archery.

Eklavya

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After this Dronaachaarya started teaching him the art of fighting on horseback, on chariot, on ground, on elephant etc. He also taught him to handle Gadaa (mace), fighting with many weapons and many people together. Hearing all this many kings and princes came to Drone to learn the science of arms. Among them was a Prince Eklavya - the son of Hiranyadhanu, the King of Nishaad. Drone following the morality, did not accept him as his pupil because he might excel the high-born pupils. But Eklavya bent his head and went away in the forest. There he made a clay image of Drone, and regarding it as his real Guru started practicing archery. His devotion became fruitful and he learnt all the three processes of fixing arrows on the bowstring, aiming and letting off them very easily.

One day the Kuru princes set out for hunting with a servant and a dog. When they had reached in the forest, they started wandering about in search of prey. The dog also started wandering about and came to Eklavya. Seeing him clad in dark clothes, with matted locks, in a filthy look, he started barking aloud. To show his skill in archery, he filled his mouth with seven arrows. The dog came running to Paandav and seeing that the Paandav started searching for the man who did this to their dog. Soon they found a stranger and asked him - "Who are you and whose son you are?" Eklavya said - "I am the son of Hiranyadhanu, the King of Nishaad. I am a pupil of Drone."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After knowing everything about him, Paandav came back to the city and told everything to Drone that happened in the woods. Arjun pondering on the whole situation, saw Drone in private and asked him - "You said to me that there will be nobody equal to me then why this pupil of yours, the son of Nishaad king, is superior to me?"

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "Drone thought for a moment, decided the course of his action, took Arjun with him, and came to the woods where Paandav found Eklavya. He found filthy Eklavya practicing his archery ceaselessly. As he saw Drone coming towards him, he touched his feet, prostrated before him, worshipped him and stood before him joining his hands in reverence. Drone said - "If you are really my pupil, then give me my fees (Guru Dakshinaa)." Eklavya got very happy to hear this, he said politely - "O Guru, Tell me what should I give to you, because there is nothing which I cannot give to my Guru." Drone said - "If you really want to give me something, then give the right thumb to me."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "O King, Hearing these cruel words of his Guru, Eklavya did not move from his promise and with a cheerful face he cut his right thumb and offered it on the feet of his Guru. But he shot arrows with his remaining fingers he found that the lightness of his hand had gone. Arjun was happy to see this as his jealousy had left him.

Test of Pupils - Bird and Crocodile Incidents

There were two pupils of Drone, Duryodhan and Bheem, became skilled in Gadaa. They were always jealous of each other. Nakul and Sahadev became skilled in sword handling. Yudhishthir surpassed everybody as a chariot warrior. While Arjun was the most superior in everything, in every respect. So his fame had spread all over the earth. Although Guru was teaching the same to all, but Arjun excelled in all kinds of learning and became an Atirath (a chariot warrior who can fight with 60,000 men at one time). All Kaurav were especially jealous with Bheem.

One day Drone thought to test his pupils' superiority after their education was finished. He collected them all at one place, set an artificial bird on a branch of a tree as an aim and said to them - "Take up your bows, aim at the bird to cut his neck as soon as I give the order. I shall give each of you your turn one by one."

Vaishampaayab jee said - "First he ordered Yudhishthir to take up his bow and arrow and asked him - "Do you the bird on the tree?" "Yes, I do." "What do you see now?" Yudhishthir said - "I see the tree, myself, my bothers, and the bird." Drone repeated the same question and received the same answer again. Drone said to him - "Stand beside, it is not for you to strike the aim." Drone asked the same question to Duryodhan and other sons of Dhritraashtra, Bheem and other pupils who came to him from other countries but all gave similar answer to Yudhishthir, so all of them were ordered to stand aside."

[1-135] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "When everyone had failed, Drone smilingly called Arjun and said to him - "You must shoot the aim, so look at the aim. You must shoot it as I give you the order to shoot, so be ready." Then he asked him - "What do you see, the bird, the tree, and myself?" Arjun replied - I see only bird, neither tree, nor you." Drone was very happy to hear this answer, so he again said - "If you see the bird, then describe it to me." Arjun said - "I am seeing only its head, not its body." Drone ordered him to shoot and Arjun shot the bird and cut its neck. Drone embraced him with excessive joy and thought that his purpose of educating them was served. he will surely vanquish Drupad

At another time, Drone went to Gangaa River to take bath, and as he entered the  river, an alligator seized him by his thigh. Although Drone himself was capable to free himself, still he cried for help - "Kill this monster and rescue me." Hearing his cry Arjun shot five arrows at alligator and freed his Guru and killed the alligator, while others just stood confounded. Drone got highly pleased with Arjun. He gave him Brahmshiraa Astra and said - "Never ever use it against any human being because if it was used at a foe having inferior energy, it will burn the whole universe. It has no equal in the whole universe, that is why keep it with great care and listen to what I say to you. If any foe, not human being, contends you in battle, you can use this against him." Arjun took it bowing his head. Drone blessed him - "No other person will be a superior bowman to you and you will never be defeated by anybody."