In the royal house of Hastinapura, King Dhritarāshtra nourished both his own sons and the sons of his brother Pāndu without distinction. The Pāndavas grew in humility, mingling in play with the Kauravas, their games filled with sport, laughter, and mischief. Yet in these childish contests Bhīma, endowed with the might of Vāyu, ever towered above the rest. He flung ten or fifteen of his cousins at once, dragging them mercilessly until their skin was torn. At times he would raise many upon his shoulders and cast them into the waters, where they floundered, suffocating and gasping for escape. When terror seized them, he hurled them ashore, only to seize them once again. If they climbed trees in pursuit of fruit, he shook the trunks until they fell like ripened produce. Duhśāsana and his brothers bore the brunt of his rough play, while Śakuni, Duryodhana, and Duhśāsana conspired in secret to rid themselves of Bhīma, that they might lay hands upon Dharmarāja and clear the path for their own ambition.
Cautious to keep their wicked designs hidden from Vidura and the venerable Bhīshma, they waited for opportunity. One day, in sport upon the waters, Bhīma grew weary and fell into deep sleep upon the bank at Pramānakoti. Duryodhana bound him and cast him into a deep pool, yet the son of Vāyu awoke, burst his bonds, and rose unscathed. On another day, while he slumbered, Duryodhana incited a charioteer to release venomous serpents upon him. The snakes struck again and again, but Bhīma awoke, crushed them beneath his feet, and with a blow felled the charioteer dead. Again, Duryodhana mixed deadly poison in Bhīma’s food, but though Yuyutsu, son of Dhritarāshtra, warned him, hunger drove Bhīma to eat. The venom passed through him without effect, as sin cannot stain the pure. Thus, frustrated by failure, Duryodhana resolved to destroy not Bhīma alone, but the brethren together.
Meanwhile, Bhishma, discerning the need for discipline and skill, placed the princes under the tutelage of Kripa and Drona. In their hands the Pandavas and Kauravas vied with zeal in the mastery of arms. King Janamejaya, inquiring of sage Vaiśampāyana, asked the origin of Kripa and Drona. The sage replied:
“In ancient time lived the seer Gautama, who begot a son, Śaradvāntha, born with bow and arrows, radiant with natural valour. He shunned the Vedas and took up the bow as his sacred trust, practising with such austerity that heaven itself trembled. Indra, fearing his ascetic power, sent the nymph Jalapada to distract him. The sage, overcome, shed his seed upon the earth, which fell into reeds of kānś grass and from it arose a boy and girl. King Śāntanu, hunting nearby, found these children and recognized them as of brahmin birth, destined for mastery of arms. He reared them kindly and named them Kripa and Kṛpi. Later, Śaradvāntha returned, acknowledged them as his own, and invested Kripa with sacred thread and training in both Veda and Dhanurveda, until he became unrivalled in warcraft. Bhīshma, discerning his merit, appointed Kripācārya as instructor of the princes.
As for Droṇa, hear now his tale. The sage Bharadvāja, at the banks of Gaṅgā, beheld the celestial nymph Ghṛtācī sporting in the waters; her garments were stirred by the breeze, and the sage, though striving to restrain himself, let fall his seed into his hand. From it was born a son, named Droṇa, part-incarnate of Śukra himself. At the same time, Bharadvāja’s companion, prushatha, seeing Menakā, shed seed upon the earth, from which arose Drupada. The two—Droṇa and Drupada—grew together as friends, studying under the same masters. In time Drupada ascended the throne of Pañchāla, while Droṇa sought deeper knowledge at the feet of Agniveśa, who imparted to him divine missiles. At his father’s bidding, Droṇa wedded Kṛpī and begot Aśvatthāmā.
Hearing of Parashurāma, son of Jamadagni, who had given away all his wealth, Droṇa approached him in hope of alms. But the sage replied, ‘I have bestowed land upon Kaśyapa and riches upon Brahmins. What remains to me are my body, my weapons, and my knowledge. These I give to you.’ Thus did Droṇa receive from Parashurāma the lore of celestial weapons, their invocation and withdrawal by mantra, until he became consummate in arms.
Thereafter he went to Drupada, his childhood companion, seeking aid in humility. But Drupada, puffed with pride of wealth and power, spurned him, saying, ‘How can friendship exist between a king and a poor Brahmin? Friendship is the bond of equals in wealth, status, and power. A monarch’s ties are forged for gain, not sentiment. Go hence, unworthy of my regard.’ Thus insulted, Droṇa departed with his family and disciples to Hastināpura.
There he encountered the princes at play. Their ball had fallen into a deep well. By art of archery, he recovered it, weaving a chain of arrows. Amazed, the princes reported the marvel to Bhishma, who, perceiving his greatness, retained him as their master. Drona, recalling his slight at the hands of Drupada, accepted, resolved to train the Kuru princes in all the mysteries of war, opening before them the boundless path of martial science.”
