Vaishampayana said: -
1. Thereupon that best of men, that greatly effulgent Drona, worshipped by Bhisma, took up his quarters in the house of the Kurus and was adored by them all.
2. When he had taken rest for a while, Bhisma, taking his grandsons, the- Kurus, gave them to him as his pupils, making him their preceptor with the presents of various wealth.
3. That lord (Bhisma) gave the son of Bharadvaja (Drona) a neat and tidy house, well filled with paddy and every kind of wealth.
4. That great bowman, Drona, in delightful heart, accepted the Kurus, the sons of Dhritarastra and Pandu, as his pupils.
5. Having accepted them all as (his pupils), Drona called them apart and spoke, to them confidently thus.
6. “O sinless ones, I have a particular desire in my heart; promise me truly that you will accomplish it when you will become skilled in arms.
Vaishampayana said: -
7. Hearing these words, the Kuru princes remained silent. O chastiser of foes, Aryuna, (however), vowed to accomplish it.
8. Drona then cheerfully clasped Aryuna to his bosom and repeatedly took the scent of his head and shed tears of joy.
9. The greatly powerful Drona taught the sons of Pandu (the use of) various weapons, both celestial and human.
10. O best of Bharata race, many other princes also flocked to that best of Brahmanas, Drona, to learn (the science of) arms.
11. The Vrishnis, the Andhakas and the princes from various countries and the son of Suta and Radha (Karna) made Drona their preceptor.
12. The son of Suta (Karna), being jealous of Partha (Aryuna), always defied him and being supported by Duryodhana disregarded the Pandavas.
13-15. That Pandava (Aryuna) from his eager desire to learn the science of arms always remained at the side of Drona and he excelled all in skill, in strength of arms and in perseverance, on account of his love for the science of arms. Though he (Drona) gave equal instructions to all, yet Aryuna became the foremost of all in lightness and skill. Drona was convinced that none of his pupils would be able to equal that son of Indra.
16. Thus he gave instructions to all the princes in the (science of) arms. To keep them away for long, he gave them Karnandala (a vessel narrow mouth) for fetching water.
17-19. But he gave his son a Kumbha (wide mounted vessel to fetch water), so that it may not take him, long (to fill it). When they were thus kept away, Drona instructed his son some superior methods of using arms. Aryuna came to know it. Thereupon he filled his Kumundala with the Varuna weapon and came to his preceptor at the same time with his preceptor’s son and thus the intelligent son of Pritha, that foremost of all the learned in arms, became in no way inferior to his preceptor’s son.
20. Aryuna took great deal of care in worshipping the preceptor; he had great devotion of his study of the science of arms, therefore, he became a great favourite of Drona.
21. Drona, seeing Falguni’s (Aryuna) great devotion of arms, summoned the cook and told him in private.
22. “Never give rice (food) to Aryuna in the dark and never told him also that I have asked you to do it.”
23. On a certain day when Aryuna was taking his food, a wind arose and the burning lamp went out.
24. The effulgent son of Kunti, (Aryuna) continued eating the dark, his hand from habit going to his mouth.
25. Thinking this to be the result of the force of habit, the mighty armed son of Pandu practiced with his bow in the night.
26. O descendant of the Bharata race, bearing the twang of his bow string, in the night, Drona came to him and embracing him spoke to him thus.
Drona said: -
27. I speak to you truly that I shall do to you that by which there will be no bowman in the world who will be equal to you.
Vaishampayana said: -
28. Thereupon Drona taught Aryuna the art of fighting on horse back and on the back of the elephants, on car and on the ground.
29. Drona taught that Kaurava (Aryuna) how to fight with clubs, the sword, the lance, the spear and the dart. He taught him the use of many other weapons and how to fight with many men.
30. Hearing of his skill, thousands of kings and princes, desirous of learning the science of arms flocked (to him).
31. O great king, thereupon, Ekalavya, the son of Hiranyadhanu, king of the Nishadas, came to Drona.
32. That learned man in all the precepts of religion (Drona) did not accept him (the Nishada prince) as his pupil in archery, thinking that he was a Nishada and considering the interest of the princes.
33. O chastiser of foes, touching Drona’s feet with his head, he went into a forest and made a clay statue of Drona.
34. He began to worship it (the clay figure) as if were his real preceptor and before that figure he practiced the use of arms with the most rigid regularity.
35. In consequence of his exceptional reverence for his preceptor and of his devotion to his purpose, all the three processes of fixing arrows on the bow string, aiming and letting off became very easy to him.
36. O chastiser of foes, one day the Kuru and the Pandu princes with the permission of Drona all set out on their cars to a hunting excursion.
37. O king, a servant followed the Pandavas at his ease with the necessary things (for the hunt) and took a dog with him.
38. They wandered about the forest, intent on the purpose they had in view; the dog also wandered about alone and came to the Nishada (prince).
39. The dog seeing the Nishada of dark colour and of body besmeared with filth, with an attire of black skin and with matted hair on his head, began to bark aloud.
40. Thereupon he (the Nishada,) exhibiting lightness of hand, at once struck seven arrows into the mouth of the barking dog.
41. The dog, thus pierced in the mouth with the arrows, came back to the Pandavas and the Pandava heroes on seeing this were very much astonished.
42. Ashamed of their own skill, they praised the lightness of hand and precision of aim by auricular perception (of the Nishada Prince).
43. O king, they, thereupon, began to search in the forest for that unknown dweller of the wood. The Pandavas soon found him discharging ceaseless arrows from his bow.
44. Seeing that man of grim visage, a total stranger to them, they asked, “Who are you and whose son are you?”
The Nishada said: -
45. O heroes, I am the son of the Nishada king, Hiranyadhanu. know me to be a pupil of Drona labouring to acquire the science of arms.
46. The Pandavas, having made themselves acquainted with everything connected with him and returning (to Hastinapur) told Drona all about the wonderful feat of archery they had seen in the forest.
47. O king, the son of Kunti, Aryuna thinking of Ekalavya all the while, saw Drona in private and relying upon his preceptor’s love for him he said.
48. “You have joyfully told me, embracing me to your blossom, no pupil of yours should be equal to me.
49. Why then there is a pupil of yours in the world (equal to me), the mighty son of the Nishada king?”
50. Thereupon Drona reflected for a moment and resolved upon the course he should adopt. He then took Savyasachi (Aryuna) with him and went to the Nishada (prince).
51. He saw Ekalavya with body besmeared with fifth, with matted locks (on his head) with rags on and with a bow in his hand with which he was ceaselessly shooting arrows.
52. Seeing Drona coming towards him, Ekalavya also went a few steps forward and touched his feet and prostrated himself on the ground.
53. The son of Nishada worshipped Drona in the due form and represented himself as his pupil. He then stood before him with joined hands.
54. O king, thereupon Drona spoke thus to Ekalavya, “O hero, if you are really my pupil, give me my remuneration. Ekalavya was much pleased in hearing this and he said:
55. O illustrious one, what shall I give you, command me. O excellent Brahma knowing man, there is nothing that is not to be given to my preceptor.”
56-58. He (Drona) said, “Give me as Dakshina your right thumb.” Ekalavya ever devoted to truth and desirous of keeping his promise, hearing the fearful words of Drona, at once cut off his right thumb with a cheerful face and unruffled heart and gave it to Drona. Thereupon, O king, when the help of his other fingers, he found he had lost his former lightness of hand.
59. Aryuna became pleased and his fever (of jealous) was gone. “None will equal Aryuna,” these words of Drona now became true.
60. Two of Drona’s pupils became greatly expert in club fight, namely Duryodhana and Bhima, who were jealous of each other.
61. Ashvathama excelled all in the mysteries (of the science of arms). The twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) excelled everybody in handling the sword.
62-63. Yudhisthira became the best of car warriors and Aryuna excelled every one in every respect. He surpassed all in intelligence, in the skill of using all weapons and in devotion to his arms and his preceptor. He thus became the foremost of all car warriors.
64. Though the instructions (of Drona) were equal, (to all), yet the mighty Aryuna excelled all (the princes) and became an Athiratha a warrior capable of fighting with sixty thousands foes all at once.
65. The wicked minded sons of Dhritarastra became jealous of Bhima, for he was exceeding strong and of Aryuna, because he was accomplished.
66. O best of men, Drona became desirous of examining his pupils’ knowledge in arms and he collected them all together, all (the princes) skilled in all the weapons.
67. He caused in artificial bird made by an artisan to be placed on the top of a tree without the knowledge of the princes for the purpose of using it as the target.
Drona said: -
68. Take up quickly, all of you, your bows and six your arrows on the bowstring. Stand here aiming at that bird on the tree.
69. As soon as I give the order, cut off the bird’s head. O sons, I shall give each of you a turn one after another.
Vaishampayana said: -
70. The best of the descendant of Angirasha, (Drona) first spoke to Yudhisthira thus, “O invincible one, aim with your arrow and shoot (the bird) as soon as I order.”
71. The chastiser of’ foes, Yudhisthira, first took up the bow as ordered by his preceptor and stood aiming at the bird.
72. O best of Bharata race, very next moment Drona spoke thus to the descendant of Kuru (Yudhisthira), standing with bow in his hand.
73. “O prince, behold that bird on the top of the tree.” Yudhisthira replied to the preceptor, “O Sir, I see it.” Very next moment Drona again said.
Drona said: -
74. Do you see the tree, myself, your brothers and the bird?
Vaishampayana said: -
75. That son of Kunti (Yudhisthira) said: “I see lord of the forest (tree), your self, my brothers and the bird.” He said this again being asked (by Drona) again and again.
76. Drona, being displeased, reproachingly told him, “Stand back. It is not for you to strike at this aim.”
77-78. Thereupon, the greatly illustrious (Drona) placed in the same position Duryodhana and other sons of Dhritarastra and also Bhima and his other brothers and also all the princes that had come from other countries. He asked them one after another the same question, but they all replied as did Yudhisthira.
Thus ends the hundred and thirty fourth chapter, Drona’s examination of his pupils, in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.