Sambhava Chapter 23 (131)
Drona impresses Bhishma and becomes the new Kuru Preceptor
Intro
Sambhava is the origin story of the Kuru dynasty.
https://crackpot.substack.com/t/sambhava
As It Rhymes
1.
Vaishampayana said,
Drona first went to see Drupada’s crowned head.
‘Hey remember me?’, Drona said.
2.
‘O’ Panchala lord of the earth! We’ve been friends since birth.’
3.
King Drupada glared at Drona with a side eye stare.
Drupada believed Drona wanted a free ride on his highchair.
4.
Drupada said,
‘Pish-posh. I give a toss.
You won’t freeload on me with your matted hair.
Our friendship faded and I don’t care.
5.
You don’t have a pot to piss.
You are homeless.
You are lazy and have no money.
What self respecting King would keep your wretched company?
6-7.
As the crow time flies.
Time unwinds binds.
Time rots ties.
Time steals minds.
8.
Our friendship is a dilapidated tumble down.
Brahman, we were friends like yesterday’s sun.
9.
Those in poverty do not go to rich schools.
Valiant heroes do not pal around with weak fools.
10.
A pair must be equal to be friend or rival.
So on you travel.
11.
It’s unheard of for a champion chariot warrior to hang with a pacifist.
What would they have of similar interest?’
12.
Vaishampayana said,
‘Drupada’s derision burned Drona’s dream.
Drona’s mind turned Drupada’s stinging rebuke over and over like a silent scream.
13.
Drona hissed like a snake.
Drona vowed to make Panchala pay for his mistake.
14.
Drona took shelter in Kripa’s home as a resident.
There Drona laid in wait for his ripe moment.
15.
Drona wanted to teach.
Drona’s son Ashvatthama gave Pandavas guest lessons on proper use of weapons.
16.
So Drona lived there day to day.
One day the Kaurava princes rode elephants out to play.
17.
Then the princes’ ball bounced and fell.
Down the ball went into a water well.
18.
Though they tried and schemed, the princes could not retrieve the ball.
The ball floated down and out of reach.
19.
The boys tried everything, but nope.
They tried lowering a rope, but there was no clasp.
They tried to pin the ball with a stick, but there was no means to grasp it with a poke.
Soon the sullen boys gave up hope.
20.
A ripe skinned, skinny Brahman who smelled of Agnihotra smoke watched the boys grope.
21.
The princes surrounded the brahman (Drona) to beg for help.
22.
Drona beamed.
23.
Drona teased,
‘Shame on you kshatriya princes.
Your arms are twice as weak as your knees.
24-25.
I will retrieve your lost ball for a healthy fee.
Truth be told, my hunger blazes away energy.
All I need is a full belly.’
Yudhishthira stepped up to speak.
26.
Yudhishthira said,
‘With Kripa’s permission Brahman I’ll be your trainee.’
Drona smiled.
27-28.
Drona said,
‘My mantras imbue those bricks with potent will.
Observe and learn from me.
Now all of you drop bricks down the well below.’
As the Kuru princes dropped bricks down the displaced water rose brick by brick until Drona retrieved the ball reaching down catching in the crook of his bow.
29.
Vaishampayana said,
‘The wide-eyed Princes were mind blown.
Gape mouthed in wonder - they bowed down.’
30.
The princes murmured.
The princes freaked and stared.
31.
The princes said,
‘Give him cash.’
32.
A prince flipped a coin toward the well.
Drona sent an arrow through the coin mid-air in a flash.
The astonished princes fell under Drona’s spell.
33.
The princes said,
‘O’ Brahman. Accept me as a disciple.
No one has your skill.
Who are you and what is your will?’
34.
Vaishampayana said,
‘The princes murmured.
The princes stammered.’
35.
Drona said,
‘Tell Bhishma about my shooting form.
Bhishma will know what duty I must perform.’
36.
Vaishampayana said,
‘Then the princes went to Bhishma’s street.
The princes told Bhishma of Drona’s feat.
37.
Bhishma asked the Kuru princes to take him to meet the guru.
38.
Bhishma bowed to greet Drona.
Bhishma summoned Drona to the palace of Kuru.
39.
What is your intent to go or stay?
Drona gave Bhishma a testimony.
40.
Drona said,
‘I studied under the great rishi Agnivesha.
I had a nose for his military arsenal.
41.
I dwelled with the Brahman to learn sweet science.
To earn it I labored and hungered and engaged in vows of silence.
42.
There the Panchala prince Yanjasena also trained.
As brothers in arms we picked our Guru’s brain.
43.
Drupada and I fit.
We could never be split.
44.
O Kaurava, Drupada was my childhood buddy.
45.
Drupada said he was his father’s dearest son and stood to inherit every bit.
Drupada promised he would share his prosperity.
46.
Drupada wanted me to perform the consecration ceremony.
He said, when I am king you will live happily.
47.
He said, I will share my part of the game.
Then Drupada wrapped up his military study and departed.
48.
I kept Drupada’s words in my heart through thick and thin on the run.
I then had a son destined for fame.
49.
I married Gautama’s daughter Kripi.
Kripi has short hair and a striking stare.
50.
Kripi gave birth to Ashvatthama, our son who is as brilliant as the sun.
I was as pleased with Ashvatthama as Bharadvaja was by me.
51-52.
One day Ashvatthama saw a rich man’s son drink milk zealously.
Ashvatthama screamed with hangry jealousy.
I felt afflicted with pangs of torment.
The pain swept me up in a torrent.
53.
I wandered the ends of the earth.
I searched for milk money to silence Ashvatthama’s screech.
Instead of finding milk and honey, the school of hard knocks teached.
54.
Then some boys gave Ashvatthama rice water to drink.
The boys began to taunt us as we were yellow by jaundice.
55.
Ashvatthama danced in ignorant pleasure after imbibing the rice drink.
The other boys danced and laughed and teased that we stink.
56.
They said, ‘You are thirsty and you are dirty.’
Shame on you for living on charity.’
57.
To the son who thirsts for milk, the father provides lean water.
The boys danced with mean laughter.
58.
The insults seared.
My eyes teared.
59.
I remembered that I was born a brahman in good health.
Under no circumstance would it fit me to labor for wealth.
60-61.
Then I remembered my best friend.
Off to Panchala we went.
62.
I knocked on Drupada’s door thinking his jaw would hit the floor.
‘Remember me old friend!’
63.
The tiger among men Drupada looked nonplussed.
‘It’s me, Drona, your friend.’
64.
Drupada looked at my pitiable physical.
Smiling in contempt Drupada motioned for dismissal.
65.
Drupada said,
‘We cannot be friends now, you mat haired doofus.
I am a king and you are a wandering goofus.
66.
Long ago our friendship came to an end.
Just as a chariot fighter cannot be friends with a pacifist, I will not befriend a transient.
67-68.
Do not seek shelter in our friendship.
Do not be mad.
Don’t be glad.
Our time has passed.
69.
We was childhood pals, you and me.
But I became free from the yoke.
You became a clown’s joke.
70.
Don’t shed tears for what went down.
We are not fit to be friends now.
71.
You are not a chariot fighter.
I mean no slight but you are a pathetic sight.
72.
Don’t distress.
Don’t press.
73-74.
Best I can do is one night in my fortress.
You may eat and drink your fill.
Then be on your way without delay.
Out the city gate over the hill.’
My eyes were red with wrath.
I was so mad when I left I could not see the path.
75-76.
I come to the Kurus respectfully.
I seek disciples of the chariot with top flight fighting quality.’
77.
Bhishma said,
‘These progeny are disciples of the bow.
Here you may enjoy enjoyable things in the Kuru abode.
78.
Take wealth according to need.
What’s ours is yours to gain.
79.
O’best of the Brahman, still your bovine pain.
Drupada’s loss is our divine gain.
Godspeed your mission to train.
Notes
[1] Vaishampayana, Janamejaya ibid.
[20] An agnihotra is a fire pit.
[49] Kripi is Kripa's sister. Kripa was the Kuru preceptor before Drona.