Poverty and Insult of Drona

Mahabharata Adiparva Sambhavaparva section 133-134

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Drona, reaches Hastinapur, and stays at Kripa's place. Once, the Kuru princes were playing in the garden with a ball, and that ball fell in a well. Drona, chides them saying that if they cant recover a ball from well, how are they going to fight and win a war. He says, I can not only retrieve this ball with the help of blades of grass, but also the ring that he is wearing and he throws the ring in the well. He pierces the ball with a blade of grass, and then he pierces that blade of grass with another one, and he makes a chain and retrieves the ball. Then he takes a bow and shoots an arrow at the ring and makes a chain of arrows one after the other and retrieves the ring. The Kuru princes are dumbstruck and they report this extraordinary feat to Bhishma. Bhishma recognises that the person who can do that is none other than Drona, and he approaches Drona with respect and requests him to train the Kuru princes in the art of warfare.

Drona narrates his life of an ascetic to Bhishma. Drona has a son named Ashwaththama, who in his childhood was crying for milk. His friends mix some rice powder in water and give him. Ashwaththama rejoices and dances with joy that he had milk. Drona becomes saddened by the fact that he cannot provide even for milk for his son because of his poverty. Drona remembers the words of his childhood friend Drupada that on his becoming king Drupada will share his wealth with Drona.

Drona along with his wife kripi and son ashwathama, goes to visit Drupada and he gets rebuffed and insulted. Drupada scoffs at Drona and says all he can do is one square meal and shelter for one day.

On hearing this, Bhishma says , "consider that the wealth that kurus have is yours and please train our princes in the art of warfare."

Hari OM