Mahabharata – 219
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
Aadivamsa Avatarana Parva

Drona the preceptor of Kuru and Pandava princes

Two of Drona's pupils became very much accomplished in the use of club.They were Druyodhana and Bhima. They were, however, always jealous of each other. Aswatthama excelled everyone in the mysteries of the science of arms. Nakula and Sahadeva excelled everybody in handling the sword. Yudhishthira surpassed everybody as a chariot-warrior. Arjuna, however, left everyone behind in every respect -- in intelligence, resourcefulness, strength and perseverance. Accomplished in the use of all weapons, Arjuna became the foremost of all. Even he became the foremost of the car-warriors and his fame spread all over the earth. He could defend thousands of chariot warriors against a swarm of enemies. And although the instruction was the same for everyone, the mighty Arjuna excelled all the princes in lightness of hand. Indeed, in weapons as in devotion to his preceptor, he became the foremost of them all. And among all the princes, Arjuna alone became an Atiratha (a car-warrior capable of fighting sixty thousand foes at the same time). And the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra, seeing Bhimasena endowed with great strength and Arjuna accomplished in all arms, became very jealous of the Pandavas.

          Shooting a target

One day Drona desirous of testing the excellence of his pupils in the use of arms collected them all together after their education had been completed. And before assembling them together, he made an artificial bird. He placed it on the top of a neighbouring tree. And when they were all together, Drona told them ------- Take up your bows quickly and stand here aiming at that bird on the tree, with arrows fixed on your bowstrings. Shoot and cut off the bird's head, as soon as I give the order. I shall give each of you a turn, one by one, my children.

Then Drona, first addressed Yudhishthira saying ----Oh! Aim with your arrow and shoot as soon as I give the order. Yudhishthira took up the bow first, as desired by his preceptor, and stood aiming at the bird. The preceptor asked whether Yudhishthira was looking at the bird. Yudhishthira replied to his preceptor, saying ------I do. But the next instant Drona again asked him ------What do you see now. Are you able to see, the tree, or me and your brothers? Drona then, annoyed with Yudhishthira, reproaching asked him, to stand apart. Drona told Yudhishthira --  It is not for you to hit the aim.

Then Drona repeated the experiment with Duryodhana and the other sons of Dhritarashtra, one after another, as also with his other pupils, Bhima and the rest, including the princes that had come to him from other lands. But the answer in every case was the same. They could  see everything. Reproached by their preceptor, they were all ordered, one after another, to stand apart.

Drona now smilingly called Arjuna and said to him --By you the aim must be struck. Therefore, turn your eyes to it. You must let fly the arrow as soon as I give the order. Therefore, you stand here with bow and arrow for an instant. Thus addressed, Arjuna stood aiming at the bird as desired by his preceptor,with his bow bent. An instant after Drona asked him as he did in the case of others -- Are you able to see the bird there, the tree, and me? Arjuna replied  -- I see the bird only, but nor the tree, nor you. Drona, well-pleased with Arjuna, the instant after, again said to that mighty chariot-warrior Arjuna --- If you see the vulture , then describe it to me. Arjuna said ------- I see only the head of the vulture,not its body.At these words of Arjuna, the hair on Drona's body stood on end from delight .He then said ------ Shoo. And the latter instantly let fly his arrow and with his sharp shaft speedily the head of the vulture on the tree was struck off. And the head was brought down to the ground. No sooner was the deed done than Drona embraced Arjuna with his arms  and thought that Drupada with his friends had already been defeated in a fight.