THE FEAR OF DRONA

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > SABHA PARVA > ANU DYOOTA PARVA > CHAPTER 79 - THE FEAR OF DRONA

“Vaishampaayana said, ‘As soon as Vidura filled with great foresight came to him king Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, nervously asked his brother, ‘How does Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, proceed along? How Bhimasena, Savyasaachi (Arjuna) and how the twin sons of Madri and how, O Kshatta, does Dhaumya (Paandavaas’ Purohita) proceed along? How the Tapaswini Draupadi (proceed along)? I desire to hear everything, O Kshatta (Vidura); describe to me all their acts.’

“Vidura replied, ‘Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, has gone away covering his face with his cloth. Bhima, O king, has gone away looking at his own mighty arms. Jishnu (Arjuna) went away, following the king (Yudhishthira) spreading sand-grains around. Sahadeva, the son of Maadri, has gone away covering his face with greasy substance, and Nakula, the handsome of men, O king, has gone away, staining himself with dust and his heart in great pain. The large-eyed and beautiful Krishna (Draupadi) has gone away, covering her face with her disordered hair following in the wake of the king (Yudhishthira), weeping and in tears. O monarch, Dhaumya goes along the road, with kushaa grass (Darbha grass; botanical name is Desmotachya bipinnata) in hand, and uttering the aweful mantras of Sama Veda that relate to Yama.’

“Dhritarashtra asked, ‘Tell me, O Vidura, why is it that the Pandavas are leaving in such varied guise.’

“Vidura replied, ‘Though harassed by your sons and robbed of his kingdom and wealth the mind of the wise Dharmaraja Yudhishthira has not yet deviated from the path of Dharma. King Yudhishthira is always kind, O Bharata (Dhritarashtra), to your children. Though deprived (of his kingdom and possessions) by foul means, filled with anger as he is, he does not open eyes. ‘I should not burn the people by looking at them with angry eyes,’ – thinking so, the royal Paandavaa goes covering his face.

“Listen to me as I tell you, O bull of the Bharata race (Dhritarashtra), why Bhima goes so. ‘There is none equal to me in strength of arms,’ thinking so Bhima goes repeatedly stretching forth his mighty arms. O king, proud of the strength of his arms, Vrikodara goes, exhibiting them and desiring to do to his enemies deeds worthy of those arms.

“Arjuna, the son of Kunti, capable of using both his arms (in wielding the Gaandiva bow) followed the footsteps of Yudhishthira, scattering sand-grains symbolic of the arrows he would shower in battle. O Bharata (Dhritarashtra), he indicated that as the sand-grains are scattered by him with ease, so will he rain arrows with perfect ease on the enemy (in time of battle).

“Sahadeva goes besmearing his face, thinking ‘None may recognise me in this day of trouble.’ O noble one (Dhritarashtra), Nakula goes staining himself with dust thinking, ‘Else otherwise I steal the hearts of the ladies that may look at me.’

“Draupadi goes, attired in one piece of stained cloth, her hair disordered, and weeping, signifying ‘The wives of those for whom I have been reduced to such a plight, shall on the fourteenth year hence be deprived of husbands, sons and relatives and dear ones and covered all over with blood, with hair disordered and all in their feminine seasons enter Haastinapura having offered oblations of water (to the souls of those they will have lost).

“O Bharata (Dhritarashtra), the learned Dhaumya (Paandavaas’ Purohita) with passions under full control, holding the kusha grass in his hand and pointing the same towards the south-west, walked before, singing the mantras of the Sama Veda that relate to Yama. O monarch, that learned Brahamana goes, also signifying, ‘When the Bharatas shall be slain in battle, the Guru of the Kurus will thus sing the Soma mantras (for the benefit of the deceased).’

“The citizens, pained with great grief, are repeatedly crying out, ‘Alas, alas (Ha ha in Sanskrit), look our masters are going away! O fie on the Kuru elders that have acted like foolish children in thus banishing heirs of Paandu from greed alone. Alas, separated from the Paandavaas we all shall become masterless. What love can we bear to the wicked and greedy Kurus?’

“Thus, O king (Dhritarashtra), have the sons of Kunti, filled with great energy of mind, gone away, indicating, by manner and signs, the resolutions that are in their hearts. As those foremost of men had gone away from Haastinapura, flashes of lightning appeared in the sky though without clouds and the earth itself began to tremble. Raahu came to eat the Sun, although it was not the day of conjunction (not the day of eclipse). Meteors began to fall, keeping the city to their right (meaning Meteors were falling from the left). Jackals, vultures, crows and other carnivorous beasts and birds began to shriek and cry aloud from the temples of Devas and the tops of sacred trees, walls and house-tops. These extraordinary calamitous omens, O king (Dhritarashtra), were seen and heard, indicating the destruction of the Bharatas as the consequence of your evil counsels.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘O monarch (Janamejaya), while king Dhritarashtra and the wise Vidura were thus talking with each other, Naarada appeared in that sabha of the Kauravaas and before the eyes of all, the best of Deva Rishis. Appealing before them all, he uttered these terrible words, ‘On the fourteenth year hence, the Kauravaas, in consequence of Duryodhana’s fault, will all be destroyed by the might of Bhima and Arjuna.’ Having said this, that best of Deva Rishis, adorned with surpassing Vedic grace, passing through the skies, disappeared from the scene.

“Then Duryodhana, Karna and Shakuni - the Saubala, regarding Drona as their sole refuge, offered the kingdom to him. Drona then, addressing the envious and angry Duryodhana, Duhshaasana, Karna and all the Bharatas, said, ‘Dwijas have said that the Paandavaas are sons of Devas are incapable of being slain. The sons of Dhritarashtra, however, having, with all the kings, heartily and with respect sought my protection. I shall look after them to the best of my power. Destiny is supreme (Deiva moola mata Param in Sanskrit), I cannot abandon them. Paandavaas, defeated at dice, are going into exile in pursuance of their promise. They will live in the forest for twelve years. Practising the Brahmacharyya mode of life for this period, they will return in anger and to our great grief take the enough vengeance on their enemies. I had formerly deprived Drupada of his kingdom in a friendly dispute. Robbed of his kingdom by me, O Bharata, the king performed a yagna for obtaining a son (that should slay me). Aided by the power of Tapas of Yaaja and Upayaaja, Drupada obtained from Paavaka (Agni) a son named Dhrishtadyumna and a daughter – the faultless Krishna (Draupadi), both risen from the yagna platform (Vedi Madya in Sanskrit). That Dhrishtadyumna is the brother-in-law of Paandavaas by marriage, and dear to them. It is for him, therefore, that I have much fear. Of divine origin and glowing as the fire, he was born with bow, arrows, and encased in armour (Kavacha in Sanskrit). I am a being that is mortal. Therefore, it is for him that I have great fear. That slayer of all enemies, Paarshata (Dhrishtadyumna), has taken the side of the Paandavaas. I shall have to lose my life, if he and I ever encounter each other in battle. What grief can be greater to me in this world than this, O Kauravaas, that Dhrishtadyumna is the destined slayer of Drona – this belief is general. That he has been born for slaying me has been heard by me and is also widely known in the world. For your sake, O Duryodhana, that terrible season of destruction is almost come. Do without loss of time, what may be beneficial to you. Do not think that everything has been accomplished by sending the Paandavaas into exile. This your happiness will last for but a moment, as in winter the shadow of the top of the palm tree rests (for a short time) at its base. Perform various kinds of yagnas, enjoy, and give, O Bharata, everything you like. On the fourteenth year hence, a great calamity will overwhelm you.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Hearing these words of Drona, Dhritarashtra said, ‘O Kshatta (Vidura), the Guru (Drona) has uttered what is true. You go and bring back the Paandavaas. If they do not come back, let them go, treated with respect and affection. Let those my sons go with weapons, chariots, and infantry, and enjoying every other good thing.’”