The Mahabharata - A retelling

Dronacharya- Chapter 10

A/N: First of all, Thankyou all for your support for this story! This is a true epic of India and I am merely making an adaptation, a retelling. Thankyou for getting this story 1000+ views! Thankyou so much!! Now you guys can go ahead and read the chapter :P

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Dronacharya

"The kuru princes continued their conflict and it only increased day by day" Vaishampayana continued his reciting. "Dhritarashtra did not like this but could do nothing due to his blind love for his son. In fact he would try to defend his son even though he was on the bad side. That was his biggest drawback. Due to his selfish nature he always preferred his sons over the sons of Pandu. However, Bheeshma, Vidura and Gandhari knew that the Pandavas were virtuous.

Bheema developed a grudge towards Duryodhana after the incident with the poisoned food in Pramanakoti. He never trusted the Kaurava again and only kept fighting with him. Yudhishthira, being the virtuous one always avoided conflict until it was highly necessary.

At one point, Kunti decided to take her sons to her father's kingdom due to the conflict but she was stopped by Bheeshma.

"Oh Kunti, please do not take such a decision. It would bring a bad name to the Kuru Dynasty. Please Kunti, stay here. I will do my best to support you and your sons. Duryodhana's mind is being poisoned by Gandhari's brother Shakuni. He is the reason behind all the sufferings you and your sons are going through. I will have to do something about it. But Kunti, please do not leave Hastinapura" Bheeshma pleaded.

Kunti was convinced by his words and decided to stay in Hastinapura.

As an experiment of uniting the 105 kuru princes, Bheeshma decided to send the Pandavas and Kauravas to play ball outdoors. However, as the game progressed, they only started treating it as a competition. At one point the ball was unintentionally thrown into a nearby well. The princes did not know what to do.

All of a sudden, a great feat was witnessed by those princes. Small reeds were thrown from a far distance into the ball inside the well forming a chain. The princes could now easily take the ball from the well.

This great feat was done by none other than the great Dronacharya himself. He made his appearance to the princes who looked at him in awe. Arjuna was most awe-struck and aspired to learn the trick.

"The princes of the great Kuru dynasty, the valorous Hastinapura, could not get a simple ball out of the well. How sad!" Drona said with a sly grin and left" Vaishampayana said. Just then, he was interrupted by King Janamejaya.

"Oh revered one, can you please tell me more about the great acharya?"

"Indeed, monarch. Drona was born to the revered sage Bharadwaj in a vessel(dron). Hence, he got the name Drona. He is also the brother-in-law of Kripacharya; the first guru of the kuru princes.

Coming back, Arjuna told about the events to Bheeshma and everyone in the court. Bheeshma was amazed. He knew only Dronacharya could perform such a feat. He decided to approach him and ask him if he could be the guru of the kuru princes.

"Oh great acharya" said Bheeshma to Drona. "Please do us the honour by teaching your supreme knowledge to the Kuru princes. They are valiant and intelligent and will surely serve you as good disciples" Bheeshma said.

"Indeed..." Drona said. He had a plan in mind; a plan that would avenge an insult.

"I will surely teach the princes the best knowledge. Do not worry great Bheeshma!" Drona said.

Bheeshma then discussed with Dhritarashtra on the matter.

"Pitamaha(grandsire), I cannot bear the seperation from my sons for 12 years! It will be too much of a pain for me!" Dhritarashtra said in agony. "How can I stay without seeing their faces? How can I stand the thought of not hearing them call me with their angelic voices? I cannot part with them!" the de-facto king said.

"Dhritarashtra! You must decide. You speak like a weak man who cannot handle the slightest of difficulties. You must choose; if your sons learn under the tutelage of Dronacharya, they will emerge as great warriors. However, if your sons do not undergo his training, it will be against their dharma and they will never become valiant kshatriyas" Bheeshma said.

"But oh grandsire, how can I-" , Dhritarashtra was interrupted by Bheeshma.

"Stop your chatter son! Your sons, the hundred kauravas must know what it is like when they do not have the guidance of their father" Bheeshma said. His words struck a chord in Dhritarashtra. He immediately repented on being partial towards his sons over the sons of Pandu.

"Forgive me oh grandsire. My sons will go to Guru Drona for their training" the king decided.

"You have made a good decision my son. I am sure your sons will be known as great warriors in their selected field" said the son of Ganga.

Arrangements were made for the departure of the kuru princes. Finally, when the day arrived, the Pandavas and Kauravas lined up together to take blessings from the king.

Yudhishthira being the eldest stepped first and fell at Dhritarashtra's feet.

The blind king misunderstood him to be Duryodhana.

"Oh son! My dearest Duryodhana!! May victory be yours at all times! Oh my dear son!" the king said in a burst of affection to Yudhishthira.

Yudhishthira in turn, smiled and said, "Thankyou for your blessings oh king. Me and my brothers will definitely miss your unlimited affection towards us"

Dhritarashtra recognized the voice to be Yudhishthira's and was shocked.

After that, each prince took the blessings of the king. The Kauravas took the blessings of their mother Gandhari and she also enlightened them with advises on life. The Pandavas took the blessings of Kunti and the kuru princes left for their journey to the gurukula(study period) of Dronacharya.

Drona gathered the hundred-and-five princes and asked for their attention.

"At the end of your education period with me, you all will have to help me accomplish something that will definitely be a challenge for you all. If you are able to succeed that challenge, you would have given me immense joy. But it you perhaps, fail, you would have put this guru of yours to life-long shame. Is there anyone who is willing to take this challenge for me?" Drona asked.

While the other princes remained silent, the third son of Pandu, Arjuna, stepped forward.

"Whatever the challenge be, I will make sure I accomplish it for you, oh guru! Your wish is my command!" Arjuna said.

The next moment, Drona clasped the lad to his bosom and hugged him tightly while tears of joy escaped his eyes" said Vaishampayana.