भरद्वाजसखा चासीत् पृषतो नाम पार्थिवः ॥
तस्यापि द्रुपदो नाम तदा समभवत् सुतः ॥
स नित्यम् आश्रमं गत्वा द्रोणेन सह पार्षतः ॥
चिक्रीडाध्ययनं चैव चकार क्षत्रियर्षभः ॥
ततो व्यतीते पृषते स राजा द्रुपदो ऽभवत् ॥
पाञ्चालेषु महाबाहुर् उत्तरेषु नरेश्वरः ॥
भरद्वाजो ऽपि भगवान् आरुरोह दिवं तदा ॥
ततः पितृनियुक्तात्मा पुत्रलोभान् महायशाः ॥
शारद्वतीं ततो द्रोणः कृपीं भार्याम् अविन्दत ॥
bharadvājasakhā cāsīt pṛṣato nāma pārthivaḥ ||
tasyāpi drupado nāma tadā samabhavat sutaḥ ||
sa nityam āśramaṃ gatvā droṇena saha pārṣataḥ ||
cikrīḍādhyayanaṃ caiva cakāra kṣatriyarṣabhaḥ ||
tato vyatīte pṛṣate sa rājā drupado 'bhavat ||
pāñcāleṣu mahābāhur uttareṣu nareśvaraḥ ||
bharadvājo 'pi bhagavān āruroha divaṃ tadā ||
tataḥ pitṛniyuktātmā putralobhān mahāyaśāḥ ||
śāradvatīṃ tato droṇaḥ kṛpīṃ bhāryām avindata ||
"And Bharadvaja had a friend, a king named Prishata; to him a son named Drupada was then born. That son of Prishata, that bull among kshatriyas, constantly coming to the hermitage, played and studied together with Drona. Then, upon Prishata's death, Drupada became king over the northern Panchalas, the mighty-armed lord of men; and the lord Bharadvaja then ascended to heaven. Then Drona, at his father's command, out of desire for a son, the greatly renowned one, took as wife Kripi, daughter of Sharadvat."
56846ea092a4 · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:53:32 PM UTC
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Here the friendship of Drona and Drupada is formed -- a friendship destined to turn into enmity. Notable is that in childhood the prince Drupada and the brahmin Drona are inseparable: they play and study together as equals. This is a bitter foreshadowing: a pure childhood friendship, not fortified by dharma and humility, will shatter against the pride of power once Drupada becomes king -- and from it will be born a chain of calamities stretching to the great war itself. Notable too is that Drona marries "at his father's command, out of desire for a son": the continuation of the line is a duty fulfilled in obedience to one's elder. Thus the scripture draws together these threads: a friendship destined to break, and the birth of Ashvatthaman, whose fate will be woven into the tragic end.