द्रोण उवाच
आचक्षध्वं च भीष्माय रूपेण च गुणैश् च माम् ॥
स एव सुमहाबुद्धिः सांप्रतं प्रतिपत्स्यते ॥
वैशंपायन उवाच
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा तु ते सर्वे भीष्मम् ऊचुः पितामहम् ॥
ब्राह्मणस्य वचस् तथ्यं तच् च कर्मविशेषवत् ॥
भीष्मः श्रुत्वा कुमाराणां द्रोणं तं प्रत्यजानत ॥
युक्तरूपः स हि गुरुर् इत्य् एवम् अनुचिन्त्य च ॥
अथैनम् आनीय तदा स्वयम् एव सुसत्कृतम् ॥
परिपप्रच्छ निपुणं भीष्मः शस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥
हेतुम् आगमने तस्य द्रोणः सर्वं न्यवेदयत् ॥
droṇa uvāca
ācakṣadhvaṃ ca bhīṣmāya rūpeṇa ca guṇaiś ca mām ||
sa eva sumahābuddhiḥ sāṃprataṃ pratipatsyate ||
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
tathety uktvā tu te sarve bhīṣmam ūcuḥ pitāmaham ||
brāhmaṇasya vacas tathyaṃ tac ca karmaviśeṣavat ||
bhīṣmaḥ śrutvā kumārāṇāṃ droṇaṃ taṃ pratyajānata ||
yuktarūpaḥ sa hi gurur ity evam anucintya ca ||
athainam ānīya tadā svayam eva susatkṛtam ||
paripapraccha nipuṇaṃ bhīṣmaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ ||
hetum āgamane tasya droṇaḥ sarvaṃ nyavedayat ||
"Drona said: 'Describe me to Bhishma by my appearance and my qualities; he, of great wisdom, will recognize me at once.' Having said, 'So be it,' they all told grandfather Bhishma the brahmin's truthful words and that remarkable feat. Bhishma, hearing the princes' account, recognized that this was Drona, thinking, 'He is a fitting teacher.' Then, having had him brought, Bhishma himself, with great honor, questioned him closely about the reason for his coming, and Drona related everything."
87abd26e2560 · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:53:32 PM UTC
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Here Bhishma discerns in the newcomer the teacher he has been seeking. It is telling that Bhishma 'recognizes' Drona from a single description of his skill: the wise man discerns the worthy at once. Here is the gift of discernment in the righteous: he demands no proof beyond what has been shown, but knows the master by his fruits. Telling too is Bhishma's reverence: he himself brings the brahmin 'with great honor' and questions him courteously -- the elder and mighty one humbles himself before the worth of his brahmin guest. Thus the text shows how providence brings Drona to the Kurus: the perfect teacher whom Bhishma has sought comes to him of his own accord, and their meeting is arranged as if from above -- for the benefit (and the misfortune) of generations to come.