यदा च पाण्डवाः सर्वे कृतास्त्राः कृतनिश्रमाः ॥
ततो द्रोणो ऽब्रवीद् भूयो वेतनार्थम् इदं वचः ॥
पार्षतो द्रुपदो नाम छत्रवत्यां नरेश्वरः ॥
तस्यापकृष्य तद् राज्यं मम शीघ्रं प्रदीयताम् ॥
ततः पाण्डुसुताः पञ्च निर्जित्य द्रुपदं युधि ॥
द्रोणाय दर्शयाम् आसुर् बद्ध्वा ससचिवं तदा ॥
yadā ca pāṇḍavāḥ sarve kṛtāstrāḥ kṛtaniśramāḥ ||
tato droṇo 'bravīd bhūyo vetanārtham idaṃ vacaḥ ||
pārṣato drupado nāma chatravatyāṃ nareśvaraḥ ||
tasyāpakṛṣya tad rājyaṃ mama śīghraṃ pradīyatām ||
tataḥ pāṇḍusutāḥ pañca nirjitya drupadaṃ yudhi ||
droṇāya darśayām āsur baddhvā sasacivaṃ tadā ||
'And when all the Pandavas had become accomplished in weapons, refined by practice, then Drona again spoke, for the sake of his fee, this word: "The son of Prishata, named Drupada, lord of men in Chhatravati; having wrested his kingdom from him, give it to me swiftly." Then the five sons of Pandu, having conquered Drupada in battle, showed him to Drona, having bound him together with his minister.'
7fbae3bbdcde · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:19:51 PM UTC
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Here the teacher's fee becomes an instrument of revenge. It is telling that Drona demands his 'dakshina' not in gold but in the capture of his enemy: the pupil's sacred duty to the teacher is used to settle a personal score. Here we see how the noble custom of guru-dakshina is distorted when a grievance moves the teacher: what should serve dharma becomes an instrument of retribution. Telling too is the obedience of the Pandavas: they carry out what is commanded without knowing the whole background. Thus the scripture shows the duality of what is done: the pupils' loyalty is pure, but the teacher's purpose is clouded; and Drupada's capture, satisfying Drona's grievance, will only multiply the enmity.