धनुश्च सशरं त्यक्त्वा तथा कृष्णाजिनानि च। स विहायाश्रमं तं च तां चैवाप्सरसं मुनिः
Then, abandoning his bow and arrows, as well as his black deerskins, the sage left that hermitage and the apsaras as well.
जगाम रेतस्तत्तस्य शरस्तम्बे पपात च। शरस्तम्बे च पतितं द्विधा तदभवन्नृप
His seed fell there and landed on a clump of reeds; and, O King, what fell on the reed-clump became two.
तस्याथ मिथुं जज्ञे गौतमस्य शरद्वतः। `महर्षेर्गौतमस्यास्य ह्याश्रमस्य समीपतः।।' मृगयां चरतो राज्ञः शान्तनोस्तु यदृच्छया
Then, from that, a pair was born to Gautama Śaradvata, near the hermitage of the great sage Gautama, while King Śāntanu was out hunting by chance.
कश्चित्सेनाचरोऽरण्ये मिथुनं तदपश्यत। धनुश्च सशरं दृष्ट्वा तथा कृष्णाजिनानि च
A certain soldier wandering in the forest saw that pair, along with the bow, arrows, and black deerskins.
ज्ञात्वा द्विजस्य चापत्ये धनुर्वेदान्तगस्य ह। स राज्ञे दर्शयामास मिथुनं सशरं धनुः
Recognizing them as the offspring of the twice-born who had mastered the science of archery, he showed the pair, along with the bow and arrows, to the king.
स तदादाय मिथुनं राजा च कृपयान्वितः। आजगाम गृहानेव मम पुत्राविति ब्रुवन्
Taking up the pair, the king, filled with compassion, brought them home, saying, 'These are my children.'
ततः संवर्धयामास संस्कारैश्चाप्ययोजयत्। प्रातिपेयो नरश्रेष्ठो मिथुनं गौतमस्य तत्
Then that best of men, the son of Pratīpa, raised the pair of Gautama with proper rites and ceremonies.
कृपया यन्मया बालाविमौ संवर्धिताविति। तस्मात्तयोर्नाम चक्रे तदेव स महीपतिः। `तस्मात्कृप इति ख्यातः कृपी कन्या च साऽभवत्
Because I raised these two children out of compassion, the great king gave them names accordingly: thus the boy became known as Kṛpa, and the girl as Kṛpī.
पितापि गौतमस्तत्र तपसा ताववन्दित। आगत्य तस्मै गोत्रादि सर्वमाख्यातवांस्तदा
Then Gautama, their father, honored them there through his austerities, and coming to them, he revealed their lineage and all details.
कृपोऽपि च तदा राजन्धनुर्वेदपरोऽभवत्।' चतुर्विधं धनुर्वेदं शास्त्राणि विविधानि च
And Kṛpa, O King, became devoted to the science of archery, mastering the fourfold science of archery and various treatises.
निशिलेनास्य तत्सर्वं गुह्यमाख्यातवान्पिता। सोऽचिरेणैव कालेन परमाचार्यतां गतः
His father revealed to him all those secrets with a sword, and in a short time he attained the highest mastery as a teacher.
कृपमाहूय गाङ्गेयस्तव शिष्या इति ब्रुवन्। पौत्रान्परिसमाधाय कृपमाराधयत्तदा
Calling Kṛpa, the son of Gaṅgā addressed him, saying, 'These are your disciples,' and entrusted his grandsons to Kṛpa, honoring him at that time.
ततोऽधिजग्मुः सर्वे ते धनुर्वेदं महारथाः। धृतराष्ट्रात्मजाश्चैव पाण्डवाः सह यादवैः
Then all those great chariot-warriors, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the Pāṇḍavas, and the Yādavas, learned the science of archery.
वृष्णयश्च नृपाश्चान्ये नानादेशसमागताः। `कृपमाचार्यमासाद्य परमास्त्रज्ञतां गतः
The Vṛṣṇis and other kings who had gathered from various regions, having approached Kṛpa as their teacher, attained supreme knowledge of weapons.
इष्वस्त्रज्ञान्पर्यपृच्छदाचार्यान्वीर्यसंमतान्। नाल्पधीर्नामहाभागस्तथा नानस्त्रकोविदः
He questioned the teachers, esteemed for their valor, about the science of weapons; not one of weak mind, nor one lacking great fortune, nor one unskilled in weapons.
नादेवसत्वो विनयेत्कुरूनस्त्रे महावलान्। इति संचिन्त्य गाङ्गेयस्तदा भरतसत्तमः
No one lacking divine strength could instruct the mighty Kurus in weapons—thus, the son of Gaṅgā, foremost among the Bharatas, reflected at that time.
द्रोणाय वेदविदुषे भारद्वाजाय धमते। पाण्डवान्कौरवांश्चैव ददौ शिष्यान्नरर्षभ
To Droṇa, the learned son of Bharadvāja, he entrusted the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas as disciples, O best of men.
शास्त्रतः पूजितश्चैव सम्यक्तेन महात्मना। स भीष्मेण महाभागस्तुष्टोऽस्त्रविदुषां वरः
Honored according to the scriptures by that great-souled one, Bhīṣma, the most fortunate and foremost among those skilled in weapons, was pleased.
प्रतिजग्राह तान्सर्वाञ्शिष्यत्वेन महायशाः। शिक्षयामास च द्रोणो धनुर्वेदमशेषतः
That renowned Droṇa accepted them all as his disciples and began to teach them the science of archery in its entirety.
तेऽचिरेणैव कालेन सर्वशस्त्रविशारदाः। बभूवुः कौरवा राजन्पाण्डवाश्चामितौजसः
In a short time, O King, the Kauravas and the mighty Pāṇḍavas became experts in all weapons.
कथं समभवद्द्रोणः कथं चास्त्राण्यवाप्तवान्। कथं चागात्कुरून्ब्रह्मन्कस्य पुत्रः स वीर्यवान्
How did Droṇa come to be? How did he obtain the weapons? How did he come to the Kurus, O Brāhmaṇa, and whose son was that mighty one?
कथं चास्य सुतो जातः सोश्वत्थामाऽस्त्रवित्तमः। एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण प्रकीर्तय
And how was his son born, that most skilled in weapons, Aśvatthāmā? I wish to hear this in detail—please recount it.
गङ्गाद्वारं प्रति महान्बभूव भगवानृषिः। भरद्वाज इति ख्यातः सततं संशितव्रतः
Near the gateway of the Gaṅgā, there was a great and venerable sage, always firm in his vows, known as Bharadvāja.
सोऽभिषेक्तुं गतो गङ्गां पूर्वमेवागतां सतीम्। महर्षिभिर्भरद्वाजो हविर्धाने चरन्पुरा
Once, Bharadvāja, moving about in the sacrificial enclosure, went to bathe in the Gaṅgā, which had already arrived, accompanied by great sages.
ददर्शाप्सरसं साक्षाद्धृताचीमाप्लुतामृषिः। रूपयौवनसंपन्नां मददृप्तां मदालसाम्
There, the sage beheld an Apsaras, Ghṛtācī, immersed in the water—endowed with beauty and youth, intoxicated and languid with passion.
तस्या वायुर्नदीतीर वसनं पर्यवर्तत। व्यपकृष्टाम्बरां दृष्ट्वा तामृषिश्चकमे ततः
On the riverbank, the wind turned aside her garment; seeing her with her clothing drawn away, the sage then desired her.
तत्र संसक्तमनसो भरद्वाजस्य धीमतः। हृष्टस्य रेतश्चस्कन्द तदृषिर्द्रोण आदधे
There, as the mind of the wise Bharadvāja became attached and delighted, his seed was released, and that sage took it up in a vessel.
ततः समभवद्द्रोणः कलशे तस्य धीमतः। अध्यगीष्ट स वेदांश्च वेदाङ्गानि च सर्वशः
From that vessel, Droṇa was born to the wise one; he thoroughly learned the Vedas and all the branches of knowledge.
अग्नेरस्त्रमुपादाय यदृषिर्वेद काश्यपः। अध्यगच्छद्भरद्वाजस्तदस्त्रं देवकार्यतः
Kashyapa, the seer, having obtained the weapon of Agni, taught that weapon to Bharadvaja for the purpose of the gods.
अग्निवेश्यं महाभागं भरद्वाजः प्रतापवान्। प्रत्यपादयदाग्नेयमस्त्रमस्त्रविदां वरः
Bharadvaja, the illustrious and powerful sage, imparted the fiery weapon to Agniveshya, who was foremost among those skilled in arms.