स क्रोधामर्षजिह्मभ्रूः कषायीकृतलोचनः। ऐश्वर्यमदसंपन्नो द्रोणं राजाऽब्रवीदिदम्
With brows knit in anger and resentment, his eyes reddened, intoxicated with the pride of power, the king spoke these words to Droṇa.
अकृतेयं तव प्रज्ञा ब्रह्मन्नातिसमञ्जसा। यन्मां व्रवीषि प्रसभं सखा तेऽहमिति द्विज
'Your understanding, O Brāhmaṇa, is not quite proper; for you say to me, forcibly, "I am your friend," though it is not so.'
न हि राज्ञामुदीर्णानामेवंभूतैर्नरैः क्वचित्। सख्यं भवति मन्दात्मञ्श्रिया हीनैर्धनच्युतैः
'For kings, exalted as they are, do not form friendships with such men—those who are weak, deprived of prosperity, and fallen from wealth.'
सौहृदान्यपि जीर्यन्ते कालेन परिजीर्यतः। सौहृदं मे त्वया ह्यासीत्पूर्वं सामर्थ्यबन्धनम्
'Even friendships decay with time, as age overtakes them; my friendship with you was formerly bound by ability.'
न सख्यमजरं लोके हृदि तिष्ठति कस्यचित्। कामश्चैतन्नाशयति क्रोधो वैनं रहत्युत
In this world, friendship does not remain ageless in anyone’s heart; desire destroys it, and anger certainly separates it.
मैवं जीर्णमुपास्स्व त्वं सख्यं भवदुपाधिकृत्। आसीत्सख्यं द्विजश्रेष्ठ त्वया मेऽर्थनिबन्धनम्
Do not cling to this worn-out friendship, which you yourself have limited; O best of Brahmins, our friendship once existed, but it was bound by interest.
न दरिद्रो वसुमतो नाविद्वान्विदुषः सखा। न शूरस्य सखा क्लीबः सखिपूर्वं किमिष्यते
A poor man is not the friend of the wealthy, nor an ignorant man of the learned; a coward is not the friend of a hero—what is the use of former friendship?
ययोरेव समं वित्तं ययोरेव समं श्रुतम्। तयोर्विवाहः सख्यं च न तु पुष्टविपुष्टयोः
Marriage and friendship are proper only between those whose wealth and knowledge are equal, not between the prosperous and the destitute.
नाश्रोत्रियः श्रोत्रियस्य नारथी रथिनः सखा। नाराजा पार्थिवस्यापि सखिपूर्वं किमिष्यते
A non-ritualist is not the friend of a ritualist, nor a charioteerless man of a charioteer; not even a king is the friend of another king—what is the use of former friendship?
द्रुपदेनैवमुक्तस्तु भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान्। मुहूर्तं चिन्तयित्वा तु मन्युनाऽभिपरिप्लुतः
Thus addressed by Drupada, the mighty Bhāradvāja, filled with anger, pondered for a moment.
स विनिश्चित्य मनसा पाञ्चाल्यं प्रतिबुद्धिमान्। `शिष्यैः परिवृतः श्रीमान्पुत्रेण सहितस्तथा
Having resolved in his mind, the wise one, surrounded by his disciples and accompanied by his son, approached the Pāñcāla king.
जगाम कुरुमुख्यानां नागरं नागसाह्वयम्। तां प्रतिज्ञां प्रतिज्ञाय यां कर्ता नचिरादिव
He went to the city of the foremost Kurus, called Nāgasāhvaya, having made a vow to fulfill his promise without delay.
स नागपुरमागम्य गौतमस्य निवेशने। भारद्वाजोऽवसत्तत्र प्रच्छन्नं द्विजसत्तमः
Arriving at Nāgapura, Bhāradvāja, the best of Brahmins, dwelt secretly in the house of Gautama.
ततोऽस्य तनुजः पार्थान्कृपस्यानन्तरं प्रभुः। अस्त्राणि शिक्षयामास नाबुध्यन्त च तं जनाः
Then, after Kṛpa, the lord taught the Pārthas weapons, but no one recognized him.
एवं स तत्र गूढात्मा कंचित्कालमुवास ह। कुमारास्त्वथ निष्क्रम्य समेता गजसाह्वयात्
Thus, concealing his true identity, he lived there for some time; then the princes went out together from Gajasāhvaya.
क्रीडन्तो वीटया तत्र वीराः पर्यचरन्मुदा। `तेषां संक्रीडमानानामुदपानेऽङ्गुलीयकम्
The heroic princes played joyfully there with a ball; as they played, a ring fell into a well.
पपात धर्मपुत्रस्य वीटा तत्रैव चापतत्। गर्तान्बुना प्रतिच्छन्नं तारारूपमिवाम्बरे
The ball of Dharmaputra also fell there, dropping into a deep, concealed pit, shining like a star in the sky.
दृष्ट्वा चैते कुमाराश्च तं यत्नात्पर्यवारयन्।' ततस्ते यत्नमातिष्ठन्वीटामुद्धर्तुमादृताः। न च ते प्रत्ययद्यन्त कर्म वीटोपलब्धये
Seeing this, the princes eagerly tried to retrieve the ball; they made every effort, but could not succeed in recovering it.
ततोऽन्योन्यमवैक्षन्त व्रीडयावनताननाः। तस्या योगमविदन्तो भृशं चोत्कण्ठिताभवन्
Then, with faces lowered in shame, they looked at one another, not knowing how to recover it, and became greatly anxious.
तेऽपश्यन्ब्राह्मणं श्याममापन्नं पलितं कृशम्। कृत्यवन्तमदूरस्थमग्निहोत्रपुरस्कृतम्
They saw a dark-skinned, aged, thin Brahmin, engaged in his duties, standing not far away, with his sacred fire before him.
ते तं दृष्ट्वा महातमानमुपगम्य कुमारकाः। भग्नोत्साहक्रियात्मानो ब्राह्मणं पर्यवारयन्
Seeing that great man, the boys, their enthusiasm broken, approached and surrounded the Brahmin.
अथ द्रोणः कुमारांस्तान्दृष्ट्वा कत्यवशस्तदा। प्रहस्य मन्दं पैशल्यादभ्यभाषत वीर्यवान्
Then Droṇa, seeing those helpless princes, smiled gently and, coming from the land of the Pañcālas, addressed them with strength.
अहो वो धिग्बलं क्षात्रं धिगेतां वः कृतास्त्रताम्। भरतस्यान्वये जाता ये वीटां नाधिगच्छत
Alas, shame on your strength as warriors, shame on your mastery of weapons! Born in the line of Bharata, you have not attained even a simple prize.
वीटां च मुद्रिकां चैव ह्यहमेतदपि द्वयम्। उद्धरेयमिषीकाभिर्भोजनं मे प्रदीयताम्
I myself will retrieve both the prize and the ring with reeds as my arrows; let me be given food.
ततोऽब्रवीत्तदा द्रोणं कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। कृपस्यानुमते ब्रह्मन्भिक्षामाप्नुहि शाश्वतीम्
Then Kunti's son Yudhishthira said to Drona: 'With Kripa's consent, O Brahmin, obtain perpetual alms.'
एषा मुष्टिरिषीकाणां मयाऽस्त्रेणाभिमन्त्रिता
Here is a handful of reeds, which I have enchanted with a weapon spell.
अस्या वीर्यं निरीक्षध्वं यदन्येषु न विद्यते। वेत्स्यामीषिकया वीटां तामिषीकां तथाऽन्यया
Observe the power of this, which is not found in others; I will fetch the prize with a reed, and the ring with another reed likewise.
ततो यथोक्तं द्रोणेन तत्सर्वं कृतमञ्जसा
Then, just as he said, Drona accomplished all that at once.
तदवेक्ष्य कुमारास्ते विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनाः। आश्चर्यमिदमत्यन्तमिति मत्वा वचोऽब्रुवन्
Seeing that, the princes, their eyes wide with astonishment, spoke, thinking, 'This is truly extraordinary!'
मुद्रिकामणि विप्रर्षे शीध्रमेतां समुद्धरथ
O sage among Brahmins, quickly retrieve this ring-jewel.