ततो विततधन्वानं द्रोणस्तं कुरुनन्दनम्। स मुहूर्तादुवाचेदं वचनं भरतर्षभ
Then Drona spoke to that scion of the Kurus, who stood with bow drawn: 'O bull of the Bharatas, do you see the bird atop the tree?'
पश्यसि त्वं द्रुमाग्रस्थं भासं नरवरात्मज। पश्यामीत्येवमाचार्यं प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरः
Yudhishthira replied to his teacher, 'I see it,' thus answering, 'I see the bird on the tree, O teacher.'
स मुहूर्तादिव पुनर्द्रोणस्तं प्रत्यभाषत। अथ वृक्षमिमं मां वा भ्रातॄन्वाऽपि प्रपश्यसि
After a moment, Drona again questioned him: 'Do you see this tree, or me, or your brothers as well?'
तमुवाच स कौन्तेयः पश्याम्येनं नवस्पतिम्। भन्तं च तथा भ्रातॄन्भासं चेति पुनःपुनः
The son of Kunti replied, 'I see this tree, you, my brothers, and the bird as well,' repeating it again and again.
तमुवाचापसर्पेति द्रोणोऽप्रीतमना इव। नैतच्छक्यं त्वया वेद्धुं लक्ष्यमित्येव कुत्सयन्
Drona, displeased, told him to step aside, saying, 'You cannot hit the target,' thus reproaching him.
ततो दुर्योधनादींस्तान्धार्तराष्ट्रान्महायशाः। तेनैव क्रमयोगेन जिज्ञासुः पर्यपृच्छत
Then the illustrious Drona, wishing to test them in the same order, questioned Duryodhana and the other sons of Dhritarashtra.
अन्यांश्च शिष्यान्भीमादीन्राज्ञश्चैवान्यदेशजान्। यदा च सर्वे तत्सर्वं पश्याम इति कुत्सिताः
And other disciples such as Bhima, and kings from other regions as well—when we all see this, we consider it disgraceful.
ततो धनञ्जयं द्रोणः स्मयमानोऽभ्यभाषत। त्वयेदानीं प्रहर्तव्यमेतल्लक्ष्यं विलोक्यताम्
Then Drona, smiling, addressed Dhananjaya: 'Now you must strike this target; look upon it.'
मद्वाक्यसमकालं ते मोक्तव्योऽत्र भवेच्छरः। वितत्य कार्मुकं पुत्र तिष्ठ तावन्मुहूर्तकम्
'At the very moment I give the word, you must release the arrow here. Draw your bow, my son, and stand ready for a moment.'
एवमुक्तः सव्यसाची मण्डलीकृतकार्मुकः। तस्थौ भासं समुद्दिश्य गुरुवाक्यप्रचोदितः
Thus addressed, Savyasachi, with his bow drawn in a circle, stood aiming at the bird, prompted by his teacher's command.
मुहूर्तादिव तं द्रोणस्तथैव समभाषत। पश्यस्येनं स्थितं भासं द्रुमं मामपि चार्जुन
After a moment, Drona again spoke to him in the same way: 'Do you see that bird standing there, the tree, and me as well, O Arjuna?'
पश्याम्येकं भासमिति द्रोणं पार्थोऽभ्यभाषत। न तु वृक्षं भवन्तं वा पश्यामीति च भारत
Partha replied to Drona, 'I see only the bird, not the tree or you, sir.'
ततः प्रीतमना द्रोणो मुहूर्तादिव तं पुनः। प्रत्यभाषत दुर्धर्षः पाण्डवानां महारथम्
Then Drona, his mind pleased, again spoke after a moment to the formidable chariot-warrior of the Pandavas.
भासं पश्यसि यद्येनं तथा ब्रूहि पुनर्वचः। शिरः पश्यामि भासस्य न गात्रमिति सोऽब्रवीत्
'If you see the bird, then tell me again: what do you see?' He replied, 'I see only the head of the bird, not its body.'
अर्जुनेनैवमुक्तस्तु द्रोणो हृष्टतनूरुहः। मुञ्चस्वेत्यब्रवीत्पार्थं स मुमोचाविचारयन्
Thus spoken to by Arjuna, Drona, his hair bristling with joy, said, 'Release,' and Arjuna released the arrow without hesitation.
ततस्तस्य गस्थस्य क्षुरेण निशितेन च। शिर उत्कृत्य तरसा पातयामास पाण्डवः
Then the son of Pandu swiftly cut off the head of that bird with a sharp arrow and brought it down.
तस्मिन्कर्मणि संसिद्धे पर्यष्वजत पाण्डवम्। मेने च द्रुपदं सङ्ख्ये सानुबन्धं पराजितम्
When that feat was accomplished, Drona embraced Pandava and considered Drupada, with his allies, defeated in battle.
कस्य चित्त्वथ कालस्य सशिष्योऽङ्गिरसां वरः। जगाम गङ्गामभितो मज्जितुं भरतर्षभ
Then, after some time, the best of the Angirasas, along with his disciples, went to the Ganga to bathe, O bull of the Bharatas.
अवगाढमथो द्रोणं सलिले सलिलेचरः। ग्राहो जग्राह बलवाञ्जङ्घान्ते कालचोदितः
When Drona had entered the water, a powerful crocodile, prompted by fate, seized him by the leg.
स समर्थोऽपि मोक्षाय शिष्यान्सर्वानचोदयत्। ग्राहं हत्वा तु मोक्ष्यध्वं मामिति त्वरयन्निव
Though capable of freeing himself, he urged all his disciples, saying, 'Kill the crocodile and free me quickly,' as if in haste.
तद्वाक्यसमकालं तु बीभत्सुर्निशितैः शरैः। अवार्यैः पञ्चभिर्ग्राहं मग्नमम्भस्यताडयत्
At that very moment, Bhīmasena struck the submerged crocodile in the water with five sharp, unstoppable arrows.
इतरे त्वथ संमूढास्तत्रपत्र प्रपेदिरे। तं तु दृष्ट्वा क्रियोपेतं द्रोणोऽमन्यत पाण्डवम्
But the others, confused, shot their arrows at random there; seeing Arjuna's precise action, Drona considered him foremost.
विशिष्टं सर्वशिष्येभ्यः प्रीतिमांश्चाभवत्तदा। स पार्थबाणैर्बहुधा खण्डशः परिकल्पितः
He regarded him as superior to all the disciples and became pleased; for by Arjuna's arrows, the crocodile was cut into many pieces.
ग्राहः पञ्चत्वमापेदे जङ्घां त्यक्त्वा महात्मनः। `सर्वक्रियाभ्यनुज्ञानात्तथा शिष्यान्समानयत्
The crocodile met its end, releasing the great-souled one’s leg; with the approval of all, the disciples were thus united.
दुर्योधनं चित्रसेनं दुःशासनविविंशती। अर्जुनं च समानीय ह्यश्वत्थामानमेव च
He summoned Duryodhana, Citrasena, Duḥśāsana, Viviṃśati, Arjuna, and also Aśvatthāman.
शिशुकं मृण्मयं कृत्वा द्रोणो गङ्गाजले ततः। शिष्याणां पश्यतां चैव क्षिपति स्म महाभुजः
Then Droṇa, of mighty arms, made a clay child and, in the sight of his pupils, cast it into the waters of the Gaṅgā.
चक्षुषी वाससा चैव बद्ध्वा प्रादाच्छरासनम्। शिशुकं विद्ध्यतेमं वै जलस्थं बद्धचक्षुषः
Binding its eyes and clothing with cloth, he set up a target and said, 'Strike this child, blindfolded, as it floats in the water.'
तत्क्षणेनैव बीभत्सुरावापैर्दशभिर्वशी। पञ्चकैरनुविव्याध मग्नं शिशुकमम्भसि
At that very moment, Bībhatsu, the masterful one, pierced the submerged child in the water with ten arrows, then with five more.
ताः स दृष्ट्वा क्रियाः सर्वा द्रोणोऽमन्यत पाण्डवम्। विशिष्टं सर्वशिष्येभ्यः प्रीतिमांश्चाभवत्तदा।' तथाब्रवीन्महात्मानं भारद्वाजो महारथम्
Seeing all these feats, Droṇa considered the Pāṇḍava superior to all his pupils, and was pleased; then Bhāradvāja spoke to the great-souled chariot-warrior.
गृहाणेदं महाबाहो विशिष्टमतिदुर्धरम्। अस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरो नाम सप्रयोगनिवर्तनम्
Take this, mighty-armed one, the supreme and exceedingly difficult weapon called Brahmaśiras, with its use and withdrawal.