Thread by @_Pumpkin_6777

Ugrasrava, a son of Lomaharshana, surnamed Sauti, well-versed in the Puranas, bending with humility, one day approached the great sages of rigid vows, sitting at their ease, who had attended 12 years' sacrifice of Saunaka, surnamed Kulapati, in the forest of Naimisha.

In this world, when it was destitute of brightness & light, & enveloped all around in total darkness, there came into being, the primal cause of creation, a mighty egg, one inexhaustible seed of all created beings. It's called Mahadivya & was formed at the beginning of the Yuga.

This Yuga was the true light Brahma, the eternal one, wonderful & inconceivable being present alike in all places; invisible & subtile cause, whose nature partaketh of entity & non-entity. From this egg came out Pitamah Brahma, the one only Prajapati; with Suraguru & Sthanu.

Then appeared 21 Prajapatis, viz., Manu, Vasishtha & Parameshthi; 10 Prachetas, Daksha, & his 7 sons. Then appeared the man of inconceivable nature whom all the Rishis know & so the Viswe-devas, the Adityas, the Vasus, & the twin Aswins; the Yakshas, the Sadhyas, the Pisachas..

the Guhyakas, & the Pitris. After these were produced the wise & most holy Brahmarshis, & numerous Rajarshis distinguished by every noble quality. So water, the heavens, the earth, air, sky, the points of the heavens, years, seasons, months, fortnights, called Pakshas..

with day & night in due succession. Thus were produced all things which are known to mankind. And what is seen in the universe, (animate or inanimate), of created things, will at the end of the world, & after the expiration of the Yuga, be again confounded.
#Mahabharata

At the commencement of Yugas, all things will be renovated, & like the various fruits of earth, succeed each other in due order of their seasons. Thus continueth perpetually to revolve in the world, without beginning & end this wheel which causeth the destruction of all things.

A mystery which is threefold; Vedas, Yoga, & VijnanaDharma, Artha, & Kama; various books upon the subject of Dharma, Artha, & Kama; rules for the conduct of mankind; histories & discourses with various srutis; all of which having been seen by RishiVyasa are here in due order.

Rishi Vyasa published this mass of knowledge in both a detailed & an abridged form. It is the wish of the learned in the world to possess the details & the abridgement. Some read the Mahabharata beginning with the initial mantra, others with the story of Astika.

Some with Uparichara, while some Brahmanas study the whole. Men of learning display their various knowledge of the institutes in commenting on the composition. Some are skilful in explaining it, while others, in remembering its contents.
#Mahabharata

The son of Satyavati having analysed TheVedas, composed this holy history #Mahabharata, & when that Brahmarshi of strict vows, the noble Dwaipayana Vyasa, offspring of Parasara, had finished this greatest of narrations, he began to consider how he might teach it to his disciples

Possessor of six attributes, Brahma, world's preceptor, knowing of the anxiety of Vyasa, came in person to the place where the latter was, for gratifying the saint, & benefiting the people. Vyasa, surrounded by all the tribes of Munis, saw him, he was surprised.
#Mahabharata

Standing with joined palms, Vyasa bowed & ordered a seat to be brought. Vyasa having gone round him who is called Hiranyagarbha seated on that distinguished seat stood near it; & on being commanded by Brahma, he sat downnear the seat, full of affection & smiling in joy.

Vyasa, addressing Brahma, said,

"O divine Brahma, by me a poem hath been composed which is greatly respected. The mystery of the Veda, & what other subjects have been explained by me."
#Mahabharata

"various rituals of the Upanishads with the Angas; compilation of the Puranas & history formed by me & named after the three divisions of time, past, present, & future; the determination of the nature of decay, fear, disease, existence, & non-existence.. "

"A description of creeds & of the various modes of life; the import of all the Puranas; an account of asceticism & of the duties of a religious student; the dimensions of the sun & moon, the planets, constellations, & stars, together with the duration of the four ages..."

"The Rig, Sama & Yajur Vedas; also the Adhyatma; the sciences called Nyaya, Orthoephy & Treatment of diseases; charity & Pasupatadharma; birth celestial & human; a description of places of pilgrimage & holy places of rivers, mountains, forests, the ocean, of heavenly cities.."

"The kalpas; the art of war; different kinds of nations & languages: nature of the manners of the people; & the all-pervading spirit;--all these have been represented. But, after all, no writer of this work is to be found on earth."
#Mahabharata

Brahma said,
'I esteem thee for thy knowledge of divine mysteries, before the whole body of celebrated Munis distinguished for the sanctity of their lives. I know thou hast revealed the divine word, even from its first utterance, in the language of truth."

"Thou hast called thy present work a poem, wherefore it shall be a poem. There shall be no poet whose work may equal this poem, even, as the three other modes called Asrama are ever unequal in merit to the domestic Asrama. Let Lord Ganesha be thought of for writing this poem."

Brahma then retired to his abode. Vyasa began to summon Ganesha. And Ganesha, obviator of obstacles, no sooner was he thought of, than he appeared where Vyasa was seated. When he had been saluted, & was seated, Vyasa addressed him thus..
#Mahabharata

"O guide of the Ganas! Be thou the writer of the Bharata which I have formed in my imagination, & which I am about to repeat."

Ganesha answered,

"I will become the writer of thy work, provided my pen does not, for a moment cease writing."

Vyasa said,
'Wherever there be anything thou dost not comprehend, cease to continue writing.'
Ganesha signified his assent, by repeating the word Om 'ॐ' proceeded to write.
Vyasa began; He knit the knots of composition exceeding close; he dictated according to his engagement.

In the interval between the Dwapara & the Kali Yugas there happened at Samanta-panchaka the encounter between the armies of the Kauravas & the Pandavas. In that holy region, without ruggedness of any kind, were assembled eighteen Akshauhinis of soldiers eager for battle.

They were all slain on the spot. Thus the name of that region, hath been explained, & the country described as a sacred one. A region that is celebrated throughout the three worlds.

#Mahabharata

The Rishis asked:
'What is implied by the term Akshauhini that hath been used by thee. Tell us in full what is the number of horse and foot, chariots and elephants, which compose an Akshauhini for thou art fully informed."
#Mahabharata

Sauti said:
'One chariot, one elephant, 5 foot-soldiers, & 3 horses form one Patti;
3 pattis make one Sena-mukha;
3 sena-mukhas are called a Gulma;
3 gulmas, a Gana;
3 ganas, a Vahini;
3 vahinis together are called a Pritana;
3 pritanas form a Chamu;
3 chamus, one Anikini.'

An Anikini taken 10 times forms, An Akshauhini.
Arithmeticians have calculated that the number of chariots in an Akshauhini is 21,870.
The measure of elephants must be fixed at the same number.
Number of foot-soldiers is 109,950.
Number of horse is 65,610.

According to this calculation were composed the 18 Akshauhinis of the Kaurava & the Pandava army.
Bhishma fought for ten days.
Drona protected the Kaurava Vahinis for five days.
Karna the desolator of hostile armies fought for two days;
And Salya for half a day.

After that lasted for half a day the encounter with clubs between Duryodhana & Bhima. At the close of that day, Aswatthaman & Kripa destroyed the army of Yudhishthira in the night while sleeping without suspicion of danger.

The outlines of the several divisions (parvas) of this history called #Mahabharata, endued with great wisdom, of sections & feet that are wonderful & various, of subtle meanings & logical connections, & embellished with the substance of the Vedas.

First parva is Anukramanika
Second - Sangraha;
then Paushya; Pauloma; Astika; Adivansavatarana, Sambhava, Jatugrihadaha, Hidimb-Vadh, Baka-Vadh, Chitrarath. The next is called Swayamvar, Then Vaivahik, Viduragamana, Rajyalabha Arjuna-Vanavasa & Subhadra-haran.

Then Haran-harika, Khandav-dah, Maya-darshan. Then come Sabha, Mantra, Jarasandha, Digvijaya. After Digvijaya come Raja-suyaka, Arghyaviharana & Sisupala-Vadh. After these, Dyuta, Anudyuta, Aranyaka, & Krimira-Vadh, Arjuna-Vigamana, Kairati.After this Indra-Lokavigamana.

Then Nalopakhyana, Tirtha-yatra or the pilgrimage of the wise prince of the Kurus, death of Jatasura, & battle of the Yakshas. Then the battle with the Nivata-kavachas, Ajagara, & Markandeya-Samasya. Then the meeting of Draupadi & Satyabhama, Ghoshayatra, Mirga-Swapn.

Then the story of Brihadaranyaka & then Aindradrumna. Then Draupadi-Haran, Jayadratha-Vimoksana. Then the story of 'Savitri' illustrating the great merit of connubial chastity. After this last, the story of 'Rama'. The parva that comes next is called 'Kundala-Haran.

Next is 'Aranya' & then 'Vairata'. Then the entry of the Pandavas & the fulfilment of their promise (of living incognito for one year). Then the destruction of 'Kichaka', then the attempt to abduct the king (of Virat by the Kauravas).

The next is called the marriage of Abhimanyu with the daughter of Virata. The next is the parva called Udyoga. The next is known by the name of 'Sanjaya-Yana' (the arrival of Sanjaya).

Then comes Prajagara, Sanatsujata, Yanasaddhi and then the arrival of Krishna. Then the story of 'Matali' & then of 'Galava'. Then stories of 'Savitri', 'Vamadeva', & 'Vainya'. Then the story of 'Jamadagnya & Shodasarajika'.

Then the arrival of Krishna at the court, & then Bidulaputrasasana. Then the muster of troops and the story of Sheta. Then, comes the quarrel of the high-souled Karna. Then the march to the battlefield of the troops of both sides.
#Mahabharata

The next is the numbering the Rathis & Atirathas. Then comes the arrival of the messenger Uluka which kindled the wrath (of the Pandavas). The next is the story of Amba. Then comes the thrilling story of the appointing of Bhishma as commander-in-chief.

The next is called the creation of the insular region Jambu; then Bhumi; then the account about the formation of islands. Then comes The Bhagavadgita; & then the death of Bhishma. Then the appointment of Drona; then the destruction of the 'Sansaptakas'.

Then the death of Abhimanyu; & then the vow of Arjuna (to slay Jayadratha). Then the death of Jayadratha, and then of Ghatotkacha. Then comes the story of the death of Drona of surprising interest. The next that comes is called the discharge of the weapon called Narayana.

Then, is Karna, & then Salya. Then comes the immersion in the lake, & then the encounter (between Bhima & Duryodhana) with clubs. Then comes Saraswati, & then the descriptions of holy shrines, & then genealogies. Then comes Sauptika.

Then comes the 'Aisika' of harrowing incidents. Then comes 'Jalapradana' oblations of water to the manes of the deceased, & then the wailings of the women. The next is 'Sraddha' describing the funeral rites performed for the slain Kauravas.

Then comes the destruction of the Rakshasa Charvaka who had assumed the disguise of a Brahmana (for deceiving Yudhishthira). Then the coronation of the wise Yudhishthira. Next is called the 'Grihapravibhaga'. Then comes 'Shanti', then 'Rajadharmanusasana',

Then 'Apaddharma', then 'Mokshadharma'. Those that follow are called respectively 'Suka-prasna-abhigamana', 'Brahmaprasnanusana', the origin of 'Durvasa', the disputations with Maya. The next is to be known as 'Anusasanika'. Then the ascension of Bhishma to heaven.

Then the horse-sacrifice, which when read purgeth all sins away. The next is the 'Anugita' in which are words of spiritual philosophy. Those that follow are called 'Asramvasa', 'Puttradarshana' (meeting with the spirits of the deceased sons) & the arrival of Narada.

Next is 'Mausala' which abounds with terrible & cruel incidents. Then comes 'Mahaprasthanika' & ascension to heaven. Then comes the Purana which is called Khilvansa. In this last are contained 'Vishnuparva', Vishnu's frolics & feats as a child, destruction of 'Kansa'.

Lastly, the 'Bhavishyaparva' (in which there are prophecies regarding the future). Sage Vyasa composed these hundred parvas of which the above is only an abridgement: having distributed them into eighteen, he recited them consecutively in the forest of Naimisha.
#Mahabharata

There was a Rishi, Ayoda-Dhaumya. He had three disciples, Upamanyu, Aruni, & Veda. And the Rishi asked one of these disciples, Aruni, to go & stop up a breach in the water-course of a certain field. Aruni, thus ordered by his guru , went to the spot.
#Mahabharata

Having gone there he realised that he couldn't plug the breach by ordinary means. He was distressed because he couldn't do his guru's bidding. At last he saw a way & said, I'll do it in this way.' He went down into the breach & lay down himself & the breach was plugged.

Some time later, guru Ayoda-Dhaumya asked his disciples as to where Aruni was. And they answered, 'Sir, he has been sent by yourself saying, 'Go, stop the breach in the water-course of the field.'
Dhaumya said, 'Then let us all go to the place where he is.'

And having arrived there, he called for Aruni. And Aruni hearing the voice of his guru speedily came out of the water-course & stood before his guru. He said, 'Not having been able to devise any other means, I entered myself for the purpose of preventing the water running out

"It is only upon hearing your voice that, I have left it & allowed the waters to escape"
The Guru replied,
'Because in getting up from the ditch thou hast opened the water-course, thenceforth shalt thou be called 'Uddalaka' as a mark of thy guru's favour.

But with the churning still going on, the poison Kalakuta appeared at last. Engulfing the Earth it suddenly blazed up like a fire attended with fumes. And by the scent of the fearful Kalakuta,the three worlds were stupefied.

And then Siva,being solicited by Brahma, swallowed that poison for the safety of the creation. The divine Maheswara held it in his throat, and it is said that from that time he is called Nilakantha (blue-throated).
#Mahabharata

Names of a hundred sons of Dhristrashtra, also known as the Kauravas.
Duryodhana
Yuyutsu
Duhsasana
Duhsaha
Duhshala
Durmukha
Vivinsati
Vikarna
Jalasandha
Sulochan
Vind
Anuvind
Durdharsha
Subahu
Dushpradharshana
Durmarshana
Dushkarna
Karna
Chitra
Vipachitra
Chitraksha
Charuchitra

Angad
Durmad
Dushpradharsha
Vivitsu
Vikata
Sama
Urananabha
Padmanabha
Nanda
Upanandaka
Senapati
Sushena
Kundodara
Mahodara
Chitravahu
Chitravarman
Suvarman
Durvirochana
Ayobahu
Mahabahu
Chitrachapa
Sukundala
Bhimavega
Bhimabala
Valaki
Bhimavikrama
Ugrayudha
Bhimaeara
Kanakayu

Dridhayudha
Dridhavarman
Dridhakshatra
Somakirti
Anadara
Jarasandha
Dridhasandha
Satyasandha
Sahasravaeh
Ugrasrava
Ugrasena
Kshemamurti
Aprajita
Panditaka
Visalaksha
Duradhara
Dridhahasta
Suhasta
Vatavega
Suvarchasa
Adityaketu
Vahvasin
Nagadatta
Anuyaina
Nishangi
Kuvachi
Dandi

Dandadhara
Dhanugraha
Ugra
Bhimaratha
Vira
Viravahu
Alolupa
Abhaya
Raudrakarman
Dridharatha
Anadhrishya
Kundaveda
Viravi
Dhirghalochana
Dirghabahu
Mahabahu
Vyudhoru
Kanakangana
Kundaja
Chitraka.
There was a daughter named Duhsala who was over & above the hundred.

Yuyutsu who was Dhritarashtra's son by a Vaishya wife, was also over and above the hundred.
#Mahabharata

Bhishma's Vow.
Devavrata, moved by the desire of benefiting his father thus answered in the hearing of the assembled chiefs,
'O foremost of truthful men, listen to the vow I utter! The man has not been or will not be born, who will have the courage to take such a vow!'

'I shall accomplish all that thou demandest! The son that may be born of this maiden shall be our king.'
Thus addressed, the chief of the fishermen, impelled by desire of sovereignty (for his daughter's son),
to achieve the almost impossible, then said:

'O thou of virtuous soul, thou art come hither as full agent on behalf of thy father Santanu; be thou also the sole manager on my behalf in the matter of the bestowal of this on my daughter. But there is something else to be said, something else to be reflected upon by thee'

O Devavrata, the promise thou hast given in the presence of these chiefs for the benefit of Satyavati, hath, indeed, been worthy of thee. I have not the least doubt of its ever being violated by thee. But I have my doubts in respect of the children thou may beget.'

Devavrata, the son of Ganga, having ascertained the scruples of the chief of the fishermen, then said,
'Chief of fishermen, listen to what I say in the presence of these assembled kings. Ye kings, I have already relinquished my right to the throne.'

'I shall now settle the matter of my children. O fisherman, from this day I adopt the vow of Brahmacharya (study & meditation in celibacy). If I die sonless, I shall yet attain to regions of perennial bliss in heaven!'

Upon these words of the son of Ganga, the hair on the fisherman's body stood on end from glee, & he replied,
'I bestow my daughter!'
#Mahabharata

Immediately after, the Apsaras & the Gods with diverse tribes of Rishis began to rain down flowers from the firmament upon the head of Devavrata & exclaimed,
'This one is Bhishma (the terrible).'

One day, Pandu, while roaming about in the woods (on the southern slopes of the Himavat) that teemed with deer & wild animals, saw a large deer, that seemed to be the leader of a herd, serving his mate.
#Mahabharata

Beholding the animals, the monarch pierced them both with five of his sharp & swift arrows winged with golden feathers.
That was no deer that Pandu struck at, but a Rishi's son of great ascetic merit who was enjoying his mate in the form of a deer.

The deer addressed Pandu & said, 'O king, even men that are slaves to lust & wrath, & void of reason, & ever sinful, never commit such a cruel act as this. Individual judgment prevaileth not against the ordinance, the ordinance prevaileth against individual judgment.'

The wise never sanction anything discountenanced by the ordinance. Thou art born in a race that hath ever been virtuous. How is it, therefore, that even thou, suffering thyself to be overpowered by passion & wrath losest thy reason?'

Pandu replied,
'O deer, kings behave in the matter of slaying animals of thy species exactly as they do in the matter of slaying foes. It behoveth thee not,therefore, to reprove me thus from ignorance. Animals of thy species are slain by open or covert means.'

'This, indeed, is the practice of kings. Then why dost thou reprove me? Formerly, Rishi Agastya, while engaged in the performance of a grand sacrifice, chased the deer, & devoted every deer in the forest unto the Gods in general.'

'Thou hast been slain, pursuant to the usage sanctioned by such precedent. Wherefore reprovest us then? For his special sacrifices Agastya performed the homa with fat of the deer.'

The deer then said,
'O king, men do not let fly their arrows at their enemies when the latter are unprepared. But there is a time for doing it (viz., after declaration of hostilities). Slaughter at such a time is not censurable.'

Pandu replied,
'It is well-known that men slay deer by various effective means without regarding whether the animals are careful or careless. Therefore, O deer, why dost thou reprove me?'
#Mahabharata

The deer then said,
'O, king, I did not blame thee for thy having killed a deer, or for the injury thou hast done to me. But, instead of acting so cruelly, thou shouldst have waited till the completion of my act of intercourse.'

'What man of wisdom & virtue is there that can kill a deer while engaged in such an act? The time of sexual intercourse is agreeable to every creature & productive of good to all. O king, with this my mate I were engaged in the gratification of my sexual desire.'

'But that effort of mine hath been rendered futile by thee. O king such an act hath scarcely been worthy of thee. This act must be regarded as extremely cruel, deserving of universal execration, infamous, & sinful, & certainly leading to hell.'

'Thou art acquainted with the pleasures of sexual intercourse. Thou art acquainted also with the teaching of morality & dictates of duty. It behoveth thee not to do such an act as leadeth to hell.
#Mahabharata

'O king, thy duty is to chastise all who act cruelly, who are engaged in sinful practices & who have thrown to the winds religion, profit, & pleasure as explained in the scriptures. What hast thou done, in killing me who have given thee no offence?'

'I am a Muni disguised as a deer. I was living in the woods in peace. Yet thou hast killed me, for which I will curse thee. Thou hast been cruel unto a couple of opposite sexes, death shall certainly overtake thee as soon as thou feelest the influence of sexual desire.

'As you have killed me, disguised as a deer, at such a time, thy fate shall certainly be even like mine. When, approaching thy wife lustfully, thou wilt unite with her even as I had done with mine, in that very state shalt thou have to go to the world of the spirits.'

'And that wife of thine with whom thou mayst be united in intercourse at the time of thy death shall also follow thee to the domains of the king of the dead. Thou hast brought me grief when I was happy. So shall grief come to thee when thou art in happiness.'

Saying this, that deer, afflicted with grief gave up the ghost; and Pandu also was plunged in woe at the sight.
#Mahabharata

Eldest of Kunti's children was Yudhishthir, second Bhimsen, third Arjun, & of Madri's sons, the first-born of the twins was Nakul & the next Sahadeva. The sons were born at an interval of one year after one another, looked like an embodied period of five years.
#Mahabharata

The sons of king Pandu, began to grow up in princely style in the home of their father. Whenever they were engaged in play with the sons of Dhritarashtra, their superiority of strength became marked.

In speed, in striking the objects aimed at, in consuming articles of food, & scattering dust, Bhimsen beat all the sons of Dhritarashtra. The son of the Wind-god pulled them by the hair & made them fight with one another, laughing all the while.

Vrikodara easily defeated those hundred and one children of great energy as if they were one instead of being a hundred and one. Bheem used to seize them by the hair, & throwing them down, to drag them along the earth.

By this, some had their knees broken, some their heads, and some their shoulders. He, sometimes holding ten of them, drowned them in water, till they were nearly dead.

When sons of Dhritarashtra got up to the boughs of a tree for plucking fruits, Bhim used to shake that tree, by striking it with his foot, so that down came the fruits & the fruitpluckers at the same time.

Those princes were no match for Bhim in pugilistic encounters, in speed, or in skill. Bhim used to make a display of his strength by thus tormenting them in childishness but not from malice. Seeing the might of Bhima, Duryodhana, began to conceive hostility towards him.

Wicked & unrighteous Duryodhana, through ignorance & ambition, prepared himself for an act of sin. He thought,
'There is no one who can match Bhim, in prowess. I shall have to destroy him by artifice. Singly, Bhima dares a hundred of us to the combat.'

'Therefore, when he shall sleep in the garden, I shall throw him into the current of the Ganga. Afterwards, confining Yudhishthir & Arjun, I shall reign as the sole king without any challenge.'

Determined thus, the wicked Duryodhan was ever on the watch to find out an opportunity for injuring Bhim. At a beautiful place called Pramanakoti on the banks of the Ganga, he built a palace decorated with hangings of broad-cloth and other rich stuff.

He built this palace for sporting in the water there, & filled it with all kinds of entertaining things & choice viands. Flags waved on the top of this mansion. The name of the house was 'the water-sport house.' Skilful cooks prepared various kinds of viands.

When all was ready, the officers gave intimation to Duryodhan. Then the evil-minded prince said unto the Pandavas,
'Let us all go to the banks of the Ganga graced with trees & crowned with flowers & sport there in the water.'

And upon Yudhishthir agreeing to this, the sons of Dhritarashtra, taking the Pandavas with them, mounted country-born elephants of great size & wagons resembling towns, & left the metropolis.
#Mahabharata

On arriving at the place, the princes dismissed their attendants, & surveying the beauty of gardens & groves, entered the palace. The Kauravas & the Pandavas sat down & began to enjoy and play and exchange morsels of food with one another.

Meanwhile the wicked Duryodhan had mixed a powerful poison with food, with the object of making away with Bhim. He had nectar on his tongue & a razor in his heart. In a friendly way he fed Bhim largely with that poisoned food.

Sons of Dhritarashtra & Pandu together became cheerfully engaged in sporting in water. Fatigued with play, they felt inclined in the evening to rest in the pleasurehouse in the garden. Having made the other princes take exercise in the waters, Bhim was excessively fatigued.

Bhim lay down on the ground. He was weary & under the influence of the poison and he lost his senses at once. Seeing this Duryodhana bound him with chords of shrubs, & threw him into the water. Bhim sank down till he reached the Naga kingdom.

Nagas, with their fangs containing virulent venom, bit Bhim by thousands. The food poison, mingled in the blood of Bhim, was neutralised by snake-poison. Serpents had bitten all over, except his chest, the skin of which was so tough that their fangs could not penetrate it.

On regaining consciousness, Bhim broke free & began to press the snakes down under the ground. Remnants fled for life, & going to their king Vasuki, said,
'O king of snakes, a man drowned under the water, bound in chords of shrubs; probably he had drunk poison.'

'For when he fell amongst us, he was insensible. But when we began to bite him, he regained his senses, & bursting his fetters, commenced laying at us. May it please Your Majesty to enquire who he is.'

Vasuki, in accordance with the prayer of the inferior Nagas, went to the place & saw Bhim. Of the serpents, there was one, named Aryaka. He was the grandfather of the father of Kunti. He saw his relative & embraced him. Then, Vasuki, learning all, was pleased with Bhim.

Aryaka said to Vasuki,
'O king of serpents, when Your Majesty is pleased with Bhim, permit him to drink of Rasakunda (nectar-vessels) & thus acquire immeasurable strength. There is the strength of a thousand elephants in each one of those vessels.'

'Let this prince drink as much as he can.'
Vasuki gave his consent. Purifying himself carefully, Bhim facing the east began to drink nectar. At one breath, he quaffed off the contents of a whole vessel, & in this manner drained off eight successive jars, till he was full.

Meanwhile the Kauravas & the Pandavas, after having sported there, set out, without Bhim, for Hastinapur, on their way they said to one another, 'Perhaps, Bhim hath gone before us.' Wicked Duryodhan was glad at heart to miss Bhim, & entered the city with his brothers in joy.

Yudhishthir, unacquainted with vice & wickedness, regarded others to be as honest as himself. Filled with fraternal love, going unto his mother, said,
'O mother, hath Bhim come? I don't find him here. Where may he have gone?'

We long sought for him everywhere in the gardens & woods; but found him nowhere. At length, we thought that Bhim preceded us all. We came hither in great anxiety. Where hath he gone? Have you sent him anywhere?

Hearing these words of Yudhishthir, Kunti shrieked, in alarm, & said,
'Dear son, I have not seen Bhim. He did not come to me. Return in haste, & with your brothers search for him.'
She summoned Vidur, & said, 'Bhimasen is missing! Where has he gone?'

'The other brothers have all come back from the gardens, only Bhim has not come home! Duryodhana likes him not. He is crooked & malicious & low-minded & imprudent. He coveteth the throne openly. I am afraid he may have in a fit of anger slain my darling.'

'This afflicts me sorely, indeed, it burns my heart.'
Vidur replied
Say not so! Protect thy sons with care. If the wicked Duryodhana be accused he may slay thy remaining sons. The great sage hath said that all thy sons will live long. Bhim will surely return & gladden thy heart.

Meanwhile, Bhimasen awoke from slumber on the eighth day, & felt strong beyond measure in consequence of the nectar he had taken. Seeing him awake, the Nagas began to cheer him, saying,
'The strength-giving liquor thou hast drunk will give thee might of ten thousand elephants!'

'No one now will be able to vanquish thee in fight. Do thou bath in this holy & auspicious water & return home. Thy brothers are disconsolate because of thee.'
Bhim purified himself with a bath & received the adorations & blessings of the snakes, & saluted them in return.

He rose from the nether region. The Nagas placed him in the same gardens The mighty Bhimasen, arrived on the surface of the earth, ran with speed to his mother. He was embraced by his mother. Affectionate unto one another, they all rejoiced.

Then Bhima, narrated his brothers everything about the villainy of Duryodhan, & the lucky & unlucky incidents that had befallen him in the world of the Serpents.
Thereupon Yudhishthir said,
'Do thou observe silence on this. Do not speak of this to any one.'

'From this day, protect ye all one another with care.'
Thus cautioned by Yudhishthir, they all, became very vigilant from that day. And lest negligence might occur on their part Vidura continually offered them sage advice.

Some time after, Duryodhan again mixed in the food of Bhim a poison that was fresh, virulent, & very deadly. But Yuyutsu (Dhritarashtra's son by a Vaisya wife), moved by his friendship for the Pandavas, informed them of this.
#Mahabharata

Vrikodara, however, swallowed it without any hesitation, & digested it completely. The poison produced no effects on Bhim. When the poison failed, Duryodhan, Karna & Sakuni, had numerous other contrivances for accomplishing the death of the Pandavas.

Drona lived privately for some time in the house of Kripa when one day the princes, came out of Hastinapura. They began to play with a ball & roam about. The ball with which they had been playing fell into a well. The princes strove their best to recover it from the well.

All the efforts the princes made to recover it proved futile. Not knowing how to recover it, their anxiety became great. Just at this time they beheld a Brahman near enough unto them, of darkish hue, decrepit & lean, sanctified by the performance of the Agnihotra.

The princes surrounded him. Drona, seeing the princes unsuccessful, smiled a little, & addressing them said,
'Shame on your Kshatriya might, & shame on your skill in arms! You have been born in the race of Bharat! How is it that ye cannot recover the ball?'
#Mahabharata #Drona

'If ye promise me a dinner today, I will, with these blades of grass, bring up not only the ball ye have lost but this ring also that I now throw down!'
Thus saying, Drona, taking off his ring, threw it down into the dry well.

Yudhishthir, addressing Drona, said,
'O Brahmana (thou askest for a trifle)! Do thou, with Kripa's permission, obtain of us that which would last thee for life!'
Drona replied,
'This handful of long grass I would invest, by my mantras, with the virtue of weapons.'

'Behold these blades possess virtues that other weapons, have not! I will, with one of these blades, pierce the ball, & then pierce that blade with another, & that another with a third, & thus shall I, by a chain, bring up the ball.'
Then Drona did exactly what he had said.

The princes were amazed & their eyes expanded with delight. What they witnessed was extraordinary, they said,
'O Brahman, do thou bring up the ring also without loss of time.'
Then Drona, taking a bow with an arrow, pierced the ring with that arrow & brought it up at once.'

And taking the ring brought up from the well still pierced with his arrow, Drona coolly gave it to the astonished princes.
Princes said,
'We bow to thee, O Brahmana! None else owneth such skill. We long to know who thou art & whose son. What also can we do for thee?'

Drona replied,
'Go to Bhishma & describe to him my likeness & skill. The mighty one will recognize me.'
The princes then saying, 'So be it,' went to Bhishma & told him everything. Bhishma at once understood that the Brahmana was none else than Drona.

Thinking that Drona would make be the best guru for the princes, went in person unto him & welcomed him respectfully, brought him over to the place. Then Bhishma, adroitly asked him the cause of his arrival at Hastinapur.

Drona represented everything as it had happened,
'O sir, in the past I had gone to the great Rishi Agnivesh for obtaining from him his weapons, desirous also of learning the science of arms. Devoted to my guru, I lived with him for many years as a Brahmachari.

At that time, the prince of Panchal, Yajnasena, also lived in the same ashram. He became my friend, always seeking my welfare. I liked him much & we lived together for many years. From our earliest years we had studied together &, he was my friend from boyhood.

He used to tell me,
'O Drona, I am the favourite child of my father. When the king installeth me as monarch of the Panchalas, the kingdom shall be thine. This is my solemn promise. My dominion, wealth & happiness, shall all be dependent on thee.'

Having finished his studies, he bent his steps towards his country. I offered him my regards at the time, indeed, I remembered his words ever afterwards.
Some time after, in obedience to the wishes of my father & tempted also by the desire of offspring, I married Kripi.

Gautami, in time, gave birth to a son named Aswatthaman of great prowess & equal in splendour unto the Sun himself. One day child Aswatthaman observing some rich men's sons drink milk, began to cry. I was so beside myself that I lost all knowledge of the point of the compass.

'I was desirous of obtaining a cow & for that I wandered from country to country. But my wanderings proved unsuccessful, for I failed to obtain a milch cow. After I had come back unsuccessful, some of my son's playmates gave him water mixed with powdered rice.'

'Drinking this, the poor boy, was deceived into the belief that he had taken milk, & began to dance in joy, saying,
'O, I have taken milk. I have taken milk!' Beholding him dance with joy amid these playmates smiling at his simplicity, I was exceedingly touched.'

O Bhishma, I went to the king of the Somakas, taking with me my child & wife. Hearing that he had been installed in the sovereignty (of the Somakas), Joyfully I went to my friend seated on the throne, remembering my former friendship with him & also his own words to me.

Approaching Drupad, I said,
'O king, know me for thy friend!'
Saying this, I approached him confidently as a friend should. But Drupad, laughing in derision cast me off as if I were a vulgar fellow.

Addressing me he said,
'Thy intelligence scarcely seemeth to be of a high order in as much as approaching me suddenly, thou sayest thou art my friend! Time that impaireth everything, impaireth friendship also. My former friendship with thee was for a particular purpose.'

'Friendship can only subsist between persons that are of equal rank, but not between those that are unequally situated. Friendship never subsisteth for ever in my heart. Time impaireth friendships, as also anger destroyeth them.'

'Do not stick, to that worn-off friendship between us. Think not of it any longer. The friendship I had with thee was for a special purpose. There cannot be friendship between a poor man & a rich man, between an unlettered hind & a man of letters, between a coward and a hero.'

'Why dost thou, therefore, desire, the revival of our former friendship? Great kings can never have friendship with such indigent & luckless wight as thou? One who is not a king can never have a king for his friend. I do not remember ever having promised thee my kingdom.'

'I can now give thee food & shelter for one night.'
I left his presence quickly with my wife, vowing to do that which I will certainly do soon enough. Insulted by Drupad, O Bhishma, I am filled with wrath.

'I have come to the Kurus, desirous of obtaining intelligent & docile pupils. I come to Hastinapur to gratify thy wishes. Tell me what I am to do.' Bhishma said,
'String thy bow, & make the Kuru princes accomplished in arms.'

'Worshipped by Kurus, enjoy with a glad heart to thy fill every comfort in their abode. Thou art the absolute lord, of what ever wealth the Kurus have & of their sovereignty & kingdom! The Kurus are thine (from this day). Think that as accomplished which maybe in thy heart.'

#Drona gave lessons to princes in the science of weapons. He gave his pupils a narrow-mouthed vessel (for fetching water) which took much time in being filled, but he gave his son Aswatthaman a broad-mouthed vessel, that filled quickly, ensuring he returned sooner.
#Mahabharata

Drona used to instruct his own son in several superior methods (of using weapons) in the time gained. When Arjuna came to know of this, he filled his vessel with water by using the Varuna weapon and reach his guru at the same time as his son.

Arjuna sensed no inferiority to Aswatthaman in respect of excellence. Arjuna's devotion to his guru as also to arms was very great and he soon became the favourite of Drona.
#Mahabharata

Drona, beholding Arjuna's devotion to arms, summoned the cook, & told him in secret,
'Never give Arjuna his food in the dark, nor tell him that I have told thee this.'

A few days after, however, when Arjuna was taking his food, a wind arose, & the lamp that had been burning went out. But Arjuna, endued with energy, continued eating in the dark, his hand, from habit, going to his mouth.

Arjuna set his heart upon practicing with his bow in the night. Drona, hearing the twang of his bowstring in the night, came to him, & clasping him said,
'Truly do I tell thee that I shall do that unto thee by which there shall not be an archer equal to thee in this world.'

Vaisampayana continued,
'Thereafter Drona began to teach Arjuna the art of fighting on horse-back, on the back of elephants, on chariots, & on the ground. And the mighty Drona also instructed Arjuna in fighting with the mace, the sword, the lance, the spear, & the dart.'

#Drona also instructed #Arjuna in using many weapons & fighting with many men at the same time. And hearing reports of his skill, kings & princes, desirous of learning the science of arms, flocked to Drona by thousands.
#Mahabharata

Amongst those who came was a prince named #Ekalavya, son of Hiranyadhanus, king of Nishads. Drona, did not accept the prince as his pupil in archery, seeing that he was a Nishad who might (in time) outshine all his high-born pupils.

Eklavya touching Drona's feet with bent head, went into the forest, and made a clay image of Drona, and began to worship it respectfully, as if it was his real guru, & practised weapons before it with the most rigid regularity.

Due to his exceptional reverence for his guru & his devotion to his purpose, all the three processes of fixing arrows on the bowstring, aiming, & shooting became very easy for Eklavya. One day, the Kuru & Pandava princes, set out in chariots on a hunting excursion.
#Mahabharata

A servant, followed the princes at leisure, with the usual implements & a dog. Having come to the woods, they wandered about, intent on the purpose they had in mind. Meanwhile, the dog, wandering alone in the woods, spotted the Nishad prince (Ekalavya).

The dog began to bark aloud upon seeing the Nishad of dark hue, of body besmeared with filth, dressed in black & bearing matted locks on head. Eklavya, desirous of exhibiting his archery prowess, sent 7 arrows into the mouth of the dog (before it could shut it).

The dog, thus pierced with 7 arrows, came back to the Pandavas. The Pandavas, who beheld that sight, were filled with wonder, &, ashamed of their own skill, began to praise the dexterity of hand & precision of aim by auricular precision (exhibited by the unknown archer).

Pandavas began to seek in those woods for the unknown archer who had shown such skill. They soon found Eklavya ceaselessly discharging arrows from the bow. And beholding that man of grim visage, who was totally a stranger to them, they asked,
'Who art thou & whose son?'

Thus questioned, the man replied,
'Ye heroes, I am the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishads. Know me also for a pupil of Drona, labouring for the mastery of the art of arms.'

The Pandavas then returned (to the city), & told guru Drona, of the wonderful feat of archery which they had witnessed in the woods. Arjuna, in particular, thinking about Ekalavya, saw Drona in private & relying upon his guru's affection for him, asjed:

'Thou hadst lovingly told me, clasping me, to thy bosom, that no pupil of thine should be equal to me. Why then is there a pupil of Thine, Eklavya, the mighty son of the Nishad king, superior to me?'

On hearing these words, Drona reflected for a moment, & resolving upon the course of action, took Arjuna with him & went unto the Nishad prince. When Ekalavya saw Drona approaching towards him, he went a few steps forward, & touched his feet & prostrated himself on the ground.

Eklavya, worshipping Drona, duly represented himself as his pupil, & clasping his hands in reverence stood before him (awaiting his commands). Then Drona addressed Ekalavya, saying,
'If, O hero, thou art really my pupil, give me then my fees.'

On hearing these words, Ekalavya was very much gratified, & said in reply, 'O illustrious guru, what shall I give? Command me; for there is nothing that I may not give unto my guru.'

Drona answered,
'O Ekalavya, if thou art really intent on making me a gift, I should like then to have the thumb of thy right hand.'

Hearing these cruel words of Drona, who had asked of him his thumb as tuition-fee, Ekalavya, ever devoted to truth & desirous also of keeping his promise, with a cheerful face & an unafflicted heart cut off without ado his thumb, & gave it to Drona.
#Mahabharata

After this, when the Nishada prince began once more to shoot with the help of his remaining fingers, he found, that he had lost his former skill & speed. And at this Arjuna became happy, the fever (of jealousy) having left him.

Two of Drona's pupils became very much accomplished in the use of mace. These were Dutyodhan & Bhim, who were, always jealous of each other. Aswatthama excelled everyone (in the mysteries of the science of arms).
#Mahabharata

The twins (Nakul & Sahadev) excelled everybody in handling the sword. Yudhishthira surpassed everybody as a chariot warrior; but Arjuna, however, outdistanced everyone in every respect—in intelligence, resourcefulness, strength & perseverance.