SECTION CLXIX

(Chaitraratha Parva continued)

"The Brahmana continued, 'King Drupada (after this), distressed at heart,
wandered among many asylums of Brahmanas in search of superior Brahmanas
well-skilled in sacrificial rites. Overwhelmed with grief and eagerly
yearning for children, the king always said, 'Oh, I have no offspring
surpassing all in accomplishments.' And the monarch, from great
despondency, always said 'Oh, fie on those children that I have and on my
relatives!' And ever thinking of revenging himself on Drona, the monarch
sighed incessantly. And that best of kings, O Bharata, even after much
deliberation, saw no way of overcoming, by his Kshatriya might, the
prowess and discipline and training and accomplishment of Drona. Wandering
along the banks of the Yamuna and the Ganga, the monarch once came upon a
sacred asylum of Brahmanas. There was in that asylum no Brahmana who was
not a Snataka, no one who was not of rigid vows, and none who was not
virtuous to a high degree. And the king saw there two Brahmana sages named
Yaja and Upayaja, both of rigid vows and souls under complete control and
belonging to the most superior order. They were both devoted to the study
of the ancient institutes and sprung from the race of Kasyapa. And those
best of Brahmanas were well able to help the king in the attainment of his
object. The king then, with great assiduity and singleness of purpose,
began to court this pair of excellent Brahmanas. Ascertaining the superior
accomplishments of the younger of the two the king courted in private
Upayaja of rigid vows, by the offer of every desirable acquisition.
Employed in paying homage to the feet of Upayaja, always addressing in
sweet words and offering him every object of human desire, Drupada, after
worshipping that Brahmana, addressed him (one day), saying, 'O Upayaja, O
Brahmana, if thou, performest those sacrificial rites by (virtue of) which
I may obtain a son who may slay Drona, I promise thee ten thousand kine,
or whatever else may be agreeable to thee, O first of Brahmanas, truly am
I ready to make gifts to thee.' Thus addressed by the king, the Rishi
replied, saying, 'I cannot (perform such rites).' But Drupada without
accepting this reply as final, once more began to serve and pay homage
unto that Brahmana. Then, after the expiration of a year, Upayaja, that
first of Brahmanas, O monarch, addressing Drupada in sweet tone, said, 'My
elder brother (Yaja), one day, while wandering through the deep woods,
took up a fruit that had fallen upon a spot the purity of which he cared
not to enquire about. I was following him (at the time) and observed this
unworthy act of his. Indeed, he entertains no scruples in accepting things
impure. In accepting that (particular) fruit he saw not any impropriety of
sinful nature: Indeed, he who observeth not purity (in one instance) is
not very likely to observe it in the other instances. When he lived in the
house of his preceptor, employed in studying the institutes, he always
used to eat (impure) remnants of other people's feasts. He always speaks
approvingly of food and entertains no dislike for anything. Arguing from
these, I believe that my brother covets earthy acquisitions. Therefore, O
king, go unto him; he will perform spiritual offices for thee.' Hearing
these words of Upayaja, king Drupada, though entertaining a low opinion of
Yaja, nevertheless went to his abode. Worshipping Yaja who was (still)
worthy of homage, Drupada said unto him, 'O master, perform thou spiritual
offices for me and I will give thee eighty thousand kine! Enmity with
Drona burneth my heart; it behoveth thee therefore to cool that heart of
mine. Foremost of those conversant with the Vedas, Drona is also skilled
in the Brahma weapon and for this, Drona hath overcome me in a contest
arising from (impaired) friendship. Gifted with great intelligence, the
son of Bharadwaja is (now) the chief preceptor of the Kurus. There is no
Kshatriya in this world superior to him. His bow is full six cubits long
and looks formidable, and his shafts are capable of slaying every living
being. That great bowman, the high-souled son of Bharadwaja, habited as a
Brahmana, is destroying the Kshatriya power all over the earth. Indeed, he
is like a second Jamadagnya intended for the extermination of the
Kshatriya race. There is no man on earth who can overcome the terrible
force of his weapons. Like a blazing fire fed with clarified butter, Drona,
possessed of Brahma might and uniting it with Kshatriya might, consumeth
every antagonist in battle. But (thy) Brahma force is greater in itself
than (Drona's) Brahma force united with Kshatriya might. Therefore, as I
am inferior (to Drona) in consequence of my possession of Kshatriya might
alone, I solicit the aid of thy Brahma force, having obtained thee so
superior to Drona in knowledge of Brahma. O Yaja, perform that sacrifice
by means of which I may obtain a son invincible in battle and capable of
slaying Drona. Ready am I to give thee ten thousand kine.' Hearing these
words of Drupada, Yaja said, 'So be it.' Yaja then began to recollect the
various ceremonies appertaining to the particular sacrifice. And knowing
the affair to be a very grave one, he asked the assistance of Upayaja who
coveted nothing. Then Yaja promised to perform the sacrifice for the
destruction of Drona. Then the great ascetic Upayaja spoke unto king
Drupada of everything required for the grand sacrifice (by aid of fire)
from which the king was to obtain offspring. And he said, 'O king, a child
shall be born unto thee, endued, as thou desirest, with great prowess,
great energy, and great strength.'

"The Brahmana continued, 'Then king Drupada, impelled by the desire of
obtaining a son who was to slay Drona, began, for the success of his wish,
to make the necessary preparations. (And when everything was complete)
Yaja, after having poured libations of clarified butter on the sacrificial
fire, commanded Drupada's queen, saying, 'Come hither, O queen, O daughter-
in-law of Prishata! A son and a daughter have arrived for thee!' Hearing
this, the queen said, 'O Brahmana, my mouth is yet filled with saffron and
other perfumed things. My body also beareth many sweet scents; I am hardly
fit for accepting (the sanctified butter which is to give me offspring).
Wait for me a little, O Yaja! Wait for that happy consummation.' Yaja,
however, replied, 'O lady, whether thou comest or waitest, why should not
the object of this sacrifice be accomplished when the oblation hath
already been prepared by me and sanctified by Upayaja's invocations?'

"The Brahmana continued, 'Having said this, Yaja poured the sanctified
libation on the fire, whereupon arose from those flames a child resembling
a celestial who possessing the effulgence of fire, was terrible to behold.
With a crown on this head and his body encased in excellent armour, sword
in hand, and bearing a bow and arrows, he frequently sent forth loud roars.
And immediately after his birth, he ascended an excellent chariot and went
about in it for some time. Then the Panchalas in great joy shouted,
'Excellent, Excellent.' The very earth seemed at that time unable to bear
the weight of the Panchalas mad with joy. Then, marvellous to say, the
voice of some invisible spirit in the skies said, 'This prince hath been
born for the destruction of Drona. He shall dispel all the fears of the
Panchalas and spread their fame. He shall also remove the sorrow of the
king.' And there arose, after this from the centre of the sacrificial
platform, a daughter also, called Panchali, who, blest with great good
fortune, was exceedingly handsome. Her eyes were black, and large as lotus-
petals, her complexion was dark, and her locks were blue and curly. Her
nails were beautifully convex, and bright as burnished copper; her eye-
brows were fair, and bosom was deep. Indeed, she resembled the veritable
daughter of a celestial born among men. Her body gave out fragrance like
that of a blue lotus, perceivable from a distance of full two miles. Her
beauty was such that she had no equal on earth. Like a celestial herself,
she could be desired (in marriage) by a celestial, a Danava, or a Yaksha.
When this girl of fair hips was born an incorporeal voice said, 'This dark-
complexioned girl will be the first of all women, and she will be the
cause of the destruction of many Kshatriyas. This slender-waisted one will,
in time, accomplish the purpose of the gods, and along with her many a
danger will overtake the Kauravas.' On hearing these words, the Panchalas
uttered a loud leonine roar, and the earth was unable to bear the weight
of that joyous concourse. Then beholding the boy and the girl, the
daughter-in-law of Prishata, desiring to have them, approached Yaja and
said, 'Let not these know any one else except myself as their mother.'
Yaja, desiring to do good unto the king said, 'So be it!' Then the
Brahmanas (present there), their expectations fully gratified, bestowed
names upon the new-born pair, 'Let this son of king Drupada, they said, be
called Dhrishtadyumna, because of his excessive audacity and because of
his being born like Dyumna with a natural mail and weapon.' And they also
said, 'Because this daughter is so dark in complexion, she should be
called Krishna (the dark).'

"The Brahmana continued, 'Thus were born those twins of the great
sacrifice of Drupada. And the great Drona, bringing the Panchala prince
into his own abode, taught him all weapons in requital of half the kingdom
he had formerly taken from Drupada. The high-souled son of Bharadwaja,
regarding destiny to be inevitable, did what would perpetuate his own
great deeds.'"