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12.DRONA
He made a mental vow to punish the
arrogant king for this insult and his
repudiation of the sacred claims of early
friendship. His next move in search of
employment was to go to Hastinapura,
where he spent a few days, in retirement,
in the house of his brother-in-law
Kripacharya.
One day, the princes were playing with a
ball outside the precincts of the city, and
in the course of the game, the ball as well
as Yudhishthira's ring fell into a well. The
princes had gathered round the well and
saw the ring shining from the bottom
through the clear water. But could see no
way of getting it out. They did not
however, notice that a brahmana of dark
complexion stood nearby watching them
with a smile.
"Princes," he surprised them by saying,
"you are the descendants of the heroic
Bharata race. Why cannot you take out the
ball as anyone skilled in arms should
know how to do? Shall I do it for you?"
Yudhishthira laughed and said in fun: "O
brahmana, if you take out the ball, we will
see that you have a good meal in the
house of Kripacharya." Then Drona the
brahmana stranger, took a blade of grass
and sent it forth into the well after reciting
certain words of power for propelling it as
an arrow.
The blade of grass straightway sped and
stuck into the ball. Afterwards he sent a
number of similar blades in succession
which clinging together formed a chain,
wherewith Drona took out the ball.
The princes were lost in amazement and
delight and begged of him to get the ring
also.
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