MAARKANDEYA presents MAHAABHAARATHAM

( the D in the beginning of this name is pronounced like 'th' in 'brother' and n like the hard n in 'turn')

Drona was the son of sage Bharadvaaja and the divine dancer Ghrithaachi. He married Kripi, the sister of Kripa and got a son named Asvaththaama.

He learnt archery from Agnivesha first and then from Parashuraama. He was the best professor of archery of those times. He was a school fellow and friend of Drupada, the Paanchaala king, but was insulted once by him for his poverty. He later became the teacher of the Paandavas and the Kouravas. He got Drupada defeated and captured by Arjuna, to teach him a lesson for his arrogance. His disciples included most of the princes of those days, including Dhrishtadyumana, his slayer. Arjuna was his beloved favourite student. All the leading warriors of either side in the war were his students.

He enjoyed the respect of all. He alone was given the epithet 'GURU', meaning teacher. He became the army chief after Bheeshma's fall and lead the war for five days. He fought admirably, creating havoc in the enemy side. Many kings including Drupada and Viraata were his victims. Finally, the Paandavas adopted a strategy and Yudhishthira forcibly but unwillingly told Drona that Asvaththaama was killed, using Bheema's killing of an elephant of the same name as a pretext. ( Bheema killed an elephant named Ashvaththaama, which belonged to the Maalava king ïndravarma.) Drona got dejected on that false news and laid down his weapons. He lost into meditation on the seat of his car when Dhrishtadyumna cut his head off. The death was not a fitting one to such a personality and was equally mourned deeply by either side .

Though Drona was respected by all, some of his qualities were not befitting a Braahmana. His spiteful anger nurtured against Drupada saw him get his old fellow captured by Arjuna as a fee for his teachership. That forced Drupada to get even with him too. The claiming of Ekalavya's right thumb as fee, only to pave way to Arjuna's supremacy, was a clear blemish on Drona's character. He could not openly depricate his king for his misdeeds as a true teacher. He remained mute in the ugly scene of the Kouravas' attempting to disrobe Droupadi in the full court hall. He behaved more like a soldier than a like a teacher. He promised to capture Yudhishthira for Duryodhana in the war but he did not try wholeheartedly for it. On the fourteenth day, he promised to save Jayadratha from Arjuna but let Arjuna forward. Karna often derided Drona calling him disloyal to Kouravas. That may not be far from truth but the reason could more be his affection to the Paandavas derived out of their descent character and adherence to Dharma ( righteousness ) than any negative feeling towards the Kouravas.

However, he was a true teacher. He refused to teach certain supreme asthras even to his own son, fearing their misuse by him.

Some critics opined that Drona was obedient to the Kouravas because Bheesma had arranged for his livlihood by providing him a high place as teacher to the royal princes. This cannot be accepted because Drona himself had enough wealth as he penalised Drupada with half his kingdom when the latter was captured by Arjuna and that part of Paanchaala kingdom was under his possession eversince .

Drona was a mixture of good and bad qualities.

"After praying to Naaraayana, Nara, Sarasvathi and Vyaasa, then one should read the Jayam."