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Puranic encyclopaedia

by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222

This page describes the Story of Drupada included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, ‘the five characteristics of a Purana�).

Story of Drupada

(Saumaki,* ۲ñԲ). Father of ñī. 1) Genealogy. Descended from վṣṇ in the following order:�AtriCandraBudhaʳܰūĀܲṣa۲پūJanamejaya‱峦ܱ�ʰīNamasyu—Vīٲ󲹲ⲹ—Śuṇḍ�Bahuvidhaṃyپ‸鲹DZ徱�鲹ܻśѲپԳٳܰǻ�ٳṣyԳٲBharataܳdzٳٰܳdz�Gala—G岹�SuketuṛhٰṣaٰHasti—AᲹīḍh�īŚԳپśԳپPurujaArka󲹰śñMudgalaپǻMitreyuṛṣٲܻSahadevaSomaka—۲ñԲ� (Drupada).

Education and kingship.

۲ñԲ went to the hermitage of 󲹰屹Ჹ for education. ٰṇa, who became a great teacher in archery later, was also a student and disciple of 󲹰屹Ჹ at that time. Thus during the time of education both Drupada and ٰṇa became fast friends. After receiving education Drupada returned to his country. At that time ñ was ruled by ṛṣٲ. When ۲ñԲ returned on completion of his education, ṛṣٲ died and ۲ñԲ was anointed as King of Uttara-ñ. (Ѳٲ Ā徱 Parva, Chapter 129).

۲ñԲ reproaches ٰṇa.

It has already been said that during the period of education ٰṇa and ۲ñԲ were fast friends. Once Drupada said to ٰṇa: "My dear friend. My father has told me that I would be made the King of Uttara ñ on completing my education. Thus if I become a King, the treasury of the King will be at your disposal."

After the education both returned to their places. Not much later ٰṇa got married. A son born to him was named śٳٳ峾. ٰṇa was so poor that he could not even buy milk for his child. Once the friends of śٳٳ峾 mixed flour in water and made him drink it saying that it was milk. śٳٳ峾 drank it without knowing that it was not milk. Thinking that he had become energetic by drinking milk he began to run with the other boys. At last they told him the truth and teased him.

With his wife and child ٰṇa went to Drupada who did not care to recognize him as a friend. ٰṇa tried to remind him of their former friendship. But Drupada shunned him and said, "If I had friendship with you, it was to achieve certain ends. There is no friendship between the rich and the poor, the learned and the illiterate, the brave and the coward. So if there was any friendship at all it was not real. You, who are slow of brain! Kings of high status cannot have friendship with such people especially the poor. A Brahmin learned in Vedas won't befriend a Brahmin who is not learned in Vedas, a man seated in a chariot cannot befriend a man who is not seated in a chariot and a King cannot befriend one who is not a King. So a friendship of bygone days is no friendship at all".

Drupada’s reproaches aroused a storm of anger in ٰṇa. He vowed that he would avenge the insult. With his wife and child he got out of the palace. He wandered about in search of disciples who were capable of confronting with Drupada. At last he came to Ჹپܰ and became the teacher of the ṇḍ and the Kauravas. (Ѳٲ Ā徱 Parva, Chapter 130).

The revenge of ٰṇa.

ٰṇa told īṣm about his dealings with Drupada. īṣm consoled ٰṇa. Before the commencement of the training in archery, ٰṇa told his disciples: "When your training in archery is completed you will have to do a favour to your teacher". All stood agape. But Arjuna came forward and said: "I will do". ٰṇa embraced Arjuna. The training commenced. The Andhakas, ṛṣṇi and others joined his school of archery.

The training in archery came to an end. ٰṇa called his disciples and told them that Drupada should be tied with a rope and placed before him. When they heard the words of the teacher, Duryodhana, ṇa, Yuyutsu, ٳśśԲ, վ첹ṇa, Ի and Sulocana led the Kauravas to ñ. Arjuna knew that the Kauravas would not be able to defeat Drupada. He told the teacher that when the Kauravas returned without achieving the task, he himself would go and bring Drupada. After a terrible battle the Kauravas were defeated by the ñs. After that Arjuna confronted Drupada. Nakula and Sahadeva stood as guards of the wheels. īԲ with his club stood in front of the army. Arjuna drove the chariot right in the midst of the ñ army. ī took his club and a terrible battle ensued. Arjuna shattered the ñ army, bound Drupada and took him to ٰṇa. The teacher looked at Drupada and reproached him with scornful word: "I have destroyed your country. Now you are at my mercy. Is not the former friendship a friendship?" Drupada requested that they should be friends in future. Accordingly Drupada was set free. The country of ñ was divided into two, and giving Uttara ñ to Drupada, ٰṇa took ٲṣiṇa ñ. Thus because of the revenge of ٰṇa, Drupada lost half of his kingdom. (Ѳٲ Ā徱 Parva, Chapter 137).

Birth of Children.

Though ٰṇa and Drupada were on friendly terms Drupada did not forget the defeat he had incurred at the hands of ٰṇa. So, Drupada desired to have a son who would become powerful enough to take revenge on ٰṇa. He began to think of ways and means. He consulted several learned Brahmins. At that time two hermit brothers yāja and Upayāja lived on the bank of the Ganges. The King approached them and requested their help to obtain a son, who would kill ٰṇa, and promised to give them cows and other precious things in return. At first they refused to help him. The King served Upayāja for a year, and pleased him. He sent the King to the hermitage of Yāja. They accepted the request of the King. Both the hermits performed a sacrifice for Drupada. A boy and a girl arose from the sacrificial fire. The boy was named ٳṛṣṭaܳԲ and the girl was named ṛṣṇ� (ñī). There was a celestial voice that the boy would kill ٰṇa when he grew up. (Ѳٲ Ā徱 parva, Chapter 167).

The marriage of ñī.

ñī grew up. Drupada desired to give her in marriage to Arjuna. But at that time the lac-house caught fire and the ṇḍ disappeared. Drupada set certain tests in the ⲹṃv of ñī with a view to ascertain if Arjuna was alive. The ṇḍ came to the svayaṃvara and Drupada found out Arjuna. But Drupada did not like the idea of his daughter becoming the wife of more than one husband. Then ղ appeared there and informed Drupada of the previous births of the ṇḍ and ñī. Drupada was much pleased and he gave the ṇḍ a good deal of wealth and sent ñī with them. (Ѳٲ Ā徱 Parva, Chapter 196).

Other details

(1) Drupada was present at the marriage of Abhimanyu, celebrated at the city of Upaplavya (Ѳٲ վṭa Parva, Chapter 72, Stanza 17).

(2) Drupada gave the ṇḍ an ṣaܳṇ�, (division 21870 elephants, 21870 chariots, 65610 horses, 109350 footmen) of army for the battle of ٲ. (Ѳٲ Udyoga Parva, Chapter 57).

(3) At the battle of ٲ, Drupada was anointed as one of the seven commanders on the side of the ṇḍ. (Ѳٲ Udyoga Parva, Chapter 157, Stanza 11).

(4) Drupada fought with Jayadratha on the first day of the battle of ܰܰṣeٰ. (Ѳٲ īṣm Parva, Chapter 45, Stanza 55).

(5) Drupada was defeated in a combat with ٰṇa the teacher. (Ѳٲ īṣm Parva, Chapter 7, Stanza 48).

(6) Drupada combated with śٳٳ峾. (Ѳٲ Bhīsma Parva, Chapter 110, Stanza 16).

(7) He fought with Bhagadatta. (Ѳٲ ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 14, Stanza 40).

(8) He fought with Bālhīka. (Ѳٲ ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 25, Stanza 18).

(9) He was defeated by ṛṣٲ. (Ѳٲ ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 138, Stanza 24).

(10) ٰṇa the teacher killed Drupada. (Ѳٲ ٰṇa Parva, Chapter 186, Stanza 43).

(11) The ṇḍ gave offerings to the manes for Drupada. (Ѳٲ ŚԳپ Parva, Chapter 42, Stanza 5).

(12) ղ evoked the spirits of the dead to the surface of the Ganges, after the Battle of ٲ came to an end. Drupada also was there among the spirits which appeared on the Ganges. (Ѳٲ Āśramavāsika Parva, Chapter 32, Stanza 8).

(13) After death Drupada entered heaven and was absorbed in վś𱹲. (Ѳٲ Svargārohaṇa Parva, Chapter 5, Stanza 15).

(14) It is stated in Ѳٲ, Ā徱 Parva, Chapter 67, Stanza 68, that Drupada was born from a portion of the Ѳܻ岵ṇa.

Synonyms of Drupada.

ñ, Pāñcālya, ñrāja, Pārṣata, Pṛṣatātmaja, Saumaki, ۲ñԲ, Drupada are his synonyms.

*) Mahāb hārata, Ā徱 Parva, Chapter 66, Stanza 68 states that the original name of Drupada was ۲ñԲ. Ѳٲ, Ā徱 Parva, Chapter 129, Stanza 41, states that Drupada was the son of ṛṣٲ. But according to other ܰԲ ṛṣٲ was the father of Drupada’s great grandfather. In Ѳٲ, Ā徱 Parva, Chapter 131, Stanza 6, Drupada is addressed as 'Saumaki; the son of Somaka.

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