When the education and the training of the princes were completed,Drona called upon them for Guru Dakshina.He had not forgotten the humiliation brought to him by Drupada.Now was the perfect oppurtunity to settle his score.

Eager to give their Guru his dakshina,the princes asked him what was it that he wanted.His reply was that he wanted Drupada the King of Panchala.Mustering up his army Duryodhana was the first to make an attack on Panchala but failed to capture Drupada.

Then Arjuna,Bhima,Nakula and Sahadeva joined the fight and managed to capture him alive,which was what Drona wanted.They took Drupada before Drona who reminded him of his vicious insults.Drupada was full of remorse and apologised.

Drona rebuked him and said that friendship should be amongst equals,a statement that Drupada had made when he chased him from his courtyard. Then he took claim on half of Drupada's kingdom and left him with the other half and then now offered him a new bond of friendship.

Thus,crushing the pride of Drupada,Drona allowed him to return to his capital Kampilya.Drupada left with anger for Drona but respect for Arjuna and resorted to doing penance so that he could obtain a son who could crush Drona and a daughter who would be a worthy wife to Arjuna.

Pandit Bhadase Maharaj.

©Copyrighted