Characters in Mahabharata - Part 7

January 28, 2008

shrI hari vAyu gurubhyo namaha

January 2008 -

http://dvaita.parimalam.googlepages.com

Introduction to Characters in Mahabharata - Part 7By Sri Sri 1008 Sri Suvidyendra Swamiji

Acharya Dhrona

Among the characters in Mahabharata, Acharya Dhrona's character is different one. We can seegood qualities like love with son, shy (daakshinya), interest to get popularity, braveness etc. inhim. Dhrona's character is a sentimental one. How he is sentimental? Let us see now.Aswattama (Acharya Dhrona's son) thought flour's milk as the original milk and was drinkingthe same. One day he drank the real in Duryodhana's house and tasted the original milk.Returning to home he started insisting cow's milk only. At that time Acharya Dhrona gotaffection (vyamoha) towards his son. It's nature of child to ask whatever they see. No parentswill bring all those. Acharya Dhrona who didn't ask anything from anybody, was observingshiloncha vritti (procedure to bring the flour/grains left out in the field and eating only them),out of affection towards his son, approached Parashurama for a cow who can give Moksha itself.Parashurama is capable to creating anything and everything with just desire. Thinking thefuture destruction of Kauravas, Parashurama told that he can give only the vidya as he didn'thave cow. Acharya Dhrona thought that obtaining the astra vidya from Parashurama might givelot of fame of him and learned astra vidya for twelve years from Parashurama. It's worthy tonote here that Acharya Dhrona forgot his son, son's wish for cow and his wife.After the long period, Acharya Dhrona got affection towards his son again. At that time, mostlyAswattama would be at certain age so that he wouldn't have any desire to drink milk at all.Even at that time, Acharya Dhrona to get a cow reached the King Drupada who was his classmate while reading with his father and also a friend from boyhood. But Drupada forgot thefriendship and insulted him saying "Na nirdhano rajasakho bhaveti" meaning a poor man cannotbecome a king's friend. Acharya Dhrona was doing japa, tapa etc. shouldn't have got angry. ButAcharya Dhrona got angry because of "Jitendriyasyapi munehe hariichaya" –Sri Hari's desire.That angry was burning in the heart of Acharya Dhrona for very long period.Parimalam - January 2008 - http://dvaita.parimalam.googlepages.com/ 2Acharya Dhrona taught Astra Vidya to Kouravas and Pandavas and made them master. Heasked them to catch the King Drupada and told them that that would be the Guru Dakshina(offer made to Guru after completing the education as per Guru's desire). Arjuna who beloveddisciple of Acharya Dhrona caught the King Drupada and put him on the feet of AcharyaDhrona. Then the entire country Panchala was under the control of Acharya Dhrona. He forgavethe mistake done by King Drupada and handed over the Kingdom back to Drupada. At that timeitself Acharya Dhrona could have killed Drupada and could have protected himself fromDhrustadyumna. Without doing like that, Acharya Drona planted the seed of enmity in the heartof enemy "Vidhya vairam saamarshe narorou ya yadaasate | Prakshipyodarchisham kakshesherate te(a)bhimarutam ||. After planting the seed of enmity in the enemy, Acharya Dhronalived happily. One will be treated as fool who sleep in the mat made up of grass after firing thegrass.King Drupada obtained the kingdom from Acharya Dhrona and gave 10 crore cows to bothYajopayaja and obtained a son Dhrustadyumna 'putram Dhrona hantaaram' who can killDhrona. Acharya Dhrona came to know that Drupada got a son who can kill him. Even afterknowing that Acharya Dhrona didn't get fear in his heart and expressed his trust towards hisastra vidya and his braveness. The same Dhrustadyumna came to Acharya Dhrona to learn theastra vidya. Acharya Dhorna also whole heartedly taught astra vidya to him. Sri Madhwacharyaalso says "jatam aatmanihantaaram Bharatvaajo nishamya tam | yashortam astraani dadou"meaning even though Acharya Dhrona knows that Dhrustadyumna would kill him, he taughtastra vidya to get popularity (keerthi).' Acharya Dhrona made a memorable record in thehistory by developing a person who would kill him, just to get the popularity.Even with all these great qualities, Acharya Dhrona had shyness also. At the beginning stage ofwar Duryodhana prostrated Acharya Dhrona and requested "Please fight against Pandavasbeing in my side". At that time even though Dhrona didn't have mind to fight against hisbeloved disciple Arjuna, he joined with Duryodhana. He felt shy for eating the food given byDuryodhana and for the same reason, he accepted Duryodhana's request. While Achrya Dhronawas fighting vigorously, Yudhistira came and requested "Revered Guru! Please tell us the way tokill you." Even then Dhronacharya being Stitapragya said "when I hear the death message ofmy son, I will put down my weapons". Like this he taught the way to kill him to his deardisciples. He is such a great personality.We can also see the partiality in Acharya Dhrona. He promised to Arjuna that he would makehim as supreme in Dhanur vidya. But using the idol of Acharya Dhrona, Ekalavya exceededArjuna in Dhanur vidya. Out of affection towards Arjuna he asked Ekalavya to cut his right handthumb and got the same without any shy. Later Acharya Dhrona felt bad and taught Astra vidyato Ekalavya in secret place. Again he recollected the words given to Arjuna and taught the sameto Arjuna also. Like this he encountered lot of mental pain in his life. Still he made Arjuna assupreme in Dhanur vidya. Even though Acharya Dhrona showed affection with some disciplehow come he could not have affection with his own son? Acharya Dhrona created situations sothat nobody was there and taught great Astras to Aswattama. He gave Hooji (pot with smallmouth) to all disciples to bring water but a pot with bigger mouth Aswattama. So other disciplestook some time to fill water while Aswattama filled quickly and returned. Acharya Dhronacompleted his special teachings to Aswattama in the mean time (before the arrival of otherdisciples). We can even see such small things in Acharya Dhrona.Acharya Dhrona, like Bhishma and others get caught like birds in the mayajala (magic) ofmayavi (magician) Bhagavan. When Acharya Dhrona begged for a cow, instead of giving thecow, Lord taught astra vidya. When Lord decided to stop the bad activities of Acharya Dhrona,he made Dharmaraja to say "Aswattama hataha" and made Dhrona to drop astras etc. which hegave. When Acharya Dhrona heard the death news of his son from the mouth of Dharmarajawho always speaks truth, out of affection towards his son, he dropped astra etc. and sorrowed.Along with the sun in the sky, the sun in the earth also set. When prana left the body ofAcharya Dhrona, Dhrustadyumna chopped his head and completed the vow.Whatever it may be. Acharya Dhrona played a crucial role in God's work of reducing the burdenof earth. Acharya Dhrona taught vidya to Kouravas and Pandavas, participated in the war andchopped the head of lot of lower souls. Like this even if you read all the chapters ofMahabharata it's not possible to get another character like Acharya Dhrona who had lot of goodqualities.

bhAratIramaNamukhyaprANA.ntargata shrii kR^iShNArpanamastu

-- parameshvara bhaktirnAma niravadhika ananta anavadya kalyANaguNatva GYAnapUrvakaHsvAtmAtmIya samasta vastubhyo aneka guNAdhiko antarAya sahasrenApya pratibaddo nirantara premapravAhaH

(Source: Srimad Bhagawad Gita (The song Olympian) by Sri G V Nadgauda.[Devotion to Lord] (bhakthi) is the invariable & continuous flow of ardent affection to God, undettered by varied frustrations in life, [excelling the

attachment to self, our kindred & other lovable assets] (vairagya), reinforced by [sound knowledge] (jnAna) & solid conviction of His glory & greatness, as the sole independent Power, the abode of all auspicious

attributes, free from foibles. As such, it differs from blind belief & selfish live. It should be founded on an unshakable intellectual & emotional conviction in the Majesty of the Lord- as the embodiment of all

spiritual excellences.