Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Rishi Vaishampayana narrates to King Janamejaya,
the children of Pandu &Drutharashtra successfully completed their
studies of Astra & Sastra and science of armaments under the guidance of
Dronacharya and eventually the greatest news was brought before the King
Drutharashtra of Hasthinapur and the venerable Bhishma Pitamaha son of Ganga,
Maharishi Veda Vyasa, Krupacharya, Somadatta, Vidur and
Valhika. Dronacharya appealed to King Drutharashtra to put in order
for a grand ceremony to exhibit the aptitude of Pandavas and Kauravas as they
have effectively completed the study of Astra & Sastra. King
Drutharashtra was extremely happy, informed Dronacharya that immense riches
awaiting for him as a gift and ordered for the preparations of a vast
recreational site, time and the course of action etc. King
Drutharashtra felt vulnerable realizing the fact that his blindness would cause
an obstruction to witness the proficiency of his children, ordered
Kshatri/Vidura to assist Dronacharya to make further arrangements for the
occasion.
Dronacharya found an appropriate location for the
grand celebration; all the villagers assembled on the site and an initiation
ceremony was conducted to please the deities. Skilled architects of Kings
were constructed magnificent places, put aside various weapons for the show
according to the rules and regulations prescribed in the scriptures. A
huge arena was marvelously arranged for the female spectators, villagers and
rich people were also constructed spectator area of different sizes according
to their status.
On the day of grand event, Bhishma Pitamaha,
Kripacharya, dignitaries’ of Kuru Dynasty entered into the magnificent pavilion
embellished with gold, diamonds and precious stones. In a while, King
Drutharahstra entered with the escorts of his ministers. Gandhari,
Kunthi, female members of the royal families in their elegant attire with their
assistants assembled in the arena and took their seats. Brahmin,
Kshtriya, Vaishya and Shudras leaving their cities behind occupied their seats
in the grand pergola with tremendous joy and curiosity to witness the
proficiency of the princes of Hasthinapur. In a minute, the entire crowd
in the city assembled in the pavilion, reverberating noises of divine musical
instruments like flute, and drums gave out the resemblance to the roar of
sea. Dronacharya attired in white clothes, wearing sacred thread across the
well-built chest, white beard, crystal garlands on his neck, beautifully
smeared sacred ashes on forehead and hands majestically entered into the
pavilion along with his son Ashwathama. It was the most stunning moment
for the spectators to witness Dronacharya with his son Ashwathama like Moon and
the planet Mars simultaneously in the clear sky. Dronacharya instructed
the scholarly Brahmins to conduct the rituals for the initiation of the
ceremony. The initial rituals were conducted with highly auspicious chants
and divine music. The numerous weapons were brought into the pavilion by
the men.
The princes of Kuru led by Yudhishtira
majestically entered into the pavilion, the young warriors were attired in
armor holding numerous weapons in hand. Each one of them displayed their
skills in various weapons. The spectators were amazed at the proficiency
of the princes of Kuru in the science of armaments and numerous weapons and it
forced them to think of celestials and they highly praised Dronacharya.
They astonished at the charisma, vigor, compassion, and prowess of the Princes
of Kurus. Vrukodhar Bhima appeared with his weapon mace to face his opponent
Duryodhana, appeared like two mountains, two warriors augmented their vigor and
rambled like two elephants in the pavilion. Vidur narrated the skills of these
two warriors to Drutharashtra, Gandhari and Kunthi.
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
