“Vaishampaayana said, ‘When everyone had failed, Drona
smilingly called Arjuna and said to him, ‘By you the aim must be shot;
therefore, turn your eyes to it. You must let fly the arrow as soon as I give
the order. O son, therefore stand here with bow and arrow for a moment.’
“Thus addressed, Arjuna stood aiming at the bird as
desired by his Guru, with his bow bent. A moment after Drona asked him as in
the case of others, ‘O Arjuna, you see the bird there, the tree, and myself?’
“Arjuna replied, ‘I see the bird only, but nor the
tree, or thyself.’
“Then the irrepressible Drona, well-pleased with
Arjuna, the moment after, again said to that mighty chariot-warrior among the
Pandavas, ‘If you see the vulture, then describe it to me.’
“Arjuna said, ‘I see only the head of the vulture, not
its body.’
“At these words of Arjuna, the hair (on Drona's body) stood on
end from delight. He then said to Paartha (Arjuna), ‘Shoot.’
“The latter instantly let fly (his arrow) and with his
sharp arrow speedily struck off the head of the vulture on the tree and brought
it down to the ground. No sooner was the deed done than Drona hugged Phalguna (Arjuna) to his chest and thought Drupada with his
friends had already been defeated in fight.
“O bull of Bharata's race (Janamejaya), some time after, Drona accompanied by all
of his pupils, went to the bank of Ganga to bath in that sacred stream. When
Drona had plunged into the stream, a strong alligator, sent as it were, by
Death himself grabbed him by the thigh. Though (Drona) himself quite capable, Drona in a seeming hurry asked his pupil to
rescue him. He said, ‘O, kill this monster and rescue me.’ Happening with this
speech, Bibhatsu (Arjuna) struck the
monster within the water with five sharp arrows irresistible in their path,
while the other pupils stood confused, each at his place.
“Seeing Arjuna's readiness, Drona considered him to be
the foremost of all his pupils, and became highly pleased. The monster, in the
meantime cut into pieces by the arrows of Arjuna, released the thigh of
illustrious Drona and gave up the soul. The son of Bharadwaja (Drona) then addressed the
illustrious and mighty chariot-warrior Arjuna and said, ‘O you of mighty arms, accept
this very superior and irresistible weapon called Brahmashira with the methods
of hurling and recalling it. You must not, however, ever use it against any
human enemy, for if hurled at any enemy endued with inferior energy, it might
burn the whole universe. O child, it is said that this weapon has not an equal in
the three worlds. Keep it, therefore, with great care, and listen to what I
say. O hero, if ever any enemy, not human, challenges against you, you may then
employ it against him for compassing his death in battle.’ Pledging himself to
do what he was ordered, Bibhatsu then, with joined hands, received that great
weapon (Brahmashira).
“The
Guru then, addressing him again, said, ‘None else in this world will ever
become a superior bowman to you. You shall never be defeated by any enemy, and your
achievements will be great.’”
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