O monarch, when Prishata was dead, this Drupada of mighty arms
became the king of the northern Panchalas. About this time the illustrious
Bharadwaja also ascended to heaven. Drona continuing to reside in his
father's hermitage devoted himself to ascetic austerities. Having become
well-versed in the Vedas and their branches and having burnt also all his
sins by asceticism, the celebrated Drona, obedient to the injunctions of
his father and moved by the desire of offspring married Kripi, the
daughter of Saradwat. And this woman, ever engaged in virtuous acts and
the Agnihotra, and the austerest of penances, obtained a son named
Aswatthaman. And as soon as Aswatthaman was born, he neighed like the
(celestial) steed Ucchaihsravas. Hearing that cry, an invisible being in
the skies said, 'The voice of this child hath, like the neighing of a
horse, been audible all around. The child shall, therefore, be known by
the name of Aswatthaman, (the horse-voiced).' The son of Bharadwaja
(Drona) was exceedingly glad at having obtained that child. Continuing
to reside in that hermitage he devoted himself to the study of the
science of arms.
"O king, it was about this time that Drona heard that the illustrious
Brahmana Jamadagnya, that slayer of foes, that foremost one among all
wielders of weapons, versed in all kinds of knowledge, had expressed a
desire of giving away all his wealth to Brahmanas. Having heard of Rama's
knowledge of arms and of his celestial weapons also, Drona set his heart
upon them as also upon the knowledge of morality that Rama possessed.
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