Scene 1
Karna asks for a chance to demonstrate his dexterity in archery which he says will surpass that of Arjuna. Kripacharya insists that Karna reveal his pedigree and Karna stands speechless. Kripacharya says Arjuna will fight only with whose ancestry matches with his. Duryodhana says Karna is a brave warrior and that alone should be the criterion for judging his worth. If Arjuna could fight only with those belonging to royal family, he would crown Karna that very instant, and with permission from Dhritarashtra crowns him as the king of Anga.Karna is overwhelmed with gratitude and promises lifelong allegiance to Duryodhana.
Seeing Karna being crowned, his foster father Adhiratha rushes to the podium and hugs him affectionately. Now that everybody comes to know who his father is, Arjuna is derisive, but Duryodhana gives back a fitting reply. Before Arjuna can decide to fight with Karna, the sun starts setting, and Kripacharya announces the closure of the game as per the rules. Everybody disperses.
Scene 2
Bhishma takes both Pandava and Kaurava princes to Sage Dronacharya's hermitage, where he lives with his wife Kripi and son Ashwatthama, to pay the guru his dakshina. Sage Dronacharya demands the kingdom and the surrender of a king as his dues.Bhishma agrees to fulfil his demand, but asks the reason for this strange desire from a learned Brahmin like him. Dronacharya tells them his story.
Dronacharya was the son of the great sage Bharadwaja. Dronacharya learned archery from him and, after his death, from his disciple Sage Agnivesha. It was at Agnivesha's hermitage that he met and made friends with Drupada when his father Prishata, the king of Drupad, brought his son to live in Sage Agnivesha's hermitage and learn the use of weapons. Drone and Drupad became close friends.
It was at the hermitage that he had first met Kripi. Both Kripa and Kripi were brought up by King Shantanu. The king would sometime send gifts to the hermitage through Kripi. Drone liked Kripi and her brother Kripa got them married. Drupad was sad that he could not gift anything to Drona, but promised him that he would gift half his kingdom once he became the king.
In the meanwhile Kripi gives birth to a child who cried like the neigh of a horse and is named Ashwatthama. Drona lived a life of penury. Troubled by the poverty, he wandered and met a monk who advised him to go to Sage Parasurama who was then gifting away his acquisitions prior to taking Sanyasa. But when he reaches Parasurama's hermitage, he had already given away all his possessions, but at Drona's eager insistence teaches him all the divine secrets of Astra sastra, the science of weapons usage.
When Drona returns him, he finds his wife living in abject poverty. Kripi then reminds him of Drupada's promise and suggests seeking his help. Drupada mocks Drona and treats him with contempt. He says friendship can flourish only amongst equal and not between pauper and a king. He tells Drona to leave the palace before the security guards throw him out.
Duryodhana pompously offers to bring Drupada to him. Drona and Bhishma caution him not to underestimate Drupada's strength.
Duryodhana then meets his parents and tells him he is going to avenge Drona's humiliation and establish the greatness of true friendship.
Scene 3
At the palace of Drupada, a priest predicts that Drupada will get a son and his daughter, but that was destined to happen only after facing a crushing humiliation.
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