Drona Demands the capture of the King of Panchala; Episode 27

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Recap of Previous Episode : At the grand martial display in Hastinapura, the Pandavas and Kauravas exhibit their skills before the court and citizens. Bhima and Duryodhana’s fierce duel exposes deep hostility between the cousins, while Arjuna dazzles the crowd with unmatched archery feats. A mysterious warrior enters and matches Arjuna’s skills—Karna. Duryodhana embraces him as a brother, but Karna is humiliated when his lineage is questioned, leaving Kunti shaken in silent agony.

Karna Challeges Arjuna

Karna steps in and asks for a chance to display his archery, declaring that he can surpass Arjuna. Kripacharya asks him to declare his lineage, saying a duel with Arjuna is permitted only with a prince of equal birth. Karna remains silent.

Duryodhana protests that courage, not birth, defines a warrior. With Dhritarashtra’s approval, he crowns Karna the King of Anga on the spot. Karna, overwhelmed, pledges lifelong loyalty to Duryodhana.

Adhiratha rushes forward and embraces Karna, revealing his identity as a charioteer’s son. Arjuna mocks him, but Duryodhana sharply defends Karna’s honor. Before any duel can begin, the sun sets, and Kripacharya ends the tournament for the day.

Guru Dakshina and a Forgotten Promise

Bhishma takes the princes to Dronacharya’s hermitage to offer guru dakshina. Drona asks that King Drupada be defeated and brought before him, demanding half of his kingdom.

Bhishma asks why a Brahmin and master of arms seeks a kingdom. Drona narrates his past. He is the son of Sage Bharadwaja and learns archery first from his father and later from his chief disciple Sage Agnivesha to whom he had taught the rare Agni astra. At Agnivesha’s hermitage, he befriends Drupada, who then promises to share half his kingdom when he becomes king.

King Shantanu's adopted son Kripa also studied under Agnivesha. Kripa's sister, Kripa would often visit the hermitage, and Drona falls in love with her. After completing his training, Drona marries Kripi, and their son Ashwatthama is born while the family lives in poverty. Seeking support, he approaches Parasurama, but the sage has already given away all his possessions; instead, he teaches Drona divine secrets of weapons. When Drona later visits Drupada for help, the king rejects him and declares that friendship exists only among equals, and orders him thrown out of the palace.

Angered, Duryodhana promises to capture Drupada and restore Drona’s honour, though Bhishma and Drona caution him against underestimating Panchala’s strength.

A Prophecy at Panchala

At Drupada’s palace, a priest foretells that Drupada will gain a son and a daughter — but only after facing a grave humiliation.

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