“There was a king named Prishata who was a great friend of Bharadwaja.  About this time Prishata had a son born unto him, named Drupada.  And that bull among Kshatriyas, viz., Drupada, the son of Prishata, used every day to come to the hermitage of Bharadwaja to play with Drona and study in his company.  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.  Then Drona of mighty arms, endued with high ascetic virtues, accompanied by disciples who were all devoted to vows ascetic austerities, set out for the Mahendra mountains.  Arrived at Mahendra, the son of Bharadwaja possessed of high ascetic merit, beheld the son of Bhrigu, the exterminator of all foes, endued with great patience and with mind under complete control.  Then, approaching with his disciples that scion of the Bhrigu race Drona, giving him his name, told him of his birth in the line of Angiras.  And touching the ground with his head, he worshipped Rama’s feet.  And beholding the illustrious son of Jamadagni intent upon retiring into the woods after having given away all his wealth, Drona said, ’Know me to have sprung from Bharadwaja, but not in any woman’s womb!  I am a Brahmana of high birth, Drona by name, come to thee with the desire of obtaining thy wealth.’