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In the great literature, Mahabharata, guru Droṇa (Samskrit: द्रोण,)  or Droṇacharya was the son of Bharadwaja Muni.  He was a great devotee of Brahma and was royal preceptor to the Kauravas and Pandavas. He was also the teacher to the Vrishnis, the Andhakas and other famous and powerful dynasties. He is said to be an expansion of Brihaspati, the celestial seer and preceptor of the gods. His wife was Kripi who was the sister of Kripacharya. He had a son named Asvatthama. Although a brahmana, Droṇa was inclined toward martial arts. While living in his father’s hermitage he had learned the science of arms from Agnivesha, another powerful rishi. He had also received knowledge of the celestial weapons from the great Parasurama.  

{{NeedCitation}}In the great literature, Mahabharata, guru Droṇa (Samskrit: द्रोण,)  or Droṇacharya was the son of Bharadwaja Muni.  He was a great devotee of Brahma and was royal preceptor to the Kauravas and Pandavas. He was also the teacher to the Vrishnis, the Andhakas and other famous and powerful dynasties. He is said to be an expansion of Brihaspati, the celestial seer and preceptor of the gods. His wife was Kripi who was the sister of Kripacharya. He had a son named Asvatthama. Although a brahmana, Droṇa was inclined toward martial arts. While living in his father’s hermitage he had learned the science of arms from Agnivesha, another powerful rishi. He had also received knowledge of the celestial weapons from the great Parasurama.  

   

   

== Birth and Early life ==

== Birth and Early life ==

The sage Bharadwaja had once seen Gritachi, a divinely beautiful Apsara, and as a result he had dropped his vital seed. He caught his seed in a pot and from that seed Droṇa was born. As a child Droṇa had been friends with Drupada, who had come to study at Bharadwaja's hermitage. (MBK 1.9)

The sage Bharadwaja had once seen Gritachi, a divinely beautiful Apsara, and as a result he had dropped his vital seed. He caught his seed in a pot and from that seed Droṇa was born. As a child Droṇa had been friends with Drupada, who had come to study at Bharadwaja's hermitage.  

=== Guru Parasurama ===

=== Guru Parasurama ===

Some time after Drupada left the hermitage, Droṇa heard that the invincible Brahmana-warrior Parasurama was retiring to the forest and was giving away all his possessions in charity. However, by the time he was approached by Drona, Parasurama only had his weapons left to give away. He offered to give Droṇa the weapons as well as the knowledge of how to use them. This is how Droṇa obtained the greatest weapons in his possession. (MBK 1.9)

Some time after Drupada left the hermitage, Droṇa heard that the invincible Brahmana-warrior Parasurama was retiring to the forest and was giving away all his possessions in charity. However, by the time he was approached by Drona, Parasurama only had his weapons left to give away. He offered to give Droṇa the weapons as well as the knowledge of how to use them. This is how Droṇa obtained the greatest weapons in his possession.  

    

    

=== Life in poverty ===

=== Life in poverty ===

Despite having such great learning, however, Droṇa remained a poverty-stricken brahmana. He could hardly maintain his family. He could not even afford cow’s milk for his son – Asvatthama. His son was drinking water mixed with wheat flour and had to impose the understanding that it was milk that he was drinking.  

Despite having such great learning, however, Droṇa remained a poverty-stricken brahmana. He could hardly maintain his family. He could not even afford cow’s milk for his son – Asvatthama. His son was drinking water mixed with wheat flour and had to impose the understanding that it was milk that he was drinking.

 

== As a Teacher ==

== As a Teacher ==

As a teacher he did not teach anything other than warfare. He taught skills, archery, mace fighting, little politics but along with that he did not give his students the purpose behind all these teachings. He did not develop their character. Therefore even though kauravas and Pandavas studied under the same teacher both families did not change. Their character remained the same. The Pandavas remained righteous as what they had grasped from their mother and the sages. On the contrary, the kauravas remained the same as what they had assimilated from their parents which was to be envious and arrogant.

As a teacher he did not teach anything other than warfare. He taught skills, archery, mace fighting, little politics but along with that he did not give his students the purpose behind all these teachings. He did not develop their character. Therefore even though kauravas and Pandavas studied under the same teacher both families did not change. Their character remained the same. The Pandavas remained righteous as what they had grasped from their mother and the sages. On the contrary, the kauravas remained the same as what they had assimilated from their parents which was to be envious and arrogant.

He saved Dronacharya from the attack of a crocodile and the acharya being pleased with him rewarded him with a weapon of the name Brahmasira. The confidential treatment of the weapon Brahmasira being explained to Arjuna, Dronacharya got it promised by Arjuna that he would use the weapon if necessary when he (Dronacharya) personally became an enemy of Arjuna. By this the Acharya forecasted the future battle of Kurukshetra where Droncharya was on the opposite party.  

He saved Dronacharya from the attack of a crocodile and the acharya being pleased with him rewarded him with a weapon of the name Brahmasira. The confidential treatment of the weapon Brahmasira being explained to Arjuna, Dronacharya got it promised by Arjuna that he would use the weapon if necessary when he (Dronacharya) personally became an enemy of Arjuna. By this the Acharya forecasted the future battle of Kurukshetra where Droncharya was on the opposite party.  

   

   

=== Baised to son ===

=== Biased towards son ===

Out of his natural fatherly affection, Droṇa also wished to impart extra lessons to his own son, Asvatthama. He gave all the princes narrow-mouthed water pots and asked them to fill them at the river, but to his own son he gave a wide-mouthed pot so he could return first and receive extra teaching.

Out of his natural fatherly affection, Droṇa also wished to impart extra lessons to his own son, Asvatthama. He gave all the princes narrow-mouthed water pots and asked them to fill them at the river, but to his own son he gave a wide-mouthed pot so he could return first and receive extra teaching.