d cities. And
after this narration was over, that Brahmana, O Janamejaya, also spoke of
the wonderful self-choice of Yajnasena's daughter, the princes of
Panchala, and of the births of Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandi, and of the
birth, without the intervention of a woman, of Krishna (Draupadi) at the
great sacrifice of Drupada.

"Then those bulls among men, the Pandavas, hearing of these extraordinary
facts regarding that illustrious monarch (Drupada), and desiring to know
the details thereof, asked the Brahmana, after his narration was
concluded, to satisfy their curiosity. The Pandavas said, 'How, O
Brahmana, did the birth of Dhrishtadyumna the son of Drupada, take place
from the (sacrificial) fire? How also did the extraordinary birth of
Krishna take place from the centre of the sacrificial platform? How also
did Drupada's son learn all weapons from the great bowman Drona? And, O
Brahmana, how and for whom and for what reason was the friendship between
Drona and Drupada broken off?'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus questioned, O monarch, by those bulls
among men, the Brahmana narrated all the particulars about the birth of
Draupadi.'"

SECTION CLXVIII

(Chaitraratha Parva continued)

"The Brahmana said, 'At that region where the Ganga entered the plains
there lived a great Rishi, devoted to the austerest of penances. Of rigid
vows and great wisdom, he bore the name Bharadwaja. One day, on coming to
the Ganga to perform his ablutions, the Rishi saw the Apsara Ghritachi,
who had come before, standing on the bank after her ablutions were over.
And it so happened that a wind arose and disrobed the Apsara standing
there. And the Rishi beholding her thus disrobed, felt the influence of
desire. Though practising the vow of continence from his very youth, as
soon as he felt the influence of desire, the Rishi's vital fluid came
out. And as it came out, he held it in a pot (drana), and of that fluid
thus preserved in a pot was born a son who came to be called Drona (the
pot-born). And Drona studied all the Vedas and their several branches.
And Bharadwaja had a friend named Prishata who was the king of Panchalas.
And about the time that Drona was born, Prishata also obtained a son
named Drupada. And that bull amongst Kshatriyas, Prishata's son, going
every day to that asylum of Bharadwaja, played and studied with Drona.
And after Prishata's death, Drupada succeeded him on the throne. Drona
about this time heard that (the g