Epic Characters of Mahabharatha - Drona

Drona was Sage Bharadwaja's son and the ultimate authority in archery. He learnt the skills of archery and secrets of Agneyastra from Agnivesha, his father's disciple and taught archery only to kshatriyas. His son, Aswathama, was once ridiculed by some rich boys for not being able to afford drinking milk. Being stung by his poor condition, Drona thought of taking up teaching archery to make some money to improve the family's financial condition. He went to Parasurama in order to get some wealth but got some divine weapons and the knowledge of their use and retrieval. In spite of being the best of friends during their stay at the gurukula, King Drupada insulted him when he visited the king in his palace. He became teacher to the Kuru princes among whom Arjuna turned out to be the best. He refused to accept Ekalavya as a student as he belonged to the hunter class but he blessed the boy. The boy excelled so much that the guru himself felt threatened as he had sworn to make Arjuna the best archer. So he asked for Ekalavya's right thumb as gurudakshina. Then, again as gurudakshina, he asked the Kuru princes to bring King Drupada as prisoner. Drona was the commander-in-chief of the Kauravas during the Mahabharatha war. But after losing many great warriors, Duryodhana realized that it was his misfortune that Drona loved the Pandavas so much. Nothing made Drona more sad than to hear his son Aswathama's name being announced as 'No more'. Unable to bear it, he lay down his arms and sat in the rear of his chariot, deep in meditation . His soul left his body and reached Brahmaloka. Dhrishtadyumna could succeed in merely severing Drona's head from his soul-less body.