Even as a juvenile, Drona would look at the sky and wonder what was there in space. He had never been interested in the games his brothers played. His elder brothers, all grown up, had flown away. They had built nests of their own and were raising families.
From the moment he learned to fly, Drona left the forest and
began traveling for knowledge. He listened to the Rishis chant the Vedas. In
the ashrama of Parashara, he heard discourses on the Puranas. At temples
dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, he listened to the teachings of the sanyasis.
Wherever Drona went, others noticed his intelligence. He soon befriended other
birds and animals with sharp minds—Vakranasa, a crow who could mimic sages; Kauṣeya,
a parrot who had memorized shlokas; and Bhanumitra, a mynah who had a very
sharp memory. He was also friendly with animals like squirrels and deer, who
roamed around the ashrama of the sages.
One day, the crow Vakranasa was trapped in a hunter’s net.
He had been too curious for his own good and had flown too close to the ground,
lured by some shiny bait left by a forest hunter. Now he found himself trapped
in a fine net, concealed among the leaves. Birds gathered around, but none
dared approach the net. The hunter could return at any moment. Drona had been
watching this. "Strength will not help," he thought. He scanned the
edge of the forest where the hunters lived. He flew there. He spotted a potter
heating clay over a small fire. Drona waited until the potter stepped away; he
dropped his bundle into the fire. Drona had planned this in advance. He was
carrying in his beak a small bundle of twigs. The flames flared up. Some sparks
flew into a stack of hay nearby. The hay caught fire. Everyone ran there,
including the hunters. Drona landed silently near the net and studied the
knots. It was made of fine fiber. He began to work carefully, using his sharp
beak to fray a few threads. "Quick, brother," he whispered,
"push with your wings!" Vakranasa gave a heave. The frayed threads
tore, and the crow flew out. Drona said, “The fire in the village has died
down, and so has this one.”
And from that day, the legend of Drona the wise began to
spread even further. As time passed, Drona’s fame grew quietly. Even sages
began to recognize him. Sage Atri once said of him, “He is a bird by birth, but
his soul bears the memory of many lifetimes of penance.”
One cool spring morning, Drona was flying above in the sky
when he saw her: Tarkshi, daughter of King Kandhara. She had been flying with
her attendants. Drona watched her. He had never seen anyone so beautiful. He
returned to the grove. His friends noticed. “She must be very beautiful,” said
Bhanumitra, teasing him. “And well-spoken too,” added Kauṣeya. “High-born,”
muttered Vakranasa. “And likely out of reach.” Drona smiled.
Drona smiled. He said quietly, “I will try to woo her.”
The next morning, Drona flew out. Only his friends knew
where he was going. He flew, and at last, he reached the palace of King
Kandhara, slayer of Vidyudrupa.
“I am Drona,” he said, “son of Mandapala and Jarita. I want
to meet the king.”
Soon, he stood before Kandhara. Tarkshi sat beside her
father. Drona could hardly look at her, but he spoke clearly. “O king,” he
said, “I have heard about your daughter, the princess Tarkshi. I come with the
gifts of learning, of truth, and of devotion. I humbly seek her hand in
marriage.”
The king said, "If you seek her hand, you must prove
your worth by merit.”
Kandhara then said, “If this Drona seeks her hand, let him
complete three trials: of wisdom, of courage, and of truth.”
Drona was called to debate the court's ministers. They spoke
on dharma and the cycle of birth. Drona not only answered but even composed
some verses and recited those.
After passing the first trial of wisdom, Drona was summoned
again. The king said, “Many birds speak well and think wisely. Let us see if
you are brave, Drona. Deep in the north lies a desolate ravine known as Rakta
Khanda. There is the nest of an eagle there. The eagle is away. In her nest,
there are two hungry fledglings. Their cries have drawn the attention of
scavengers. Help save the chicks.” Drona bowed his head. Drona flew, and as he
neared Rakta Khanda, he saw a ledge. There, barely visible, was the eagle’s
nest. The chicks chirped weakly. Circling above were the scavengers. Drona
didn’t wait and plunged towards the nest. The scavengers noticed and dived
towards him. He twisted and spiraled, dodging the birds. He now had to defend
the nest. Drona flew close to the cliffside and lured the scavengers. He darted
into narrow cracks, and the larger birds got stuck. By the time dusk settled,
only one scavenger remained, keeping a safe distance. Drona returned to the
ledge and curled his wings around the chicks. He rested there till dawn. The
next morning, Drona flew back to King Kandhara’s court. Tarkshi lowered her
gaze. “The second trial is complete,” Kandhara said.
“You have shown courage.” Several days after Drona’s return,
the court of King Kandhara assembled. Kandhara said, “Wisdom can guide, and
courage can protect, but without truth, these virtues are lost. You will be
brought before our sacred shrine. There, you must confess your truth. Speak
openly, and the sacred fire shall judge you.” Drona entered the courtyard of
the shrine. Drona started.
“I am the son of Jarita, born when the fire nearly claimed
her. I was raised with hymns and silence. I have stolen fruit when I was young.
I have envied those who were stronger. I have fallen in love. I love Tarkshi. I
fear that my knowledge, my courage, even my truth, might not be enough. But I
still share what is in my heart.” The flames turned a pure, white-blue, a sign
of purity. The trial was complete.
Tarkshi had heard about Drona and his trials. The idea of
Drona seeking her hand had struck her as amusing. Certainly nothing that
stirred her heart. She had dismissed him with a gentle shrug to her attendants.
As the details of his trials unfolded, she began to change.
Drona's intellect during the debate with the ministers was beyond cleverness.
Respect ignited within her.
Then came the tale of Rakta Khanda. It spoke of a courage
that was more than physical strength. A seed of admiration had been sown.
Finally, the day of the truth trial arrived. Drona's words
struck her. He spoke of his origins, his vulnerabilities, imperfections that
made him real. And then, he spoke of his love for her. Tarkshi felt a pang in
her chest. In that moment, Drona wasn't just a remarkable bird. The flame
affirmed his sincerity.
Something happened to her. She saw the intelligent,
courageous, and truthful being. Tarkshi realized that she had fallen in love
with Drona.
At last, Drona and Tarkshi were wed. The fire flickered. A
lamp being lit would continuously go off. A feather from a vulture fell into
the flames. No one noticed. The marriage was over. Drona was the husband of
Tarkshi.
Some more on this
This is a complete fictional account.
This is what Markandeya Purana says
teṣāṁ jaghanyo dharmātmā vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ |
upeyeme sa tāṁ tārkṣīṁ kandharānumate śubhām ||
Among them, the youngest, Drona—righteous in soul and master
of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas—accepted in marriage the virtuous Tarkshī, with the
consent of King Kandhara.
The reason why added this was - Tarkshi is a princess and Drona a commoner.
There would be class distinctions and I wanted to show how Drona proved himself
to be the right candidate for Tarkshi.
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