How Drona became the teacher of the Kuru princes is also an interesting story in itself. So it goes like all the Pandavas and Kauravas are playing with a ball together, when there ball falls in a well nearby. Now the boys are perturbed that the now the game will halt as they couldn't think of any way to get the ball from the well. Listening to this commotion a sage who was passing by stops and come to aid. He asks the boys to bring small wooden sticks, he gathers this into a rope and pulls out the ball. A very exited Arjun at the end of the day narrates this incidence to Bhishma, who without wasting a single moments judges that no other then Dronacharya is capable of doing such a deed. He is then appointed as the official teacher of the Kuru boys. This is met with no opposition by kulguru Kripacharya as well, since Drona's might in use of weapons is very well known and he happened to be Kripacharya sister Kripi's husband. Hence enter Drona.Mighty student, persistent teacher!
On multiple occasions, Drona accepted that Arjun is his favorite disciple. When Arjun was not more than 10 years old, Drona promised to make him the best archer in the world. He did everything in his power to turn this into reality, and did a good job hiding this in plain sight.
Drona was approached by the father of Karna (Radheyay), when he got to know that his son has aspirations to become a warrior and not a charioteer. He was sent back by Drona mentioning that presently he is teaching the sons of kings from Hastinapur and can not make a heterogeneous group of his apprentice. Very curtly, Karna did point out that Ashwathama was the exception that Drona had at that time also, who was taught in parallel to all princes. He did challenge Drona that he will stand one day more worthy of the title and that Drona will not be able to help that.
Eklavya, is also a know story; who worshiped a idol of Drona and learned archery by himself and yet gave credit to the sage. Who in turn asked for his right hand thumb, so that he could never practice archery. When later he was questioned, why he did this; he informed that Eklavya stole education and hence was never worthy of the same.
On multiple occasions, we hear Krishna commenting that Arjun was able to defeat Karna only because he held his chariot, otherwise it could be under ground only by the capacity of Karna. Eklavya pulls himself and coaches himself to operate his bow without a thumb, and fights and dies in Mahabharat war valiantly; doesn;t this warrant more accolades.
I never doubt the fact that Arjun is not worthy. May be he was, but with all the insecurity of his teacher around, makes me question the virtue of Arjun. Or maybe its more about Drona being able to keep his word of making him the finest of the lot. Or maybe it's like winning a filmfare, never really warranting the righteousness and finest.
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