friendship with him and also his own words to me. And, O illustrious one, approaching Drupada, I said,—O thou tiger among men, know me for thy friend!—Saying this I approached him confidently as a friend should. But Drupada, laughing in derision, cast me off as if I were a vulgar fellow. And addressing me he said,—Thy intelligence scarcely seemeth to be of a high order, inasmuch as, approaching me suddenly, thou sayest thou art my friend! Time that impaireth everything impaireth friendship also. My former friendship with thee was for a particular purpose. One of impure birth can never be a friend of one who is of pure birth. One who is not a charioteer can never be a friend of one who is such, Friendship can subsist between persons that are of equal rank, but not between those that are unequally situated. Friendship never subsisteth for ever in any heart. Time impaireth friendships, as also anger destroyeth them. Do thou not stick, therefore, to that worn-off friendship between us. Think not of it any longer. The friendship I had with thee, O thou best of Brahmanas, was for a special purpose. There cannot be friendship between a poor man and a rich man, between an unlettered hind and a man of letters, between a coward and a hero. Why dost thou therefore desire the revival of our former friendship? O thou of simple understanding, great kings can never have friendship with such indigent and luckless wights as thou? One who is not a king can never have a king for his friend. I do not remember ever having promised thee my kingdom. But, O Brahmana, I can now give thee food and shelter for one night.—Thus addressed by him, I left his presence quickly with my wife, vowing to do that which I will certainly do soon enough. Thus insulted by Drupada, O Bhisma, I have been filled with wrath. I come to the Kurus desirous of obtaining intelligent and docile pupils. I come to Hastinapore to gratify thy wishes. O, tell me what I am to do.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by the son of Bharadwaja, Bhisma said unto him, 'String thy bow, O Brahmana, and make the Kuru princes accomplished in arms. Worshipped by the Kurus, enjoy with a glad heart to thy
