Sages & Others

Bharadwaja

भरद्वाज

Father of Drona

Who was Bharadwaja?

Bharadwaja (भरद्वाज): Father of Drona, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. A rigid ascetic of the source of the Ganga who, seeing the apsara Ghritachi rise from the water, caught his seed in a drona vessel, and from it Drona was born.

Quick Facts

Key facts about Bharadwaja
Sanskrit nameभरद्वाज
Title / EpithetFather of Drona
FactionSages & Others
Key traitsAustere, Learned, Fatherly, Weapon-wise
Notable relationshipsFather: Drona, Grandfather: Ashwatthama, Enamoured of: Ghritachi, Questioner of: Bhrigu
Featured in1 story

About Bharadwaja

A rigid ascetic of the source of the Ganga who, seeing the apsara Ghritachi rise from the water, caught his seed in a drona vessel, and from it Drona was born. Friend of King Prishata and master of the Agneya weapon, he passed that knowledge to Agnivesa, from whom it came back to his own son.

In Their Words

The vessel held what the river could not carry away, and a son grew in it.

Bharadwaja

Traits

  • Austere
  • Learned
  • Fatherly
  • Weapon-wise

Story Appearances

One further tale on this site names Bharadwaja.

Character Arc

  1. The VesselThe seed is caught in a drona and a son grows in it
  2. The Two BoysPrishata's son Drupada comes daily to study beside Drona
  3. The Fire WeaponThe Agneya passes through Agnivesa back to his own line

Key Relationships

Places in Bharadwaja's Story

Drawn from the story Bharadwaja appears in.

Others counted among the Sages & Others.