Author’s Note: We have come to the final story in this comparative storybook. Though these stories can be read in any order, I believe it is best when read beginning with Aphrodite’s entrance in the introduction, and ending with her meeting. She is the anchor to the story and it is through her actions that we open and close the party. Aphrodite is paired with Drona, the teacher of the Kauravas and Pandavas. 
Readers don’t get to know a lot about Drona besides his obsession with Arjuna and getting even with Drupada. He was born in poverty, and his issue with Drupada was over Drona’s “station” in life. I played off of this a bit, making him nervous of Aphrodite not only because of her extraordinary beauty, but because she is a goddess, and he a mere soldier/warrior. Aphrodite is not the stuck-up vain goddess she is sometimes described as, but very warm and welcoming. Their interactions are based on Aphrodite wanting to put him at ease, and make a new friend. Always the pragmatist, there are plenty of women she could pair with him, so long as he had a bit more confidence. Hopefully their similar birth stories will allow them to become friends.

Aphrodite and Drona
foam
Beach Foam. Web Source: Grow-a-brain

Aphrodite circled the room, searching for her assigned partner. Everywhere she looked pairs were conversing and bonding. It felt like she was the last person to meet her partner.

She knew a little about her partner, this man named Drona. She couldn’t have spent so much time with Ares, the god of war, without having heard of this warrior and teacher. She remembered that he had been good friends with a King named Drupada who later humiliated him. She smiled tightly- it was certainly not a heartfelt story between the two.

She saw an older gentleman making his way to her. He looked powerful, muscles and wrinkles both played around his figure. Aphrodite appraised him thoughtfully. Many young women in Greece would have certainly been happy to be matched with this master of military arts.

He paused in front of her and bowed.

“My name is Drona, royal guru to the Kauravas and Pandavas, teacher of Arjuna, father of Ashwatthama.”

Aphrodite held out her hand. “I am Aphrodite, goddess of love.”

Drona took her outstretched hand and hesitatingly bowed. Though he had spent his adult life in the company of royalty, never had he been in the company of such a beautiful woman. “Woman,” he said to himself, “no it is as she said: goddess.” He suddenly remembered Drupada’s words: that friendship wasn’t possible between persons of unequal status. His smile faded. He had taught Drupada a lesson and increased his station in life, but sometimes still felt like the poverty stricken low-life of his youth.

Aphrodite seemed to understand his thoughts, and clasped her free hand around his. “I am happy to meet you, and be in your company. Come, please tell me a story about you that will surprise me.”

Drona nodded, falling back into his military background of taking orders.

“Let me, Goddess, tell you the story of my birth,” he began. “My name means vessel, as in the way I was sired. My father, Bharadwaja, was washing himself at the Ganges River and saw a beautiful nymph bathing. He was overcome with desire, and spilled his sperm. He caught it and preserved it in a vessel. And from that vessel, called a drona, I sprang forth.”

Aphrodite nodded, intrigued by this tale. She opened her mouth to speak, but Drona quickly interjected.

“I am sorry, Goddess, if such talk offends you. I had forgotten your station, and your gender while telling that story. Please forgive me.”

Aphrodite held up her hand.

“Do not fear, dear Drona. As the goddess of love, I am very aware of sex and desire. Your story didn’t offend me, but rather, it amused me. My birth story is quite similar.”

Drona’s eyes widened. Filled with propriety, he could barely motion her to continue.

“I, too, was born outside of a woman’s womb. I came from the foam of the sea. My name actually means foam in Greek,” she started.
“Cronus, a Titan, the oldest of my kind, cut the genitals off of Ouranos, the father of the earth. Cronus threw the genitals into the sea, and they were carried a long way, building up lots of foam. From them, I emerged.”

Drona gulped.

“So you see, dear friend, your story did not offend me, but gave me a new a friend. A friend with a beginning quite similar to my own.”

She reached her hand out and placed it on Drona’s shoulder. As a pink flush rose up Drona’s shoulders, Aphrodite began to laugh.

“Great party, Jesus,” she called out between giggles.


lotus
Lotus Blossom. Web Source: All About Jazz.


Introduction

Storybook Coverpage

Rama and Issac's Story

Esther and Sita's Story

Athena and Draupadi's Story



Aphrodite's Birth Story. Web Source: Paleothea
Narayan, R.K. The Mahabharata. University of Chicago: 2000.