Ekalavya
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In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, Ekalavya (Sanskrit: एकलव्य, ékalavya) is a young prince of the Nishadha tribes, and a member of a low caste, who nevertheless aspires to study archery in the gurukul of Dronacharya. After being rejected by Drona, Ekalavya embarks upon a program of self-study in the presence of a clay image of Drona. He achieves a level of skill equal to that of Arjuna, Drona's favorite and most accomplished pupil. Drona eventually comes to know the same and goes to Ekalavya and demands that Ekalavya turn over his right thumb as a teacher's fee. The loyal Ekalavya cripples himself, and thereby ruins his prospects as an archer, by severing his thumb and giving it to Drona.
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[edit] Legend
In the Mahabharatha,[1] Ekalavya is introduced as a young prince of the Nishada tribes. Ekalavya was born to Devashrava (brother of Vasudeva, who was father of Krishna)[2] and was raised by Hiranyadhanus, the leader (King) of the Nishadhas, who was a commander in the army of Jarasandha (the king of Magadha).[3]
Eklavya was a small bright boy who lived near the ashrama of Drona, where Pandavas and Kauravas used to take lessons in various arts. He had great desire to learn the art of archery from Dronacharya. But his mother had told him that Drona would not accept Eklavya as his disciple. It was futile to dream of such a privilege. But the boy was not be put off, his determination knew no bounds.
[edit] Self-training in the forest
Ekalavya goes off into the forest where he fashions a clay image of Drona. Worshipping the statue as his preceptor, he begins a disciplined program of self-study. As a result, Ekalavya becomes an archer of exceptional prowess, comparable to even to Drona's best pupil, Arjuna. One day while Ekalavya is practicing, he hears a dog barking. Before the dog can shut up or get out of the way, Ekalavya fires seven arrows in rapid succession to fill the dog's mouth without injuring it. The Pandava princes come upon the "stuffed" dog, and wonder who could have pulled off such a feat of archery. Searching the forest, they find a dark-skinned man dressed all in black, his body besmeared with filth and his hair in matted locks. It is Ekalavya, who introduces himself to them as a pupil of Drona.
[edit] Guru Dakshina
Arjuna fears that Ekalavya may have eclipsed him in skill with the bow. As a result, Arjuna complains to his teacher Drona, reminding Drona of his promise that he would make Arjuna as his best pupil. Drona acknowledges Arjuna's claim, and goes with the princes to seek out Ekalavya. He finds Ekalavya, as always, diligently practicing archery. Seeing Drona, Ekalavya prostrates himself and clasps the teacher's hands, awaiting his order.
Drona asks Ekalavya for a deed of gratitude that a student owes his teacher upon the completion of his training. Ekalavya replies that there is nothing he would not give his teacher. Drona asks for Ekalavya's right thumb, knowing that its loss will hamper Ekalavya's ability to pursue archery. The trees and atmosphere around stood still for a minute! Even Arjuna was stunned on listening to the unusual and almost cruel demand of his Guru. To ask for the thumb of an archer was equivalent to almost kill him! Ekalavya, however, cheerfully and without hesitation severs his thumb and hands it to Drona.
Drona is criticized by others over this incident. Drona was no doubt partial towards Arjuna, in fact his love towards Arjuna was more than that towards his own son.
The Mahābhārata does not answer the question whether Drona was ultimately justified. The story thus leaves room for interpretation and moral speculation. As a result, a variety of answers have been proposed to these questions.
According to some, Drona wanted to hamper Ekalavya's archery skills because he feared that Ekalavya would use them against Drona's employer, the King of Hastinapur[3] (Ekalavya's father worked for Jarasandh, who was an adversary of the Hastinapur kingdom).
Others have alleged that Ekalavya learned all the archery skills by secretly observing the training sessions of Dronacharya. When Dronacharaya found out, he visited Ekalavya to verify his suspicions. Although Drona could have demanded an even greater punishment under the laws in effect at that time, he asked only for Ekalavya's right thumb, thus making the archery skills which he had learned secretly useless[citation needed].
[edit] Death
Later, Ekalavya worked as a confidant of King Jarasandh. At the time of Rukmini's Swayamvar, he acted as the messenger between Shishupala and Rukmini's father Bhishmaka, at Jarasandh's behest.[3] Bhishmaka decides that Rukmini should marry Shishupala, but instead Rukmini elopes with Krishna. Ekalavya is later killed during the conflict against Jarasandh's army.[3][4]
[edit] References
- ^ The Mahābhārata, Book 1: Adi Parva, Sambhava Parva: section CXXXIV
- ^ http://www.geocities.com/prasanna_avaroth/mbtns/MBTN_2.pdf
- ^ a b c d A. D. Athawale. Vastav Darshan of Mahabharat. Continental Book Service, Pune, 1970
- ^ Dowson, John (1820-1881). A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and literature. London: Trübner, 1879 [Reprint, London: Routledge, 1979]. Also available at Encyclopedia for Epics of Ancient India
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