Mahabharata – 218
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
Aadivamsaavatarana Parva
Ekalavya the finest archer
One day the Kuru and the Pandava princes, with Drona's permission, set out in their chariot on hunting. A servant, followed the party for the convenience, with the usual instruments and a dog. Having come to the woods, they wandered about, intent on the purpose they had in
view. Meanwhile, the dog also, wandering alone in the woods, came to Ekalavya. And seeing Ekalavya of dark complexion, dirty body with mud, dressed in black and bearing matted locks on head, the dog began to bark aloud. Then Ekalavya, willing to exhibit his lightness of hand,
sent seven arrows into its mouth. The dog, thus pierced with seven arrows, came back to the Pandavas. The Pandavas seeing that sight, were filled with wonder. They were ashamed of their own skill. They began to praise the lightness of hand and accurateness of aim of the unknown archer. And they then began to seek in those woods for the unknown dweller there that had shown such skill. The Pandavas soon found out the object of their search ceaselessly discharging arrows from the bow. They saw that man of gloomy look. He was totally a
stranger to them.They asked --Who are you and whose son?
Thus questioned, the man replied -- You heroes, I am Ekalavya the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas. Know me also for a pupil of Drona, laboring for the mastery of the art of arms. The Pandavas then, having learnt everything about him, returned to the Hastinapura. They went to Drona, and told him of that wonderful feat of archery which they had witnessed in the woods. Arjuna, in particular, thinking all the while, saw Drona in private and relying upon his preceptor's affection for him said--You had lovingly told me, that no pupil of yours should be equal to me. Why then is there a pupil of yours, who excels me? Ekalavya the mighty son of the
Nishada king, is superior to me. On hearing these words, Drona thought for a moment, and resolving the course of action he should follow, took Arjuna with him and went to Ekalavya. And he saw Ekalavya with dirty body lorn with mud. There were matted locks on his head. He was dressed in black, wielding a bow in hand and ceaselessly shooting arrows. And when Ekalavya saw Drona approaching towards him, he went a few steps forward, and touched his feet and prostrated. And the son of the Nishada king worshipping Drona, duly as his pupil, and with folded hands in reverence stood before him. Then Drona, addressed Ekalavya, saying --- Oh hero, if you are really my pupil, give me then my tuition fees. On hearing these words, Ekalavya was very much satisfied. He said -- Oh my illustrious preceptor, what shall I give you? Command me, I can give you whatever you ask for. Oh foremost of all persons conversant with the Vedas, I have nothing that I may not give you. Drona answered --Oh Ekalavya, if you are really desirous to give my tuition fees. I should like then to have the thumb of your right hand. Hearing these cruel words of Drona, who asked of him his thumb as tuition-fee, Ekalavya, ever devoted to truth and desirous also of keeping his promise, cut off without hesitation
his thumb, and gave it to Drona with a cheerful face and with joyful heart. After this, when he began once more to shoot with the help of his remaining fingers, he found, that he had lost his former lightness of hand. And at this Arjuna became happy. The Ekalavya episode is time and again in its pathos. Ekalavya was refused by Drona because of his lowly birth. But Ekalavya was not dejected. In his imagination he worshipped Drona with all his heart and pursued his goal of learning archery. And lo! Ekalavya out did all the students who took lessons from Drona directly. Drona could not put up with his defeat in the hands of the young man whom he had refused to teach. He went to Ekalavya and asked for Ekalavya’s thumb as tuition fee. This is how the elite kill the genius if any of the downtrodden. The practice was there in the days of the Mahabharata. The same persists in our society today. Think of Ambedkar whom the
elite wanted to destroy in the self same way. Think of Muhammad Ali a descendant of a slave who had to remove a mountain of difficulties set by the social hierarchy to get at the crown of the greatest boxer in the world of his time. It gives us a world view of the workings in the
human society. Those who win laurels in the world are victorious in unequal competition. Let thousand thunders singe the rulers of the world. Story of that of Ekalavya make us nihilists here is no emotion that is worth while under the sun. Even an honest devotion like that of Ekalavya has been denied as if it were a trifle. It puts in our mind a story of Oscar Wilde .A young boy pining for a maiden wanted a red rose. A nightingale could read his heart. And it thrust its breast onto a thorn of a rose plant and sang throughout the moon lit night. At day break the young man saw the dead body of the nightingale lying at the foot of rose plant. And lo! There was a red rose at the crest of the rose plant. The young lover was exceedingly glad. He plucked
the flower and presented the same to his wealthy lady love. But she became enamored of a rich young prince in the meantime. And the flower lay on the road being trampled by the wheels of a Cadillac in which the young lady and prince were having a joy ride.
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
Aadivamsaavatarana Parva
Ekalavya the finest archer
One day the Kuru and the Pandava princes, with Drona's permission, set out in their chariot on hunting. A servant, followed the party for the convenience, with the usual instruments and a dog. Having come to the woods, they wandered about, intent on the purpose they had in
view. Meanwhile, the dog also, wandering alone in the woods, came to Ekalavya. And seeing Ekalavya of dark complexion, dirty body with mud, dressed in black and bearing matted locks on head, the dog began to bark aloud. Then Ekalavya, willing to exhibit his lightness of hand,
sent seven arrows into its mouth. The dog, thus pierced with seven arrows, came back to the Pandavas. The Pandavas seeing that sight, were filled with wonder. They were ashamed of their own skill. They began to praise the lightness of hand and accurateness of aim of the unknown archer. And they then began to seek in those woods for the unknown dweller there that had shown such skill. The Pandavas soon found out the object of their search ceaselessly discharging arrows from the bow. They saw that man of gloomy look. He was totally a
stranger to them.They asked --Who are you and whose son?
Thus questioned, the man replied -- You heroes, I am Ekalavya the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas. Know me also for a pupil of Drona, laboring for the mastery of the art of arms. The Pandavas then, having learnt everything about him, returned to the Hastinapura. They went to Drona, and told him of that wonderful feat of archery which they had witnessed in the woods. Arjuna, in particular, thinking all the while, saw Drona in private and relying upon his preceptor's affection for him said--You had lovingly told me, that no pupil of yours should be equal to me. Why then is there a pupil of yours, who excels me? Ekalavya the mighty son of the
Nishada king, is superior to me. On hearing these words, Drona thought for a moment, and resolving the course of action he should follow, took Arjuna with him and went to Ekalavya. And he saw Ekalavya with dirty body lorn with mud. There were matted locks on his head. He was dressed in black, wielding a bow in hand and ceaselessly shooting arrows. And when Ekalavya saw Drona approaching towards him, he went a few steps forward, and touched his feet and prostrated. And the son of the Nishada king worshipping Drona, duly as his pupil, and with folded hands in reverence stood before him. Then Drona, addressed Ekalavya, saying --- Oh hero, if you are really my pupil, give me then my tuition fees. On hearing these words, Ekalavya was very much satisfied. He said -- Oh my illustrious preceptor, what shall I give you? Command me, I can give you whatever you ask for. Oh foremost of all persons conversant with the Vedas, I have nothing that I may not give you. Drona answered --Oh Ekalavya, if you are really desirous to give my tuition fees. I should like then to have the thumb of your right hand. Hearing these cruel words of Drona, who asked of him his thumb as tuition-fee, Ekalavya, ever devoted to truth and desirous also of keeping his promise, cut off without hesitation
his thumb, and gave it to Drona with a cheerful face and with joyful heart. After this, when he began once more to shoot with the help of his remaining fingers, he found, that he had lost his former lightness of hand. And at this Arjuna became happy. The Ekalavya episode is time and again in its pathos. Ekalavya was refused by Drona because of his lowly birth. But Ekalavya was not dejected. In his imagination he worshipped Drona with all his heart and pursued his goal of learning archery. And lo! Ekalavya out did all the students who took lessons from Drona directly. Drona could not put up with his defeat in the hands of the young man whom he had refused to teach. He went to Ekalavya and asked for Ekalavya’s thumb as tuition fee. This is how the elite kill the genius if any of the downtrodden. The practice was there in the days of the Mahabharata. The same persists in our society today. Think of Ambedkar whom the
elite wanted to destroy in the self same way. Think of Muhammad Ali a descendant of a slave who had to remove a mountain of difficulties set by the social hierarchy to get at the crown of the greatest boxer in the world of his time. It gives us a world view of the workings in the
human society. Those who win laurels in the world are victorious in unequal competition. Let thousand thunders singe the rulers of the world. Story of that of Ekalavya make us nihilists here is no emotion that is worth while under the sun. Even an honest devotion like that of Ekalavya has been denied as if it were a trifle. It puts in our mind a story of Oscar Wilde .A young boy pining for a maiden wanted a red rose. A nightingale could read his heart. And it thrust its breast onto a thorn of a rose plant and sang throughout the moon lit night. At day break the young man saw the dead body of the nightingale lying at the foot of rose plant. And lo! There was a red rose at the crest of the rose plant. The young lover was exceedingly glad. He plucked
the flower and presented the same to his wealthy lady love. But she became enamored of a rich young prince in the meantime. And the flower lay on the road being trampled by the wheels of a Cadillac in which the young lady and prince were having a joy ride.
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