EKALAVYA

Ekalavya is a character from the Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata. He was a young prince of the Nishadha, a jungle tribe in Ancient India. Ekalavya aspired to study archery in the gurukul of Guru Dronacharya.He was killed in battle by Krishna.

Ekalavya belonged to a forest tribe of barbarians. The barbarians had the best aptitude for archery. Aptitude requires appropriate opportunities for self realization. Ekalavya heard about Drona the ideal teacher of archery and he longed to be a pupil of the great preceptor. Drona was the prestigious preceptor of the Princes of the royal family. But how can he go to Hastinapura and join the royal academy of military sciences? So in his own humble way he erected a mud statue of Drona, installed it in a special hut of leaves and regarding him as his preceptor, began the practice of archery with dedication and devotion. Every night he dreamed of his prestigious preceptor but worked hard every day to acquire proficiency in the art of archery. Ekalavya imagined that he acquired the great skill in the art of archery by the grace of Drona who instructed him in absentia. Ekalavya is the epic example of the classical theory that in education inspiration is the most important ingredient and instruction is only a subsidiary factor.

One day the Kaurava and the Pandava Princes went on a hunting expedition into the forest where Ekalavya was living. A dog belonging to the royal party saw a wild boar and began to bark. Suddenly showers of strange arrows hit the dog in quick succession following the sound track from an invisible and incomprehensible source. The Princes plucked out the arrow heads from the bleeding dog and encountered Ekalavya who came to the spot unostentatiously. The unerring precision with which Ekalavya could hit at the unseen target was an unpleasant surprise to the Princes. Arjuna asked him, "Who are you, any God or Gandharava, an aboriginal? Who is your preceptor?" Ekalavya replied, "Great prince, I am Ekalavya, a humble pupil of the great preceptor of Dronacharya and son of this soil."


The Princes returned home but Arjuna could not forget Ekalavya. Next day the Prince narrated the encounter with Ekalavya to their preceptor and praised his matchless skill in the art of Bow. Drona said, "Archery, a luxury of the Princes, is a necessity of the Barbarians, however their skill must be limited and rudimentary ." But Arjuna attested to the superiority of Ekalavya and added, "Revered sir, you have promised me to make the best bow man in the world. But I must affirm that the Barbarian Ekalavya has potentialities for attaining supremacy in no time." Drona went to the forest followed by the Princes to meet Ekalavya who was extremely delighted to see the great master of his dreams. Ekalavya received with all the devotion at his command. He washed the Lotus feet of his master and sprinkled the sacred waters over his head as an act of self purification. After seating Drona on a crane throne Ekalavya offered him the purest honey and worshipped his feet with various varieties of flowers and offered sandal paste and bamboo pearls. The Princes were amazed at the adoration with which a barbarian received Drona whom he regarded as his teacher. Ekalavya bowing reverentially at the feet of the master said, " I want to offer my humble Gurudakshina to you. Please specify your choice." Drona replied, " I do not know how I deserve your homage of ‘Gurudkshina’. Even if it were true that you owe your art of archery to me, you are not a Prince to derive any benefit out of it." But Ekalavya insisted, "True, I am not a Prince to give you any precious present. But I can give you my very life. I want that sacred satisfaction which is really priceless." Drona coolly said, "Then please present me the thumb of your right hand."

All the Princes were shocked and stared at one another in stupefied silence. Ekalavya’s compliance with the demand of Drona simply meant suicide of his career as an archer. The Princes knew it. Ekalavya could comprehend it immediately. The animated suspense came to an end within a few seconds as Ekalavya drew his sword and cut the thumb out of his right and placed it at the feet of preceptor. It was a scene too deep for tears. Ekalavya derived great spiritual satisfaction from his super- human self sacrifice. Ekalavya said to Drona, "Great Guru, you have graciously saved me from the sin of villainy and violence, the ingredients of the art of archery. I feel, I have no birth, I have lost my thumb but, I have gained emancipation from the terrestrial bondage here and now. You have come to my door and saved my soul." Drona returned to Hastinapura dumb-founded.