Ekalavya’s clan was called the ‘Nishadas’ or the tribal warriors.

Historians say the Nishadas were spread all over India, from north to
south, east to west. Historians believe the Nishadas were the early
inhabitants of India and they existed even before the Aryans
arrived. Though fearless and peace loving the Nishadas were treated as
outcastes by everyone and they lead a secluded life.
Ekalavya’s father Hiranyadhanu was a well known Nishada king who had
his tribal kingdom not very far from Hastinapur. As a young prince
Ekalavya was naturally attracted towards the royal sports, hunting and
archery.

Story of Ekalavya Stories from Mahabharata

Near the ashrama of Drona, where Arjuna and his brothers used to take lessons in various arts, there
lived a small bright boy, shudra by caste (lower caste). His name was Eklavya. He had great desire to
learn the art of archery from Dronacharya. But his mother had told him that as a shudra, Acharya
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. Near his house, under a tree Eklavya installed
a clay idol of Dronacharya that he worshiped as his Guru! Daily, morning and evening, this devotee
put flower and natural perfumes in front of this image and took Self-Lessons in the art of bow and
arrow.

The talented young Eklavya soon acquired high knowledge in archery. He attributed his success to
his Guru Dronacharya. One day, as it happened, Acharya Drona and Arjuna were passing near the
hut of Eklavya. It was pleasant and peaceful afternoon and people were taking rest. But the
tranquility and silence was broken by constant barking of a dog. Eklavya did not like this, and
therefore, he shut the mouth of the dog with an arrow! Dronacharya and Arjuna were surprised to
see the dog with his mouth sealed with an arrow! Naturally the curious Arjuna asked his Gurudev as
to who could have done this delicate job. Even Dronacharya was amazed and knew the archer must
be exceptionally skilled artist. They decided to trace this skillful fellow and reached the spot where
Eklavya was practicing wonders with his bow and arrow in front of the clay image of Drona. It took
no time for Dronacharya to understand the situation. He realized that Eklavya was superior to Arjuna
in some respects. Dronacharya loved Arjuna very much and had declared him to be the best archer
on the earth. Hence the Guru thought for awhile and came to a decision to remove Eklavya as a
competitor to Arjuna. Dronacharya went to Eklavya and said, "O young man, who has taught you
such wonderful skills in archery! Who is your Guru?" Seeing the Guru in front of him, the boy Eklavya
was more that overjoyed and said, "Why, O Gurudev, this all is your grace! I worship you as my Guru.
Look you are there in that image!" Dronacharya was pleased with the dedication of Eklavya, and
said, "I bless you my son. But as is customary, won't you give me my fees - Guru-Dakshina!"

2
[It is customary in India to give to the Guru whatever he demands as his fees - Guru-Dakshina for the
knowledge the Guru has given to the disciple.] Eklavya was overwhelmed to see Dronacharya had
accepted him as his disciple! Out he said, "O Honorable Teacher, whatever you ask, this humble
disciple of yours will try his utmost to offer you as GuruDakshina! I am blessed." And now comes a
very touching and pathetic incidence in Mahabharata. Guru Drona said, "O Eklavya, I am pleased
with your respect for Guru. I want the thumb of your right hand as my fees – GuruDakshina." 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! How could Dronacharya demand such a heavy prize from one disciple to protect the
honor of the other! But Eklavya had no such remorse. Unruffled and with due humility, cheerfully
and without protest, he cut his right thumb and placed at the feet of Dronacharya. Gods in the
heaven silently praised the greatness of Eklavya's sacrifice.
The story of Ekalavya
Characters/Persons from Mahabharata Mahabharata Characters Index In the
epic Mahabharata, Ekalavya 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. Fearful that Ekalavya will excel
him, Arjuna begs Drona to take action. Drona 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. In the
Mahabharatha, Ekalavya is introduced as a young prince of the lowly
Nishadha tribes. Ekalavya was born to Devashrava (brother of Vasudeva,
who was father of Krishna) and was raised by Hiranyadhanus, the leader
(King) of the Nishadhas, who was a commander in the army of Jarasandha
(the king of Magadha). Desirous of learning advanced skills of archery,
he seeks the tutelage of Drona, the legendary weaponsmaster of and
instructor of Arjuna and his brothers. Drona, however, rejects Ekalavya
on account of the prince's humble origins. Ekalavya is undeterred and
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.
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. Bhishmaka decides
that Rukmini should marry Shishupala, but instead Rukmini elopes with
Krishna. Ekalavya is later killed by Krishna, who hurls a rock against
him, in a conflict against Jarasandh's army.

Introduction
Ekalavya’s clan was called the ‘Nishadas’ or the tribal warriors.
Historians say the
Nishadas were spread all over India, from north to south, east to west.
Historians believe
the Nishadas were the early inhabitants of India and they existed even
before the Aryans
arrived. Though fearless and peace loving the Nishadas were treated as
outcastes by
everyone and they lead a secluded life
Ekalavya’s father Hiranyadhanu was a well known Nishada king who had
his tribal
kingdom not very far from Hastinapur. As a young prince Ekalavya was
naturally
attracted towards the royal sports, hunting and archery.

III. Dronacharya’s dilemma

A. The reason - As Ekalavya became older he mastered the basic skills
of archery all by
himself and one day when he saw Dronacharya teaching the Pandavas and
the Kauravas
archery and other lessons Ekalavya approached him and requested him to
make him his
student. Dronacharya refused to have him inducted among his royal
students. What we
know from the Mahabharata is he did that to ensure that a tribal boy
did not mix with
the princes else their status would have been jeopardized. But was that
the actual reason
why he Dronacharya refused? Back then gurus like him were allowed to
teach the art of
war to anyone they liked, irrespective of their caste and creed
(remember, all Kshatriyas
were not kings or princes). Then what could have been the real motive
behind his
refusal?
The actual reason for this was much more political. Dronacharya was a
resident teacher
of the Kauravas (and I mean Kauravas and Pandavas both, that time there
was only one
kingdom named Kuru). He was paid a handsome remuneration to teach the
young
princes the art of war and a mere wrong decision would have enraged
Bhisma or
Dhritarastra and he could have lost his job. Dronacharya never forgot
how he had
struggled to earn a decent living before coming to Kuru, how his little
son Aswathama
was made to drink rice water as milk and how his friend Drupada
insulted his poverty
and friendship. Dronacharya couldn’t have risked it all for Ekalavya.
Hence the decision.

B. Suppressed feelings – The first time when Dronacharya met Ekalavya

(when he
found a dog’s mouth was filled with arrows in such a way that it was
unable to utter
any sound) he knew that none of the warriors he knew were able to do
such a skillful
thing with a bow and arrows. He was definitely curious about the young
tribal boy
Ekalavya and when he came to know that he had mastered such skills only
by watching
him he was definitely intrigued. Lot of scholars believed that right at
that moment
Dronacharya accepted Ekalavya as his worthy and perhaps the best
student at heart.
(I would like to point out a small example of Ekalavya’s skills,
Ekalavya was
meditating when the dog came to the jungle and started barking at him.
He was
disturbed by the dog and was unhappy. The dog barked once and never got
a chance to
bark again. In that fraction of second the dog needed to let out his
second bark
Ekalavya shot seven arrows in its mouth. That was skill !)
But the gurudakshina part where Dronacharya claimed his right hand’s
thumb did not
happen on that same day. It happened some time later.

C. Arjuna’s manipulation – Somehow Arjuna had seen the looks on

Dronacharya’s
face when he met Ekalavya and feared the worst. As a great archer
himself Arjuna
realized Ekalavya’s skills in a moment and perhaps he felt that he
himself was not as
good as Ekalavya was.
The same night Dronacharya woke up from his sleep by a strange noise
outside. He came
out of his room and found it was pitch dark around him. And from that
darkness came a
strange hissing sound, as if someone was shooting arrows. Dronacharya
took a torch and
followed the sound. Soon he found Arjuna standing in the middle of
darkness and
practicing one of the hardest lessons of archery – ‘Shabd Bhedi Teer’
or hitting a target
only by hearing its sound. Dronacharya was overwhelmed by seeing
Arjuna’s skills and
dedication and embraced him in joy. But Arjuna pushed him away and told
him that he
was very saddened by Dronacharya’s actions the same morning. When
Dronacharya
wanted to know what bothered his favorite student Arjuna replied, “
Acharya, you had
promised me, and Pitamaha Bhisma that you would make me the greatest
warrior in
this world and I would be unmatched on earth, in the heavens and in
Patala (hell).
Then why do we have someone like Ekalavya who can challenge my
greatness?”
Dronacharya had nothing to answer, but at the same time he made up his
mind that of
had to remain as the teacher of the Pandavas and the Kauravas he had to
do something
about Ekalavya even if he had to go against his own principles.

D. Dronacharya’s acceptance -We all know what happened next.

Dronacharya went
to Ekalavya and asked him to cut off the thumb of his right hand as
Gurudakshina.
Now here is the interesting part that we fail to realize. In those
times a guru could only
ask for a Gurudakshina from a person who was his student. The moment
Dronacharya
asked for the same from Ekalavya it was clear that Dronacharya had
accepted Ekalavya
as his student at heart, else he could have never asked for a dakshina
from him. And he
accepted Ekalavya as his finest student so tactfully (and sadly) that
not even Arjuna had
anything to complain about.

IV. Ekalavya’s resurrection

After Ekalavya fell to the ground crying in despair and sorrow after
losing his thumb
perhaps the happiest man that time was Arjuna for he had tactfully
eliminated his rival.
EKLAVYA

BRAVO-4
Narration:-S.Ramanathan
1
Some wellknown persnalties gives we people courage and inspiration.
And to lead us a better style of thought current & livelyhood.
Ekalavya was such a person.
There is one anciant saying like this:
Gurur Brahma GururVishno Gururdevo Maheswara
Gurur Sakshath ParamBrahma Thasmai SriguraveNama:
In Hindhu way of life .The Teacher or Guru-He who gives us knowledge
and courage.
He is notonly a guide.He is every thing.He leads us to eternal
glory.Education is not merely
literary know how! But it should lead one to all style of pure and
perfect knowledge.In behavior
inability & capability to learn the life for what-why-how and to
where.So in anciant times
the puple surrender to the feet of the teacher-TheGuru.And taking
blessings & courage.
The best & most beautiful Indian Epic The Mahabharatha,there is one
Brave young Boy
& one most reverable teacher.They are Ekalavya & Dhronacharya.Eklavya
was young jungle lad.A
brave, loving smart boy.He is very keen &itelegent.He loves his jungle
and the envirement & the
inhabitants of there.He is very eager to protect the animals.With his
presense the jungle atmosphere
is always calm and quiet.he behave andbelief like the prince of the
jungle territory.
He loves the calves and the wolves and the rabits.he playing with them.
The Eklavya is the friend and protector of them.They feels like that.So
every creacher.of the forest
like Eklavya.We can say like that.Eklavya devoloped such a stong
affection with all type of animals
in the forest.
Most of the forest dwellers and hunters are born archers. Eklavya also
like that and he like to
become master in archary like all young jungle bravo.He is in search of
such a capable master- a
guru for that.

Hiranmayi was the mother and the Hiranyadhanu was the father of
Eklavya.Hiranyadhanu was the
cieftain of the fires at that time.In that charming forest they lived
in an modest contented
life.Unfortunately we can say like that hiranyadhanu lost his life in
battle.So eklavya become the
chief of the forest.With guidanse of mother Eklavya attain the noble
qualities to lead a brave style of
life.Searching for a guru Eklavya become restless.
His mother noticed the restless behavior of her son One day she asked.
Oh my lad !
what happend? I think you are In some sort of treble.
Ofcourse mother ! yes Iam in dailama! I want to become a Master in
archery.So I am in search of a
fine teacher.What can I do?Invaders and out siders desterbing
destructing & destroying
our poor animals here in our territerry.I like protect our
inhabitance..from those cruel hunters.
And the same time the cruel wild animals like wolf and gaints whom they
killing my loving
calves & sheeps and rabbits.
The mother felt glad with her son’s brave style of affections with his
inhabitance.
she told Dear Eklavya my son .Dont be silly,be bold .There is revered
guru Dhronacharya
in Hasthinapura.
He is the guru of Pandavas and kavravas under the guidanse of the great
Bhishmacharya.
You go and meet him .Oh mother! How is Dhronacharya? Is he capable to
teach me more in archery
Even with out direct or indirect battle ? can I aim for a target & to
shoot sharply Even I cant see the
target?Defnetly my dear .Dronacharya is such great one.Do you know the
Bhishmacharya?
He is ruler of Hasthinapura.He is son of Gangadevi!HE IS THE GRANT
FATHER OF
KURUDAINASTY AT THAT TIME
Do you know the story which Bhishma
select Dhronacharya as the teacher of
Kauravas? Its very interesting.
How Bhishmapithamaha select Dhronacharya?
Dear mother please tell me The fact regarding
Dhronacharya.I like to hear it.
Ok mylad.
Once Bhishmacharya with his kids in the nearby
ground of the palace.Pandavas & Kuaravas are
playing .Suddenly ball fell into the well.It is very
difficult to recollect the ball from the well.
All are confused..What next?How the ball will
take from the well?
At that time The Dhronacharya came there..
He watch the confution of the boys.and asked.
Oh my boys!what happend?
Oh revered one our ball fall in to this deepwell.we are helpless.Can
you help us?
Defnetly with pleasure.Becuase I like you people.
Then he took some strong grassstrip and shoot one by one to the ball.
natuarely first one arrow stinch to the ball and next to its up like
that a rope and the marshal
took the from the well.The boys wondered.
The boys bowved and salute the master. Oh revered one who are you?We
are very much
greatful to you?What can we do for you?
Dont worry my boys You people go to report your grant father
Bhishmacharya that dhronacharya
is here.Then the boys runaway gave the report to Bhishma-their
grantfather.Dhronacharya
is at there palace ground.And they what they saw the skill of
Dhronacharya.

How lucky!they got a great and fantastic guru.Mother can Dhronacharya

accept me as his deciple?
Ho my lad! go and meet him.He is have his own some dishtinguish style.I
wish you my boy Behave
honestly&humbly.At the same movement with blessings of mother Eklavya
left to Hasthinapuri.
Eklavya duely reached the outskirts of the palace.He saw the
martialclasses are going
on.Dhronacharya giving the archery to the princes,in peculier style.He
waited near a tree there in the
ground.The last hour all the deciples sarround Dhronacharya.He show how
to stand errect,body balancing style,finger positions with arrow,and to
pointing the target,and how to shoot sharply. At last
he show the most tipical andwonderfull methord that how toshoot the
arrow without seeing the
target,with hearing the sound only.And Eklavya saw the demonstration by
Dhronacharya.He gripped
with joy,Oh what a fantastic master!He bow to him and salute to the
feet internaly-mentaly-to
Dhronacharya.After a while,that days classes are over.Dhronacharya
disbersed all. At that time
Eklavya met Dhronacharya and touch his feet and salute him,the total
surrendering of Hindu -Indian
style.Dhrona touched and emotional.Seeing the humlity of that jungle
boy ,an innocent and cultured
behaviour Dhrona bent with emotins and stretched his arms and lift and
embraised and bless
Eklavya.

Dhronacharya asked: oh my nice one who

are you ?for what you came here? What you
are seeking from me?Eklavya answered: Oh
revered one I am eklavya,the son of jungle
chief Hiranyadhanu.Hiranmayi saw his son is
coming with an enthusiastic style and .
courage.She felt happy.
Eklavya moved
fast and touch mothers
feet and pay regards.and told
Mother!
Iam blessed.
And
honoured. Guru dhronachrya gave me
recognation as his deciple and told take self
interest and effort. then can become master
of archery.I saw the classes Dhronacharya
showing the kuru-princes.
Now it is not a
problem for me.I am going for practice.
Hiranmayi said:Oh my child go ahead you are so fortunate.Iam sure you
will get succeses.that day
Eklavya Errect a self mold statue of Dhronacharya in ground and take
practise in front of the
statue.The days passed away.One fine evening some hunting dogs came
there with barking
ferrotiously.
Eklavya with an agast mood stood a while and sudden effect he
shootarrows to the dogs frequantly.
The dogs turn back in screaming and ranaway.
After some time some youngsters came there with thewounted dogs .seeing
them and seeing Eklavya
they also wondered.What happend who is this young man with wearing the
tiger skin and with
arrow&sword.Eklavya asked himself:who are these young people why they
came here ?May for
hunting my dear poor animals? No its not fair! I nerver allow them to
do injustice in my boundry.Its
my dharma and duty to protect my inhibitance from traiters.Any how its
a warning to these
immatured young group.
One young man came forward and asked: oh jungle man! why done like
this? who are you:
Who is your master in these style of uncombitable archery?We are the
kuru princes. Then Eklavya
told.Iam Eklavya The jungle chief .son of late
Hiranyadhanu.My master is Well Known Acharya Dhrona the great.What ?
are you the deciple of
Dhronacharya.The PandavaPrince Arjuna asked and wondered.Then the kuru
princes left back with
an dejected mood.They came back to there palace .Arjuna met
Dhronacharya and asked with dejected mood.Oh my reverd guro.You told me
that Iam the best and most brilliant deciple of you than
any other?Yes ofcourse! even now Iam thinking like so! what happend now
? why you are asking in
a dejectedmood? Whats wrong with me?Tell Arjuna What happend to you?Oh
guro! we saw a
wonder done in archery by a jungle youth.He told that you are his
master.He shoot a bundle of
arrows within seconds into the mouth og few dogs. Its impossible
evenbyyourself.What ! there is no
such deciple for me in jungle.Come let us move Dhronacharya left to the
jungle to Meet Eklavya.
5
Ensited Arjuna take Dhronacharya to the Forest with other deciples and
his brothers.when they
reached the deep forest Dhrona saw the dog barking with pain a bundle
of arrows in its mouth.
suddenly Dhrona recoolect the brave youth.That same boy you blessed for
the master archer .
now that boy become the master archer,with his own effert and
sincerity.dhronacharya told :my dear
arjuna what a adventurous and marvelous one .how nice his
determination.all will apreciate the
young man.Dhronacharya told himself :Oh god ! I should these my poor
princes Howmuch brilliant
and brave and intellegent&humble is this jungle one!
Eklavya recieved the news that his great master Acharyadhrona is coming
to meet him.He
decorated the whole way to his hut with flowers leaf.He duly recieved
his acharya.garlended and
tuch his feet and gave regard to him.And Eklavya offered milk and
fruits to all.
According to the request Eklavya show his skill in archery.everybody
apreciate him.Eklavya
told Oh my revedGuro!All these are the result of your kind blessings
only.I practiesed the archery in
front of your idol.Then he show the ground.Sir! with the prayer and
meditation iam starting my daily
practice.I think from your genarositynatuarly the whole knoledge coming
to me , That was my
feeling.
Dhrona charya was thrilledWith full emotion and affections dhronas eyes
teared.Dhrona told : Iam
very fortunate getting like you as deciple.Then Arjuna and aswathama
the son of Dhrona asked Oh
God now what are you saying now we are trailng back to this jungleboy.
as your deciples?Hearing
this Dhrona shuddered in agony.My promise to Arjuna! And this brave
humble good young my
deciple.? any how the I bound to maintain the courage of the princes of
great kuru dainasty.that is my
duty also.Then can only protect the interest of the nation also.so I
have done something.Dhrona With
determination asked to Eklavya .Eklavya my good one! You told that you
are my deciple.Ofcourse
my Guro according to my and my mothers wish you are my Guru.

6
Hearing this Dhrona told. then my boy ! if you are accepting me as your
guru you should pay my
gurudakshina-the fee.OK guro! Its my previlage to offer the proper
gurudakshina please ask me .
Dhrona told .Eklavya your achivement is uncopitable and unparelel.But
Iam proud of it also.But my
dear its depends on my promise ,i dont like to break it.Oh master what
are you telling?There is no
need to brake your promise for mysake.Ask me how can I help you.
Eklavya If you are capable for that I liketo ask a supreame style of
gurudakshina from you.
Defnetly my guro!you can askme.Then Eklavya my son pardon me you please
give me the thumb of
your right hand as you gurudakshina.Hearing these words every body
shoked ! with out right thumb
a archer cant do archery.But Eklavya Just turned his eyes to his guru
and walk to the idol of his
acharya.There he salute the idol and with arrow he broken the right
thumb with his left hand
and offer it to the GuruDhronacharya.Oh master ! please accept my
fee.Dhronacharya with grieve
Embrace his deciple with emotions and told: My son You are realy great
one.you gurudakshina is
unmached like your archery.May god bless you.Arjuna and others
dumbfouned.Dhrona returned to
hasthinapurawith his kuru princes.
The great jungle boy scored eternity in defeat. As a deciple
and valuor.

Eklavya an ideal one.