The Great Indian Epic: MAHABHARATH

EKALAVYA'S GURU DHAKSHINA

As the day passes Arjuna was getting better and better at Archery. He practiced day and night. 

One day while he was practicing he saw a dog. He was speechless. Because arrows were amazingly constructed around the dog's mouth in a harmless way making it unable to bark. Arjuna was stunned how can it be done? Dronacharya saw Arjuna at the edge of the forest standing still. He went to him calling, "Arjuna, What are you doing here son? I told you to..." Dronacharya stopped and looked at the dog in front of Arjuna. He was fascinated. Such a brilliant construction. "Arjuna did you do this?" he asked him with amusement. "No Gurudeva. It is not me who has done this? "  

Dronacharya was surprised. If it is not Arjuna, then who was it? Who else is capable of such an amazing construction? He had to find out.

Without thinking further Dronacharya went into the forest. Arjuna followed him. Duryodhana and Ashwatthama who were seeing it from far also started to follow them.

After some time Dronacharya found a cave. When he went inside, he was stunned. Because he saw a statue made of mud. And it was his statue. There were few things in the cave. It looks like someone is living in it for a long time now. 

A boy entered the cave. He was older than Yudhishthira. Seeing Dronacharya he went to him and fell to his feet asking for his blessings. Dronacharya make him stand and asked, "Boy, who are you? " "Gurudeva my name is EKALAVYA. I am the son of Hiranyadhanus, the chief of Nishada." 

"So you must be the one who must have constructed the arrows around the dog's mouth," Drona asked. "Yes, Gurudeva" 

Dronacharya was impressed by his skills. "Ekalavya, where did you learn this? Who taught you this art?"

Ekalavya standing like a devotee in front of him looked at him with gleaming pride in his eyes. "From you Gurudeva. You are my teacher." Dronacharya was puzzled.

"Every day I hide at the edge of the forest and see you teaching your students. And at night I would practice them. I collected the mud you walked on and made a statue for you Gurudeva." Drona was too stunned to speak.

He left the cave. He did not speak with anyone or eat anything for the entire day. At the night he was widely awake. A boy who he never took as a student learned Archery from him. He was way too talented. His skills impressed him. He was happy for him. But at what cost? Bhishma appointed him as a teacher for Hasthinapur princes. And his loyalty is to the Hasthinapur kingdom. He made a promise to Arjuna that he will make him the greatest Archer of all time. 

Dronacharya was in a tough situation. He got up and went to the cave. Oil lamps were lit at the feet of his statue. The feet of the statue was filled with flowers. Dronacharya's heart aches.  

Looking at Drona Ekalavya who was practicing went to him. He bowed to him and got his blessing. "Son, I did not accept you as a student. You stole the knowledge from me. If you want the knowledge then you must pay me, Guru Dakshina."

"Gurudeva, you can ask whatever you want. I will give you anything you ask for." Ekalavya was eager. He thought maybe after giving the Gurudhakshina Drona may accept him as his student. His heart was beating faster. 

" I want your right-hand thumb as Gurudhakshina. Will you pay me?" Drona asked.

Ekalavya was stunned. Right-hand thumb? but that is an important finger for an Archer, isn't it?

Without any hesitation. He took a knife from his pocket. With a smiling face, he cut his right-hand thumb. 

The thumb fell at Drona's feet. His eyes were red. 

"Gurudeva will you accept me as a student now?" Ekalavya asked him. His eyes never leaving the finger before him, " You are my student, son." Hearing those words Ekalavya was happy. "As a guru, I ask you to leave this place and never return. Go home."

Hearts shattered not only for Ekalavya but also for Drona. Ekalavya did not speak any words, he took his things and left. He stopped at the entrance of the cave. There Arjuna was standing with trembling hands. He looked into Ekalavya's eyes. Those eyes which were full bright and filled with pride are now dead and hollow. The look which Ekalavya gave Arjuna was like a knife piercing his heart. 

Ekalavya left the place. Drona who saw Arjuna standing with tears in his eyes said, "Arjuna go to your hut." Without asking any questions he left too.

After a minute, tears were falling from Drona's eyes. He looked at the statue Ekalavya made. He took a strong wooden block and started to break the statue. With a heavy heart and tears in his eyes. He screamed in agony and pain.

Days went by...

Arjuna couldn't concentrate on Archery. Every time he touch his bow, the image of Ekalavya's eyes were coming to his mind. However, Dronacharya was normal. He was teaching everyone as if nothing happened. 

Duryodhana and Ashwatthama who were also there on that day in the forest blames Arjuna for what happenend. "It is your fault Arjuna, he lost his finger because of you. Gurudeva wants you to be the best Archer. Look what he has done to a Archer who was better than you." Listening to them made Arjuna feel more and more guilt. He couldn't take anymore.

One evening Arjuna went to Drona's hut. He folded his hands and bowed to him. "Arjuna, what you want? Why are you here?" "Gurudeva I need to speak with you." 

Drona knew what he was going to ask. "Gurudeva, why did you do such an Adharma? Why? Have you no confidence in me? You thought he will be the better Archer than me, is that why you ask his right thumb as Guru Dhakshina?" 

Dronacharya looked at him. Arjuna can see the pain in his eyes. " A Guru has a right to ask his student whatever he wants as a Gurudhakshina. Ekalavya was from Madura. His father serves   Maharaj Jarasandhan. If he learns Archery from me, it is evident that he is going to fight against us in the future. Also, I was appointed to teach Hasthinapur princes and my loyalty is to the Hasthinapur throne. If he learned Archery from someone else and became a great archer, I would be happy for him. But."

Arjuna noticed a tear escaping from Drona's eyes. He felt bad for him. "Gurudeva, but the world will speak ill about you. What will you do about that?" 

"There is only one way Arjuna," he replied. "What is it Gurudeva?"

"You are the only one who can clear my name Arjuna. Prove it to the world that my student Arjuna is the greatest Archer of all time. No one can be compared to him."

From then Arujuna dedicated himself to Archery.