The Stolen Vidya: Arjun and Eklavya - Page 2

Eklavya story is quite controversial, the things go like.

And hearing reports of his skill, kings andprinces, desirous of learning the science of arms, flocked to Drona by thousands. Amongst those thatcame there, O monarch, was a prince named Ekalavya, who was the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas . Drona, however, cognisant of all rules of morality, accepted not the prince as his pupil in archery, seeing that he was a Nishada who might (in time) excel all his high-born pupils.
But, the Nishada prince, touching Drona's feet with bent head, wended his way into the forest, and there he made a clay-image of Drona, and began to worship it respectfully, as if it was his real preceptor, and practised weapons before it with the most rigid regularity. In consequence of his exceptional reverence for his preceptor and his devotion to his purpose, all the three processes of fixing arrows on the bowstring, aiming, and letting off became very easy for him.

Arjuna context:

Arjuna, in particular, thinking all the while, O king, Ekalavya, saw Drona in private and relying upon his preceptor's affection for him, said, 'Thou hadst lovingly told me, clasping me, to thy bosom, that no pupil of thine should be equal to me. Why then is there a pupil of thine, the mighty son of the Nishada king, superior to me?"
On hearing these words, Drona reflected for a moment, and resolving upon the course of action he should follow, took Arjuna with him and went unto the Nishada prince.

Drona answered, 'O Ekalavya, if thou art really intent on making me a gift, I should like then to have the thumb of thy right hand.' "Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these cruel words of Drona, who had asked of him his thumb as tuition-fee, Ekalavya, ever devoted to truth and desirous also of keeping his promise, with a cheerful
face and an unafflicted heart cut off without ado his thumb, and gave it unto Drona. After this, when the Nishada prince began once more to shoot with the help of his remaining fingers, he found, O king, that he had lost his former lightness of hand. And at this Arjuna became happy, the fever (of jealousy) having left him.

So he did not actually eavesdrop but I think I can buy the idea of eaves dropping. That could be a logical reasoning considering Dwarparyuga

Drona may have done it for Arjuna but would I blame Arjuna=== NO!

Because he did not ask drona to do that whatever was talk was it was between Drona and eklavya or eklavya and Arjuna

But that depends on perspective I guess.

.

Originally posted by: Sanskruthi

Eklavya story is quite controversial, the things go like.

And hearing reports of his skill, kings andprinces, desirous of learning the science of arms, flocked to Drona by thousands. Amongst those thatcame there, O monarch, was a prince named Ekalavya, who was the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas . Drona, however, cognisant of all rules of morality, accepted not the prince as his pupil in archery, seeing that he was a Nishada who might (in time) excel all his high-born pupils.
But, the Nishada prince, touching Drona's feet with bent head, wended his way into the forest, and there he made a clay-image of Drona, and began to worship it respectfully, as if it was his real preceptor, and practised weapons before it with the most rigid regularity. In consequence of his exceptional reverence for his preceptor and his devotion to his purpose, all the three processes of fixing arrows on the bowstring, aiming, and letting off became very easy for him.

Arjuna context:

Arjuna, in particular, thinking all the while, O king, Ekalavya, saw Drona in private and relying upon his preceptor's affection for him, said, 'Thou hadst lovingly told me, clasping me, to thy bosom, that no pupil of thine should be equal to me. Why then is there a pupil of thine, the mighty son of the Nishada king, superior to me?"
On hearing these words, Drona reflected for a moment, and resolving upon the course of action he should follow, took Arjuna with him and went unto the Nishada prince.

Drona answered, 'O Ekalavya, if thou art really intent on making me a gift, I should like then to have the thumb of thy right hand.' "Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these cruel words of Drona, who had asked of him his thumb as tuition-fee, Ekalavya, ever devoted to truth and desirous also of keeping his promise, with a cheerful
face and an unafflicted heart cut off without ado his thumb, and gave it unto Drona. After this, when the Nishada prince began once more to shoot with the help of his remaining fingers, he found, O king, that he had lost his former lightness of hand. And at this Arjuna became happy, the fever (of jealousy) having left him.

So he did not actually eavesdrop but I think I can buy the idea of eaves dropping. That could be a logical reasoning considering Dwarparyuga

Drona may have done it for Arjuna but would I blame Arjuna=== NO!

Because he did not ask drona to do that whatever was talk was it was between Drona and eklavya or eklavya and Arjuna

But that depends on perspective I guess.

.

@Underlined - this is a part of the sanskrit Mahabharat. These exact words. It goes, (I am not fluent in Sanskrit but trying) -

Taato Arjunaha- Prita manah babhiva vigata jwaraha.

I had read Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, a well kkown Mahabharat scholar quote this line in his analysis of Arjun.

Fun Fact: I don't know but for some unknown reason, Star Plus version's MB has this particular quote aka shloka in the Arjun theme song. This doesn't exactly give a glorious picture of Arjun. I don't know why they had to include this shloka in an Arjun theme song. 😆

Originally posted by: CaptainSpark

@Underlined - this is a part of the sanskrit Mahabharat. These exact words. It goes, (I am not fluent in Sanskrit but trying) -

Taato Arjunaha- Prita manah babhiva vigata jwaraha.

I had read Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, a well kkown Mahabharat scholar quote this line in his analysis of Arjun.

Fun Fact: I don't know but for some unknown reason, Star Plus version's MB has this particular quote aka shloka in the Arjun theme song. This doesn't exactly give a glorious picture of Arjun. I don't know why they had to include this shloka in an Arjun theme song. 😆

Probably they've just as little understanding too😆 acha laga use kiya😛

Every story I read clearly says that Drona wanted Arjun to be best so he asked for Eklavya's thumb as Arjun was angry seeing someone that also a poor jungle boy being better than him. So he blasted Drona accusing him of not making him best as someone else is better than him. So Drona to maje him happy asked for his thumb. The reason given by Drona DD version and StarBharat is made up by makers to whitewash Drona and also so that no one hates Arjun. And viewers easily believe that enough to fight on social media with the ones who knows real story. Okay even if one of DD version and StarBharat was right then how justified it was for him to cut a 10-12 year old kid's thumb? If what TV showed is true then he could have trained Arjun to be better. He can't go on cutting thumbs of every other kids like Snow-White's evil stepmother killed every women beautiful than her(story in one Star Plus old show not children's book). But what was shown in both TV shows is false like they glorified and whitewashed Karn in Suryaputra Karn and Karn Sangini. Because of these shows the people with proper knowledge of Mahabharat are attacked by much younger groups who think Karn was a nice man and what BR Chopra showed was wrong.

Eklavya was a Nishada PRINCE, not a simple Nishada.

Lemme backtrack a bit. Eklavya was born to one of Krishna's uncles. For some reason, they threw the child out of the clan. Perhaps due to deformity. Yeah, the good old days... disabled children were discarded. He was then adopted by the king of Nishadas and was aligned with Jarasandh, Shishupal et al.

Now,, Eklavya had reasons for serious beef with the yadavas but none with the Kurus. Still, when he went to Dronacharya, he was refused admission. Why? Because Drona was tutoring the princes of Hastinapuri and their allies such as Panchal. Why would the rajguru tutor a prince of an enemy kingdom?

Frankly, what Eklavya did was steal military secrets. Imagine a Pakistani soldier learning techniques from the National Defense Academy. He would've been put to death for espionage. This is precisely what Eklavya did. He is lucky Drona didn't march him straight to Bhesshma.

When I first read the story of Ekalavya, I was in school and felt great sadness for the kid who was dealt an unjust deal just because Dronacharya favoured Arjuna more.

And first impressions are very hard to let go of.

Ekalavya being a Prince of Magadha kingdom etc were not known to me.

Now knowing all that, I still think cutting off his thumb was extremely cruel.

Dronacharya, if he feared for the future of Hastinapur, should have taken him to Bhisma and further proceedings for transferring him to Magadha would be better.

What Drona did was severe his potential at the nip and that is not digestible to me ever.

Who knows how formidable of a warrior he could have turned to had he still had his thumb.

Would we not blame parents who marry off their talented daughters who could have achieved so much had she got time just because a good groom is available?

It could have been dealt better even if he was from the enemy territory.

He was a boy trying to learn, not a grown man stealing military secrets.

One talent was killed, that's what is my opinion

Originally posted by: AnkitaPurka66

When I first read the story of Ekalavya, I was in school and felt great sadness for the kid who was dealt an unjust deal just because Dronacharya favoured Arjuna more.

And first impressions are very hard to let go of.

Ekalavya being a Prince of Magadha kingdom etc were not known to me.

Now knowing all that, I still think cutting off his thumb was extremely cruel.

Dronacharya, if he feared for the future of Hastinapur, should have taken him to Bhisma and further proceedings for transferring him to Magadha would be better.

What Drona did was severe his potential at the nip and that is not digestible to me ever.

Who knows how formidable of a warrior he could have turned to had he still had his thumb.

Would we not blame parents who marry off their talented daughters who could have achieved so much had she got time just because a good groom is available?

It could have been dealt better even if he was from the enemy territory.

He was a boy trying to learn, not a grown man stealing military secrets.

One talent was killed, that's what is my opinion

I think you're picturing a lonesome little boy.

Nishada PRINCES whose fathers were allied with Jarasandh wouldn't have been wandering around the forest by himself. Not to mention the fact Nishada territory was a long way from Hastinapuri and Dronacharya's place. Eklavya went there likely accompanied by his attendants. He was refused. If he simply used the acharya's statue to teach himself, he could've done that at home. The only reason for him sticking around was to get by stealth what he was refused.

Yes, it was espionage. And yes, it was punishable by death then and now.

His youth was what prompted Drona to mete out that mild punishment.

When you say talent wasted, you're imagining pure marksmanship. But that's not what Eklavya would've used it for. He would've taken the skill back to his father, the king, and from there to Jarasandh. Eklavya would've taught others. He and those others might eventually have been responsible for bringing down Hastinapuri.

All things considered, Drona went light on Eklavya.

Regarding Ekalavya, was he really as close to Jarasandth as shown by BRC?