Reading Notes: Mahabharata, Part A
Ekalavya
Ekalavya wanted to be like the other boys and be trained by Drona. He came to be trained but was turned away because he was a Bhil. Drona has become a great teacher of battle and warriors. He was treated as lesser when he was younger because of who his parents were, but he overcame that to become the trainer of princes. Ekalavya was not stopped by his encounter with Drona and still wanted to be a warrior. He made a figure of Drona and worshipped it. He also trained himself, practicing until he was a well known archer. Drona and the princes went to hunt in the Bhil land and while they were there, Ekalavya shot their hunting dog with arrows to show off his skill. Drona was impressed by this, and asked Ekalavya where he learned his skill. He said it was from Drona and so Drona said he needed payment for this teaching and he wanted Ekalavya's right thumb as payment. Ekalayva cut off his thumb and gave it to Drona. After losing his thumb, Ekalayva had to learn to shoot his bow differently with just his middle fingers. So from then on, all the archers of Bhil also shot their bows with their middle fingers and it became a trait of the tribesmen.
Photo Information: Bow and Arrow. Max and Pixel. Source
Bibliography: Source Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913).
Ekalavya wanted to be like the other boys and be trained by Drona. He came to be trained but was turned away because he was a Bhil. Drona has become a great teacher of battle and warriors. He was treated as lesser when he was younger because of who his parents were, but he overcame that to become the trainer of princes. Ekalavya was not stopped by his encounter with Drona and still wanted to be a warrior. He made a figure of Drona and worshipped it. He also trained himself, practicing until he was a well known archer. Drona and the princes went to hunt in the Bhil land and while they were there, Ekalavya shot their hunting dog with arrows to show off his skill. Drona was impressed by this, and asked Ekalavya where he learned his skill. He said it was from Drona and so Drona said he needed payment for this teaching and he wanted Ekalavya's right thumb as payment. Ekalayva cut off his thumb and gave it to Drona. After losing his thumb, Ekalayva had to learn to shoot his bow differently with just his middle fingers. So from then on, all the archers of Bhil also shot their bows with their middle fingers and it became a trait of the tribesmen.
Photo Information: Bow and Arrow. Max and Pixel. Source
Bibliography: Source Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913).
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