Eklavya in the Mahabharata was one of the greatest archers, a tribal king, and a great disciple who sacrificed his thumb to honor his teacher. Because of his sacrifice, he has become a tribal hero in modern India. There are many institutions in India named after him. He is a symbol of injustice to tribal people in India.

The Meaning of the word Eklavya:

The name Eklavya means “the one who can cut anything with just one (arrow)”.

Who was Eklavya?

Eklavya was a tribal prince, the son of Hiranyadhanus, a Nishada (a tribe of hunters) king, who later became the king of Nishadas. He was a self-taught archer who surpassed even Arjuna at one point.

Per the story, Eklavya was Lord Krishna’s cousin. He was the son of Devashrava, the brother of Lord Krishna’s father, Vasudeva. But because of some circumstances, he was raised by Hiranyadhanus.

The Story of Eklavya and Dronacharya:

Dronacharya Denies to Train Eklavya:

Being the son of the chief of a hunter tribe, Eklavya aspired to be the most excellent archer and warrior. Therefore, he expressed his desire to go to Hastinapur and learn archery from Dronacharya, one of the greatest archery teachers at that time. His father knew that Dronacharya would not teach his son because they belonged to a Shudra tribe. But he did not want to hinder his aspirations, so he was allowed to go to Hastinapur.

When Eklavya reached the hermitage of Dronacharya in Hastinapur, he saw that Dronacharya was teaching his disciples. He bowed before him and touched his feet. Then he introduced himself and expressed his desire to be a disciple of Dronacharya.

After thinking for some time, Dronacharya told him that he was a Brahmin and Eklavya was a Shudra. Therefore, he could not teach him because he was supposed to teach only Kshatriya students.

Self-Training:

Dejected, Eklavya left the scene and entered a forest, pondering what had just happened. He had a will of steel and decided to teach himself and become a great warrior. Therefore, he made a statue of Dronacharya and started practicing archery in front of it. He believed that if he practiced faithfully before the statue of Dronacharya, who was like a god to him, he would be the greatest archer.

Therefore, every morning, he would pray to the statue of Dronacharya and practice throughout the day. After some years, he became a highly skilled archer, and his skills were better than Arjuna, who was considered the greatest archer of his age at that time.

Eklavya Displays Extraordinary Skills:

Once Dronacharya and Arjuna were passing near Eklavya’s hut when a dog suddenly started barking, disturbing the tranquility of the place. Eklavya was unaware of their presence, but he did not like the noise of the barking dog. Therefore, he shot an arrow in such a way that the mouth of the dog was sealed with that single arrow! They were surprised when Dronacharya and Arjuna saw the dog with a sealed mouth. Dronacharya understood that only a highly skilled archer could do that. Therefore, they started searching the area and found Eklavya practicing archery before a statue.

Dronacharya asks Eklavya’s thumb as Gurudakshina:

Dronacharya did not recognize him at first, nor did he recognise his statue. He went to Eklavya and said, “O young man, who has taught you such wonderful skills in archery! Who is your Guru?”

Eklavya reminded him of his previous conversation and told him how he made his statue and practiced in front of it, considering him his guru.

After thinking for some time, Dronacharya said, ”I am very pleased with your dedication, but you have not given me my Gurudakshina (the fee a student has to pay after completing training).”

Eklavya was overwhelmed at the thought that Dronacharya had finally accepted him as his disciple. He said, “You are my guru and I would do my best to give you whatever you want as Gurudakshina”.

Dronacharya said, “I am pleased with your respect for a guru. I want the thumb of your right hand as my fee.”

Eklavya was flabbergasted upon hearing this demand because the thumb of the right hand plays the most significant role in archery. But the next moment, he controlled his emotions, took out a knife, cut the thumb of his right hand, and placed it at the feet of Dronacharya.

Dronacharya did not expect such kind of sacrifice from him. He blessed Eklavya that he would be a great archer even without his thumb, and the world would remember him as the finest example of a student’s loyalty to his guru.

What Happened to Eklavya After Cutting His Thumb?

Even though Eklavya gave his thumb as Gurudakshina, he felt betrayed by Dronacharya. Afterward, he continued his archery practice with his left thumb. Even without his right thumb, Eklavya became a great archer. He joined Jarasandha’s army and was loyal to him.

Eklavya attended Rajasuya Yajna of Yudhishthira, where he had the honor of offering shoes to Yudhishthira with respect.

How did Eklavya die?

There are different stories about his death, but all mention that Lord Krishna killed him.

1. Per the Vyasa Mahabharata, Lord Krishna killed him in a battle, but it is not clear exactly when he killed him. Considering he was present during Rajasuya Yajna of Yudhishthira, he died after the yajna but before the Mahabharata War.

“Undeprived of thumb, Ekalavya, O Partha, was incapable of being vanquished in battle by the gods, the Danavas, the Rakshasas, and the Uragas (together). Of firm grasp, accomplished in weapons, and capable of shooting incessantly day and night, he was incapable of being looked at by mere men. For thy good, I slew him on the battlefield.” – Mahabharata

2. According to another story, Lord Krishna killed him while he was abducting Rukmini.

3. Per the Bhagavata Purana, he assisted Jarasandha in attacking Mathura to avenge the death of Kamsa, who Lord Krishna killed in the battle. Per a legend, Lord Krishna blessed him to be born as Dhrishtadyumna and kill Dronacharya at the next birth.

Why did Dronacharya ask for the Thumb of Eklavya in Gurudakshina?

There seem to be two possibilities behind this barbaric demand.

1. After seeing the astonishing archery by Eklavya, Dronacharya understood that Eklavya was a better archer than Arjuna, but he had promised Arjuna to make him the best archer in the world. Therefore, to keep his word, he asked for his thumb.

2. Eklavya’s father was loyal to Magadha, an adversary of Hastinapur. If Magadha had such an extraordinary warrior, it would have been troublesome for Hastinapur in the future. Dronacharya was loyal to Hastinapur, so he considered it wise to weaken Eklavya.

Eklavya, the Name of a Town:

According to Kathasarigasagar, Ch. 69, Ekalavya was the name of an ancient town.

Worship:

Some people in India worship Eklavya, considering him a divine person. There is an Eklavya temple in Khandsa village in Haryana. The villagers believe that Eklavya gave his thumb to Dronacharya at this place. This is his only temple in the world.

Honors and Rewards:

To pay tribute to Ekalavya, the Indian government runs Ekalavya Model Residential School (EMRS) for Indian tribal people. The government of Karnataka offers the Eklavya Award to those who perform outstandingly in sports. The story of Eklavya has inspired millions of Indians so far and will continue in the future.