Stories from Mahabharata Part -10

Stories from Mahabharata

 

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!"
[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 Guru-Dakshina! 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 – Guru-Dakshina."
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.

 

 

Story of Savithri and Satyavan
Stories from Mahabharata

 

 

The myth occurs as a multiply embedded narrative in the Mahabharata told, most immediately, by Markandeya. When Yudhisthira asks Markandeya whether there has ever been a woman whose devotion matched Draupadi’s, Markandeya replies by relating this myth. The childless king of Madras, Asvapati, lives ascetically for many years and offers oblations with the savitri manthra. Finally the Goddess Savitri appears to him and grants him a boon, cautioning him not to complain: he will have a daughter. She is born and named Savitri in honor of the Goddess. Savitri is born out of devotion and asceticism, traits she will herself practice. We learn that the king is joyful at the prospect of a child, but the story hides his internal thoughts from the audience, allowing them to provide their own interpretation.
When Savitri reaches the age of marriage, no man asks for her hand, so her father tells her to find a husband on her own. She sets out on a pilgrimage for this purpose and finds Satyavan, the son of a blind king named Dyumatsena, living in exile as a forest-dweller. Savitri returns to find her father speaking with Narada who announces that Savitri has made a bad choice: although perfect in every way, Satyavan is irretrievably destined to die one year from that day. In response to her father’s pleas to choose a more suitable husband, Savitri insists that she will choose her husband but once. After Narada announces his agreement with Savitri, Asvapati acquiesces. This is Savitri’s first conflict with a powerful male figure: her father the king. Savitri’s argument rests on the authority of her mind. She says, “Having made the decision with my mind, I am stating it with my speech, and shall accomplish it with my actions later. My mind is my authority.” Savitri overcomes worldly power by appealing to the spiritual authority of her family’s guru and her own interior self.
Savitri and Satyavan are married, and she goes to live in the forest. Immediately after the marriage, Savitri takes on the clothing of a hermit and lives in perfect obedience and respect to her new parents-in-law and husband. She goes beyond all expectations of proper behavior.
Three days before the foreseen death of Satyavan, Savitri takes a vow of fasting and vigil. Her father-in-law tells her she has taken on too harsh of a regime, but Savitri replies that she has taken an oath to perform these austerities, at which Dyumatsena offers his support. This is her second conflict with a powerful man, and she again appeals to a higher, spiritual commitment that he must recognize.
The morning of Satyavan’s predicted death, Savitri asks for her father-in-law’s permission to accompany her husband into the forest. Since she has never asked for anything during the entire year she has spent at the hermitage, Dyumatsena grants her wish. The story juxtaposes the devotion of Savitri to her father, parents-in-law, and husband with several critical moments where she defies their wishes. She justifies her defiance, which takes the form of devotion and asceticism, through an appeal to a higher authority. She is being even more self-sacrificing and more devoted than the people around her expect, but she simultaneously demonstrates her strength and independence.
While Satyavan is splitting wood, he suddenly becomes weak and lays his head in Savitri’s lap. Yama himself comes to claim the soul of Satyavan. Savitri follows Yama as he carries the soul away. When he tries to convince her to turn back, she offers successive formulas of wisdom. First she praises obedience to the Law, then friendship with the strict, then Yama himself for his just rule, then Yama as King of the Law, and finally noble conduct with no expectation of return. Impressed at each speech, Yama praises both the content and style of her words and offers any boon except the life of Satyavan. She first asks for eyesight and a return to the throne for her father-in-law, then sons for her father, and then sons for herself and Satyavan. Finally Yama offers any boon without exception, and Savitri chooses Satyavan’s life. This is Savitri’s final and most dramatic conflict with a powerful male figure: Yama, the god of death. Yama clearly occupies the position of strength, but Savitri manages to overcome even death. Her argument lies in appealing to the Law, above even Yama.
Savitri returns to Satyavan’s body who awakens as though he has been in a deep sleep. In order to console his parents who they fear must be worried, they set out to return that evening, Satyavan assisted by his wife. Meanwhile at their home, Dyumatsena regains his eyesight and searches with his wife for Satyavan and Savitri. As the ascetics comfort and counsel the distraught parents, Savitri and Satyavan return. Since Satyavan still does not know what happened, Savitri relays the story to her parents-in-law, husband, and the gathered ascetics. As they praise her, Dyumatsena’s ministers arrive with news of the death of his usurper. Joyfully, the king and his entourage return to his kingdom. Likewise, all the other boons happen. Markandeya assures Yudhisthira and the other exiles that Draupadi will also sa