Within the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata, there is a section called the Sambhava Parva. In Chapter 131 of this section, a short story about Drona and Ekalavya is described.
The story is very short, but it calls for deep analysis and draws our attention to a very important spiritual point.
Since we have not read this story here on this platform, I will first give a very brief account of it. Only then will we be able to understand its meaning.
The story, in brief, is as follows.
Once, Dronacharya came to Hastinapura in the Kuru kingdom, where Bhishma honoured him. Bhishma entrusted all his grandsons to him as students so that they could learn archery.
Drona began teaching all the princes archery and the use of other weapons.
Gradually, princes from other royal families also came to him for instruction.
Among all his students, Arjuna was the most skilled. Therefore, Dronacharya once told Arjuna, “No other archer on this earth will be able to equal you.”
Once, Ekalavya, the son of Hiranyadhanu, the king of the Nishadas, also came to Dronacharya. But Drona did not accept him as a student.
Ekalavya therefore returned to the forest.
Why is the forest mentioned?
Because he belonged to the Nishadas, a forest-dwelling tribal community.
After returning to the forest, Ekalavya made a clay image of Dronacharya. Holding the highest reverence for his teacher in that image, he began practising archery.
One day, Ekalavya became so skilled that he silenced a barking dog by shooting seven arrows at once.
A dog was barking. He shot seven arrows together and stopped its barking.
While wandering in the forest, the Pandavas saw this dog. Searching for the person who had shot the arrows, they reached Ekalavya and began praising him.
Ekalavya told the Pandavas that he was Dronacharya’s student.
So, the dog had been barking, Ekalavya had shot seven arrows at once, and the dog had become silent. When the Pandavas saw it, they wondered who had performed this feat. Searching for such an archer, they reached the place where Ekalavya was.
He told them, “I am Dronacharya’s student.”
After returning from the forest, Arjuna told Dronacharya everything and asked, “How has this student of yours become more skilled than I am?”
Dronacharya had told Arjuna that no archer would equal him. So Arjuna asked, “Where has this student of yours come from?”
Dronacharya took Arjuna with him and went to Ekalavya.
Ekalavya offered himself as a student at Dronacharya’s feet, worshipped him, and stood before him with folded hands.
Dronacharya said, “If you are my student, give me my guru dakshina.”
When Ekalavya asked what he should offer, Dronacharya said, “Give me the thumb of your right hand.”
With a cheerful face and a generous heart, Ekalavya cut off his right thumb and offered it to Dronacharya.
This is the short story.
After hearing it, many questions may be arising within you.
What are the answers to those questions? What does the story mean?
I will now try to explain.
This story is entirely symbolic. We can understand its meaning only by understanding its symbols.
That is what we have been doing with the Ramayana: understanding the symbols and, through them, understanding its actual meaning.
The same applies here. Since the story is symbolic, we must understand it through its symbols.
There are two main characters: Drona, or Dronacharya, and Ekalavya.
If we understand these two characters carefully, the whole story will become very easy to understand.
First, let us understand Drona.
What does Drona mean?
The story says that Dronacharya is the teacher of the Pandavas. What does Dronacharya signify?
As is our usual approach, whenever we try to understand something, we first separate the parts of the word. Examining the word in this way gives us a clue.
Let us look at “Drona.”
The word is formed from “dhruva” and “na.” When these are combined according to Sanskrit sandhi, they become Drona.
“Dhruva” means movement. You can look it up in a dictionary; it is not difficult.
“Na” means no.
So, a mind in which there is no movement, a mind that is steady, is Drona.
The word Drona tells us that there is no movement—in other words, the mind is steady.
We can also say that one who possesses a steady mind is Dronacharya.
We all understand “acharya”: it means teacher.
So Drona means a steady mind.
But what kind of steady mind?
A mind whose steadiness is based on restraint of the senses.
Let us understand it this way.
The mind can become steady in two ways. If the senses are restrained, the mind becomes steady. If the mind is connected with the Self, it also becomes steady.
When you read spiritual texts, you encounter both forms. Someone connects their mind with the Self, and it becomes steady. Someone else restrains their senses, and their mind also becomes steady.
Which of these does Drona represent here?
The mind that has become steady through restraint of the senses.
Drona therefore indicates a steady mind based on sensory restraint.
The Mahabharata contains many indications showing that Drona symbolises this kind of steady mind.
I will not discuss all of them, because there are many references to Dronacharya in the Mahabharata, and our purpose here is to understand Ekalavya’s story.
Briefly, Drona is a steady mind based on restraint of the senses.
This steady mind has many capacities.
A restless mind lacks strength, but a steady mind possesses many abilities.
The Mahabharata describes two capacities of the steady mind.
One is the ability to rise to great heights. A steady mind always rises upwards.
This capacity is indicated through a story.
Drona went to Mount Mahendra, where Parashurama lived. He said to Parashurama, “Give me wealth that will never perish.”
Parashurama replied, “I no longer have that wealth. I have distributed it among the Brahmins. But I possess another kind of wealth: divine weapons. I will give you that.”
Dronacharya accepted this wealth from Parashurama in the form of divine weapons.
This indicates one capacity of the steady mind.
Another capacity is described through another story.
Once, the Kauravas and Pandavas were playing, and their playing piece—or ball, whatever we may call it—fell into a well. In the passage, it is called a “vita.”
They could not retrieve it from the well.
Drona brought it out. He picked up a reed and used it to retrieve their playing piece.
This indicates that the steady mind does not merely possess the capacity to rise to great heights. It can also reach into great depths.
So it has two capacities: reaching upwards and reaching into the depths.
Another very important indication is given through Dronacharya’s son.
Who is Dronacharya’s son?
Ashwatthama.
We may already understand what Ashwatthama means, or we can understand it now.
Look at the word Ashwatthama and divide it into two parts.
“Ashwa” means the senses, and “thama” means to hold or restrain.
Ashwatthama therefore indicates holding the senses in check, keeping them restrained.
Through Ashwatthama too, the story gives an important indication that Dronacharya represents a steady mind based on sensory restraint.
These are two or three points to help you understand Dronacharya.
Drona means a steady mind, specifically a mind whose steadiness is based on restraint of the senses.
Now let us move on.
The second character is Ekalavya.
We have understood Drona. Remember this carefully, because we will repeatedly need this understanding as we continue through the story.
Now let us look at the word Ekalavya, just as we looked at Drona and Ashwatthama.
The word Ekalavya indicates “ek laav.”
Separate “ek” and “lavya,” take “lavya” as “lav,” and “lav” as “laav.” In Puranic texts, words have been treated this way to conceal their meaning.
So Ekalavya indicates “ek laav.” There is not much difference between saying “ek laav” and Ekalavya.
What does “ek laav” mean?
It means concentration, dedication, or a single goal.
When we say that a person has “ek laav,” we mean that they are focused, deeply dedicated, or directed towards one goal.
So Ekalavya indicates concentration, dedication, or a goal. He represents the power of concentration, the power to focus on a single objective.
We can express this in several ways.
We can say that Ekalavya is the power of concentration, or concentration itself. We can say that dedication to a task is Ekalavya, or that he represents the power of dedication.
So we have understood that Ekalavya means concentration.
But in the story, Ekalavya is called the son of Hiranyadhanu, the king of the Nishadas.
There must be a reason for saying all this. Would it not have been enough simply to call him Ekalavya?
It is such a short story. Why include this detail?
Because something needs to be conveyed.
Why is he called the son of Hiranyadhanu?
Hiranyadhanu means a mind attracted towards lower tendencies or worldly tendencies.
We have tried to understand the word “hiranya” many times. It appears in names such as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu.
Hiranya means golden, something that attracts us like gold.
Worldly pleasures attract us like gold. That is why “hiranya” is used.
Here, “dhanu” has also been added.
Dhanu means a bow.
What does the bow represent?
The mind.
Perhaps this point has not yet come up while we have been reading the Ramayana.
Just as an arrow is placed upon a bow and aimed at a target, an arrow of resolve is placed upon the bow of the mind and directed towards a goal.
This comparison appears in the Puranas.
You will also have heard of Vishnu’s bow and Shiva’s bow.
So, by calling Ekalavya the son of Hiranyadhanu, the story indicates a mind attracted to lower or worldly tendencies.
What is such a mind like?
We all know. A mind engaged in lower tendencies is restless. A mind caught in material tendencies is not steady; it is restless.
That is why Ekalavya is called the son of Hiranyadhanu.
The story also calls him the son of the king of the Nishadas. Hiranyadhanu is described as a Nishada king.
What does Nishada mean?
When we read the story of Guha, the Nishada king, I explained that Nishada indicates a mind moving towards what is lower.
“Ni” means down, and “sad” means to sit.
That which sits downwards or moves downwards is Nishada: the mind moving towards lower tendencies.
By connecting Ekalavya with the words Nishada king and Hiranyadhanu, the story indicates that a mind moving downwards, living in lower tendencies and remaining connected with worldly tendencies, is restless.
Yet it also possesses the power of concentration.
This is like our own mind.
The word Ekalavya points towards us.
What are we like?
Our mind is engaged in worldly tendencies. It also moves towards lower tendencies. Yet, despite both these things—despite being restless—it sometimes becomes concentrated.
For example, right now we are listening attentively. That is concentration.
Sometimes we read with concentration. We also do household work with concentration.
Our mind is restless, but concentration is present within us too.
So Ekalavya indicates concentration. Calling him the son of the Nishada king also indicates that, although he represents concentration, the mind remains restless.
There is concentration, and there is restlessness.
What does this mean?
It means that the concentration is not yet lasting.
When does concentration become lasting?
When it is supported by a steady mind.
When concentration appears only occasionally, it is momentary rather than lasting.
Right now, we are listening carefully to what is being discussed. After a little while, our mind will become restless. It will no longer remain concentrated, and we will become caught up in our different tasks.
To make this concentration, or power of concentration, better and more lasting, the mind must become steady.
Ekalavya’s mind is presently restless, although it can concentrate. To make that concentration lasting, steadiness of mind is essential.
A steady mind provides the foundation for concentration.
Without a steady mind, it is difficult to develop concentration. If we want our concentration to last, we cannot achieve this while our mind remains restless.
We need a steady mind.
This fact is indicated in the story by saying that Ekalavya made an image of Dronacharya, accepted him as his teacher, practised archery, and became skilled in it.
Ekalavya wanted to practise and learn archery. Why did he place an image of Dronacharya before him?
Because his concentration was still momentary, and he needed to make it lasting.
To make it lasting, he needed a steady mind.
Placing Drona’s image before him, accepting him as his teacher, and practising means that a steady mind is essential for making concentration lasting.
Now let us move further.
One point is that he installed a clay image of his teacher, Drona.
Then the story says that Dronacharya, as his teacher, asked Ekalavya for guru dakshina.
Ekalavya had practised and become skilled.
His skill is indicated through the episode of the dog. The dog was barking, Ekalavya shot arrows, and its barking stopped.
This indicates that Ekalavya had now become proficient in concentration.
To convey this, that very small episode of the dog was added to the story. The dog has no other purpose there.
The story then says that Dronacharya asked Ekalavya for guru dakshina.
Drona said, “I am your teacher, so give me dakshina.”
What is being indicated through this offering?
Anyone who wants to become proficient in concentration must have a deep inclination towards attaining a steady mind, along with respect and love for it.
This inclination, respect, and love are the greatest offering they can make to the steady mind.
We have understood the need for a steady mind: if we want lasting concentration, we need steadiness.
But another question has now been raised. Drona asked for guru dakshina. What does dakshina mean?
It means that if we want to become proficient in concentration, we must have a deep inclination towards attaining a steady mind. We must respect it and love it.
If we hold these three things within us—inclination towards a steady mind, respect for it, and love for attaining it—this is the greatest dakshina.
The story indicates this by calling it an offering to the teacher.
What is this offering?
It is honouring the steady mind.
It is not enough simply to say, “I need a steady mind.”
We want the steady mind to become our teacher. We want to attain it. But we must also have an inclination towards it, love for it, and respect for it.
That is our offering to the teacher.
This is the second point: dakshina.
Now the third point.
The story says that Dronacharya asked Ekalavya for the thumb of his right hand as dakshina.
This indicates that, for an archer, giving away the right thumb is like surrendering their very existence as an archer.
Without the right thumb, the archer has no existence as an archer.
If an archer gives away the right thumb, understand that they have surrendered their own existence, because it is essential to their archery.
Just as giving away the right thumb is a surrender of the archer’s existence, concentration has no independent existence without a steady mind.
See what an important point is being conveyed.
Without a steady mind, concentration has no existence of its own. A steady mind is essential for concentration.
To convey this, the story says that the teacher Dronacharya asked for the right thumb.
Asking for the right thumb means surrendering one’s existence.
Just as an archer giving away their right thumb means surrendering their existence as an archer, concentration has no independent existence without a steady mind.
Without a steady mind, concentration is of no use.
Concentration has meaningful existence only when connected with a steady mind. If it is not connected with steadiness, it will appear for a moment and then disappear.
So concentration has no independent existence. A steady mind is essential for it.
Another point is also being made: we should not be proud of our concentration.
Two things have been said.
First, concentration has no independent existence because it depends on a steady mind.
Second, even if concentration exists within us while our mind remains restless, we certainly should not be proud of it.
Even when our concentration is connected with a steady mind, we should not feel pride in it.
Why?
Because concentration depends on the steady mind.
Who represents the steady mind?
Dronacharya.
Concentration, represented by Ekalavya, has meaningful existence only when it is connected with the steady mind represented by Dronacharya.
It has no independent existence. Only when it is connected with a steady mind does concentration have a foundation.
I am repeating this because we need to understand it deeply.
The basic question is this: Drona asked for the right thumb, and Ekalavya cut it off and gave it to him. Naturally, we feel that something very wrong is happening and that such a thing should not happen.
But through this, the story is conveying that just as offering the right thumb represents the surrender of an archer’s existence, concentration has no independent existence without a steady mind.
If concentration lacks the support of a steady mind, it is of no use.
Therefore, we should not take pride merely in concentration, saying, “I am very focused. I study with great concentration.”
If my mind is not steady, I should not be proud of that concentration.
That is why the story says that Ekalavya humbly offered his thumb. He held on to no pride.
Why did he have no pride?
Because the existence of his concentration depended on Drona, the steady mind.
He was happy because his concentration had found the support of a steady mind.
Without a steady mind, concentration is of no use. Now his concentration had acquired that support.
Now it had value. Now it had become lasting.
Therefore, without any pride, he showed great respect for Dronacharya, bowed humbly, and offered his thumb.
This story gives a very important indication: the existence of concentration depends upon a steady mind.
It is a remarkable story of the surrender of Ekalavya, concentration, to Drona, the steady mind.
We should try to understand this story deeply and hold its meaning within us.
If someone asks why such things are said in our scriptures, you should be able to explain that this is a profound story about the surrender of concentration, represented by Ekalavya.
What is being surrendered here?
Concentration.
What is most important?
The steady mind.
If the mind is steady, concentration has value. If it is not steady, concentration has no value.
Therefore, offering the thumb to Drona, the steady mind, represents the surrender of concentration.
By understanding Drona and Ekalavya, I have tried to give you a broad understanding of the three or four points in this story: what dakshina means, what offering the thumb means, and what practising before a clay image of Drona means.
Let me explain these three points once more.
Ekalavya made a clay image of Dronacharya and practised before it.
This indicates that concentration alone is not enough. A steady mind is essential.
Through this small detail of Drona’s image, the story indicates that you will become proficient in an art—in the art of concentration—only when you have the support of a steady mind.
Second, Dronacharya said, “You have made me your teacher, so give me guru dakshina.”
What is dakshina?
It means that we should have an inclination towards a steady mind. We should have love for it and surrender to it.
If these qualities are present within us, that is dakshina.
If we have no inclination towards a steady mind, no respect for it, and no love for it, that cannot be called dakshina.
Dakshina is offered lovingly and respectfully.
So the story indicates that we should have inclination, love, and surrender towards a steady mind.
A teacher does not ask for guru dakshina, but here the teacher has asked.
Why?
To indicate that we need to examine our mind’s inclination towards steadiness.
Does our mind feel drawn towards it? Does it take an interest in it? Does it respect it?
This is the meaning of dakshina: inclination, love, and respect towards a steady mind.
This is Ekalavya’s offering to his teacher Dronacharya.
The third point is cutting off and offering the right thumb.
This indicates that, for an archer, the thumb represents their existence as an archer. Giving it away is surrendering that existence.
If the thumb is given away, what remains for the archer?
The right thumb is everything to their archery.
So an archer offering the thumb means surrendering their existence as an archer.
Concentration has no independent existence.
Just as an archer has no existence as an archer without the thumb, concentration alone has no existence of its own.
When does it have existence?
When it becomes connected with a steady mind.
Through the right thumb, the story is therefore speaking about existence.
Concentration has no independent existence. Just as an archer has no existence without the right thumb, concentration has no existence of its own. Its existence comes from the steady mind.
The essence is that concentration alone is not sufficient. Its existence depends on a steady mind.
This is a story of the surrender of Ekalavya, concentration, to Drona, the steady mind.
I have explained the important points.
Drona means a steady mind.
Ekalavya means concentration, but initially momentary concentration, rather than lasting concentration.
Drona’s image indicates the necessity of a steady mind.
Dakshina indicates love and respect towards a steady mind.
The right thumb indicates that concentration has no independent existence; its existence depends on a steady mind.
These are the points conveyed in the story. If we understand them, it becomes a very important story.