Story with Ekalavya, secret disciple of Droṇa

 tato niṣādarājasya hiraṇyadhanuṣaḥ sutaḥ

ekalavyo mahārāja droṇamabhyājagāma ha

O great king! Thereuponm Ekalavya, son of Hiraṇyadhanu, king of Niṣādas, came to Droṇa.

na sa taṁ pratijagrāha naiṣadiriti cintayan
śiṣyaṁ dhanuṣi dharmajñasteṣāmevānvavekṣyā

That learned man in all the precepts of Dharma, did not accepted Niṣāda prince as his disciple in archery, thinking that he was a Niṣāda and considering the interest of princes.

sa tu droṇasya śirasā pādau gṛhya paraṁtapaḥ
araṇyamanusamprāpya kṛtvā droṇaṁ mahīmayam
tasminnācāryavṛttiṁ ca paramāmāsthitastadā
iṣvastre yogamātasthe paraṁ niyamāsthitaḥ

O chastiser of foes! Touching Droṇa ̍ s feet with his head, he went to the forest and made a clay statue of Droṇa. He began to worship that clay figure as if it was his real Guru and he practised use of arms before that statue with most rigid regularity.

parayā śraddhayopeto yogena parameṇa ca
vimokṣādānasaṁdhāne laghutvaṁ paramāpa saḥ

In consequence of his exceptional reverence for his Guru and his devotion to his purpose, all 3 processes of fixing arrows on the bow string, aiming and letting off, became very easy for him.

atha droṇābhyanujñātāḥ kadācit kurupāṇḍavāḥ
rathairviniryayuḥ sarve mṛgayāmarimardana

O chastiser of foes! One day Kurus and Pāṇḍavas with permission of Drooṇa, all set out on their cars to a hunting excursion.

tatropakaraṇaṁ gṛhya naraḥ kaścid yadṛcchayā
rājannanujagāmaikaḥ śvānamādāya pāṇḍavān

O king! A servant followed Pāṇḍavas at his ease with necessary things for the hunt and took a dog with him.

teṣāṁ vicaratāṁ tatra tattatkarmacikīrṣayā
śvā caran sa mūḍho naiṣādiṁ prati jagmivān

They wondered about in the forest, intent on the purpose they had in view. Dog also wandered about alone and came upon Niṣāda prince.

sa kṛṣṇaṁ maladigdhāṅgaṁ kṛṣṇājinajaṭādharam
naiṣādiṁ śvā samālakṣya bhaṣaṁstasthau tadantike

Dog seeing Niṣāda of dark colour and of body smeared with filth, with an attire of black skin and with matted hair on his head, began to bark aloud.

tadā tasyātha bhaṣataḥ śunaḥ sapta śarān mukhe
lāghavaṁ darśayannastre mumoca yugapad yathā

Thereupon Niṣāda, exhibiting lightness of hand, at once struck 7 arrows into the mouth of barking dog.

sa tu śvā śarapūrṇāsyaḥ pāṇḍavānājagāma ha
taṁ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavā vīrāḥ paraṁ vismayamāgatāḥ

Dog, thus pierced in the mouth with arrows, came back to Pāṇḍavas and Pāṇḍava heroes on seeing this were very much astonished.

lāghavaṁ śabdavedhitvaṁ dṛṣṭvā tat paramaṁ tadā
prekṣya taṁ vrīḍitāścāsan praśaśaṁsuśca sarvaśaḥ

Ashamed of their own skill, they praised the lightness of the hand and precision of aim by auricular perception of Niṣāda prince.

taṁ tato ̍ nveṣamāṇāste vane bananivāsinam
dadṛśuḥ pāṇḍavā rājannasyantamaniśaṁ śarān

O king! They, thereupon, began to search in the forest for that unknown dweller. Pāṇḍavas soon found him discharging ceaseless arrows from his bow.

na cainamabhyajānaṁste tadā vikṛtadarśanam
athainaṁ paripapracchuḥ ko bhavān kasya vetyuta

Seeing that man of grime visage, a total stranger to them, they asked: Who are you and whose son are you?

ekalavya uvāca
niṣādādhipatervīrā hiraṇyadhanuṣaḥ sutam
droṇoṇaśiṣyaṁ ca māṁ vitta dhanurvedakṛtaśramam

Ekalavya said: O heroes! I am son of Niṣāda king Hiraṇyadhanu. Know me to be a disciple of Droṇa labouring to acquire the science of arms.

vaiśampāyana uvāca
te tamājñāya tattvena punarāganya pāṇḍavāḥ
yathāvṛttaṁ vane sarvaṁ droṇāyācakhyuradbhutam

Vaiśampāyana said: Pāṇḍavas, having made themselves acquainted with everything connected with him and returning to Hāstinapura, told Droṇa all about the wonderful feat of archery they had seen in the forest.

kaunteyastvarjuno rājannekalavyamanusmaran
raho droṇaṁ samāsādya praṇayādidamabravīt

O king! Kaunteya Arjuna, thinking of Ekalavya all the while, saw Droṇa in private and relaying on his Guru ̍ s love for him, said:

arjuna uvāca
tadāhaṁ parirabhyaikaḥ prītipūrvamidaṁ vacaḥ
bhavatokto na me śiṣyastvadviśiṣṭo bhaviṣyati

Arjuna said: You have joyfully told me, embracing me to your blossom, no disciple of yours should be equal to me.

athat kasmānmadviśiṣṭto lokādapi ca vīryavān
anyo ̍ sti bhavataḥ śiṣyo niṣādādhipateḥ sutaḥ

Why then there is a pupil of yours in the world equal to me, mighty son of Niṣāda king?

vaiśampāyana uvāca
muhūrtamiva taṁ droṇāścintayitvā viniścayam
savyasācinamādāya naiṣādiṁ prati jagmivān

Vaiśampāyana said: Thereupon Droṇa reflected for a moment and resolved upon the course he should adopt. He then took Savyasāci Arjuna, with him and went to Niṣāda prince.

dadarśa maladigdhāṅgaṁ jaṭilaṁ cīravāsasam
ekalavyaṁ dhanuṣpāṇimasyantamaniśaṁ śarān

He saw Ekalavya with his body besmeared with filth, matted locks on his head with rags on and with a bow in his hand with which he was ceaselessly shooting arrows.

ekalavyastu taṁ droṇamāyāntamantikāt
abhigamyopasaṁgṛhya jagāma śirasā mahīm

Seeing Droṇa coming to him, Ekalavya also went a few steps forward and touched his feet and prostrated himself on the ground.

pūjayitvā tato droṇaṁ vidhivat sa niṣādajaḥ
nivedya śiṣyamātmānaṁ tasthau prāñjaliragrataḥ

Son of Niṣāda worshipped Droṇa in due form and represented himself as his disciple. Then he stood before him with joined hands.

tato droṇo ̍ bravīd rājannekalavyamidaṁ vacaḥ
yadi śiṣyo ̍ si me vīna vetanaṁ dīyatā mam

ekalavyastu tacchrutvā prīyamāṇo ̍ bravīdidam

O king! Thereupon Droṇa spoke thus to Ekalavya: O hero! If you are really my disciple, give me my remuneration. Ekalavya was much pleased in hearing this and he said:

ekalavya uvāca
kiṁ prayacchāmi bhagavannājñāpayatu māṁ guruḥ
na hi kiṁcidadeyaṁ me gurave brahmavittama

O illustrious one! What shall I give you, command me! O excellent Brāhmaṇa knowing man, there is nothing that is not to be given to my Guru!

vaiśampāyana uvāca
tamabravīt tvayāṅguṣṭho dakṣiṇo dīyatāmiti

Droṇa said: Give me as a Dakṣiṇa your right thumb.

ekalavyastu tacchrutvā vaco droṇasya dāruṇam
pratijñāmātmano rakṣan satye ca niyataḥ sadā
tathaiva hṛṭavadanastthaivādīnamānasaḥ
chittvāvicarya taṁ prādād droṇāyāṅguṣṭhamātmanaḥ

Elakavya ever devoted to truth and desirous of keeping his promise, hearing fearful words of Droṇa, at once cut off his right thumb with a cheerful face and unruffled heart and gave it to Droṇa.

tatḥ śaraṁ tu naiṣādiraṅgulībhirvyakarṣata
na tathā ca sa śīghro ̍ bhūd yathā pūrvaṁ narādhipa

Thereupon, O king, then he found that with the hepl of his fingers he had the lightness of hands and now he has lost it.

tato ̍ rjunaḥ prītamanā babhūva vigatajvaraḥ
droṇaśca satyavāgāsīnnānyo ̍ bhibhavitārjunam

Arjuna became pleased and his fever of jealousness was gone. None will be equal to Arjuna. These words of Droṇa now became true.