Eklavya Incident

When Guru teaches his disciples he teaches them equally. That knowledge which he imparts to them is like clear water, whatever color you mix in it, water becomes of the same color. So the weapons are the same - Gadaa, or bow or sword, but when they are in different disciples' hands they take a different meaning, such as Gadaa is same, but when Bheem will take it, it will have different meaning, but when Duryodhan will take it, it will have a completely different meaning. Then what Guru can do?

One day a child named Eklavya came to Drone and requested him to be his Guru for archery. Drone asked him - "Who are you?" Eklavya siaid - "I am Eklavya, the son of Hiranyadhanu, the King of Nishaad." Drone wouldn't take him as his disciple because he was not a Kshatriya, so he said - "Dear child, I cannot take you as my disciple because I am teaching to these Kshatriya princes. I like you but I cannot teach you." Disappointed the young child came back to the forest. He bore no ill-will towards Drone in his mind. but was not happy with him.

Back in the forest he made a figure of Drone out of mud with his own hands. He called him his Guru. Daily he would worship his image of Guru and practice archery. Within a short time he was able to learn archery. His love for archery and his love for his Guru made him think about only archery. He wanted to master the art.

One day Kaurav and Paandav went on a picnic in a forest. They took a dog along with them. The dog entered the forest. He came upon a strange man who was wearing leopard skin, The dog took him as a leopard and started barking. Eklavya sealed his mouth with his seven arrows. Now the dog could not open his mouth. The dog ran away to the place from where he came.

So Drone and children saw a dog coming with his mouth full of arrows. Arjun saw the art of arrows and immediately spoke "Wonderful". Others also got surprised to see him like this. They all went in the direction from where he came. Drone found a boy practicing archery. He asked him - "Did you fill that dog's mouth with arrows?" "Yes"  Drone asked him - "Who are you and where did you learn archery?" The boy replied - "My name is Eklavya and I am the son of Nishaad Raaj Hiranyadhanu (an army chief in Jaraasandh's army). Please accept my respects, Guru Dev."

Drone got surprised to hear this and said - "But I have never seen you, nor I have ever taught you." Eklavya said - "Yes, You have not given education to me but I have taken education from you only." And he took them where he had established his Guru's statue (Drone's statue). Drone had another surprise. Eklavya said - "I learn archery by greeting your feet. Whatever you taught to these princes, I used to see it standing in hiding and practicing it later."

Duryodhan asked - "Will you be my friend." Eklavya said - "If Magadh and Hastinaapur will be friends then I will surely be your friend."

Drone loved Arjun very much and he wanted him to be the best archer in the world. He saw another future better archer in Eklavya, so he said - "Do you know that when you learn something from the Guru, you will have to pay Guru Dakshinaa? Because without paying it the education is incomplete. Won't you give Guru Dakshinaa?" "Yes, Why not, please order me." Drone said - "Then give me your right hand thumb." All children stood stunned hearing such Guru Dakshinaa, but Eklavya immediately picked up a knife and cut his right hand thumb and offered it to Guru's feet without any hesitation. [Even today, the people from that tribe  do not use their right hand thumb while using their bow and arrow.]