Eklavya's Devotion to His Guru

One day Eklavya, son of Hiranyadhanu, king of the Nishadas, came to Dronacharya. He folded his hands and said, 'Gurudev, teach me archery.' Drona's school was only for the Kuru princes, so he did not take him as a student. Eklavya touched his feet and quietly returned to the forest. But in his heart, Drona had already become his guru.

In the forest he made an image of Dronacharya out of clay. Every day he bowed to it and then practised with all his heart. No one to teach him, no one to correct him: only shraddha and hard work. Slowly he became so skilled that his arrows flew like lightning.

One day the Kauravas and Pandavas came to that forest to hunt. They had a dog with them, which saw Eklavya and began to bark. Eklavya released seven arrows at once and filled the dog's mouth with them, without hurting it. The dog went back silent. The princes were astonished: who could be such a skilled archer?

They found Eklavya, who said, 'I am a student of Dronacharya.' Arjuna was upset and said to his teacher, 'You told me no student of yours would be better than me.' Drona went with Arjuna to Eklavya. The moment Eklavya saw him, he fell at his feet.

Drona said, 'If you are my student, give me my guru dakshina: the thumb of your right hand.' Eklavya did not hesitate for a moment. With a cheerful face he cut off his thumb and laid it at his teacher's feet. After that he still shot with his other fingers, but no longer with his old speed. Even today Eklavya is remembered as the greatest example of guru-bhakti.