भुक्त एव तु कौन्तेयो नास्यादन्यत्र वर्तते। हस्तस्तेजस्विनस्तस्य अनुग्रहणकारणात्
Having finished his meal, Kaunteya did not let his hand stray elsewhere; his hand, radiant, acted out of favor.
तदभ्यासकृतं मत्वा रात्रावपि स पाण्डवः। योग्यां चक्रे महाबाहुर्धनुषा पाण्डुनन्दनः
Considering this as practice, the Pandava, mighty-armed and son of Pandu, performed suitable exercises with the bow even at night.
तस्य ज्यातलनिर्घोषं द्रोणः शुश्राव भारत। उपेत्य चैनमुत्थाय परिष्वज्येदमब्रवीत्
Drona heard the resounding twang of his bow, O Bharata, and approaching him, rose up and embraced him, saying these words:
प्रयतिष्ये तथा कर्तुं यथा नान्यो धनुर्धरः। त्वत्समो भविता लोके सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
I will strive so that no other archer in the world will become your equal; this is the truth I speak to you.
ततो द्रोणोऽर्जुनं भूयो हयेषु च गजेषु च। रथेषु भूमावपि च रणशिक्षामशिक्षयत्
Then Drona further instructed Arjuna in the arts of war—on horses, on elephants, in chariots, and on the ground.
गदायुद्धेऽसिचर्यायां तोमरप्रासशक्तिषु। द्रोणः संकीर्णयुद्धे च शिक्षयामास कौरवान्
Drona taught the Kauravas mace-fighting, swordsmanship, the use of javelins, spears, and darts, and the conduct of mixed battles.
तस्य तत्कौशलं श्रुत्वा धनुर्वेदजिघृक्षवः। सजानो राजपुत्राश्च समाजग्मुः सहस्रशः
Hearing of his skill, thousands of princes and sons of kings, eager to master the science of archery, gathered together.
तान्सर्वाञ्शिक्षयामास द्रोणः शस्त्रभृतां वरः।' ततो निषादराजस्य हिरण्यधनुषः सुतः। एकलव्यो महाराज द्रोणमभ्याजगाम ह
Drona, foremost among weapon-bearers, instructed them all; then, O King, Ekalavya, son of the Nishada king Hiranyadhanu, approached Drona.
न स तं प्रतिजग्राह नैषादिरिति चिन्तयन्। शिष्यं धनुषि धर्मज्ञस्तेषामेवान्ववेक्षया
He did not accept him, considering him a Nishada, and, knowing righteousness in archery, wished to take as disciples only those students.
शिष्योऽसि मम नैषादे प्रयोगे बलत्तरः। निवर्तस्व गृहानेव अनुज्ञातोऽसि नित्यशः
You are not my disciple, O Nishada; you excel in the use of weapons. Return to your home—you have my constant permission.
स तु द्रोणस्य शिरसा पादौ गृह्य परन्तपः। अरण्यमनुसंप्राप्य कृत्वा द्रोणं महीमयम्
But that mighty one, bowing with his head at Drona’s feet, went into the forest and fashioned a clay image of Drona.
तस्मिन्नाचार्यवृत्तिं च परमामास्थितस्तदा। इष्वस्त्रे योगमातस्थे परं नियममास्थितः
There he adopted the highest discipline of a pupil, and, undertaking strict vows, devoted himself to mastery of the science of archery.
परया श्रद्धयोपेतो योगेन परमेण च। विमोक्षादानसन्धाने लघुत्वं परमाप सः
Endowed with supreme faith and intense concentration, he attained the utmost skill in releasing, holding, and aiming arrows.
लाघवं चास्त्रयोगं च नचिरात्प्रत्यपद्यत।' अथ द्रोणाभ्यनुज्ञाताः कदाचित्कुरुपाण्डवाः। रथैर्विनिर्ययुः सर्वे मृगयामरिमर्दनाः
He soon acquired lightness of hand and mastery of weapons; then, once permitted by Drona, the Kurus and Pandavas all set out in chariots for the hunt, eager to subdue their foes.
तत्रोपकरणं गृह्य नरः कश्चिद्यदृच्छया। राजन्ननुजगामैकः श्वानमादाय पाण्डवान्
There, by chance, a man took up his equipment and followed the Pandavas, bringing a dog along, O King.
तेषां विचरतां तत्र तत्तत्कर्मचिकीर्षया। श्वाचरन्स पथा क्रीडन्नैषादिं प्रति जग्मिवान्
As they wandered about, intent on various deeds, the dog, playing along the path, went towards the Nishada youth.
स कृष्णमलदिग्धाङ्गं कृष्णाजिनजटाघरम्। नैषादिं श्वा समालक्ष्य भषंस्तस्थौ तदन्तिके
Seeing the Nishada youth, whose body was smeared with black mud and who wore a black antelope skin and matted locks, the dog stood nearby, barking.
तदा तस्याथ भषतः शुनः सप्त शरान्मुखे। लाघवं दर्शन्नस्त्रे मुमोच युगपद्यथा
Then, as the dog barked, he loosed seven arrows at its mouth all at once, displaying his swiftness in archery.
स तु श्वा शरपूर्णास्यः पाण्डवानाजगाम ह। तं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवा वीराः परं विस्मयमागताः
That dog, its mouth filled with arrows, came to the Pandavas; seeing it, the heroic Pandavas were struck with great wonder.
लाघवं शब्धवेधित्वं दृष्ट्वा तत्परमं तदा। प्रेक्ष्य तं व्रीडिताश्चासन्प्रशशंसुश्च सर्वशः
Witnessing that supreme swiftness and skill in hitting by sound, they were both abashed and full of praise for him.
तं ततोऽन्वेषमाणास्ते वने वननिवासिनम्। ददृशुः पाण्डवा राजन्नस्यन्तमनिशं शरान्
O King, as the Pāṇḍavas searched for him in the forest, they saw that forest-dweller ceaselessly releasing arrows.
न चैनमभ्यजानंस्ते तदा विकृतदर्शनम्। तथैनं परिपप्रच्छ्रुः को भवान्कस्य वेत्युत
But at that time, because his appearance was altered, they did not recognize him; so they questioned him: 'Who are you, and whose son are you?'
निषादाधिपतेर्वीरा हिरण्यधनुषः सुतम्। द्रोणशिष्यं च मां वित्त धुर्वेदकृतश्रमम्
Know me as the son of the Niṣāda king Hiraṇyadhanus, a student of Droṇa, who has mastered the difficult Vedas.
ते तमाज्ञाय तत्त्वेन पुनरागम्य पाण्डवाः। यथा वृत्तं वने सर्वं द्रोणायाचख्युरद्भुतम्
Having learned this truth, the Pāṇḍavas returned and told Droṇa everything that had happened in the forest, marveling at it.
कौन्तेयस्त्वर्जुनो राजन्नेकलव्यमनुस्मरन्। रहो द्रोणं समासाद्य प्रणयादिदमब्रवीत्
Then Arjuna, son of Kuntī, remembering Ekalavya, approached Droṇa privately and spoke these affectionate words:
नन्वहं परिरभ्यैकः प्रीतिपूर्वमिदं वचः। भवतोक्तो न मे शिष्यस्त्वद्विशिष्टो भविष्यति
Did you not once embrace me and say with affection, 'No student of mine will surpass you'?
अथ कस्मान्मद्विशिष्टो लोकादपि च वीर्यवान्। अन्योऽस्ति भवतः शिष्यो निषादाधिपतेः सुतः
Then why is there now another student of yours, the valiant son of the Niṣāda king, who is greater than I in skill?
मुहूर्तमिव तं द्रोणश्चिन्तयित्वा विनिश्चयम्। सव्यसाचिनमादाय नैषादिं प्रति जग्मिवान्
Droṇa, after pondering this for a moment, took Savyasācin (Arjuna) and went to see the Niṣāda youth.
ददर्श मलदिग्धाङ्गं जटिलं चीरवाससम्। एकलव्यं धनुष्पाणिमस्यन्तमनिशं शरान्
He saw Ekalavya, his body smeared with dirt, hair matted, clothed in bark, holding a bow and ceaselessly shooting arrows.
एकलव्यस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा द्रोणमायान्तमन्तिकात्। अभिगम्योपसंगृह्य जगाम शिरसा महीम्
Seeing Droṇa approaching, Ekalavya came near, greeted him respectfully, and bowed his head to the ground.