13.3.20

Week 9 Story: Self-Taught

Self-Taught


I grew up in a tribe of people called the Nishada. We lived in the forest and most of the tribe was made up of hunters or fishermen. Our hunters were well known for their skill with the bow, and that was no different for my father. He was probably the best with the bow in our tribe, and supposedly I would grow up to be a great archer like him. Even though we were highly skilled, there are things you can not hunt. We occasionally had to trade with those in the city for supplies, as I got older I slowly realized how others treated us on these trading trips. It was clear that many others, like those of the noble-caste, considered us lesser. We were considered low-caste. I grew up fairly normally, but my daily life changed when I witnessed something truly amazing. A man, who I later learned was called Drona, was able to retrieve a ring from a well using a bow and arrow. I wanted to learn from this man. This man decided to set up a class to teach archery, but I learned that I would not be allowed to participate as the class was for noble children. I decided then and there that I would learn archery with this man as my mentor, even if he himself would not teach me. In the forest we call home I was able to create a statue of the man to watch over me as I train my archery. Anytime I felt stuck in my training I could look at the statue and be reminded that my mentor was always watching over me. 

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Years of training came with rewards, I eventually was the best archer of my tribe. I never neglected my training for a single day. Eventually, these skills with the bow were seen by those outside the tribe. I went on a trading trip with my sister, but we were attacked. Someone had left their dog out without any guidance, and this dog sought to attack my sister. The dog charged and barked repeatedly at us, and during one of these barks, I saw my chance. In the small frame of time that it opened it's mouth to bark I shot seven arrows into the mouth of that dog. My skills with the bow were seen as excellent by all those present, but that did not change how I was viewed in the caste system. I was someone from a lower-caste, and as such I could not destroy the property of those in the upper-castes. This dog turned out to be just this kind of situation. I had at the time of the event had decided to tell those present that the man Drona was my mentor. Eventually, words of the crimes of one of his pupils reached the ears of Drona. I had to show up at a trial for my crimes.

"So I am your mentor, correct?" I snapped around and saw that the man I saw as a guru had shown up at my trial.

"I consider you my mentor." I may have been surprised by his arrival, but I still saw this man as my mentor and a mentor deserves respect. 

"Then I would like to collect my teaching fee," stated Drona calmly.

"I will gladly pay your teaching fee then sir."

"My teaching fee will be your right thumb."

I knew what this meant for my future. I would no longer be able to draw a bow, but I also knew this was his way to punish me. He sought to take my skills from me to prevent shame from being put on his name. I knew that I had gotten myself into this mess, and I would always listen to my mentor. I drew my knife and in one motion took off my right thumb. After resheathing my knife I picked up the thumb and handed it to him. Since there was nothing left for me here I returned to my tribe in the forest. 

Image result for ekalavya

Author's Note: I decided to write the story of Ekalavya from a first-person perspective. I have the key story points to hit, but the Mahabharata version I read this week left a lot of room for creative liberty.

Nivedita Mahabharata.


Nivedita Mahabharata Part B Reading Notes

Nivedita Mahabharata B

9. King Drupada still wants a son to get his revenge so he decides to pray. Shiva promises to grant him his wish, but the son he wants will first be a daughter. He has a daughter and they raise her as a guy. They even betroth her to a princess of another kingdom, this causes problems when it is revealed that she is a girl. She runs to the forest and meets a forest-spirit who helps her. They trade genders and she is now a man. She helps her father, but the god of wealth informs the forest spirit that the change was permanent. Bhishma learns that she is the reincarnation of Amba.

10.  Amba is the oldest of the princesses that Bhishma kidnapped. She had secretly sworn to marry the King of the Shalwas. She tells Bhishma about her previous arrangement. He sets her free to go marry the King of the Shalwas.  She goes to the King of the Shalwas. He treats her terribly as he was embarrassed by the kidnapping event when he lost to Bhishma in battle.  She leaves him to become exceptionally pious. She is so Pious that she attracts the attention of Shiva, who decides to offer her a boon. Amba wants Bhishma dead she is angry and believes that Bhishma had ruined her chance for a happy life. Shiva says that she will reincarnate Amba as a man so that she can kill Bhishma in future life. Amba burns herself alive to be reborn.

11. While the Pandava are in exile the King gathers an army to fight them, Bhishma commands the king's army. Draupadi's brother commands the Pandava army. Bhishma dies on the tenth day of the battle. Drona takes over but is deceived when the Pandava trick him into thinking his son died on the battlefield. Karna takes control now, but after 18 days the King's army falls. 

12. Shikhandin, the daughter now son, is in this battle. Bhishma refuses to fight them though, he says he will not fight someone born a girl. On the tenth day, Shikhandin and Arjuna ride out to fight Bhishma. Bhishma recognizes Shikhandin and refuses to fight them, Arjuna and Shikhandin still attack though and Bhishma falls. 

13. Karna is the son of the sun god, his mother is Kunti. Kunti is also the mother of the Pandava, she gave Karna up at birth and he was adopted by a charioteer. He is loyal to the king, so he can't join the Pandava. At birth, he had divine protection. He was born with earrings and armor that protected him. He traded these to Indra for a deadly dart that can be used only once. After Drona dies he becomes the general of the King's Army. Arjuna kills Karna's son. Karna attacks Arjuna but the gods sink his chariot wheel in mud, throwing his aim off. He is killed by Arjuna.


Nivedita Mahabharata

Nivedita Mahabharata Part A

Nivedita Mahabharata


1. How The Princes Learned to Shoot- The princes lose their ball in a well, but a man capable of magic helps them out. This man is the Brahmin, Drona, and his talent with a boy quickly impresses the princes. The new king, Drupada, disrespects Drona. Drona recruits the princes to help him with his revenge in return he will train them with the bow. A rivalry begins between Arjuna and Karna. There is the side story of Ekalavya is a non-noble, Nishada boy. Drona refuses to teach him. The boy goes into the forest and trains under a statue of Drona he builds. He considers himself a student of Drona, and trains to be highly capable with the bow. When his skills are revealed and he claims Drona as his mentor; Drona makes him give him his right thumb as his teaching fees. This makes Ekalavya lose his skill with the bow.


2. The Trial of the Princes- Drona arranges a tournament. Arjuna quickly distinguishes himself from the other princes. Karna then enters the tournament and matches Arjuna's feats. He then asks to duel Arjuna. Arjuna, son of Indra the Storm God. Karna, son of Surya the Sun God. Karna is able to rival Arjuna. Karna becomes king of Anga.

3. Teacher's Fee- Drona makes the princes capture King Drupada. He sends the Kaurava cousins in first, but they could not capture him. Arjuna then goes in and gets the king. Drona takes half of Drupada's kingdom, and Drupada seeks to have a son to take revenge.

4. House of Lac- The Pandavas are sent to Benares, there is already a house of lac built. It will light on fire easily. Vidura discovers the plot to kill the Pandavas, so he makes sure there is an escape path for the crown prince. The Pandavas build an escape tunnel. When the palace is lit on fire the Pandavas escape and live in Ekachakra disguised as Brahmin beggars.

5. How the Pandavas Won a Bride- Drupada is still looking for a son to get revenge for him, so he sets a challenge to win his daughter's hand. They are dismissive of those of lesser birth like Karna. When Arjuna completes the challenge, still in his beggar disguise, the other suitors attack. Then Arjuna is recognized. The brother's share the bride, but their identities are revealed. King Dhritarashtra now knows the Pandava are alive.

7. Fatal Dice- The crown prince of the Pandavas is challenged to a dice game when his visitor is jealous of his wealth. The prince loses all his possessions, his siblings, and their wife Drapudi. Those lost in the bet are brought before King Dhritaradhtra as slaves. Drapudi argues that the prince lost his life in the bet, but then he could not have bet the other's life. Scared by bad omens the king decides to grant her boons. She gets all their freedom and possessions back. The crown prince then proceeds to lose another game and all the Pandava must spend 12 years in exile and 1 year in disguise.

Nivedita Mahabharata.

Week 14 EC Microfiction

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