Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata Read online

  Ekalavya took Drona’s words seriously. In a clearing in the woods, not far from Hastina-puri, Ekalavya created an effigy of Drona, and taught himself archery under its watchful gaze.

  A few weeks later, he was disturbed by the sound of a barking dog. He shot several arrows in the direction of the dog. The arrows entered the mouth of the dog such that, without harming him in any way, they kept his jaws pried open making it impossible for him to bark.

  The dog turned out to be the hunting hound of the Pandavas. Arjuna was surprised to find his dog gagged thus. He presented it to Drona and said rather enviously, ‘You said you would make me the greatest archer in the world, but whoever did this unbelievable feat is surely greater.’

  Drona decided to investigate and found himself face to face with his own effigy in a clearing in the woods. Ekalavya, who stood before it with a bow in hand, rushed towards him and fell at his feet. ‘Welcome,’ he said.

  ‘Who taught you this?’ asked Drona grumpily.

  ‘You did, not in person of course, but by blessing and inspiring me to teach myself,’ replied Ekalavya, his eyes full of earnest excitement.

  Drona looked at Arjuna and remembered his promise to make Arjuna the greatest archer in the land. ‘You must pay me a fee for what you have learnt because of me,’ said Drona craftily.

  ‘Whatever you wish is yours,’ said Ekalavya bowing humbly.

  ‘The thumb of your right hand. Give me your thumb,’ said Drona, his voice cold and unfeeling. Without a moment’s hesitation, Ekalavya pulled out a knife, sliced his right thumb and placed it at his guru’s feet.

  Arjuna returned to Hastina-puri shaken by the cruelty of his teacher, for without the right thumb Ekalavya would never be able to wield the bow. ‘This was necessary for the sake of social stability—we cannot allow everyone to become archers. Now, there is no one greater than you in archery,’ said Drona softly. Arjuna did not comment.

  Vyasa portrays Arjuna as a highly insecure and competitive youth. Ekalavya’s cut thumb mocks his position as the greatest archer in the world. Through the tale Vyasa demonstrates how greatness need not be achieved by being better than others; it can also be achieved by pulling down others who are better.

  As per varna-dharma, a son is supposed to follow in his father’s footsteps. Drona therefore was supposed to be a priest like his father, or a sage, but he chooses to become a warrior, as does his son, Ashwatthama. While he breaks the varna-dharma code himself, his argument against Ekalavya bearing the bow, that encouraging lower castes to become archers would destroy the varna system of society, seems rather hypocritical.

  The Mahabharata does not refer to the classical four-tiered Vedic society of Brahmans (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (merchants) and Shudras (servants). Instead, it refers to a three-tiered society where Rajanyas or Kshatriyas (warriors-kings-rulers) provided for Rishis or Brahmans (priests-teachers-magicians) and ruled over commoners—cowherds, farmers, fisherfolk, charioteers, potters, carpenters. Outside this society were the Nishadhas, or forest-dwellers, who were treated with disdain. There are clear signs of prejudice against those outside or at the bottom of society. They were forbidden from learning archery, for example.

  The bow was the supreme weapon of the Vedic civilization. It represented poise and balance. It also represented desire, aspiration and ambition. When a king was crowned, he was made to hold the bow. Winners of archery contests were given women as trophies. All the gods held bows in their hands.

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  The graduation ceremony

  Drona organized a tournament to showcase before the people of Hastina-puri the skills of his students.

  The star pupil was none other than Arjuna who could use his bow to shoot multiple arrows and who never missed a target. Everyone cheered for the royal archer and this filled Kunti with great pride. The Kauravas were envious for Arjuna outshone everyone and was clearly the favourite of the people.

  Suddenly, there entered in the tournament another archer. On his chest dazzled a brilliant armour and on his ears were radiant jewels. Identifying himself as Karna, he declared, ‘I can do all that Arjuna can and more.’

  Drona asked him to prove it. Karna performed all of Arjuna’s feats and surpassed in each one of them, earning the adulation of the crowds. ‘He is as great as Arjuna,’ they said, ‘perhaps greater.’ The Pandavas, who until then were the centre of attention, now felt small and neglected.

  Suddenly Adiratha, the chief of the royal stables, ran into the arena and hugged Karna. ‘My son, my son, you have done me proud,’ he said beaming.

  ‘What! This man is the son of a charioteer. How dare he challenge Kshatriyas in an archery tournament?’ shouted Bhima.

  Karna did not know what to say. The cruel words of Bhima stung him like a swarm of bees. Was his skill not good enough? Why should his birth matter?

  It was then that Duryodhana came to Karna’s rescue. ‘Surely merit matters more than birth,’ he said. ‘I think Karna is a Kshatriya by merit. Let us treat him as one.’

  ‘No,’ said Yudhishtira, standing up. ‘Dharma states that a man should be what his father is. Karna’s father is a charioteer. He cannot therefore be a Kshatriya.’

  Karna wanted to say that he was only raised by a charioteer. But then people would ask who his father truly was and he would have no answer, for he was a foundling, abandoned at birth by his mother, found by Adiratha floating on the river in a basket.

  Karna swallowed his pride and kept quiet. Duryodhana placed his hand around Karna and said, ‘This man is a great archer. I will not let him be insulted. I take him as my friend, closer to my heart than my brothers. He who insults him insults me.’ Turning to his father, he said, ‘Father, if you declare him warlord, no one will insult him again.’ Dhritarashtra who could never deny his son anything, agreed to make Karna a warlord, the king of Anga.

  Karna felt a lump in his throat. No one had ever come to his defence thus. He was eternally obliged to Duryodhana. He swore that he would be the friend of the Kauravas till the day he died.

  The Pandavas protested quoting the dharma-shastras. The Kauravas argued, realizing that with Karna on their side they were as powerful as the Pandavas, if not more.

  Bhishma sensed the family feud was becoming a public spectacle. On one side were the five Pandavas and on the other side were the hundred Kauravas and their new friend Karna. He was embarrassed as his grand-nephews abused each other over Karna. They were about to come to blows when suddenly, in the pavillion reserved for the royal women, they heard a cry. Kunti had fainted. Everyone rushed to her side. Taking advantage of this moment, Bhishma declared the tournament to be formally closed and ordered the princes to return to the palace.

  Watching her great grandsons snarl at each other like street dogs, Satyavati took a decision. ‘I see this family I worked so hard to create will soon destroy itself. I cannot bear to see it. I will therefore go to the forest.’ Ambika and Ambalika decided to join their mother-in-law. The tensions between Kunti and Gandhari and their sons were becoming unbearable. It was clearly time to leave.

  With Karna, Duryodhana becomes as powerful as Yudhishtira. While Yudhishtira has Arjuna, Duryodhana has no archer on his side. This deficiency is made up when he accepts Karna as an equal. Vyasa never clarifies if Duryodhana is using Karna or genuinely admiring him.

  Arjuna is the son of Indra, god of the sky and rain. Karna is the son of Surya, god of the sun. Indra and Surya were ancient rivals, each claiming supremacy in the Vedic pantheon. In the epic Ramayana, this rivalry takes the form of a conflict between Vali, who is the son of Indra and Sugriva, who is the son of Surya. God in the form of Ram sides with Sugriva over Vali. In the Mahabharata, God changes allies and prefers the son of Indra, Arjuna, over the son of Surya, Karna. Thus the balance is achieved between the two gods over two lifetimes.

  Karna embodies a man who refuses to submit to the social station imposed upon him by society.

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  Karna’s story