Eklavya

Watching the movie Eklavya reminded me of the real Eklavya (from the Mahabharat). I’ve always thought that the story was the most cruel in the entire Mahabharat. They say that Mahabharat was entirely written by Krishna even before it occurred and there was a reason behind everything. Several parts of the Mahabharat are filled with people cheating the other. Duryodhan was killed through cheating. Karna was killed through cheating (Karna is my favourite character of the Mahabharat..and so wronged!..but that for another day). But Krishna tells Arjun that he must fight against his own because it was all for the greater good.

But how about Eklavya? His sole purpose was to get rid of Arjuna’s ego. The story goes that Arjun was starting to get over confident about his abilities as an archer till Eklavya came along. But was it right for the guru to ask Eklavya for his thumb? Eklavya gave up his everything at the demand of a guru who didn’t want his favourite student to be surpassed. When I heard this story as a child I remember crying because it seemed so unfair.

Was Eklavya right in what he did? Is duty above all? What about his duty to himself and what he loved the most in the world?

And was this too for the ‘greater’ good that Krishna talked about? Is it ok to sacrifice an innocent boy’s dreams and hopes for this so-called greater good?

I guess I have no place talking about the Mahabharata as I probably don’t understand the whole philosophy behind it. Just that watching the movie reminded me of something that really disturbed me as a child. And even now I cant understand it. Perhaps I will when I grow up a bit more?