Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists

"""""Myths of the Hindus & Buddhistsof the lower races, he should come in time to excel all theAryan princes, and should learn all the secrets of theirmilitary science.Then Ekalavya, retiringto the forest, made a clay imageof Drona, and bowed down before it, worshippingit ashis teacher. And by reason of his great reverence anddevotion to his purpose,it soon came about that there werefew archers in the land equal to Ekalavya. And one day,when all the princes were hunting in the forest, a dog ranoff alone and found himself suddenly face to face with aman of dark hue wearing matted locks besmeared withmud and with his one piece of raiment black in colour.The dog, in his astonishment at this strange sight, beganto bark aloud. But before he could close his mouth theprince Ekalavya had shot into it no less than seven arrows,aiming by the sound alone. The dog, thus pierced withseven arrows and unable to close his mouth, ran back tothe princes,and they, fired with jealousy and admiration,began to seek everywhere for the unknown archer. Itwas not long before they found him, ceaselessly dischargingarrows from the bow, and when they asked who and whathe was, he replied:"I am the son of the king of theNishadas.Know me also as a pupil of Drona, strugglingfor the acquisition of skill in arms !But when Drona heard of it he took Arjuna with him andsought out the archer Ekalavya. And when the low-casteprince saw Drona approaching, he prostrated himself andthen stood with folded hands awaiting his commands.And Drona said :If, O hero, thou art really my pupil,give me, then, the teacher s fee !Master," said Ekalavya in his delight, you have onlyto name what you will have. I have nothingI would notjoyfully give you."124