Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists

The Triumphof Arjuna"Ifyou really mean it, Ekalavya,"answered Dronacoldly,"I should like to have the thumb of your right hand."And the low-born prince, allowing no look of sadness tocross his face, turned without ado and cut off the thumbof his own right hand to layit at the feet of Drona. Butwhen the Brahman had gone and he turned again to hisarchery, he found that his marvellous lightnessof hand wasfor ever vanished.Thus were the royal princesleft without rivals in the useof arms. And two of them, Bhlma, the second of thePandavas, and Duryodhana, his cousin, became highlyinaccomplishedthe use of the mace. Ashvatthaman, theson of Drona himself, knew most of the theory of warfare. The Pandava twins, Nakula and Sahadeva,excelled every one in horsemanship and in handling thesword. Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, wasgreatest as a chariot-soldier and officer. But Arjunaexcelled all in every respect.He could use all theweapons, and his intelligence, resourcefulness, strength, andperseverance were admitted on every side. Moreover, healone amongst the princes became fitted for a generalcommand, being capable of fighting from his chariot withsixty thousand foes at once.The Triitmph of ArjunaAnd Drona one day was desirous of testing by opencompetition the relative excellence of the young men hehad trained. So he caused an artificial bird to be madeand placed,as their target, on the top of a tree. Then,assembling all his pupils, he said "Take : up your bows andstand practising your aim. When I give the order youwill cut off the head of the bird. I shall take you one byone in turn."