अथ द्रोणाभ्यनुज्ञाताः कदा चित् कुरुपाण्डवाः ॥
रथैर् विनिर्ययुः सर्वे मृगयाम् अरिमर्दनाः ॥
तत्रोपकरणं गृह्य नरः कश् चिद् यदृच्छया ॥
राजन्न् अनुजगामैकः श्वानम् आदाय पाण्डवान् ॥
तेषां विचरतां तत्र तत् तत् कर्म चिकीर्षताम् ॥
श्वा चरन् स वने मूढो नैषादिं प्रति जग्मिवान् ॥
स कृष्णं मलदिग्धाङ्गं कृष्णाजिनधरं वने ॥
नैषादिं श्वा समालक्ष्य भषंस् तस्थौ तदन्तिके ॥
तदा तस्याथ भषतः शुनः सप्त शरान् मुखे ॥
लाघवं दर्शयन्न् अस्त्रे मुमोच युगपद् यथा ॥
स तु श्वा शरपूर्णास्यः पाण्डवान् आजगाम ह ॥
तं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवा वीरा विस्मयं परमं ययुः ॥
लाघवं शब्दवेधित्वं दृष्ट्वा तत् परमं तदा ॥
प्रेक्ष्य तं व्रीडिताश् चासन् प्रशशंसुश् च सर्वशः ॥
तं ततो ऽन्वेषमाणास् ते वने वननिवासिनम् ॥
ददृशुः पाण्डवा राजन्न् अस्यन्तम् अनिशं शरान् ॥
न चैनम् अभ्यजानंस् ते तदा विकृतदर्शनम् ॥
अथैनं परिपप्रच्छुः को भवान् कस्य वेत्य् उत ॥
atha droṇābhyanujñātāḥ kadā cit kurupāṇḍavāḥ ||
rathair viniryayuḥ sarve mṛgayām arimardanāḥ ||
tatropakaraṇaṃ gṛhya naraḥ kaś cid yadṛcchayā ||
rājann anujagāmaikaḥ śvānam ādāya pāṇḍavān ||
teṣāṃ vicaratāṃ tatra tat tat karma cikīrṣatām ||
śvā caran sa vane mūḍho naiṣādiṃ prati jagmivān ||
sa kṛṣṇaṃ maladigdhāṅgaṃ kṛṣṇājinadharaṃ vane ||
naiṣādiṃ śvā samālakṣya bhaṣaṃs tasthau tadantike ||
tadā tasyātha bhaṣataḥ śunaḥ sapta śarān mukhe ||
lāghavaṃ darśayann astre mumoca yugapad yathā ||
sa tu śvā śarapūrṇāsyaḥ pāṇḍavān ājagāma ha ||
taṃ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavā vīrā vismayaṃ paramaṃ yayuḥ ||
lāghavaṃ śabdavedhitvaṃ dṛṣṭvā tat paramaṃ tadā ||
prekṣya taṃ vrīḍitāś cāsan praśaśaṃsuś ca sarvaśaḥ ||
taṃ tato 'nveṣamāṇās te vane vananivāsinam ||
dadṛśuḥ pāṇḍavā rājann asyantam aniśaṃ śarān ||
na cainam abhyajānaṃs te tadā vikṛtadarśanam ||
athainaṃ paripapracchuḥ ko bhavān kasya vety uta ||
Vaishampayana said: "One day, with Drona's permission, the Kurus and Pandavas, those crushers of foes, all rode out on chariots to hunt; and a certain man, taking his gear, by chance alone followed the Pandavas, leading a dog. As they wandered there, the dog, roaming the forest, witless, came upon the Nishada; and, spotting that dark man, his body smeared with dirt, clad in black deerskin, the dog stood barking beside him. Then, displaying his skill, Ekalavya loosed seven arrows as if all at once into the mouth of the barking dog. And the dog, its mouth full of arrows, ran back to the Pandavas; seeing it, the hero Pandavas fell into utter astonishment. Seeing that supreme dexterity and the art of striking by sound, they were abashed and praised him in every way; then, searching for that forest dweller, they saw him ceaselessly loosing arrows, and, not recognizing him, so strange was his appearance, they asked him, 'Who are you, and whose?'"
471786d2d7e8 · publicado 12 jul 2026, 16:53:32 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
Here Ekalavya's art is displayed in a wondrous feat -- striking by sound (śabda-vedha). It is telling that he fills the barking dog's mouth with seven arrows without wounding it: supreme mastery, striking by ear with perfect precision and measure. Here one sees the fruit of devotion: by faith and diligence alone, without a living teacher, Ekalavya has surpassed the princes trained by Drona himself. Telling too is the Pandavas' embarrassment: they, kings and disciples of the greatest of teachers, are outdone by a forest youth of low birth -- a lesson that talent and devotion outweigh birth. Thus scripture exalts the unknown Nishada above the royal disciples, preparing a bitter turn: that very excellence will bring upon Ekalavya a cruel price.