Re: Explanation from an Expatriate (RE: Ekalavya)
Venkateswara Rao Veluri (vrveluri@worldnet.att.net)
Sun, 17 Nov 1996 23:25:58 -0600
Madhava Kumar Turumella wrote:
> Explanation from an Expatriate :-( (RE: Ekalavya)
> This has the reference to my earlier message forwarded to you
> by my friend Ramu Dokka regarding Ekalavya's character
> portrayal in Mahabharata.
---cut---
> In that letter, I have mentioned that "Ekalavya has
> participated in mahabharata war".
Since I have initiated Ekalavya as a transformed symbol in daLit
poetry, I feel obligated to respond. (I wouldn't be able to reply
to any rejoinders to this post until December 20, 1996. But, some
other nettors, with similar sympathies, I hope, will be able
to do it better!)
In the MB there are two Ekalavyas. One is a 'minor' king, but of course
a kshtriya king. The other is our nishaada putra, Ekalavya.
I quote( not following RIT scheme for the names!) from the translation
of the vyaasa MB, by late J. A. B.van Buitenen (who died after having
finished translating upto and including the UdyOga parva!).
"....Also Dantavaktra, Durjaya, Rukmi, and King Janamejaya, a tiger among
prices, Ashada, Vaayuvega, Bhuritejas, Ekalavya, Sumitra,...and king
^^^^^^^^
Matimat, and he famed as Isvara. This host of kings was born on earth
from the group of Krodhavasa, in the olden days, O great king, of great
fame and strength."
The same from Nannaya's aadi parva, tRiteeyaaSvaasa ( in RIT again!):
1.3.80 vacanaM:
The list of kings is too long! I will snip it and cite only the
relevant parts.
"....krOdhavaSa guNaMbu valana madraka, karNavEshTa, siddhartha, keeTaka,
....etc..etc... rukmi, janamEjaya, aashaadha, vaayuvEga, bhooritEja,
Ekalavya, sumitra, vaaTadhaana...... ."
^^^^^^^^
Now about the irrelevant controversy concoted in regard to
the right/left thumb as fee to drONa: Again from van Buitenen's
translation of the vyaasa MB: 1(7)123.25 and et seq.
( Not in RIT again!)
The dog with seven simultaneous arrows from (the nishaada putra)
Ekalavya returns to the pandavaas and they in turn tell Drona about
the miraculous story as it had happened. After that ....
"... But Arjuna Kaunteya kept thinking of Ekalavya, king; and when he met
alone with Drona, he said to him....etc..etc..."
They both go to see Ekalavya and find him to be the nishhada boy! ....
And, from 1(7)123.35 I quote : 'Drona replied " Give me your right thumb!"
---Cut ( Yes! The right thumb and the rest of Turimella gaari's post) Cut ---
> Anyway, I have verbal confirmation from India that "Ekalavya
> has participated in Mahabharata War". I feel quite handicapped
> now.
But the Ekalavya who participated in the MB war was
Ekalavya, the 'minor' king.
True. karNa killed GhatOtkaca with the magical weapon
given to him by iMdra in return to having obtained
karNa's kavaca kundalas( essentially to save his son, arjuna from
that weapon, which could be used only once and once only!)
Actually in tikkana's drOna parvaM, paMcama aSvaasaM, here it is:
>From vacanaM 239:
Lord kRshNa expresses his happiness at ghatOtkaca's death at
the hands of karNa. In the same passage, I quote:
" .... mee taMDri iTlu sEyaDayyenEni vaani (karNa) kedurevvaru
kavaca kuMDala viheenuMdai maanava saamanyaMbu noMduTanu sakra
datta saadhanaMbu lEmiMjEsiyu niMka neeku geluva vaccu niTla
Ekalavya sisupaala jaraasaMdhaadula neekakaa nokkakka teraMgunaM
biluku teerciti nittari ... "
And kRshNa adds that if ghatOtkaca (who is an asura like raavaNa!)
does not get killed by karNa, then he(that is kRshNa) has to kill him!!
Finally, I believe this whole discussion on satish chander's poem
went in a direction it was never meant to go. Ekalavya, and his severed
thumb were merely used as powerful symbols by satish chander.
It should not matter whether it is the right thumb or left thumb; or
whether the nail on the said thumb was in tact; or whether Ekalavya
had bitten it and ate it for break fast!
We seem to successfully lose the wholesomeness of a forest while
(nit) picking on a couple of particula trees!
>Madhava Kumar Turumella
Regards,
--Venkateswara Rao Veluri