Story of Ekalavya - Re : satIsh cander's pancama vEdam - response from a friend..

Ramabhadra Dokka (sdokka@st6000.sct.edu)
Wed, 30 Oct 1996 16:44:58 -0500 (EST) 

Here are some very interesting comments from one of my friends who as a 
matter of fact spoke to Mr. satIsh candra. This friend of mine asked me
to post it on his behalf. You can direct your comments/criticism to me at
sdokka@st6000.sct.edu... regards, - Ram (Ramabhadra Dokka)

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Mr. satIsh cander seems to have identified himself with a movement and 
obviously is getting fame using the movement and like a politician, he seems
to be caring less for the truth in the statements that he issues. I really
can not call his statements as POETRY for the twisting of facts and the
mis-interpretation of the epic.

Coming to the point of truth in his statements in his 'pancama vEdam', it 
is very clear that the poet has no knowledge of BAratam and about the 
political situations prevailing in those days. Those who have STUDIED
mahABArata can clearly understand what Ekalavya's position was and how
much of the caste issue was involved in the amputation of his finger.
BTW, Does anyone care for the truth of which thumb was amputated _ It
is NOT the right thumb as per popular belief, it is the other and that 
is the reason Ekalavya could participate in the BArata war. People who
want to know the truth may check the references once again. Here is the
true story for those who care for facts --

Archery was considered to be the royal art/education in those days and it
was strictly monitored by the kings and ministers, because of the perils 
involved to the society. Just to make it clear, it was like issuing a 
gun license that is strictly monitored and controlled by the Govt., these
days. Unnecessary possession of an AK-47 like weapon was a crime and the 
culprit would face severe punishment including beheading.

Refer to dhanurvEda (updavEdam of yajurvEda) for an account of all this, it 
is far beyond the pancama vEda. Now, Ekalavya was considered deserving 
punishment because --

1. He learned the archery, the restricted art without the permission of the
   Army Commander (i.e. drONa or BIshma)

2. Apparently, he has shown the prudence which was only possible to the
   royal students and has become a potential threat to the throne

As a punishment, Ekalavya should have been beheaded. It is drONa who protected
him from such severe punishment and the issue was settled with a finger. BTW,
Ekalavya did lose his LEFT hand's thumb and he DID participate in the mahA-
BArata war. As a matter fact, Ekalavya prepared his own bow to have the right
grip with his thumbless left hand.He held a position of dhanurAkhya and was 
admired for his fierceful art of archery. He killed hundreds of mighty 
warriers of pAnDavas and was eventually killed in the end by arjuna. Had 
drONa been not sympathetic to this kid who learnt the art by having his 
guru pratima, Ekalavya would not have had a chance to participate in the 
mahABArata war. 

Now, By losing his finger, did Ekalavya lose his art ?? drONa, when forced
to ask something as guru dakshiNa could have asked for the 'vilu vidya'
from Ekalavya but he just asked his finger. Had drONa asked for that,
Ekalavya would happily have given up archery. That is the story of a 
TRUE guru-sishya relation - NO DIRTY POLITICS OF CASTE AND RACE WERE
INVOLVED THERE - Actually when Ekalavya wanted to learn the ROYAL art,
he went and asked drONa and got declined for the same reason and in spite
of this, he went ahead and learnt the science of Royal Archery.. (See, 
when Archery was an instrument that protects the country, there was 
a lot of difference between simple archery and the art of royal archery
in those days).

Hence, it is clearly visible that it is not the caste or something that
punished Ekalavya but it was the Govt. (POWER) that DID it. And it is also 
clear in vyAsa's mahABArata that drONA was quite sympathetic towards
Ekalavya. After as a responsible guru, he saved his life, Didn't he ??

	vElavEla mArlu vErvEru rAjulaku
	villu baTTu vidya vivaramuga delipe
	savyasAci mIda sAnuBUti memDu
	tanDri lEni biDDa savya sAci..

	drONuDennimArlu dayatalacinADanna
	BAratambu caduva budhdhi teliyu
	vElunaDiginaTlu vEdhimpa jellunA
	EkalavyuDEla vElu nicce ??

	rAjyamandy rAju rakshimpa baDavale
	dharma nirati vEru dAri lEdu
	dharma raksha kOra tala lEni vADouna ?
	drONu vanTi guruvu dharma guruvu..

	vElu dIyakunna vEgamE taladIyu
	rAjarAjulElu rAjaBUmi
	kaThina Siksha bApe karuNa manasu galgi
	vElu naDiginaTlu vibulu palike..

	kulame guNamu yaina kuru rAja BUmilO
	karuNuDamga rAjya karNuDouna ?
	drONa guruvu cAla dayagala guruvayA
	vElu naDige gAni viluvidya gAdu..	

And coming to my views on Mr.satIsh candra's poem --

	>nIku caccinA artham kAdurA - ani
	>mIru titTukonTU ceppina vELLa mIda lekka
	>nAku caccAkanE arthamayyindi..

nEnu bratiki unnA kUDA I padAlanu artham cEsukOlEka pOtunnAnu, ika
caccina taruvAta artham cEsukOvaDamanE mATE Uhinca lEka pOtunnAnu..:-)

I do not consider this as a poem from the subjective point of view. I advise
that SrI satIsh candra should gather sufficient knowledge over the subject 
(mahA BArata) before commenting/writing a poem in the name of "pancama vEdam".

regards..

- mAdhava

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