Q.Study the following source carefully and answer the questions that follow : "Proper" social roles Here is a story from the Adi Parvan of the Mahabharata : Once Drona, a Brahmana who taught archery to the Kuru princes, was approached by Ekalavya, a forest-dwelling nishada (a hunting community). When Drona, who knew the dharma, refused to have him as his pupil, Ekalavya returned to the forest, prepared an image of Drona out of clay, and treating it as his teacher, began to practise on his own. In due course, he acquired great skill in archery. One day, the Kuru princes went hunting and their dog, wandering in the woods, came upon Ekalavya. When the dog smelt the dark nishada wrapped in black deer skin, his body caked with dirt, it began to bark. Annoyed, Ekalavya shot seven arrows into its mouth. When the dog returned to the Pandavas, they were amazed at this superb display of archery. They tracked down Ekalavya, who introduced himself as a pupil of Drona. Drona had once told his favourite student Arjuna, that he would be unrivalled amongst his pupils. Arjuna now reminded Drona about this. Drona approached Ekalavya, who immediately acknowledged and honoured him as his teacher. When Drona demanded his right thumb as his fee, Ekalavya unhesitatingly cut it off and offered it. But thereafter, when he shot with his remaining fingers, he was no longer as fast as he had been before. Thus, Drona kept his word : no one was better than Arjuna. (28.1) Why did Drona refuse to accept Ekalavya as his pupil ?

Drona's refusal to accept Ekalavya as his pupil stemmed from his adherence to the social norms and 'dharma' of the period. As a Brahmana tasked with teaching the Kuru princes, Drona's understanding of his duty likely restricted him to teaching specific social groups, and Ekalavya, belonging to a forest-dwelling Nishada community, did not fit these traditional criteria.

Ekalavya acquired his supreme archery skill through extraordinary dedication and self-practice. After Drona's refusal, he returned to the forest, crafted a clay image of Drona, and, treating it as his teacher, diligently practised archery on his own until he achieved great mastery. …

The story of Ekalavya from the Adi Parvan of the Mahabharata is a poignant narrative that illuminates the complex social structures and ethical dilemmas prevalent in ancient Indian society, particularly concerning "proper" social roles and the guru-shishya tradition. It highlights the rigidities of the varna system and the concept of dharma as understood and applied by figures like Drona, while also showcasing extraordinary dedication and reverence from individuals like Ekalavya.

28.1 Why did Drona refuse to accept Ekalavya as his pupil?

Drona refused to accept Ekalavya as his pupil because Ekalavya belonged to a forest-dwelling Nishada community, which was considered outside the traditional social hierarchy for receiving formal martial training from a Brahmana teacher like Drona. The source explicitly states that Drona "knew the dharma," implying that his refusal was based on the prevailing social norms and his duty to his royal Kuru princes, particularly his promise to Arjuna that he would be unrivalled. Accepting a Nishada, a member of a hunting community, as a formal student would have gone against these established social conventions and Drona's specific commitments.

28.2 How did Ekalavya acquire the supreme skill of archery?

Ekalavya acquired his supreme skill in archery through an extraordinary act of self-dedication and reverence. After Drona refused him, Ekalavya returned to the forest and prepared an image of Drona out of clay. He then treated this clay image as his teacher and began to practise archery on his own, diligently honing his skills. Through this intense self-training and unwavering devotion to his chosen guru (represented by the image), he eventually achieved great mastery in archery. …