MAARKANDEYA presents MAHAABHAARATHAM

(The L in this name is pronounced like 'l' in 'luck'. The Y is a consonant is pronounced like 'y' in 'you'.)

There were many persons with this same name in Mahaabhaaratham.

Ekalavya was the son of Hiranyadhanva , chief of a forest-tribe, named Nishaadas.

Ekalavya went to Drona requesting him to take him as a student in archery . But Drona refused his request saying that he could not teach archery to other than braahmanas or kshathriyas. Ekalavya went back home. He made an idol of Drona and practised archery to become a good shooter.

When the paandavas and kouravas went for hunting, they saw Ekalavya and reported to Drona that he was a better shooter than they themselves were. Drona went to see him. Ekalavya bowed to him offered all customary respects and declared himself to be Drona's disciple. Drona, with a view to see his student Arjuna as the best archer, demanded Ekalavya's right thumb as the customary gift to be presented to one's teacher. ekalavya did so but lost his ease in shooting thereby.

One more Ekalavya was mentioned by Drupada in Udyoga parva while he mentioned many kings to seek help from. As he mentioned only kings, that person could not be this Ekalavya. In Udyoga parva again, Arjuna said to Sanjaya that Krishna had killed Ekalavya, the ruler of the foresters.

Yet again, in Drona parva, Krisha talked about one Ekalavya whom he himself said to have killed earlier for the sake of Arjuna and to avoid Duryodhana's approaching him for help later. It may be about this Ekalavya that Arjuna referred to Sanjaya. The same mention was made by Vasudeva, in Mousala parva, about an ekalavya of the Nishaadas, killed by Krishna.

In Ashvamedha parva, it is mentioned that one Ekalavya's son, a nishaada ruler, fought with Arjuna when the latter went with the sacrificial horse in its protection.

Also, we come across an Ekalavya of the yaadavas who grew up with the same forest tribe Nishaadas as of Ekalavya. Since the mentions by Arjuna and Krishna were about the already killed Ekalavyas, the one Drupada referred to, must have been a king by the time of the war.

We cannot correctly decide about the proper identity of these many Ekalavyas. But, it seems this way. One ekalavya of the Yaadavas might have grown up with the Nishaadas and Krishna might have slain him for some reason. Arjuna and Vasudeva might have referred to this Ekalavya. The Another Ekalavya of the Nishaadas might be the one that approached Drona for learning archery. His son might be the one who fought with Arjuna during Ashvamedham expedition.

"After praying to Naaraayana, Nara, Sarasvathi and Vyaasa, then one should read the Jayam."