The Forbidden Disciple!

Sarala Mahabharata

A beautiful hill named Manikya extended its ranges across a certain distance. The depressed areas of land under the hilly ranges formed a valley, and a small pond flowed there. A tribal couple—Jara, a hunter, and his wife, Shriya—lived in a small hut in that valley. The vast area was devoid of inhabitants, except for a few tribals. Hunting deer, rhinos, boars, and other animals from the jungle, he led his life.

Once, Shriya told her husband to stay at home while she would bring some water from the river. Jara agreed and stayed back to finish his other work. Shriya wrapped her body in her usual clothes made of leaves, and carrying the earthen pot on her head, she rushed to the river in haste.

Her face was blooming like a full moon. A necklace of colourful beads draped around her neck. Thick bangles of clay and glass jingled on her wrists as she walked. The black curly hair was tied up on one side of her head. Her striking beauty could easily lure a person from a distance.

After bathing and filling the earthen pot, she moved fast towards her hut. Suddenly, she noticed that she was surrounded by a few strangers. From their gestures, she could understand their evil motive. Ignoring their presence, she tried to cross the path, but the strangers were adamant and stubborn. When she realised her life was at stake, she cried for help.

“Swami—hel-help,” the poor tribal lady screamed aloud. Her whole body was shaking badly out of fear! Eyes were wide open, and lips were trembling like aspen leaves . “Look at those punks, swami! Help me,” she yelled again.

Her painful voice echoed on the hilltops and bounced back. Repeatedly, the same voice came from the riverbank. Looking at the stunning beauty of the young lady, one of them said, “Oh, damsel! Be our queen. You deserve to be our queen.”

“Why are you roaming around in this lonely place?! Who is there to help you in this lonely forest?” they mocked her, giggled, and looked at each other.

“Who the hell are you, punks?!” she charged them with broken words.

“Hah! W-we are the princes from the mighty royal family—the Kauravas!”

She was taken aback by their bold attempt. “Watch your step, you fools, or you will be dead soon. Don’t dare to touch me,” she warned in a hard voice gathering all her strength.

But the Kauravas had lost their senses. They forgot all decency and tried to misbehave with Shriya. Suddenly, a roaring voice from a little distance shook the hundred brothers at once.

“If you dare to touch her, you will enjoy the Yama's abode, O fools!" a voice blared in the air.

A dark, sturdy, stout man rushed towards the Kauravas. His wist was wrapped with deer skin; an axe and a scythe hung from it. On his back was a quiver full of arrows. A thin, long strip of deer skin was tied around his forehead.

In lightning speed, Jara stood before them with his arrow fixed on the bow. He howled like a wolf from a distance.

“Why have you called for your death, fools?” he roared again.

Rolling his eyes like fireballs, Dushasan retorted, “Oh, you poor Nishad! Don’t you know who we are? The Kauravas—the great Kuru descendants. Why do you wish a premature death? You don’t deserve this beautiful lady. She will be our queen in Hastinapur!”

Within the blink of an eye, Jara released his chanted arrow, and all the hundred brothers lied down on the ground in a pool of blood. None of them were alive. Jara escorted his wife to his hut.

Twelve Days Later

Twelve days passed, yet there was no sign of the Kauravas. Dronacharya felt uneasy in their absence. He was the one who had sent his disciples in four different directions to hunt boars for his wife’s shraddha. Everybody came back except the hundred brothers. At last, Dronacharya went in quest of them with Bhim, Arjun, and Karna.

After a long search, they reached the Manikya hill range, where the Kauravas were lying. Bhim ran ahead and located the hundred brothers’ bodies near the river. He caught his breath and ran to inform Gurudev. They all rushed towards the spot. Beholding the dead bodies of Kauravas, Drona was taken aback. He was utterly astonished at the wonderful display of archery—so many arrows, and a hundred brothers felled at once.

“Who else could do it? Only Arjun and Parshuram are experts in such archery. Who is the third one? A disciple of Lord Parshuram?” he wondered.

Dronacharya asked Arjun to find out the archer. Obeying the command of Gurudev, Arjun set-off to trace the stranger.

Jara was engrossed in practising his weapons when Arjun approached him. They had a short but hot discourse by which Jara grew furious and yelled, “Hey, you! Who are you? What do you want?”

Arjun explained to him about his hundred brothers’ miserable condition. Enraged, Zara pointed his arrow at Arjun and said, “Oh, poor boy! Why do you wish for death now?” Without any delay, he showered arrows on Arjun.

A frightful combat started between Jara and Arjun.

Arjun took up a terrible arrow of fiery splendour. Jara encountered it magnificently. The combat between them increased with time. The tremendous sound of clashing arrows from both sides shook the whole mountain range.

Dronacharya’s instincts warned him of something unusual. He followed the sound and reached at the spot. Arjun and Jara were deeply engaged in a dual fight. He asked both of them to stop.

After the combat settled down, Drona asked Jara where he had learned such splendid astra vidya. The Nishada revealed that he had learned it from his Gurudev. Curiously, Dronacharya asked him to disclose the identity of his Gurudev. The Nishad proudly announced the name of his preceptor—Guru Dronacharya.

Drona became speechless when he heard his own name. Introducing himself to Jara, he inquired him how he could achieve all those Vidya and he requested him to bring the Kauravas back to their life. Beholding his Gurudev, Jara prostrated at his feet. Without delay, Jara recited his divine arrow to make the hundred brothers alive.

J

Jara said, “O Gurudev! Long ago, I went to Varunavanta—the akhda of royal princes—with a great passion to learn astra and shastra vidya from you. But the Kauravas humiliated me for my lineage and threw me out of their premises. From that day onwards, I carved my Gurudev’s image in clay and worshipped him with my heart.

“The clay statue (you) is the one who taught me divine knowledge. I deeply observed every movement, every rhythmic sound of yours. I never missed a single beat of your manoeuvre.”

Moved by his devotion, Drona hugged Jara and blessed him with supreme power. As Drona wished to see his akhda, Jara led him with his disciples to the place where he learned all his martial arts. Dronacharya, Bhim, Arjun, and Karna were stunned looking at the sight.

A clay statue of Drona was installed in a corner. Sandalwood paste was neatly put on the forehead; a water lily flower served as the sacred thread; and a black deer skin was wrapped around the waist of the clay statue. The index finger of the statue pointed at Varunavanta—the akhda of the royal children. A quiver of arrows rested on the back of the statue, and a bow was in his left hand.

Dronacharya was overwhelmed with joy and blessed Jara with supreme power. But in the next moment, he demanded his 'Guru Dakshina'. The Dakshina he asked was so unusual that shook the whole human race.

He asked for Jara’s right-hand thumb. Jara felt as if the sky fell upon his head with this unexpected gift! Overwhelmed with joy and sorrow, he proved his loyalty offering his most precious thing to his Guru Dev! He was happy because he could satisfy his guru and he felt sorry as he could never surpass Arjun!

Jara, the unbeatable archer, happily offered his thumb. The forbidden disciple of the preceptor remained the greatest archer ever seen before.