The
story started with Durna who was teaching the art of archery to the children of
Hastina Kingdom at the palace's yard. From far away, a young man watched the
practice. He was Ekalaya, the crown prince of Parang Gelung Kingdom.
Ekalaya
wanted to study with Durna but was rejected, since the man promised only to
teach children of Pandawa and Kurawa. Still Ekalaya was neither angry nor
revengeful. His strong will to study from Durna influenced him go to the forest
and create a statue of Durna as a symbol of Durna's presence. With this statue
as his ima ginative teacher, Ekalaya learned how to shoot arrows by himself.
The result was astonishing; Ekalaya turned very skillfull in shooting arrows
just like Arjuna, Durna's favourite student.
Ekalaya
finally encountered Arjuna, who was hunting in the forest. Arjuna was surprised
to find that an arrow struck the animal he was hunting. It turned out the arrow
belonged to Ekalaya. Innocently, Ekalaya said he was Durna's student.
Durna
was surprised when Arjuna told him about Ekalaya. When he met Ekalaya, Durna
trapped him saying he would admit Ekalaya as his student if he cut off the
thumb of his right hand as evidence of his loyalty to his master.
Ekalaya followed the request but then rea
lised he had been cheated. Angry and disappoin ted, he knew Durna did not want
anybody to rival Arjuna. Ekalaya became angrier when he was told by his wife
that Arjuna was in love with her and challenged Arjuna to a duel.
Taken from Childcraft: World of Colour, 2003
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