In the famous Sanskrit (Is an Indo-Aryan language spoken) epics of India, Mahabharata was the longest story written with over 200,000 individual verses lines and an approximate 1.8 million words by Veda Vyas, who was an avatar of the Lord Vishnu. He wrote this book on a real life event which occurred in around 8th and 9th Century which was written around 400 B.C. by him. If compared to a similar epic story Iliad and Odysseys combined, it was roughly ten times length of both. This story had a legendary hero who is considered as the greatest archer ever, he was known as Arjun.
Arjun was the son of the king Pandava, the ruler of Hastinapur. He had four brothers, Yudhister, Bhim, Nakul and Sahadev. Since the age of nine his brother and he were sent to an ancient typically schooling system for royal Kingdoms. In this system sons of kings were sent to A university at a very early age. This was not really like passing examination and getting out but you had to leave there away from the royalty, to learn how to leave life by observing the behavior of their teacher. It was staying away from home for years just to learn certain duties to perform at the universities. Arjun and students were only allowed to bring a pair of wooden sandals and personal clothing for few years of leaving there. A typical student at this college should have stick in a hand, some blades of grass in mouth, iron earrings and a white mark on the forehead. Stick in hand was a symbol of the readiness to protect teacher in time of danger. The grass in the mouth meant that the task of lending to the cows would be of the student’s. The white Mark on the forehead signified that the student would have an attitude of absolute surrender to the Teacher. Arjun out of all showed the most consistency through all his time at the schooling year. This famous teacher was known as Dronacharya. He was very popular in the field of education and was appointed to teacher the royal children’s.
Arjun was a very strong and sharp minded student and his emotions were well-balanced. He built a really strong personal relationship with his teacher and this was proved by the practical tests which were conducted on him. It generally happened that very few students managed to succeed in the tests Dronacharya gave. One day the Acharya (teacher) announced to hold a test for concentration for only among the students in the university. He asked all pupils to be ready with a Bow and arrows. “There is a bird perched on that tree,” he said pointing his finger in the particular direction, “and I want each of you to shoot the eye of the bird. Each of you will have your chance as your name is called.”
When the pupils saw the bird in the tree, everyone was anxious to go through the test. To them test appeared to be easy and simple. They all got their equipment ready. They wondered who would be called first. Many doubted whether they would be called at all, for the eye of the bird might not remain for a target after the few students had gone through the test. There was only one small eye of one small bird within their view and there were so many other students ready with their bows and arrows. Anxiously they waited for the great Teacher to call their names.
Suddenly the Acharya called the name of Duryodhana. The Kaurava Prince became glad for getting the first chance. Duryodhana jumped forward, bow and arrow in hand and Stood beside the teacher. Dronacharya then said. “Get ready to shoot. Aim the eye of the bird in the tree.” The Kaurava Prince steadied himself put the arrow to the string of his bow and pointing it in the desired direction, took aim. He waited for Dronacharya to say Shoot. If Duryodhana was impatient to shoot and the other students were equally impatient to be called for the test. The teacher was in no mood to be hurried about. He was never in a hurry and at present it appeared he was unusually relaxed. Moreover the test was for concentration and not to decide how quickly one could shoot the arrow. “I think you are now ready,” said the teacher at length to Duryodhana, “but tell me if you can see the bird properly. What else can you see? How many of the students gathered here are you in a position to see?”
“I am able to see the bird on that tree very well,” replied Duryodhana promptly, “and I can also see other birds in the same tree. That is not all. Even the birds in the nearby tree are within my view. I can clearly see all my brothers assembled here. I could tell you many more things which I am in a position to see at present.” Duryodhana felt satisfied with himself because he was under the impression that he had given a good answer to the question. He was anticipating a word of praise from the teacher and that final order to “Shoot” Dronacharya however was in no mood to force his pupil. After all, this was a test. “I have heard you,” the Acharya said to Duryodhana. “Now you may turn and go back, I don’t want you to shoot. What I wanted to know was your power of concentration.”
As Duryodhana turned back taking out the arrow from the string of the bow, he was greatly disappointed. Meanwhile the other students waiting were very surprised; they wondered what had gone wrong with Duryodhana’s taking aim at the target. Still they waited there in the same anxious mood, for the word of the teacher had to be obeyed. The test had to go on.
Dronacharya now called Arjun for the test. The young Pandava Prince came and stood beside the Acharya with measured steps: there was no excitement in his movements. There was a poised and steady air about him. Standing firmly on his feet, Arjun put his arrow to the bow and pulling it well look aim at the eye of the bird on the tree. As his eyes got fixed on the target, Arjun forgot everything else. He could see nothing but the target. “Are you ready?” Dronacharya asked Arjun. “Yes Gurudev,” (Yes Master) replied Arjun. “If you want I could shoot. Or, if you so order me, I could come back. I am only waiting for your word.”
“I am glad to hear your answer. There are some questions I should like to ask you. Your success in this test depends on your answers to them. The question I am going to ask should have been clear to you by now. Tell me, what else do you see apart from the eye of the bird?” The other students expected to hear this time also the same kind of answer given first by Duryodhana. As it appeared to them, what else could one do but flash the things which happen to be before one’s eyes? It seemed in them that the great Teacher was unnecessarily complicating matters and ridiculing them by ordering them to return without shooting. Dronacharya was a great teacher, they had been told. But now they began to wonder whether his greatness depended on confusing things and not accepting straight answers to straight questions.
Arjun came forth with an answer so different from that which the other princes expected. They were startled to hear him say: “Master I can see nothing except the bird. I cannot even tell you whether the bird is on the branch or on the ground. Everything else has disappeared from my view on my taking aim at the target.”
Dronacharya was pleased with the answer. But still he put one more question to Arjun with the only purpose of making things clearer to the other Princes. His method was to teach through practical examples. He asked: “Arjun, till now you were looking at the bird and so you could not see any- thing else. I think, at present, you are in a position to see different animals, birds, trees and many other things. Could you tell me all that you are able to see?”
Arjun’s reply was fascinating to the other students. “Master now I can't even see the body of the bird. All now that I can see is the eye which is to be my target.” This time, too, Arjun’s reply pleased his teacher. He cast a glance at the waiting Students and noted that they were slowly beginning to understand the meaning of concentration for which the present test had been conducted. “Arjun” Dronacharya began once again, “I am satisfied with your answer. But there is still something more I would like to know from you. You tell me, you don’t know where the bird is sitting; you don’t even know the shape or the color of the bird. Then how could you shoot at its eye? Besides, if you can see other things now, then name them quickly also.”
Still Arjun was steady and his reply was short much to the amaze the other students. “Master I can see nothing but the eye which I have to shoot. There exists no vast gap between me and my target. My sight and the eye have become one in terms of concentration. At this moment, I know nothing else.”
Arjun’s answer satisfied the Dronacharya. For a moment he almost forgot himself, being overwhelmed with joy that one of his students could measure up to his expectations. What would a true teacher need but the most endearing satisfaction that there was one at least amongst his pupils, who could be reckoned worthy of the labor undertaken for him? The actual act of shooting now was not necessary, but still he had to go through it just to drive the point home to the other students. “Shoot” Sprang the arrow.
The eye and only the eye had been shot. The head and the body of the bird were intact. For a casual observer it appeared as though the bird was still there, perched on the bough as before. Only a minute glance revealed that the eye of the bird was missing. “Wonderful” Shouted the brothel Princes, all of whom ran to Arjun and lifted him up and carried him for a while on their shoulders out of sheer joy. In the end, Dronacharya announced to the Students that Arjun was the only winner of the test. This was really one of the most known events about Arjun and this was one of the virtues of being well widely known as a great archer in Mahabharat. In future he became an unbeatable warrior. He went for battle alone against armies. Arjun was been guided in the future by gods and was well known for his virtues that made him an Epic Archer.