IP Series : Dronacharya

Dronacharya—the guy who could turn you into a warrior before your morning chai—was hands-down the ultimate guru. But he had one golden rule: “No royalty, no archery lessons.” ?? No crown? No bows for you! He was tasked with training the princes of the Kuru dynasty, including the Pandavas and Kauravas.

(And seriously, think about this—if Dronacharya hadn’t decided to train both the good guys and the bad guys, we might’ve completely skipped the Kurukshetra war! ?? One historical epic avoided just like that. But hey, life’s full of “what ifs” and “oh wells.” Maybe Drona didn’t expect it to blow up into that kind of family drama!)

Among all his students, Arjuna was the clear favorite. ?? Drona even promised to make him the best archer the world had ever seen.

While Dronacharya was busy training royalty, along came Eklavya—a kid with 0% royal connections but 100% passion for archery. ???? He asked Drona to teach him, but guess what? No crown, no lessons! ??

Most people would’ve moved on, but not Eklavya. This kid was next-level determined. ?? So, he went into the forest, built a clay statue of Dronacharya, and got to work! But Eklavya didn’t stop there. While Drona was busy teaching Arjuna & co., Eklavya would hide behind trees, spying on their lessons like a ninja. ???♂? He’d memorize every move, dash back to his clay teacher, and practice like a man possessed. ?? Talk about dedication!

One day, Dronacharya, Arjuna, and the gang were in the jungle for practice when a dog started barking non-stop. ???? Arjuna, being the best archer, tried to silence it, but before he could, the barking suddenly stopped. They found the dog with arrows perfectly sealing its mouth—and here’s the catch: the dog wasn’t harmed at all! ?? Talk about precision!

Drona and Arjuna were shook! ???♂? Who could’ve done this? They followed the trail and found Eklavya, practicing in front of his clay Dronacharya statue. ????

Drona, confused but impressed, said, “Your guru must be super proud!” And Eklavya? He smiled and said, “Well, you should be proud, Guruji!” ?? Drona’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Wait, what?! He never trained this kid!

Eklavya explained that he considered Drona his teacher, even though he wasn’t formally trained. All that spying from behind trees had turned him into an archery prodigy. ???♂???

But remember, Drona had a promise to keep—Arjuna was supposed to be the best. So, Drona asked for guru dakshina (that’s a traditional offering to your teacher). Eklavya, without blinking, asked, “What would you like, Guruji?”

And then came the bombshell: Drona asked for Eklavya’s right thumb—the very thing that made him a great archer. ??

Without hesitation, Eklavya took out a knife, cut off his thumb, and handed it over like it was no big deal. ?? Drona was stunned, but his promise to Arjuna was now safe.

Drona may have ensured Arjuna’s greatness, but this story reminds us that perfection is overrated. ??♂?? It’s our IM-PERFECTIONS—our flaws, our sacrifices—that truly add depth to our characters. ??♀??? Eklavya may have lost his thumb, but his story will be remembered forever.

?? if you liked it Repost this to spread some giggle ??. The world could use a little more fun and laughter! ??

H-cube signing off... If your day is already great, keep it rolling. If not, may the greatness start now! ????