Indian traditions, Nivedita and Coomaraswamy
Drona
Drona impresses the young princes by retrieving their lost ball from a well with a chain of grass and by recovering a ring with an arrow. This demonstration brings him to Bhishma’s attention as the teacher the royal household needs. When Ekalavya becomes a remarkable archer despite being refused as a pupil, Drona demands the thumb of his right hand as a teacher’s fee. Ekalavya complies and loses the lightness of hand that had made him a rival to the princes.
Also known as Droṇa · Dronacharya
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In the sources
Principal account
TraditionalDrona impresses the young princes by retrieving their lost ball from a well with a chain of grass and by recovering a ring with an arrow. This demonstration brings him to Bhishma’s attention as the teacher the royal household needs.
Further detail
TraditionalWhen Ekalavya becomes a remarkable archer despite being refused as a pupil, Drona demands the thumb of his right hand as a teacher’s fee. Ekalavya complies and loses the lightness of hand that had made him a rival to the princes.
Context & interpretation
Drona is considered through two traditional Mahabharata episodes in the collection. Its racial and caste language belongs to the historical retelling and is not adopted as a hierarchy of human worth. The fee episode is described for its narrative consequence, not as guidance.
Original passages
Source 1
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists
he had a chain of grassOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Nivedita and Coomaraswamy, Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists (1914), active reader leaf 156
Exact passage checked against the active edition text and original-leaf mapping; whitespace and scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0109-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0109-E001-P0156
- Original scan leaf
- 156
- Recorded leaf number
- 156
- Current Reader position
- 147
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists
the thumb of your right handOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Nivedita and Coomaraswamy, Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists (1914), active reader leaf 163
Exact passage checked against the active edition text and original-leaf mapping; whitespace and scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0109-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0109-E001-P0163
- Original scan leaf
- 163
- Recorded leaf number
- 163
- Current Reader position
- 154
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Bhima
The powerful Pandava whose rivalry with Duryodhana turns display towards violence.
Shared source pageEkalavya
The excluded student who teaches himself before an image of Drona.
Same subject and traditionArjuna
The Pandava archer whose skill and moral hesitation make him central to the Mahabharata.
Same subject and traditionBhagiratha
The royal descendant whose persistence brings Ganga to his ancestors’ ashes.