Ekalavya By Sharad Dalvi

श्री दासबोध ह्या लोकोत्तर ग्रंथात सच्छिष्याची लक्षणं विस्तारानं विशद करताना श्रीसमर्थ रामदास म्हणतात : ऐसे सच्छिष्याचें वैभव । सद्गुरुवचनीं दृढभाव । तेणें गुणें देवराव । स्वयेंचि होती ।।४९।। (दशक पाचवा, समास तिसरा) ...असं सच्छिष्याचं वैभव असतं. सद्गुरुवचनावर त्याचा दृढविश्वास असल्यामुळंच तो स्वत: सद्गुरुस्वरूप होतो, देवांचाही देव होतो... आत्मकर्तृत्वाच्या बळावर सद्गुरुस्वरूप प्राप्त करून घेतलेला पहिला सर्वोत्तम शिष्य एकलव्य. त्याची ही चरितकहाणी. आद्य एकलव्याच्या कापल्या अंगठ्यातून गळणा-या रक्ताच्या कणाकणांतून कधी जात, कधी धर्म, कुठं रक्तशुद्धी, कुठं वर्ण अशा कोणत्या ना कोणत्या कारणानं रोज नवनवे एकलव्य जन्माला येत आहेत; आणि आयुष्यातील छोट्या-मोठ्या संघर्षाला भिणारे, पोटासाठी लाचार झालेले द्रोणाचार्यही पावलोपावली भेटत आहेत. महाभारत-काळापासूनच ज्ञान आणि पोटभरू विद्या यांची गल्लत सुरू झाली. ज्ञानोपासक आत्मकेंद्रित, अहंमन्य, लाचार व पोटार्थी बनले. त्यामुळं ज्ञान व समाजाची नैतिक घसरगुंडी झाली. स्वार्थप्रेरक, पक्षपाती आणि उच्च जीवननिष्ठा न देणारं ज्ञान हेच व्यक्तीच्या आणि समष्टीच्या -हासाचं व अपकर्षाचं मुख्य कारण होत गेलं. या चरितकहाणीचा मूलस्त्रोतच हा आहे. प्रत्येक ज्ञानपिपासूनं वाचायला हवीच, अशी ही कथावस्तू आहे. Shree Samartha Ramdas illustrates the characteristics of a good student as , `the wealth of a good student lies in his devotion towards his teacher, his devotion makes him as good as the teacher and ultimately gives him that eternal place`.Eklavya was the foremost of all students who learnt through his devotion and dedication towards his teacher. He was the best of all disciples. This book narrates his story. In today`s life, every moment some Eklavya takes birth from the droplet of the blood shed by that original Eklavya, when he cut his thumb. The reason for this birth varies from caste, religion, purification of mind and body, to various other reasons. At the same time, we come across the teachers like Dronacharya who have given themselves as slaves to overcome their hunger. Since the ancient age of Mahabharata, the conflict between knowledge and information was started. The knowledge seekers became self-centred, egoist, slaves and started thinking only about their needs and necessities. The main reason for the disgrace of humans was thus the knowledge which taught to be selfish, partial and which was devoid of any high morales. The origin of this story is the disgrace of humanism, everyone should read it at least once.