Talk:The Hindu Values of Sportsmanship:Focus
By Vishal Agarwal and The Hindu Society of Minnesota
There are many distractions in our life. We must have our priorities clear and then focus on things that are most important to us. If becoming a sportsman is our highest priority, we must focus on our game and ignore distractions or hindrances like attending parties, watching movies etc. The following story from the Mahābhārata illustrates the importance of focus, which is extremely important in sports, especially in archery, shooting, javelin throws and so on.
Arjuna’s Focus: Arjuna Shoots the Eye of the Bird
The education of the princes was now almost over. Arjuna could shoot arrows not just with his right hand, but also with his left hand! A person who can use both his hands equally well is called ‘ambidextrous’ in English and Savyasācin in Sanskrit. Droṇācārya decided to give them a final test. He announced that he wanted to find out who among his students was the best archer.
He placed a wooden sparrow on the branch of the tree. The eye of the sparrow was made of a sparkling gem. He told the princes that to pass the test, they should be able to shoot at the eye of the bird. First, he called Yudhiṣṭhira to take aim and asked him, “You have to shoot the eye of the bird. Take aim and tell me what you can see.” Yudhiṣṭhira replied, “Sir, I have taken aim and my arrow will hit its mark. I can see you, my brothers and cousins, the trees and the bird.”
Droṇācārya was disappointed, “Step back, and let Duryodhana make an attempt.”
He asked the same question to Duryodhana, who replied, “I have taken aim dear teacher. I can see you all, the tree, and also our palace behind the tree. I can also see the grass, sky and the birds flying over us.”
Droṇācārya replied, “Please step back, because you cannot hit the target.”
One by one, Droṇācārya called all princes but asked them to step back without allowing them to shoot at the target. Then, he called Arjuna and said, “Take aim, and tell me what you see.”
Arjuna replied, “I see only the eye of the bird that I have to hit. I do not see anything else.”
Droṇācārya was very pleased. He said, “My child, you alone of all princes have one-pointed concentration. I am confident that you will hit your target successfully. Take aim and shoot!”
Arjuna took aim, and his arrow pierced the eye of the wooden bird successfully. All the princes marveled at the marksmanship of Arjuna. In the course of time, as expected, Arjuna became the best archer of his times.