Practice makes one perfect

Ekalavya was born in a low caste family. He lived in the forest, with his parents. Often he accompanied his father to forage for food. His father hunted with the help of a knife. Ekalavya too learned to use the knife. But for using the knife, he had to get close to the quarry .That was not always easy. He searched for alternatives. He found it easy to hit small animals with stones. He used the sling and sent the stones flying into space, to bring down birds. One day, while moving through Hastinapur, he saw a group of young boys practising archery. He stood rooted to the spot. Could he also master archery and hunt animals easily? But who would teach him archery? He was not a Kshatriya (Member of the warrior class). Martial art remained the exclusive right of the upper castes. Ekalavya returned home, cursing his fate. "I know I can master archery. My marksmanship is very good. The other day, I aimed a stone at a rabbit, which was running for cover. I killed the rabbit in one shot. On another occasion, I managed to bring down a couple of pigeons with the help of my sling. If I master archery, I can stalk deer and wild boars too. But I will never learn the art. My caste stands in my way," he rued. On several visits to Hastinapur, Ekalavya watched the young boys practise archery. He observed them keenly. Soon he knew how to make a bow. He collected a few arrows. He had heard that Dronacharya was the best teacher of archery. "I am his disciple," Ekalavya told himself. He put a stone image of Dronacharya on a mount at the foot of a tree. He bowed to the idol. Then began the lessons. All day long, he practised shooting arrows. It was hard work. But he did not give up. Slowly but steadily his marksmanship improved. Soon he gained further mastery. He could strike the target, while watching only at the target's reflection. He could hit the beast, whose bleats or bellows reached him, even though the beast remained invisible. He became a great archer like Veer Arjun. His success tells us, "Practice makes one perfect."

Meaning: To master a lesson or any art there is no short cut. One has to work hard, practise for hours, keep on doing it till one gets it right.

Alternatives: Try, try till you succeed. Perseverance prevails.