The story
Guru Drona was teaching archery to the young princes — the Pandavas and the Kauravas. One day he placed a small wooden bird high in a tree. "Aim at the bird's eye," he said. "But before you shoot, tell me what you see."
He called Yudhishthira first. "What do you see?" "I see the tree, the branches, the leaves, the bird, and you, my teacher." "Put down your bow," said Drona. One by one he asked the other princes. They saw the sky, the tree, the other students, the bird. "Put down your bow," he told each one.
Then he called Arjuna. "What do you see?" "I see only the eye of the bird," said Arjuna. "Do you see the tree?" "No, only the eye." "Shoot!" said Drona. Arjuna let go, and the arrow went straight into the bird's eye.
Drona was delighted. "This is concentration," he told his students. "When you work, see only your goal."
What we learn
- Concentration: focus fully on what you are doing.
- Practice makes perfect — Arjuna practised day and night.
- Listen carefully to your teacher.
A shloka to learn
Guru Brahma
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः ।
गुरुः साक्षात् परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
gurur brahmā gurur viṣṇuḥ gurur devo maheśvaraḥ |
guruḥ sākṣāt paraṃ brahma tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||
The teacher is like Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva; the teacher is the Supreme itself. I bow to my teacher.
Questions to talk about
- What did the other princes see? What did Arjuna see?
- Why did Drona let only Arjuna shoot?
- When is it hard for you to concentrate? What helps?
- Who is a teacher you are grateful to?
Parents and teachers: read the story aloud, then talk about the questions together. Let children retell it in their own words.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the story of Arjuna and the Bird's Eye come from?
It is told in Mahabharata tradition. This is a simple retelling for children.