THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION

Drona was the preceptor or the acharya of the Pandavas and the Kauravas.
The Pandavas and the Kauravas were cousins. The Pandavas were the Yudhistra, Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva.

The Kauravas were hundred in number. The eldest one is Duryodhana.
Their great great grand father Bhishma put them under the tutelage of Acharya Drona for the imparting of the knowledge in weapons.

Acharya Drona taught all these hundred and five Kauravas and Pandavas apart from few princes that would come to him from other parts of the country.
His own son Aswathaman also was taught by him in the usage of the weapons.
Of all the students he was very much attached to the Arjuna. Arjuna was his favorite student.

Arjuna was a class apart in the usage of the weapons and he justified his preceptor.
With the aid of his bow and arrow the King Yudhistra defeated his cousins in the battle of Kurukshetra.

This following incident will reveal the secret of the success of the Arjuna.
One day after their training has been over with their acharya the acharya wanted to test the students.

He made the image of the vulture and had it hung it in the tree.

Now he called all his disciples. He called one by one.

First he called the Yudhistra.

He said to Yudhistra, ‘Take the bow and arrow. Aim at the bird above the tree. You have to strike the target only when I order you to do so’.

Now Yudhistra took position with the bow and arrow. He aimed at the bird.
Acharya asked him,’ my child what do you see. Do you see the branches, tree, me and others’?

Yudhistra replied.’ Yes acharya I see the branches, the tree, your self and others’.
Once more the acharya asked him what he saw. To this also the reply from the Yudhistra was the same.

Then the acharya ordered the Yudhistra to put down the bow and arrow and stand apart.
This process was repeated with all the pupils there, with Duryodhana, Bheema, Nakula and others.

Everyone was asked to take an aim on the bird but nobody was ordered to shoot arrow at it.

Then he called Arjuna by his side. He addressed to him ‘Take the bow and arrow my child’.

‘Aim at the bird in the highest branch’.

‘What do you see now? Do you see the branches, the tree, me and others standing nearby?’

Arjuna replied, ‘I see only the bird’.

The acharya again put the same question to him.

This time the Arjuna said.’I only see the head of the bird’.

Now the acharya ordered him to shoot the bird.

The bird was accurately hit by the Arjuna, who was single minded in his pursuit.
It is needless to say that the secret of success is concentration.

When a concentrated laser beam could cut down thick steel what does not the concentrated mind achieve?