Ekalavya... I am thinking of naming my son Ekalavya but have some questions...?

Question

I only know of his story up until the point where his Guru Drona asked for his thumb to be cut off. What happens next to Ekalavya and also, other than the symbolism of being a good devotee, what else is to be learned from Ekalavya's story?

Answer 1

Ekalavya was only a great Guru bakhta and proved this by giving his right hand Thumb to Dronacharya, for asking this Dronacharya is blamed.

Later, Ekalavya worked as a confidant of King Jarasandh. At the time of Rukmini's Swayamvar, he acted as the messenger between Shishupala and Rukmini's father Bhishmaka, at Jarasandh's behest. Bhishmaka decides that Rukmini should marry Shishupala, but instead Rukmini elopes with Krishna. Ekalavya is later killed by Krishna, who hurls a rock against him, in a conflict against Jarasandh's army.

Other than foolishly giving his thumb to Dronacharya, Ekalavya did not do anything worth mentioning before and after. In fact he had evil ideas only. For his wrong doings he was punished by Lord Krishna and killed.

So in my opinion, you should not name your son after Ekalava when there are many names available for selection-

Answer 2

Give your child a name that won't cause them to be mocked continually by other children. The occasion of your child's birth is not an opportunity for you to show off how much you know about the Ramayana, nor is naming your child about you and your ego. Call the child something sensible like John, Robert, or David. If you don't, he'll either end up being made fun of mercilessly and become angry and bitter because of it, or else he will choose a name for himself one day that he likes better. Call yourself Ekalavya if you like it so much.

Answer 3

If you want your kid to be teased mercilessly throughout his school days until he gets big or mean enough to flatten one of his tormentors, then give him that dreadful name. I can just hear other kids calling him the "toilet". Don't do it.

You might admire the myth. That does not mean anyone else cares, not even your son. You are not naming a baby, you are naming an adult.

Answer 4

Please don't. Not many people knows who Ekalavya is.
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