Practice - Perseverance - Excellence

Dronacharya, the renowned Guru with all his disciples was strolling in a forest. He took them away as to test their skill in archery and to teach them hunting.All of a sudden, a wild dog started chasing them barking.

The barking of the dog was irritating and disturbing the concentration of all his disciples including Arjuna the great. Arjuna is the example of Excellence; his concentration is well known to all of us. He is so skilled that terming him "Ambidextrous" is not an exaggeration. Arjuna, irritated by the dog's barking, decided to kill that one.

While he was about to take his bow and arrow, an array of arrows rained and bound the mouth of the dog. Now the dog neither could bark nor bite some one. Everybody around was stunned, shocked at this act. Who could be such a master of excellence?

Then came Ekalvya and bowed before Drona. Drona asked him who he was and who was his teacher. Ekalvya after his introduction replied that Drona was his teacher. Ekalvya then explained, "After you refused to teach me archery, i came back with increased determination and a picture of you in my mind. I made a statue of your face, kept in front of me and practiced. I practiced, practiced and practiced. Day and night i practiced. Then i practiced with perseverance. As i learnt i am about to reach a high degree of skill, i worked for precision. Just not more Just not less. Thus i achieved perfection."

Ekalvya's words are wisdom indeed. Practice is the way to perfection, which is excellence. Great perseverance is essential. The road to Excellence is hard, tough and is a great challenge. Precision is the micro aspect of Excellence. Practice is the macro aspect of Excellence. So, path to Excellence is practice-perseverance-precision-perfection. Inspired perspiration is the cause for perfection.