द्रोणस्य तु तदा शिष्यौ गदायोग्यां विशेषतः ॥
दुर्योधनश् च भीमश् च कुरूणाम् अभ्यगच्छताम् ॥
अश्वत्थामा रहस्येषु सर्वेष्व् अभ्यधिको ऽभवत् ॥
तथाति पुरुषान् अन्यान् त्सारुकौ यमजाव् उभौ ॥
युधिष्ठिरो रथश्रेष्ठः सर्वत्र तु धनंजयः ॥
प्रथितः सागरान्तायां रथयूथपयूथपः ॥
बुद्धियोगबलोत्साहैः सर्वास्त्रेषु च पाण्डवः ॥
अस्त्रे गुर्वनुरागे च विशिष्टो ऽभवद् अर्जुनः ॥
तुल्येष्व् अस्त्रोपदेशेषु सौष्ठवेन च वीर्यवान् ॥
एकः सर्वकुमाराणां बभूवातिरथो ऽर्जुनः ॥
droṇasya tu tadā śiṣyau gadāyogyāṃ viśeṣataḥ ||
duryodhanaś ca bhīmaś ca kurūṇām abhyagacchatām ||
aśvatthāmā rahasyeṣu sarveṣv abhyadhiko 'bhavat ||
tathāti puruṣān anyān tsārukau yamajāv ubhau ||
yudhiṣṭhiro rathaśreṣṭhaḥ sarvatra tu dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
prathitaḥ sāgarāntāyāṃ rathayūthapayūthapaḥ ||
buddhiyogabalotsāhaiḥ sarvāstreṣu ca pāṇḍavaḥ ||
astre gurvanurāge ca viśiṣṭo 'bhavad arjunaḥ ||
tulyeṣv astropadeśeṣu sauṣṭhavena ca vīryavān ||
ekaḥ sarvakumārāṇāṃ babhūvātiratho 'rjunaḥ ||
"Among Drona's disciples in combat with the mace two were especially skilled — Duryodhana and Bhima; Ashvatthaman was superior to all in secret techniques; the two twins surpassed other men in the art of the sword; Yudhishthira was best on the chariot. But everywhere first was Dhananjaya, renowned to the ends of the ocean, chief among the chiefs of chariot-warriors: by intellect, diligence, strength and ardor, and in every kind of weapon, and in devotion to his teacher, Arjuna was distinguished. With equal training given to all, he alone, through superiority of execution, became an atiratha among all the princes."
fc77fd3fe344 · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:53:32 PM UTC
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Here the training reaches its summation: each disciple excels in his own art, yet Arjuna surpasses them all. It is telling that with "equal training for all" (tulyeṣu astropadeśeṣu) Arjuna alone attains the highest: the teacher is one, but the fruit differs — according to each disciple's diligence and devotion. Here the scripture reveals a most important law: grace and knowledge are poured out upon all, but each receives them according to his own faith and effort; Arjuna's supremacy lies not in a greater gift from the teacher but in greater devotion and diligence. It is telling that among the causes of his primacy is named "devotion to the teacher" (gurv-anurāga) alongside intellect and strength: love for the guru is itself a condition of the highest knowledge. Thus the scripture shows why Arjuna became first — and it is this same devotion that will make him the chosen interlocutor of Lord Krishna.