Shloka 31
Vāraṇāvata-prasaṃsā and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure (वरणावत-प्रशंसा तथा पाण्डव-प्रयाणम्)
कुमारा ऊचु. मुद्रिकामपि विप्रर्षे शीघ्रमेतां समुद्धर । कुमारोंने कहा--ब्रह्मर्ष! अब आप शीघ्र ही इस अँगूठीको भी निकाल दीजिये ।।
kumāra ūcuḥ | mudrikām api viprarṣe śīghram etāṃ samuddhara | vaiśampāyana uvāca | tataḥ śaraṃ samādāya dhanur droṇo mahāyaśāḥ | śareṇa mudrikāṃ viddhvā tām ūrdhvaṃ samuddhṛtavān |
The boys said, “O brahmarṣi, quickly retrieve this ring as well.” Vaiśampāyana said: Then the illustrious Droṇa took up his bow and arrow, pierced the ring with the arrow, and drew it up. Having thus extracted the ring from the well along with the arrow, the powerful Droṇa placed it into the hands of the astonished boys; yet he himself showed no surprise. Seeing the ring brought out from the well, the boys addressed Droṇa again.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Mastery is shown through disciplined skill and inner steadiness: Droṇa accomplishes a difficult task efficiently and remains unself-conscious, suggesting that true excellence avoids vanity and performs duty with composure.
The boys ask the sage-like figure to retrieve a ring as well. Droṇa takes bow and arrow, pierces the ring with the arrow, and lifts it out of the well, handing it to the amazed boys, who then continue speaking to him.