Shloka 15
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 132 — Duryodhana’s Instructions to Purocana at Vāraṇāvata
Lākṣāgṛha Planning
ऐन्द्रिमप्रतिमं द्रोण उपदेशेष्वमन्यत । एवं सर्वकुमाराणामिष्वस्त्रं प्रत्यपादयत्,आचार्य द्रोण उपदेश ग्रहण करनेमें अर्जुनको अनुपम प्रतिभाशाली मानते थे। इस प्रकार आचार्य सब कुमारोंको अस्त्र-विद्याकी शिक्षा देते रहे
aiन्द्रīm apratimam droṇa upadeśeṣv amanyata | evaṁ sarva-kumārāṇām iṣv-astraṁ pratyapādayat ||
Vaiśampāyana said: In the matter of instruction, Droṇa regarded Arjuna as possessing an incomparable, Indra-like brilliance. Thus the teacher Droṇa continued imparting the science of archery and weapons to all the princes—while discerning in Arjuna an exceptional aptitude that would shape the ethical weight of martial training and its future use.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights discernment in education: a teacher may instruct all students, yet recognize extraordinary aptitude in one. It also implicitly raises the ethical responsibility that accompanies superior martial skill—training is not merely technical, but morally consequential.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Droṇa is teaching weapon-science to all the royal youths, and within this ongoing instruction he regards Arjuna as uniquely brilliant—comparable to Indra in excellence—signaling Arjuna’s emerging preeminence among the students.