Shloka 14
वैशम्पायन उवाच इत्युक्त: स तु राजेन्द्र कृष्णद्वैपायनो5ब्रवीत् । भीमसेनादवरज: श्रेष्ठ: सर्वधनुष्मताम्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजेन्द्र! युधिष्ठिरके इस तरह पूछनेपर श्रीकृष्णद्वैपायन व्यासने कहा--'राजन्! अर्जुन सब धनुर्धारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ हैं। वे विजयमें उत्साह रखनेवाले, सहनशील और धीर्यवान् हैं; अतः वे ही इस घोड़ेकी रक्षा करेंगे। उन्होंने निवातकवचोंका नाश किया था। वे सम्पूर्ण भूमण्डलको जीतनेकी शक्ति रखते हैं
vaiśampāyana uvāca | ity uktaḥ sa tu rājendra kṛṣṇadvaipāyano ’bravīt | bhīmasenād avarajaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ sarva-dhanuṣmatām |
Vaiśampāyana said: When this had been spoken, O best of kings, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) replied: “O king, the younger brother of Bhīmasena—Arjuna—is the foremost among all wielders of the bow.” In context, Vyāsa’s statement affirms that the protection of the sacrificial horse should be entrusted to the most capable and self-controlled warrior, so that royal duty (dharma) is upheld without negligence or disorder.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Competence joined with self-control is essential for fulfilling royal and ritual duty: the king should entrust critical responsibilities—like safeguarding the Aśvamedha horse—to the most qualified and steady person, so dharma is protected through disciplined action.
After Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry, Vyāsa responds (as reported by Vaiśampāyana) by identifying Arjuna—Bhīma’s younger brother—as the foremost archer, implying he is the proper guardian for the sacrificial horse during the Aśvamedha.