Shloka 68
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 132 — Duryodhana’s Instructions to Purocana at Vāraṇāvata
Lākṣāgṛha Planning
कृत्रिमं भासमारोप्य वृक्षाग्रे शिल्पिभि: कृतम् । अविज्ञातं कुमाराणां लक्ष्यभूतमुपादिशत्
kṛtrimaṃ bhāsam āropya vṛkṣāgre śilpibhiḥ kṛtam | avijñātaṃ kumārāṇāṃ lakṣyabhūtam upādiśat |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Dengan menyuruh para tukang membuat seekor burung hering tiruan dan meletakkannya di puncak sebatang pokok, sang guru—tanpa pengetahuan para putera—menunjukkan burung itu sebagai sasaran yang harus ditembusi anak panah.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Training is strengthened by focused practice under carefully designed tests: the teacher uses an artificial target so the students concentrate on precision, steadiness, and following instruction rather than being distracted by the target’s true nature.
A teacher has artisans make a fake vulture and place it atop a tree; without telling the princes it is artificial, he designates it as the mark to be shot, setting up an archery exercise and a test of attention.