अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः
आचार्यो यो धरनुर्वेदे गौतमो रथसत्तम:
ācāryo yo dhanuḥvede gautamo rathasattamaḥ
வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்— ஓ ரதசிறந்தவனே, தனுர்வேதத்தில் புகழ்பெற்ற அந்த ஆசாரியன்—கௌதமன்.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse foregrounds the authority of a qualified ācārya in Dhanurveda, implying that martial excellence and righteous conduct in war are grounded in disciplined learning and legitimate transmission of knowledge.
Vaiśampāyana introduces or identifies Gautama as a distinguished instructor in archery, addressing a leading chariot-warrior (“rathasattama”), as part of the ongoing account in the Karṇa Parva.