Shloka 14
Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)
वैशम्पायन उवाच इत्युक्त: स तु राजेन्द्र कृष्णद्वैपायनो5ब्रवीत् । भीमसेनादवरज: श्रेष्ठ: सर्वधनुष्मताम्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | ity uktaḥ sa tu rājendra kṛṣṇadvaipāyano ’bravīt | bhīmasenād avarajaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ sarva-dhanuṣmatām |
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Nang masabi ito, O pinakamainam sa mga hari, sumagot si Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa): “O hari, si Arjuna—ang nakababatang kapatid ni Bhīmasena—ang pinakadakila sa lahat ng may hawak ng busog.”
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.