a surpassed everybody as a car-warrior;
but Arjuna, however, outdistanced everyone in every respect--in
intelligence, resourcefulness, strength and perseverance. Accomplished in
all weapons, Arjuna became the foremost of even the foremost of
car-warriors; and his fame spread all over the earth to the verge of the
sea. And although the instruction was the same, the mighty Arjuna
excelled all (the princes in lightness of hand). Indeed, in weapons as in
devotion to his preceptor, he became the foremost of them all. And
amongst all the princes, Arjuna alone became an Atiratha (a car-warrior
capable of fighting at one time with sixty thousand foes). And the wicked
sons of Dhritarashtra, beholding Bhimasena endued with great strength and
Arjuna accomplished in all arms, became very jealous of them.

"O bull among men, one day Drona desirous of testing the comparative
excellence of all his pupils in the use of arms, collected them all
together after their education had been completed. And before assembling
them together, he had caused an artificial bird, as the would be aim, to
be placed on the top of a neighbouring tree. And when they were all
together, Drona said unto them, 'Take up your bows quickly and stand here
aiming at that bird on the tree, with arrows fixed on your bowstrings;
shoot and cut off the bird's head, as soon as I give the order. I shall
give each of you a turn, one by one, my children.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Drona, that foremost of all Angira's sons
first addressed Yudhishthira saying, 'O irrepressible one, aim with thy
arrow and shoot as soon as I give the order. Yudhishthira took up the bow
first, as desired, O king, by his preceptor, and stood aiming at the
bird. But, O bull of Bharata's race, Drona in an instant, addressing the
Kuru prince standing with bow in hand, said, 'Behold, O prince, that bird
on top of the tree.' Yudhishthira replied unto his preceptor, saying, 'I
do.' But the next instant Drona again asked him, 'What dost thou see now,
O prince? Seest thou the tree, myself or thy brothers?' Yudhishthira
answered, 'I see the tree, myself, my brothers, and the bird.' Drona
repeated his question, but was answered as often in the same words. Drona
then, vexed with Yudhishthira, reproachingly said, 'Stand thou apart. It
is not for thee to strike the aim.' Then Drona repeated the experiment
with Duryodhana and the other sons of Dhritarashtra, one after another,
as also with his other pupil