After this, when the Nishada prince began once more to shoot with the help
of his remaining fingers, he found, O king, that he had lost his former
lightness of hand. And at this Arjuna became happy, the fever (of
jealousy) having left him.
"Two of Drona's pupils became very much accomplished in the use of mace.
These were Druvodhana and Bhima, who were, however, always jealous of each
other. Aswatthaman excelled everyone (in the mysteries of the science of
arms). The twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) excelled everybody in handling the
sword. Yudhishthira 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.
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