Pāṇḍavas take exams in shooting arrows

 droṇasya tu tadā śiṣyau gadāyogyau babhūvatuḥ

duryodhanaśca bhīmaśca sadā saṁrabdhamānasau

Two of Droṇa ̍ s disciples became greatly expert in club fight, namely Duryodhana and Bhīma, who were jealous of each other.

aśvtthāmā rahasyeṣu sarveṣvabhyadhiko ̍ bhavat
tathāti puruṣānanyān tsārukau yamajāvubhau

Aśvatthāmā excelled all in the mysteries of science of arms. Twins Nakula Sahadeva excelled every one in handling the sword.

yudhiṣṭhiro rathaśreṣṭhaḥ sarvatra tu dhanaṁjayaḥ
prathitaḥ sāgarāntāyāṁ rathayuthapayūthapaḥ
buddhiyogabalotsāhaiḥ sarvāstreṣu ca niṣṭhitaḥ
astre gurvanurāge ca viśiṣṭo ̍ bhavadarjunaḥ

Yudhiṣṭhira became the best of car warriors and Arjuna excelled every one in every respect. He surpassed all in intelligence, in skills of using all weapons and in devotion to his arms and his Guru. He thus became the foremost of all car warriours.

tulyeṣvastropadeṣeṣu sauṣṭhayena ca vīryavān
ekaḥ sarvakumārāṇāṁ babhūvātiratho ̍ rjunaḥ

Through instructions of Droṇa, were equal to all, yet mighty Arjuna excelled all princes and became Atiratha a warrior capable of fighting with 60,000 foes at once.

prāṇādhikaṁ bhīmasenaṁ kṛtavidyaṁ dhanaṁjayam
dhārtarāṣṭrā durātmano nāmṛpyanta parasparam

Wicked minded sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra became jealous of Bhīma, for he was exceeding strong and of Arjuna, because he was accomplished.

tāṁstu sarvān samānīya sarvavidyāstraśikṣitān
droṇaḥ praharaṇajñāne jijñāsuḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ

O best of men! Droṇa became desirous of examining his disciples in knowledge in arms and he collected them all together, all the princes skilled an all the weapons.

kṛtrimaṁ bhāsamāropya vṛkṣāgre śilpibhiḥ kṛtam
avijñātaṁ kumārāṇāṁ lakṣyabhūtamupādiśat

He caused in artificial bird made by an artisan to be placed on the top of a tree without the knowledge of princes for the purpose of using it as the target.

droṇa uvāca
śīghraṁ bhavantaḥ sarve ̍ pi dhanūṁṣyādāya sarvaśaḥ
bhāsametaṁ samuddiśya tiṣṭhadhvaṁ saṁdhiteṣavaḥ

Droṇa said: Take up quickly, all of you, your bows and 6 your arrows on the bowstring. Stand here aiming at that bird on the tree.

madvākyasamakālaṁ tu śiro ̍ sya vinipātyatām
ekaikaśo niyokṣyāmi tathā kuruta putrakāḥ

As soon as I give the order, cut off the bird ̍ s head. O disciples! I shall give each of you a turn one sfter another.

vaiśampāyana uvāca
tato yudhiṣṭhiraṁ pūrvamuvācāṅgirasāṁ varaḥ

saṁtsva bāṇaṁ durdhaṣa madvākyānte vimuñca tam

Vaiśampāyana said: The best of descendant of Aṅgirasā, Droṇa, first spoke to Yudhiṣṭhira thus: O invincible one, aim with your arrow and shoot the bird as soon as I order.

tato yudhiṣṭhiraḥ pūrvaṁ dhanutgṛhya paraṁtapaḥ
tasthau bhāsaṁ samuddiśya guruvākyapracoditaḥ

Chastiser of foes, Yudhiṣṭhira, first took up the bow as ordered by his Guru and stood aiming at the bird.

tato vitatadhanvānaṁ droṇastaṁ kurunandanam
sa muhūrtāduvācedaṁ vacanaṁ bharatarṣabha

Yudhiṣṭhira, who stood aiming at the bird, very next moment Droṇa said:

paśyainaṁ taṁ drumāgrasthaṁ bhāsaṁ naravarātmaja
paśyāmītvamācāryaṁ pratyuvāca yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

O prince! Behold that bird on the top of the tree?
Yudhiṣṭhira replied: O sir! Yes, I do see it!

sa muhūrtādiva punardroṇastaṁ pratyabhāṣata

Very next moment Droṇa again said:

droṇa uvāca
atha vṛkṣamimaṁ māṁ vā bhrātṝn vāpi prapaśyasi

Droṇa said: Do you see the tree, me, your brothers and the bird?

tamuvāca ca kaunteyaḥ paśyāmyenaṁ vanaspatim
bhavantaṁ ca tathā bhrātṝn bhāsaṁ ceti punaḥ punaḥ

Kaunteya Yudhiṣṭhira said: I see lord of the forest , tree, you, my brothers and the bird. He said this again being asked by Droṇa again and again.

tamuvācāpasarpeti droṇo ̍ prītamanā iva
naitacchakyaṁ tvayā veddhuṁ lakṣyamityeva kutsayan

Droṇa, being displeased, reproachingly told him: Stand back. It is not for you to strike at this aim.

tato duryodhanādīṁstān dhārtarāṣṭrān mahāyaśāḥ
tenaiva kramayogena jijñāsuḥ paryapṛcchata
anyāṁśca śiṣyān bhīmādīn rājñaścaivānyadeśajān
tathā ca sarve tat sarvaṁ paśyāma iti kuntitāḥ

Thereupon greatly illustrious Droṇa placed in the same position Duryodhana and other sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and also Bhīma and his other brothers and also all the princes who had come from other countries. He asked them one by one the same question, but they all replied as Yudhiṣṭhira did.

vaiśampāyana uvāca
tato dhanaṁjayaṁ droṇaḥ smayamāno ̍ bhyabhāṣata
tvayedānīṁ prahartavyametallakṣyaṁ vilokyatām

Vaiśampāyana said: Droṇa smilingly called Arjuna and said to him: It is to be shot by you. Turn your eyes to it!

madvākyasamakālaṁ te moktavyo ̍ tra bhaveccharaḥ
vitatya kārmukaṁ putra tiṣṭha tāvanmuhūrtakam

You must shoot the aim as soon as I shall give an order. O son! Stand here for a moment with your bow and arrow.

evamuktaḥ savyasācī maṇḍalīkṛtakārmukaḥ
tathau bhāsaṁ samuddiśya guruvākyapracoditaḥ

Having been thus addressed Savyasāci Arjuna, drawing the bow to a semi circle, aimed at the bird and stood there as ordered by Guru.

muhūrtādiva taṁ droṇastathaiva samabhāṣata
paśyasyenaṁ sthitaṁ bhāsaṁ drumaṁ māmapi cārjuna

Very next moment Droṇa asked him: O Arjuna! Do you see the bird, tree and me?

paśyāmyekaṁ bhāsamiti pārtho ̍ bhyabhāṣata
na tu vṛkṣaṁ bhavantaṁ vā paśyāmīti ca bhārata

O descendant of the Bharata race! Pārtha Arjuna, replied to Droṇa: I see only the bird! I do not see tree or you!

tataḥ prītamanā droṇo muhūrtādiva taṁ punaḥ
pratyabhāṣata durdharṣaḥ pāṇḍavānāṁ mahāratham

Invincible Droṇa, being much pleased, spoke again a moment after to the great car warrior, Pāṇḍava Arjuna.

bhāsaṁ paśyasi yadyenaṁ tathā brūhi punarvacaḥ

śiraḥ paśyāmi bhāsasya na gātramiti so ̍ bravīt

If you see the bird, describe it to me. Arjuna again replied: I see the head of the bird, but I do not see its body.

arjunevamuktastu droṇo hyaṣṭatanūruhaḥ

muñcasvetyabravīt pārthaṁ sa mumocāvicārayan

Having been thus told by Arjuna, Droṇa was filled with delight and his hair stood on their end. He told Arjuna: Shoot! and he instantly let fly the arrow.

tatastasya nagasthasya kṣureṇa niśitena ca
śira utkṛtya tarasā pātayāmāsa pāṇḍavaḥ

Pāṇḍava Arjuna speedily struck off the head of vulture with his sharp arrow and brought it to the ground.

tasmin karmaṇi saṁsiddhe paryaṣvajata pāṇḍavam
mene ca drupadaṁ saṁkhye sānubandhaṁ parājitam

As soon as this feat was performed, Droṇa embraced Pāṇḍava Arjuna and thoght that Drupada with his friends werte already vanquished in the battle.