Physical impediment, and fighting prowess, in Mahabharata

[DEVARAKONDA VENKATA NARAYANA SARMA]

At 08:02 AM 1/2/98 +0000, you wrote:
>Dear Sarma!
>        Actually I can't read Sanskrit--even if it's romanized. Also I figure
>there's a font I'm lacking to be able to read your transcription as I think
>it must have been intended. However, I can see from the Drono references
>that you've sent me the right stuff--so thanks a lot! I'd best be off to
>the library...
>        Regards,
>                Russ
>
>

Dear Mr. Russel

                There is no special font. I used the transliteration scheme
that is usally employed on this list. Anyway here is a rough translation.
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        "Seeing Arjuna's persistent efforts towards learning archery,
Drona secretly called the cook and said " Never give food to Arjuna in
darkness and dont tell him that I have instructed you so." One day when
Arjuna was eating, wind blew off the lamp. Arjuna continued eating and
found that his hand did not go anywhere else except to his mouth.
Understanding this to be due to practice(habit), Arjuna started
practicing archery in the nights also. Hearing the twang of his bow
string in the night Drona came to him, lifted and embraced him and said
"I promise that I will try to make you such an archer that there will
be no one equal to you in this world.""
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The interesting point is that Drona tried to prevent Arjuna from learning
to shoot arrows in the darkness. I guess that this is an effort to maintain
his own superiority. But when he found that Arjuna has learnt it anyway by
the chance incident, he resigned himself to the second position and tried
to make his disciple the best.

regards,

sarma.