SB 01.07.44 sarahasyo dhanur-vedah... cited

Expressions researched:
"astra-gramas ca bhavata" |"sarahasyo dhanur-vedah" |"savisargopasamyamah" |"siksito yad-anugrahat"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.7.44, Translation and Purport:

It was by Droṇācārya's mercy that you learned the military art of throwing arrows and the confidential art of controlling weapons.

Dhanur-veda, or military science, was taught by Droṇācārya with all its confidential secrets of throwing and controlling by Vedic hymns. Gross military science is dependent on material weapons, but finer than that is the art of throwing the arrows saturated with Vedic hymns, which act more effectively than gross material weapons like machine guns or atomic bombs. The control is by Vedic mantras, or the transcendental science of sound. It is said in the Rāmāyaṇa that Mahārāja Daśaratha, the father of Lord Śrī Rāma, used to control arrows by sound only. He could pierce his target with his arrow by only hearing the sound, without seeing the object. So this is a finer military science than that of the gross material military weapons used nowadays. Arjuna was taught all this, and therefore Draupadī wished that Arjuna feel obliged to Ācārya Droṇa for all these benefits. And in the absence of Droṇācārya, his son was his representative. That was the opinion of the good lady Draupadī. It may be argued why Droṇācārya, a rigid brāhmaṇa, should be a teacher in military science. But the reply is that a brāhmaṇa should become a teacher, regardless of what his department of knowledge is. A learned brāhmaṇa should become a teacher, a priest and a recipient of charity. A bona fide brāhmaṇa is authorized to accept such professions.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.7.44 -- Vrndavana, October 4, 1976:

Pradyumna: "It was by Droṇācārya's mercy that you learned the military art of throwing arrows and the confidential art of controlling weapons."

Prabhupāda:

sarahasyo dhanur-vedaḥ

savisargopasaṁyamaḥ

astra-grāmaś ca bhavatā

śikṣito yad-anugrahāt

(SB 1.7.44)

This is also another Vedic civilization, that if you are benefited by somebody, you should always remain obliged to him. Śikṣito yad-anugrahāt. There is one Bengali proverb, guru-māra-vidyā. "Guru, you learn from him first of all, then kill him. Don't care for guru." This is demonic. By the grace of guru you learn something. Then when you learn something, then you become greater than him, don't care for guru. This is demonic. Even if you have learned something, you must feel always obliged, ataḥ padarśayat(?).

So this is Vedic civilization. Draupadī advising Arjuna that "You have learned. Feel always obliged," ataḥ padarśayat. So this is Vedic... "This military art, by his grace, by guru's grace, now you are expert in the science of military art. And suppose his son has committed some sinful activity. You cannot punish him, retaliate, so that guru's family will be aggrieved." This is Vedic culture. Not only he is personally, but in his absence, his wife, his family, you should consider them. So there is nothing about... What is the purport? Read.