Who can be considered the better archer between Lord Rama and Arjuna?

Question

According to scriptures, if there has to be comparison between "Lord Rama" and "Arjuna", then who was the better archer among them?
Though both can be considered great in their own way.

In my opinion, Rama was the best archer among all. But according to some other people, Arjuna was the best. But to avoid the personal opinion, kindly provide the scriptural reference.

Please refer this chatroom comments for further info.

Both used their archery skills in different situations. Arjuna mostly fought with large number of Warriors in battlefields. While Rama was moving in Jungle in search of sita and killed many Rakshasas with his Arrows. — SwiftPushkar, Jun 14 '17 at 11:37
@SwiftPushkar Read chat in comment section in the link which I have shown in question. See, what he is claiming... It is more than what you observe from my question. Go and read it first. — Vishvam, Jun 14 '17 at 11:39
Rama was around 8 ft tall, Arjuna was probably less than 7 feet, cos the avg. height of people decreases over yugas. So Rama was bigger. — ram, Jun 14 '17 at 19:16
@sv. This question is real or not, While asking didn't have such thing in mind. I have only one thing in mind that.... One person is claiming a human superior than Lord. By saying Arjuna a better archer, he directly insulted Rama. So I just wanted to show him and all other who has doubt on Rama that, no one can match Maryada Purushottam Rama. He is un-comparable. My question is more like help than a question. Help which I was asking for those people who has lost their path and un-willingly insulting Lord Rama by not admitting, Rama is above all as warrior. — Vishvam, Jun 15 '17 at 15:03
@sv. Doesn't matter which era is this. Rama is best in all era. So this question is not opinion based. Answer given by moonstar2001, wasn't any opinion and he proved that Rama is above all as a warrior. And his answer was not opinion based. One can give answer if he knows the answer but if someone don't know the answer than they start saying, it's opinion based. — Vishvam, Jun 15 '17 at 15:10
@Rishabh I don't know if you can see it but someone wrote an answer to your question which was deleted and the answer states: "None, Ekalavya is greatest archer as per Hindu mythology." Everybody have their reasons for 'their greatest warrior'. You have to remember this is a Q&A site. You can try to ask questions that can be properly answered instead of starting a debate. 'By saying Arjuna a better archer, he directly insulted Rama.' - no he didn't insult Rama, it is you who felt insulted, there is a difference :) — Say No To Censorship, Jun 15 '17 at 15:16
@sv. The answer that you shown me, that answer is base less. He didn't show any proof about eklavya. On what basis he is best..? Just coz Dronacharya asked for his thumb, that doesn't make him best. You can say he was better than Arjuna by this incident but you can't say he was better than Rama. His answer proved that on time of childhood he was better than Arjuna but not better than Rama. Observe carefully every answer :) — Vishvam, Jun 15 '17 at 15:31
Current Qn titles suggest that, it's assumed that only 2 candidates are there for "greatest -- Rama or Arjuna". Edited it. As per Mahabharata in sacred-texts, according to Krishna, Arjuna was the best among all the archers. If we consider "Archery" part then Arjuna can be considered above Rama or Krishna or many other Deva-s. @sv. though I agree with you that this Qn is opinion based, but it's based on the opinion of scriptures (i.e. different scriptures opines on different archers). This Qn is not user's opinion based. Hence, it deserves an answer in that accord. I have clicked for "reopen". — iammilind, Jun 16 '17 at 12:16
Bhagwan Ram was Vishnu avtar who is the creator of all life forms. Arjun was a dev putra born from a human womb . Bhagwan is creator of everything including laws of physics , time , Maya do this question is like void Devtas can't be better than bhagwan ... also sh Ram was 12 kala sampoorna avtar — Mirg Nitin, Jul 04 '17 at 07:59
Rishabh, if you feel that the meaning of your Qn is changed because of edits, then you may can use the "rollback" function. However, I don't feel that I have altered anything except correcting grammar part. Now whatever was removed from your Qn were the comments which took place between 2 users. Those comments are already available in this chatroom. That can be easily linked, which I have edited. If a user already expresses his opinion in Qn (as you did for Rama), then it becomes "Not a real Qn" and are likely to be closed. — iammilind, Jul 12 '17 at 12:03
@iammilind You saying you have altered only grammar!! Please..... 90% text of my question has been removed. See this. Almost whole question of mine has been removed by you. In your edit I can only see red color who is cutting my whole text. You left only 10% text of my question only, And claiming you correct only grammar! And those are not comments. Those are my views which I wanted to show to all. How many users wanna go in chat room are read all? — Vishvam, Jul 12 '17 at 14:43
The major part removed was irrelevant to the Qn. You should not show your "views" so explicitly, else it's not a real Qn. It might have been closed. However I do understand your concern and wasn't aware that the chat room discussion was too important. Hence feel free to revert my changes to your older version or ask a Moderator for assistance. Thanks. — iammilind, Jul 12 '17 at 14:49
@iammilind And it came to pass that the mighty son of Dasaratha the heroic Rama, who is Vishnu's self in the shape of a human being, took his birth in this world. And in company with his queen and brother, taking his bow, that foremost of bowmen with the view of compassing his father's welfare, began to reside in the Dandaka forest.http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03146.htm So Mahabharata too refer Rama as foremost bowmen — Nayonika Vats, Apr 29 '18 at 04:56
@iammilind The same Krishna consider Karna as a better bowmen in some verses in Mahabharata. But Karna lost to infantry of Ravan, the Yatudhanas. — Nayonika Vats, Apr 29 '18 at 04:58
Regarding Karna, I don't know about any reference. @NayonikaVats, you may refer my answer. We have to take multiple sources and then average out the result. Shri Rama & Arjuna were born at different times. BTW, you have found a good reference, hence I recommend you to put it as an answer. — iammilind, Apr 29 '18 at 05:04

score 11 · Accepted Answer · 2017-06-16T02:40:37.587

11

In the Bhagavadgita, Krishna says

पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम्।
झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी।।10.31।।

"Among the purifiers (or the speeders) I am the wind; Rama among the warriors am I; among the fishes I am the shark; among the streams I am the Ganga."

In the Ramayana, Rama himself says, Mahadeva is his only equal.

अब्रवीच्च तदा रामः सुग्रीवं प्रत्यनन्तरम् | विभीषणं च धर्मात्मा हनूमन्तं च वानरम् || ९३-६-३७ जाम्बवन्तं हरिश्रेष्ठं मैन्दं द्विविदमेव च | एतदस्त्रबलन् दिव्यं मम वा त्र्यम्बकस्य वा || ९३-६-३८

Then, the virtuous Rama spoke also to Sugreeva, Vibhishana, Hanuma the monkey, Jambavan, Mainda the foremost of monkeys and even Dvivida, who were in close proximity to him as follows "Such wonderful power of this missile exists either with me or with the three-eyed Rudra the lord of destruction."

Rama is the superior warrior. He is undefeated , peerless and incomparable. How can we compare the parama purusha with a lesser being? Eswara is his only peer.

edited Jun 16 '17 at 02:40

answered Jun 14 '17 at 15:24

Same thing I have said in the mentioned chat room. – Triyugi Narayan Mani Jun 14 '17 at 15:33
1

@TriyugiNarayanMani Yes. And Rama himself says his only equal is Mahadeva. I am trying to locate the verse. – Jun 14 '17 at 15:36
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Related: Krishna said in Bhagawad Gita that He is Rama among the weapon wielders. Whom was He referring to Rama (or) Parasurama? – Say No To Censorship Jun 14 '17 at 15:59
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@sv How is that Q related? It has been proved that it is Rama. – Jun 14 '17 at 16:03
@moonstar2001 I thought it's related because you used the BG verse in your answer. One of the comments below the other question says: "Shankaracharya interprets it as Sri Sita Rama, the Son of Dasharatha, while Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya interprets it to be Lord Parashurama." – Say No To Censorship Jun 14 '17 at 16:06
@sv The Sridhara Swami I know provided commentary on Bhagavatam and did not belong to Rudra Sampradaya. Not sure who this other Swami is. – Jun 14 '17 at 16:11

iammilind · Answer 2 · 2018-04-29T05:08:06.900

-3

Though this is subjective, because every scriptures have their own favourites. But many of the scriptures would favour Arjuna as the best archer over anyone else.

A good answer is already posted by @moonstar2001. Putting some healthy counter arguments:

BG 10.31 mostly refers ParashurAma.
_{BTW, Krishna referred Arjuna also as "Me" in BG
10.39}.
Another reference suggests RAma was an equivalent in warring as Rudra.
With an indirect logic, Arjuna can be considered to have warring power (not any other) beyond Rudra. Because, Arjuna & Krishna were reincarnation of sage Nara & NArAyana, who in their much previous birth were amalgamated into "son of Dharma". After a lot of ascetic austerities, that incarnation obtained a boon from Rudra himself to be better than Rudra in any standoff:

The blue-throated God said: ... Thou shalt be superior to myself if thou ever goest to battle against me.

War has many aspects, among them 1 aspect is weapon. Weapons have many types, among them a type is archery (asked by OP). Archery typically happens with bow. Now here is a independent scripture reference talking about "best in archery/bow" in lord Krishna's own words:

Thus addressed, O monarch, by the high-souled Phalguna, Krishna commanded Daruka, saying, "Do all that Arjuna, that chief of Bharata's race and that foremost of all wielders of the bow, hath said."

Another aspect of Arjuna that he was known as SavyasAchi, due to his ability to use both of hands equivalently on his bow:

And since both of my hands are capable of drawing the Gandiva, I am known as Savyasachin among gods and men. [here]

edited Apr 29 '18 at 05:08

answered Jul 04 '17 at 07:05

iammilind

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-1 for saying arjuna is superior to Rama :-( – Jul 12 '17 at 12:11
@moonstar2001, if someone asks "Who is more wicked among Krishna & Duryodhana" & if someone answers that "Duryodhana is superior in wickedery", then will you downvote it? :-D ... Arjuna is superior to RAma in "archery". "Archery" is an aspect of life, it's Not everything. Not anyone is best at everything. No scriptures suggests that "RAma" is superior in archery. You may again refer my answer with 2 counter points to your answer. :-) And a scripture. – iammilind Jul 12 '17 at 12:14
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Rama is superior in archery also. Yeh kya haal banarakha hai, milind. – Jul 12 '17 at 12:18
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The word 'foremost' and its equivalent sanskrit word is never universal and very context dependent. It cannot really be used for any kind of proof. – user1952500 Jul 12 '17 at 19:44
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It should be noted that Krishna and his retinue defeated Shiva as well (Anirudha/Banasura affair). We have Kr > Ru and Ar > Ru and Kr ==> Ra, so we cannot compare Ra and Ar well. – user1952500 Jul 12 '17 at 19:48
friend, being ambidextrous in the use of arrows does not make one the best archer. As I know, Sahadeva was ambidextrous in the use of arrows, but was defeated many times. Also, being an Avatar, does not make you have blessings from your previous life, in addition if we follow that logic then Bhima has to be the best warrior because it was a portion of Vayu but he was defeated many times in archery, he was equaled in struggle clubs and even wrestling – Gabriel Alexander Gonzalez Agu Jan 14 '19 at 05:45

Who can be considered the better archer between Lord Rama and Arjuna?

2 Answers2