yatha svayam-vare rajñi

 matsyah parthepsaya krtah

ayam tu bahir acchanno

 drsyate sa jale param

 

Translation: 

 

Just as a fish was used as a target in your svayamvara ceremony, O Queen, to assure that you would obtain Arjuna as your husband, so a fish was also used in my ceremony. In my case, however, it was concealed on all sides, and only its reflection could be seen in a pot of water below.

 

Purport: 

 

Arjuna is famous as the most expert bowman. Why, then, could he not hit the fish target at Srimati Laksmana’s svayamvara ceremony just as he had done once before to win Draupadi? Srila Sridhara Svami explains: The target at Draupadi’s svayamvara had been covered only partially, so that a marksman could see it if he looked straight up the pillar on which it was placed. To shoot Laksmana’s target, however, it was necessary to aim by looking up and down at the same time, an impossible feat for any mortal. Therefore only Krsna could strike the target.