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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.
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.
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:
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]
