Shloka 16
द्रोणपर्व अध्याय ६७ — अर्जुनस्य प्रवेशः, श्रुतायुध-वधः, सुदक्षिण-वधः
Arjuna’s advance; deaths of Śrutāyudha and Sudakṣiṇa
रन्तिदेवस्य यत् किंचित् सौवर्णमभवत् तदा
rantidevasya yat kiñcit sauvarṇam abhavat tadā
Nārada said: “At that time, whatever gold there was belonging to Rantideva…”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The line introduces an ethical exemplum centered on Rantideva: material wealth (here, gold) is treated as incidental and ultimately subordinate to dharma—especially generosity and self-restraint. The narrative typically uses such a setup to show how a righteous person relates to possessions: as something to be used for others rather than hoarded.
Nārada begins a sentence that sets the scene by referring to the extent of Rantideva’s gold at a particular moment. It functions as the opening clause for a subsequent description—usually explaining what Rantideva did with that wealth (often giving it away) and what moral consequence followed.