Shloka 8
द्रोणपर्व अध्याय ६७ — अर्जुनस्य प्रवेशः, श्रुतायुध-वधः, सुदक्षिण-वधः
Arjuna’s advance; deaths of Śrutāyudha and Sudakṣiṇa
सहस्रशश्न सौवर्णान् वृषभान् गोशतानुगान् | साष्टे शतं सुवर्णानां निष्कमाहुर्धन॑ तथा,सूंजय! एक हजार सुवर्णके बैल, प्रत्येकके पीछे सौ-सौ गायें और एक सौ आठ स्वर्णमुद्राएँ--इतने धनको निष्क कहते हैं
sahasraśaś ca sauvarṇān vṛṣabhān gośatānugān | sāṣṭe śataṁ suvarṇānāṁ niṣkam āhur dhanaṁ tathā, saṁjaya |
Nārada said: “A ‘niṣka’ is reckoned as wealth of this measure, O Saṁjaya: a thousand golden bulls, each followed by a hundred cows, together with one hundred and eight gold pieces. Such is the standard by which that treasure is spoken of.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse defines a conventional measure of wealth (niṣka) in concrete, pastoral and monetary terms, reflecting a dharmic culture where value is tied to both gold and life-sustaining assets like cattle—often relevant to gifts, rewards, and merit-bearing donations.
Nārada addresses Saṁjaya and explains how a ‘niṣka’ is traditionally quantified: a specified bundle of golden bulls, accompanying cows, and a set number of gold pieces—clarifying the scale of wealth being discussed in the surrounding account.