Shloka 163
द्रोणपर्व अध्याय ६७ — अर्जुनस्य प्रवेशः, श्रुतायुध-वधः, सुदक्षिण-वधः
Arjuna’s advance; deaths of Śrutāyudha and Sudakṣiṇa
तत् सर्व वितते यज्ञे ब्राह्मणे भ्यो हरमन्यत । उन दिनों राजा रन्तिदेवके पास जो कुछ भी सुवर्णमयी सामग्री थी, वह सब उन्होंने उस विस्तृत यज्ञमें ब्राह्मणोंको बाँट दी
tat sarvaṁ vitate yajñe brāhmaṇebhyo haram anyata
Nārada said: When that expansive sacrifice was being carried out, King Rantideva distributed to the brāhmaṇas all the gold and precious sacrificial wealth he possessed, choosing generosity and dharma over personal retention.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dāna as a central expression of dharma: even at the height of ritual prosperity, a righteous king treats wealth as a trust to be shared—especially in support of sacred learning and ritual—rather than as a possession to hoard.
Nārada recounts an episode about King Rantideva: during a grand, fully arranged sacrifice, he gives away all his golden sacrificial resources to the brāhmaṇas, illustrating exemplary royal conduct and selfless generosity.