Shloka 46
अथ वर्षगणानेवं स्वर्गलोके महीयते । ततो गन्धर्वसहित: सहस्राण्येकविंशतिम्
atha varṣagaṇānevaṁ svargaloke mahīyate | tato gandharvasahitaḥ sahasrāṇy ekaviṁśatim
Thus, in the world of heaven, he is honored in this manner by the hosts of celestial beings. Thereafter, accompanied by the Gandharvas, he proceeds onward—through a vast measure of time and number—twenty-one thousand (in count).
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Mahābhārata’s ethical vision that righteous striving culminates in recognition within the cosmic order: merit is not merely private but is publicly affirmed in Svarga by divine assemblies, indicating that dharma bears fruit beyond the human realm.
Vaiśampāyana describes the protagonist being honored in heaven by celestial hosts; afterward, with Gandharvas accompanying, the narrative marks a further progression measured as ‘twenty-one thousand’ (a large enumerated span/measure), emphasizing the grandeur and continuity of the heavenly experience.