Shloka 146
द्रोणपर्व अध्याय ६७ — अर्जुनस्य प्रवेशः, श्रुतायुध-वधः, सुदक्षिण-वधः
Arjuna’s advance; deaths of Śrutāyudha and Sudakṣiṇa
आलकभ्यन्त तदा गाव: सहसत्राण्येकविंशति: । संकृतिपुत्र रन्तिदेवके यहाँ जिस रातमें अतिथियोंका समुदाय निवास करता था, उस समय वहाँ इकक््कीस हजार गौएँ छूकर दान की जाती थीं
ālakabhyanta tadā gāvaḥ sahasrāṇy ekaviṃśatiḥ | saṅkṛtiputra-rantidevake yāṃ niśāyām atithīnāṃ samūho nivāsam akarot, tadā tatraikaviṃśati-sahasra-gāvo gṛhītvā dīyante sma |
ନାରଦ କହିଲେ— “ସେ ସମୟରେ ସଂକୃତିପୁତ୍ର ରନ୍ତିଦେବଙ୍କ ଘରେ ଯେ ରାତିରେ ଅତିଥିମାନଙ୍କ ସମୂହ ରହୁଥିଲେ, ସେଇ ରାତିରେ ଏକୋଇଶ ହଜାର ଗାଈକୁ ସ୍ପର୍ଶ କରି ଦାନ ଦିଆଯାଉଥିଲା।”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches atithi-dharma and dāna: honoring guests through generous giving, treating prosperity as a means to serve others rather than to hoard.
Nārada describes Rantideva’s extraordinary hospitality: whenever many guests stayed at his place, an immense number of cows—twenty-one thousand—were formally given away as gifts.