Shloka 173
अम्बा-शाल्वसंवादः | Amba’s Appeal to Śālva and His Refusal
इति श्रीमहा भारते उद्योगपर्वणि अम्बोपाख्यानपर्वणि कन्याहरणे त्रिसप्तत्यधिकशततमो< ध्याय:,इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत उद्योगपर्वके अन्तर्गत अमग्बोपाख्यानपर्वमें कन््याहरणविषयक एक सौ तिहत्तरवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti śrīmahābhārate udyogaparvaṇi ambopākhyānaparvaṇi kanyāharaṇe trisaptatyadhikaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ | isa prakāra śrīmahābhārata udyogaparvake antargata ambopākhyānaparvameṁ kanyāharaṇaviṣayaka eka sau tihattaravāṁ adhyāya pūrā huā |
Thus, in the holy Mahābhārata, within the Udyoga Parva, in the section called the Ambā-upākhyāna, the one-hundred-and-seventy-third chapter—concerning the abduction of maidens—comes to its close. In this manner the tale of Ambā concludes this chapter, setting forth the ethical strain between royal power and personal autonomy, and the far-reaching consequences of deeds done in the name of duty and honor.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
As a closing colophon, the verse itself teaches by framing: actions done under royal authority—especially involving marriage and abduction—carry moral weight and can generate enduring consequences. The Ambā narrative is traditionally read as highlighting tensions between personal choice, social duty, and the karmic aftermath of coercion.
This is not a spoken narrative verse but a chapter-ending marker. It announces that, within Udyoga Parva’s Ambā episode, the chapter dealing with kanyāharaṇa (abduction of maidens) has concluded—signaling the end of that chapter’s portion of the Ambā-related account.