Shloka 238
Daitya-āśvāsana of Duryodhana; Karṇa’s assurance and the mobilization of the Kaurava host
इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत वनपर्वके अन्तर्गत घोषयात्रापर्वमें घोषयात्राके सम्बन्धमें परामर्शविषयक दो सौ अड़तीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti prakāraṃ śrīmahābhārata-vanaparvake antargataṃ ghoṣayātrāparvaṇi ghoṣayātrā-sambandhe parāmarśa-viṣayakaṃ dviśata-aṣṭātriṃśattamaḥ adhyāyaḥ pūrṇaḥ
Thus ends the two hundred and thirty-eighth chapter of the Mahābhārata’s Vana Parva, within the Ghoṣa-yātrā sub-section, dealing with deliberation concerning the cowherd expedition. This closing notice marks the completion of a unit of counsel and planning, emphasizing that collective reflection and prudent advice precede consequential action.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The colophon highlights a recurring epic ethic: significant undertakings should be preceded by parāmarśa—careful consultation and deliberation—so that action aligns with prudence and dharma rather than impulse.
This line is a concluding notice stating that the chapter dealing with counsel about the Ghoṣa-yātrā (cowherd expedition episode) within the Vana Parva has been completed; it functions as a structural marker rather than a plot event.