Bhūta-guṇa-saṃkhyāna
Enumeration of the Properties of the Elements and Cognitive Faculties
इति श्रीमहाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि मोक्षधर्मपर्वणि शुकानुप्रश्ने अष्टचत्वारिंशदधिकद्धिशततमो<5 ध्याय:
iti śrīmahābhārate śāntiparvaṇi mokṣadharmaparvaṇi śukānupraśne aṣṭacatvāriṃśad-adhika-dviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ |
Así, en el Śrī Mahābhārata, dentro del Śānti Parva—en particular, la sección Mokṣa-dharma—concluye el capítulo doscientos cuarenta y ocho, relativo a la ulterior indagación de Śuka. Este es el colofón formal que marca el cierre del capítulo y su marco temático: el dharma orientado a la liberación, explorado mediante el preguntar de Śuka.
व्यास उवाच
This line is a colophon rather than a doctrinal verse: it frames the teaching as belonging to Mokṣa-dharma (liberation-oriented dharma) and signals that the chapter’s discussion is structured around Śuka’s further inquiry, emphasizing the pedagogical method of questioning in spiritual instruction.
The chapter concludes. The text formally records its placement within the Mahābhārata (Śānti Parva → Mokṣa-dharma section) and identifies the chapter’s topic as Śuka’s follow-up questions, marking the end of the 248th chapter.