Shloka 191
समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः
Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī
मार्कण्डेयसमास्यायामुपाख्यानानि सर्वश: । पृथोर्वैन्यस्य यत्रोक्तमाख्यानं परमर्षिणा,पाण्डवोंका महामुनि मार्कण्डेयके साथ समागम हुआ। वहाँ महर्षिने बहुत-से उपाख्यान सुनाये। उनमें वेनपुत्र पृुथुका भी उपाख्यान है
mārkaṇḍeyasamāsyāyām upākhyānāni sarvaśaḥ | pṛthor vainyasya yatroktam ākhyānaṃ paramarṣiṇā ||
पाण्डवों का महामुनि मार्कण्डेय के साथ समागम हुआ। वहाँ महर्षि ने अनेक उपाख्यान विस्तार से सुनाये; उनमें परमर्षि द्वारा कहा गया वेनपुत्र पृथु का प्रसिद्ध आख्यान भी था।
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the Pṛthu–Vena episode as an upākhyāna (illustrative tale) within a sage’s discourse, implying that exemplary stories of rulers are used to teach dharma—especially the duties of kingship, the correction of disorder, and governance oriented toward the welfare of the world.
During a dialogue with the sage Mārkaṇḍeya, numerous instructive sub-stories are narrated. One of these is the account of Pṛthu, identified as Vena’s son (Vainya), which is introduced here as part of the larger sequence of teachings and exempla.