स्कन्दसेनापत्याभिषेकः
Skanda’s Consecration as Devasenāpati
इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत वनपर्वके अन्तर्गत मार्कण्डेयसमगास्यापर्वमें ब्राह्मण- व्याधसंवादविषयक दो सौ सोलहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti prakāraṁ śrīmahābhārata-vanaparvaṇi antargata-mārkaṇḍeya-samāsyāparvaṇi brāhmaṇa-vyādha-saṁvāda-viṣayakaḥ dviśata-ṣoḍaśattamo 'dhyāyaḥ pūrṇaḥ
Demikian berakhir bab ke-216 dalam Vana Parva Mahābhārata, pada bagian yang disebut Mārkaṇḍeya Samāsyā Parva, yang memuat pokok kisah dialog antara Brahmana dan sang pemburu.
युधिछिर उवाच
Even though this line is a colophon, it points to the ethical center of the preceding episode: dharma is validated by right conduct, humility, and discernment, not merely by birth or outward markers of religiosity.
The text signals closure: the chapter on the Brahmin–hunter dialogue within the Mārkaṇḍeya-related section of the Vana Parva has concluded. It functions as an editorial/end-of-chapter marker rather than spoken dialogue.