Shloka 166
Saudāsa
Kalmāṣapāda) Released by Vasiṣṭha; Return to Ayodhyā; Birth of Aśmaka (अश्मक-जन्म
इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत आदिपर्वके अन्तर्गत चैत्ररथपर्वमें द्रौपदीप्रादु्भावविषयक एक सौ छाछठवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti prakāraḥ śrīmahābhārata-ādiparvaṇi antar-gata-caitrarathaparvaṇi draupadī-prādurbhāva-viṣayaka ekaśata-ṣaṭṣaṣṭitamaḥ adhyāyaḥ pūrṇaḥ
Thus ends the one hundred and sixty-sixth chapter of the Draupadī’s manifestation narrative, within the Caitraratha section of the Ādi Parva of the Śrī Mahābhārata. The colophon marks the completion of this unit, signaling a transition in the story and inviting the listener to reflect on how extraordinary births and divine interventions are framed as meaningful within the epic’s moral order (dharma).
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
As a colophon, the line does not teach through a direct maxim; it frames the narrative as part of an ordered textual and moral universe. By labeling the episode as ‘Draupadī’s manifestation,’ it underscores a Mahābhārata theme: extraordinary origins are presented as purposeful within dharma, shaping later ethical dilemmas and responsibilities.
This is an end-of-chapter marker stating that the 166th chapter—about Draupadī’s appearance/manifestation—within the Caitraratha section of the Ādi Parva has concluded, indicating a transition to the next chapter or topic.