Shloka 204
Vyādha–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Śāpa, Vṛtta-Dharma, and Counsel Against Viṣāda
Grief
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत वनपवके अन्तर्गत मार्कण्डेयसमास्यापर्वमें धुन्धुमारोपाख्यानविषयक दो सौ चारवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti prakāraṁ śrīmahābhārate vanaparvaṇi antargate mārkaṇḍeyasamāsyāparvaṇi dhundhumāropākhyānaviṣayakaḥ dviśata-catur-adhikaḥ adhyāyaḥ samāptaḥ
Thus ends the two-hundred-and-fourth chapter of the Mahābhārata’s Vana Parva, within the Markandeya Summary Section, dealing with the episode of Dhundhumāra, as narrated by Sage Mārkaṇḍeya. The colophon signals the completion of this unit, marking a pause for reflection on the moral and exemplary import of the tale just concluded.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
As a colophon, the verse primarily teaches attentiveness to textual closure: it marks the completion of an instructive sub-tale (upākhyāna) and invites the listener/reader to retain its dharmic and exemplary lessons before moving on.
Sage Mārkaṇḍeya’s narration reaches a formal stopping point: the Dhundhumāra-related episode within the Vana Parva’s Markandeya section is declared finished, and the chapter is concluded.