Shloka 205

Devanagari script

इति श्रीमहाभारते वनपर्वणि मार्कण्डेयसमास्यापर्वणि पतिव्रतोपाख्याने पज्चाधिकद्विशततमो 5 ध्याय:,इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत वनपर्वके अन्तर्गत मार्कण्डेययमास्यापर्वमें पतिव्रतोपाख्यानविषयक दो सौ पॉचवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

iti śrīmahābhārate vanaparvaṇi mārkaṇḍeyasamāsyāparvaṇi pativratopākhyāne pañcādhikadvīśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ |

Translation

Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Vana Parva—specifically in the Markandeya-samāsya section—ends the two-hundred-and-fifth chapter of the narrative known as the ‘Tale of the Chaste Wife (Pativratā)’. This colophon marks the completion of that chapter, signaling the close of a moral exemplum centered on wifely fidelity, self-restraint, and dharma as taught through story.

Word by Word

इतिthus; so (end-quote marker)

श्रीमहाभारतेin the (holy) Mahābhārata

वनपर्वणिin the Vana-parvan (Forest Book)

मार्कण्डेयसमास्यापर्वणिin the Markandeya-samāsya sub-parvan

पतिव्रतोपाख्यानेin the narrative called ‘Pativratā-upākhyāna’

पञ्चाधिकद्विशततमःtwo-hundred-and-fifth

अध्यायःchapter

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Mahābhārata

Vana Parva

Mārkaṇḍeya

Pativratopākhyāna

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse is a colophon, but it points to the ethical thrust of the preceding episode: dharma is illustrated through the ideal of pativratā—steadfast fidelity, disciplined conduct, and moral power grounded in self-restraint and devotion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Markandeya’s embedded tale (upākhyāna) on the pativratā reaches a chapter boundary: this line formally closes the 205th chapter within the Vana Parva’s Markandeya section, indicating that the chapter’s narration has concluded.