Shloka 229

Devanagari script

इति श्रीमहाभारते वनपर्वणि मार्कण्डेयसमास्यापर्वणि आज्धिरसे स्कन्दोपाख्याने एकोनत्रिंशदधिकद्विशततमो<ध्याय:

Transliteration

iti śrīmahābhārate vanaparvaṇi mārkaṇḍeyasamāsyāparvaṇi ājdhirase skandopākhyāne ekonatriṃśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Vana Parva—specifically in the Markandeya Samasya section—this concludes the Skanda episode, marking the two-hundred-and-twenty-ninth chapter (i.e., the 229th). The line functions as a colophon, formally closing the chapter and situating the narrative within its larger ethical and devotional frame.

Word by Word

इतिthus; end-quote marker

श्रीमहाभारतेin the revered Mahābhārata

वनपर्वणिin the Vana-parvan (Forest Book)

मार्कण्डेयसमास्यापर्वणिin the Markandeya-samāsya section (sub-parvan)

आधिरसेin the Ādhirasa (section/name as given)

स्कन्दोपाख्यानेin the Skanda-episode (Skandopākhyāna)

एकोनत्रिंशत्twenty-nine

अधिकadditional; over and above

द्विशततमःtwo-hundredth

अध्यायःchapter

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mahābhārata

Vana Parva

Mārkaṇḍeya

Skanda

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

This verse is a colophon rather than a doctrinal statement; its function is to close the chapter and anchor the Skanda-related narrative within the Vana Parva’s broader dharmic storytelling, where episodes are framed to support reflection on duty, devotion, and right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

The chapter ends formally: the text signals completion of the Skanda upākhyāna within the Markandeya-related section of the Vana Parva and records the chapter count in traditional Sanskrit numerical style.