Shloka 240
धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्रतु-प्रवर्तनम् तथा पाण्डवानां निमन्त्रण-प्रतिवचनम्
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Sacrifice Commences and the Pandavas’ Reply to the Invitation
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत वनपर्वके अन्तर्गत घोषयात्रापर्वमें यन्धर्वदुर्योधनसेनासंवादविषयक दो सौ चालीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti prakāraṃ śrīmahābhārate vanaparvaṇi antargate ghoṣayātrāparvaṇi gandharva-duryodhana-senā-saṃvāda-viṣayakaḥ dviśata-cattvāriṃśattamo 'dhyāyaḥ samāptaḥ
Thus ends the two-hundred-and-fortieth chapter of the Vana Parva of the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Ghoṣa-yātrā sub-episode, dealing with the dialogue concerning the Gandharvas, Duryodhana, and the army. The narration marks the close of this section’s account and signals a transition to what follows.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
As a colophon, the verse itself teaches indirectly by framing the episode: it highlights the completion of a section centered on Duryodhana’s encounter with the Gandharvas and the consequences that follow from arrogance and conflict, reinforcing the Mahābhārata’s recurring ethical emphasis on restraint and the moral weight of one’s actions.
This line is an editorial/narratorial closing statement indicating that the chapter has ended. It identifies the larger book (Vana Parva), the sub-episode (Ghoṣa-yātrā Parva), and the subject matter (a dialogue involving the Gandharvas, Duryodhana, and the army), and then declares the chapter complete.