Shloka 203
Dharma-vyādha on Parental Worship
Pitṛ-mātṛ-śuśrūṣā as Paramadaivata
इति श्रीमहा भारते वनपर्वणि मार्कण्डेयसमास्यापर्वणि धुन्धुमारोपाख्याने त्यधिकद्धिशततमो< ध्याय:,इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत वनपर्वके अन्तर्गत मार्कण्डेयसमास्यापर्वमें धुन्धुमारोपाख्यानविषयक दो सौ तीनवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti śrīmahābhārate vanaparvaṇi mārkaṇḍeyasamāsyāparvaṇi dhundhumāropākhyāne tryadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ |
Assim, no venerável Mahābhārata, dentro do Vana Parva—em particular, na subseção Markandeya-samāsya—termina o capítulo ducentésimo terceiro, relativo ao upākhyāna (narrativa inserida) de Dhundhumāra. Este colofão final assinala a conclusão desse capítulo e enquadra o relato como uma narrativa exemplar e moral, embutida no contexto do livro da floresta.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
This line is a colophon rather than a doctrinal verse: its function is to mark the completion of a chapter and to locate the preceding story within the epic’s structure. Indirectly, it highlights how the Mahābhārata teaches dharma through embedded illustrative narratives (upākhyānas) framed by authoritative speakers like Mārkaṇḍeya.
The narrative action pauses: the text formally closes the chapter that contained the Dhundhumāra episode, identifying its placement in Vana Parva under the Markandeya-related sub-section.