Shloka 291

Adhiratha-Rādhā Discover the Casket; Vasuṣeṇa (Karṇa) is Adopted and Formed

Devanagari script

इति श्रीमहा भारते वनपर्वणि रामोपाख्यानपर्वणि श्रीरामाभिषेके एकनवत्यधिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय:,इस प्रकार श्रीमह्या भारत वनपर्वके अन्तर्गत रामोपाख्यानपर्वमें श्रीयरमाभिषेकविषयक दो सौ इक्यानबेवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

iti śrīmahābhārate vanaparvaṇi rāmopākhyānaparvaṇi śrīrāmābhiṣeke ekanavatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ |

Translation

至此，《摩诃婆罗多》之《林居篇》（Vana Parva）中，名为《罗摩传》（Rāmopākhyāna）的一段，关于圣罗摩受灌顶加冕（abhiṣeka）之章——第二百九十一章——宣告终结。此结语标示一段叙事单元的完成，并将罗摩的加冕主题置为正当王权与以达摩为本之治国的伦理典范。

Word by Word

इतिthus; end-quote marker

श्रीauspiciousness; honorific 'Śrī'

महाभारतेin the Mahābhārata

वनपर्वणिin the Vana-parvan (Forest Book)

रामोपाख्यानपर्वणिin the Rāmopākhyāna-parvan (section on the story of Rāma)

श्रीरामाभिषेकेin (the topic of) the consecration of Śrī Rāma

एकनवत्यधिकद्विशततमःthe 291st

अध्यायःchapter

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mahābhārata

Vana Parva

Rāmopākhyāna

Śrī Rāma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

As a colophon, the line primarily teaches textual framing: it marks the completion of a chapter and situates the episode within the larger structure. By naming Rāma’s abhiṣeka, it implicitly highlights dharma-centered kingship and the ideal of righteous rule as the ethical horizon of the narrative unit.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narration pauses to formally close the chapter: within Vana Parva’s Rāmopākhyāna, the chapter themed around Śrī Rāma’s consecration is declared complete (the 291st chapter).