सौतिरुवाच श्रुत्वा तु सर्पसत्राय दीक्षितं जनमेजयम्। अभ्यगच्छदृषिविद्वान्कृष्णद्वैपायनस्तदा।॥
Sauti said : Having heard that Janamejaya has been installed in the Snake-sacrifice, the learned Rishi Krishna Dvaipayana went there.
जनयामास यं काली शक्तेः पुत्रात्पराशरात्। कन्यैव यमुनाद्वीपे पाण्डवानां पितामहम्॥
The grandfather of the Pandavas, (Krishna Dvaipayana) was born in an island of the Yamuna, in the womb of the maiden Kali by Shakti's son Parashara.
जातमात्रश्च यः सद्य इष्ट्या देहमवीवृधत्। वेदांश्चाधिजगे साङ्गान्सेतिहासान्महायशाः॥
As soon as born, the illustrious man developed his body by his will alone and mastered the Vedas and the Vedangas and all the histories.
यन्नति तपसा कश्चिन्न वेदाध्ययनेन च। न व्रतैर्नोपवासैश्च न प्रसूत्या न मन्युना॥
He achieved that which could not be achieved by asceticism, or by the study of the Vedas, by vows, by fasts, by progeny or by sacrifice.
विव्यासैकं चतुर्धा यो वेदं वेदविदां वरः। परावरज्ञो ब्रह्मर्षिः कविः सत्यव्रतः शुचिः॥
The best of the best Veda-knowing men first divided the Vedas into four parts. He was a great Brahma-knowing Rishi, a great poet, a truthful man, a holy ascetic.
यः पाण्डुं धृतरा च विदुरं चाप्यजीजनत्। शान्तनो: संततिं तन्वन्पुण्यकीर्तिर्महायशाः॥
That great Rishi of sacred deeds and great fame, in order to continue the line of Shantanu begot Pandu, Dhritarashtra and Vidura.
जनमेजयस्य राजर्षेः स महात्मा सदस्तथा। विवेश सहितः शिष्यैर्वेदवेदाङ्गपारगैः॥
This illustrious man accompanied by his disciples, learned in the Vedas and the Vedangas, entered the sacrificial grounds of the royal sage Janamejaya.
तत्र राजानमासीनं ददर्श जनमेजयम्। वृतं सदस्यैर्बहुभिर्देवैरिव पुरंदरम्॥
He saw there seated king Janamejaya surrounded by his numerous Sadasya like Indra surrounded by the celestials.
तथा मूर्धाभिषिक्तैश्च नानाजनपदेश्वरैः। ऋत्विग्भिर्ब्रह्मकल्पैश्च कुशलैर्यज्ञसंस्तरे॥
He was surrounded by kings of various countries who had undergone the sacred baths and by competent Ritvijas who were like Brahma himself all seated comfortably in the sacrificial grounds.
जनमेजयस्तु राजर्षिर्दृष्ट्वा तमृषिमागतम्। सगणोऽभ्युद्ययौ तूर्णं प्रीत्या भरतसत्तमः॥
The best of the Bharata race, the royal sage Janamejaya, seeing the Rishi approaching, advanced quickly in great joy with all his relatives and followers.
काञ्चनं विष्टरं तस्मै सदस्यानुमतः प्रभुः। आसनं कल्पयामास तथा शक्रो बृहस्पतेः॥
The king, with the approval of the Sadasyas, offered a golden seat to the Rishi as did Indra to (his preceptor) Brihaspati.
तत्रोपविष्टं वरदं देवर्षिगणपूजितम्। पूजयामास राजेन्द्रः शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा॥
When the boon-granting and the adored of the celestials, the Rishis (Vyasa) took his seat, the king of kings (Janamejaya) worshipped him according to the ordinances.
पाद्यमाचमनीयं च अर्घ्यं गां च विधानतः। पितामहाय कृष्णाय तदर्हाय न्यवेदयत्॥
The king then offered to his grandfather Krishna (Dvaipayana) in due form water to wash his feet and mouth, Arghya and kine.
प्रतिगृह्य तु तां पूजां पाण्डवाज्जनमेजयात्। गां चैव समनुज्ञाप्य व्यासः प्रीतोऽभवत्तदा॥
Vyasa was much pleased on accepting the offerings from the Pandava Janamejaya and he ordered that the kine should not be slaughtered.
तथा च पूजयित्वा तं प्रणयात्प्रपितामहम्। उपोपविश्य प्रीतात्मा पर्यपृच्छदनामयम्॥
Thus having worshipped him the king bowed to his great grandfather. And having seated himself in joy, he asked him about his welfare.
भगवानपि तं दृष्ट्वा कुशलं प्रतिवेद्य च। सदस्यैः पूजितः सर्वैः सदस्यान्प्रत्यपूजयत्॥
The illustrious Rishi, also looked (graciously) at him and asked him about his welfare. He then worshipped the Sadasyas who had already worshipped him.
ततस्तु सहितः सर्वैः सदस्यैर्जनमेजयः। इदं पश्चाद्विजश्रेष्ठं पर्यपृच्छत्कृताञ्जलिः॥
Thereupon with joined hands, Janamejaya, with all his Sadasyas, addressed the best of the Brahmanas (Vyasa) thus:
जनमेजय उवाच कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च भवान्प्रत्यक्षदर्शिवान्। तेषां चरितमिच्छामि कथ्यमानं त्वया द्विजः॥
Janamejaya said : O Brahmana, you saw with your own eyes the great deeds of the Kurus and the Pandavas. I desire to hear them narrated by you.
कथं समभवद्भेदस्तेषामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम्। तच्च युद्धं कथं वृत्तं भूतान्तकरणं महत्॥ पितामहानां सर्वेषां दैवेनानिष्टचेतसाम्। कार्येनैतन्ममाचक्ष्व यथावृत्तं द्विजोत्तम॥
What was the cause of the quarrel between them? They were all of great deeds and virtuous mind. Why did that great battle, which was the cause of the death of countless men, occur among my grandfathers, their sense being (surely) over-clouded by Fate? O best of Brahmanas, tell me all this in full as they happened.
सौतिरुवाच तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कृष्णद्वैपायनस्तदा। शशास शिष्यमासीनं वैशंपायनमन्तिके॥
Sauti said : Having heard these words of Janamejaya, Krishna Dvaipayana addressed his disciple Vaishampayana, seated by his side saying,
व्यास उवाच कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च यथा भेदोऽभवत्पुरा। तदस्मै सर्वमाचक्ष्व यन्मत्तः श्रुतवानसि॥
Vyasa said : Repeat, exactly as you heard from me the account of the quarrel between the Kurus and the Pandavas of old.
गुरोर्वचनमाज्ञाय स तु विप्रर्षभस्तदा। आचचक्षे ततः सर्वमितिहासं पुरातनम्॥
Sauti said: That best of Brahmanas, (Vaishampayana), having been thus commanded by his preceptor, recited the whole of that old history,
राज्ञे तस्मै सदस्येभ्यः पार्थिवेभ्यश्च सर्वशः। भेदं सर्वविनाशं च कुरुपाण्डवयोस्तदा।॥
To the king, to the Sadasyas and to all the chiefs and potentates present there. He told them all about the quarrel and the utter extinction of the Kurus and the Pandavas.