संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
सूतः उवाच एवम् अस्तुsūtaḥ uvāca evam astuThe Sūta said: 'So be it'
गुरौ उपविष्टे महात्मनि तेन पृष्टःgurau upaviṣṭe mahātmani tena pṛṣṭaḥwhen the great-souled teacher had taken his seat, questioned by him
कथाः पुण्याः वक्ष्यामि विविध-आश्रयाःkathāḥ puṇyāḥ vakṣyāmi vividha-āśrayāḥI shall tell holy tales of manifold content
विप्रर्षभः कार्यं कृत्वा यथा-क्रमम्viprarṣabhaḥ kāryaṃ kṛtvā yathā-kramamthe bull among brahmins [Śaunaka], having performed [the rite] in due order
देवान् वाग्भिः पितॄन् अद्भिः तर्पयित्वा आजगामdevān vāgbhiḥ pitṝn adbhiḥ tarpayitvā ājagāmahaving gratified the gods with words (hymns), the ancestors with water, he came
यत्र ब्रह्म-ऋषयः सिद्धाः आसीनाः यत-व्रताःyatra brahma-ṛṣayaḥ siddhāḥ āsīnāḥ yata-vratāḥwhere the brahmarṣis and siddhas sat, having mastered [themselves] by vows
यज्ञ-आयतनम् आश्रित्य सूत-पुत्र-पुरःसराःyajña-āyatanam āśritya sūta-putra-puraḥsarāḥin the sacrificial hall, having the son of the Sūta before [them]
ऋत्विक्षु सदस्येषु उपविष्टेषुṛtvikṣu sadasyeṣu upaviṣṭeṣuwhen the priests and members of the assembly had taken their seats
सः गृह-पतिः शौनकः उपविष्टः अब्रवीत् इदम्saḥ gṛha-patiḥ śaunakaḥ upaviṣṭaḥ abravīt idamthat householder Śaunaka, having sat down, spoke thus
सूतsūtaunderlying form 'sūta', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
तस्मिन्न्tasminnunderlying form 'tasminn', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
पुण्याpuṇyāunderlying form 'puṇyā', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
विविधाश्रयाःvividhāśrayāḥunderlying form 'vividhāśrayāḥ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
सोsounderlying form 'so', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
ऽथ'thaunderlying form ''tha', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
सर्वंsarvaṃunderlying form 'sarvaṃ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
यथाक्रमम्yathākramamunderlying form 'yathākramam', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
अद्भिस्adbhisunderlying form 'adbhis', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
तर्पयित्वाजगामtarpayitvājagāmaunderlying form 'tarpayitvājagāma', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
हhaunderlying form 'ha', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
ब्रह्मर्षयःbrahmarṣayaḥunderlying form 'brahmarṣayaḥ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
सिद्धास्siddhāsunderlying form 'siddhās', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
तtaunderlying form 'ta', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
आसीनाāsīnāunderlying form 'āsīnā', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
यतव्रताःyatavratāḥunderlying form 'yatavratāḥ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
यज्ञायतनम्yajñāyatanamunderlying form 'yajñāyatanam', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
सूतपुत्रपुरःसराःsūtaputrapuraḥsarāḥunderlying form 'sūtaputrapuraḥsarāḥ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
ऋत्विक्ष्व्ṛtvikṣvunderlying form 'ṛtvikṣv', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
अथathaunderlying form 'atha', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
सsaunderlying form 'sa', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
वैvaiunderlying form 'vai', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
गृहपतिस्gṛhapatisunderlying form 'gṛhapatis', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
ततःtataḥunderlying form 'tataḥ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
उपविष्टेषूपविष्टःupaviṣṭeṣūpaviṣṭaḥunderlying form 'upaviṣṭeṣūpaviṣṭaḥ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
शौनकोśaunakounderlying form 'śaunako', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
ऽथाब्रवीद्'thābravīdunderlying form ''thābravīd', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
Here the preparation for the great narrative comes to completion. It is significant that Śaunaka takes up listening only after fulfilling his sacred duties — gratifying the gods with hymns and the ancestors with the libation of water (tarpaṇa). Thus the text teaches that hearing about the sacred must be preceded by the discharge of one's duty toward gods, ancestors, and saints, for only a purified and ordered heart is ready to receive the highest knowledge. The assembly of brahmarṣis and siddhas, seated in due order around the narrator, presents an image of perfect sādhu-saṅga, the very setting in which the word about the Lord should resound. The Sūta humbly promises to tell 'holy tales' — puṇya-kathās, the mere hearing of which purifies. Here lies the root principle: hari-kathā, the narrative of the Lord and His devotees, heard in the company of the saintly, is the surest path to purifying the heart and awakening devotion. From this reverent preparation begins the telling of the entire Mahābhārata.