Vaishampayana said: "While Varshneya and Dharmaraja were speaking thus, there appeared before them the righteous Markandeya, the great ascetic, an elder grown great in austerity, who had held to it for many thousand years. All the brahmins, together with Krishna and the Pandavas, honored the aged sage who had come, one who had lived many thousand years. When this best of sages had been honored, had sat down calmly, and was at ease, Keshava, at the wish of the brahmins and the Pandavas, said: 'The Pandavas wish to listen, and so do the assembled brahmins, and Draupadi, and Satyabhama, and I myself. Markandeya, tell us the ancient sacred stories of the eternal good customs of kings, women, and sages.' While they sat there, the divine sage Narada also arrived, pure of soul, to see the Pandavas. And all these foremost of men duly honored this great-souled one with water for the feet and with arghya. Narada, the divine sage, knowing that the time was fitting, approved of the story Markandeya was telling and, as if smiling, said to him: 'Brahmarshi, tell what you wish to say to the Pandavas.' Thus addressed, Markandeya, the great ascetic, replied: 'Set aside ample time, for the tale will be long.' Thus addressed, the Pandavas, together with the brahmins, paused and gazed upon the great sage as upon the midday sun."