Om ! Having bowed down to Narayana and Nara, the most exalted
male being, and also to the goddess Saraswati, must the word Jaya be
uttered.
Ugrasrava, the son of Lomaharshana, surnamed Sauti, well-versed
in the Puranas, bending with humility, one day approached the great
sages of rigid vows, sitting at their ease, who had attended the twelve
years' sacrifice of Saunaka, surnamed Kulapati, in the forest of Naimisha.
Those ascetics, wishing to hear his wonderful narrations, presently
began to address him who had thus arrived at that recluse abode of the
inhabitants of the forest of Naimisha. Having been entertained with
due respect by those holy men, he saluted those Munis (sages) with
joined palms, even all of them, and inquired about the progress of their
asceticism. Then all the ascetics being again seated, the son of Loma-
harshana humbly occupied the seat that was assigned to him. Seeing
that he was comfortably seated, and recovered from fatigue, one of the
Rishis beginning the conversation, asked him, 'Whence comest thou,
O lotus-eyed Sauti, and where hast thou spent the time ? Tell me, who
ask thee, in detail.'
Accomplished in speech, Sauti, thus questioned, gave in the midst
of that big assemblage of contemplative Munis a full and proper answer
in words consonant with their mode of life. "Sauti said, 'Having heard the diverse sacred and wonderful stories
which were composed in his Mahabharata by Krishna-Dwaipayana, and
which were recited in full by Vaisampayana at the Snake-sacrifice of
the high-souled royal sage Janamejaya and in the presence also of that
chief of Princes, the son of Parikshit, and having wandered about,
visiting many sacred waters and holy shrines, I journeyed to the coun-
try venerated by the Dwijas (twice- born) and called Samantapanchaka
where formerly was fought the battle between the children of Kuru
and PandUt and all the chiefs of the land ranged on either side. Thence,
anxious to see you, I am come into your presence. Ye reverend sages,
all of whom are to me as Brahma ; ye greatly blessed who shine in this place of sacrifice with the splendour of the solar fire : ye who have
concluded the silent meditations and have fed the holy fire ; and yet
who are sitting without care, what, O ye Dwijas (twice-born), shall I repeat, shall I recount the sacred stories collected in the Puranas contain-
ing precepts of religious duty and of worldly profit, or the acts of
illustrious saints and sovereigns of mankind ?'