The Mahabharat - How does the narration of the greatest epic, our history, begin?

॥ श्रीहरीः ॥

॥ श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥

॥ श्रीवेदव्यसाय नमः ॥

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । 

देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयं उदिरयेत् ॥

Transliteration:

nārāyaṇaṃ namaskṛtya naraṃ caiva narottamam | 

devīṃ sarasvatīṃ vyāsaṃ tato jayaṃ udirayet ||

Arjuna's chariot faces the Kuru army

व्यासरचित महाभारत (Vyasa rachit Mahabharat) commences in the sacred and astounding setting of the नैमिषारण्य (Naimisharanya) forest. Here, a learned कथावाचक सूत (Kathavachak Soota), उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava), son of लोमहर्षण (Lomaharshan) arrives, where he finds his path leading to the hermitage of ऋषी शौनक (Sage Shounak), who, along with the congregation of many other devoted sages, is conducting a grand यज्ञसत्र (yadnyasatra) destined to span for twelve years.

Seeing उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava), all the sages, and brahmacharis in the hermitage bowed down to him in great reverence, welcomed him to the hermitage, and provided him with a head seat in the आश्रम (ashram). Upon his welcome and making sure that उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava) is at ease from his long journey, the sages ask, "O noble one of lotus-eyes, descendant of the sacred lineage of Soota, from what realms dost thou return? In what revered abodes hast thou tarried, and what sacred narratives hast thou gleaned on thy travels? Pray, dispel the wonderment that stirs within us." 

The Sanskrit verses for this scene go as 

अथ तेषूपविष्टेषु सर्वष्वेव तपस्विषु ।
निर्दीष्टमासनं भेजे विनयाल्लोमहर्षिणिः ॥ 5 ॥

सुखासीनं ततस्तं तु विश्रान्तमुपलक्ष्य च ।

अथापृच्छदृषिस्तत्र कश्चित प्रस्तावयन् कथाः ॥6॥

कुत आगम्यते सौते क्व चायं विहृतस्त्वया ।

कालः कमलपत्राक्ष शंसैतत् पृच्छतो मम ॥7॥

Transliteration:
atha teṣūpaviṣṭeṣu sarvaṣveva tapasviṣuh |
nirdīṣṭamāsanaṃ bheje vinayāllomaharṣiṇiḥ || 5 ||

sukhāsīnaṃ tatastaṃ tu viśrāntamupalakṣya ca |

athāpṛcchadṛṣistatra kaścita prastāvayan kathāḥ ||6||

kuta āgamyate saute kva cāyaṃ vihṛtastvayā |

kālaḥ kamalapatrākṣa śaṃsaitat pṛcchato mama ||7||

Ugrashrava narrating the Mahabharat

Then, in a voice resounding with the knowledge of ancient yugas, उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava) ji says, "O most venerable sages, I journey from the सर्पयज्ञ (sarpa-yajnya) of जनमेजय (Janmejaya), son of परिक्षित (Parikshit), where my ears drank the sweetest elixir of that supreme lore, महाभारत (the Mahabharat), the august composition of the sage amongst sages, महर्षी कृष्णद्वैपायन व्यास (Maharshi Krishnadwaipayana Vyasa), deeply. This divine scripture, steeped in the esoteric verses narrated by वैशंपायन (Vaishampayana), Vyasa’s disciple, unfolded before me as a timeless revelation. From there, I embarked on countless pilgrimages, seeking the holy tirthas, each ablaze with sanctity. I beheld the battlefield of समंतपञ्चक (Samantapanchaka), that place of कुरुक्षेत्र (Kurukshetra), where पाण्डव (the Pandavas) and कौरव (the Kauravas), alongside the kings of all quarters, fought unto death. From that consecrated ground, I have come, my heart stirred with yearning to witness thy holy presence, for thou art eternal, embodying the essence of Brahman, and radiant in thy vigor, like unto the Sun and the all-consuming flame."

The Sanskrit verses go as,

सौतिरूवाच
जनमेजयस्य राजर्षे सर्पसत्रे महात्मना ॥9॥

समीपे पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य सम्यक् परिक्षितस्य च ।

कृष्णद्वैपायनप्रोक्ताः सुपुण्या विविधा कथाः ॥10॥

कथिताश्चापि विधिवद् या वैशम्पायनेन वै । 

श्रुत्वाहं ता विचित्रार्था महाभारतसंश्रिताः ॥11॥

बहुनि सम्परिक्रम्य तीर्थान्यायतनानि च ।
समंतपञ्चकं नाम पुण्यं द्विजनिषेवितम् ॥12॥

गतवानस्मि तं देशं युध्दं यत्राभवत् पुरा ।
कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च सर्वेषां च महीक्षिताम् ॥13॥

दिदृक्षुरागतस्तस्मात् समीपं भवतामिह ।
आयुष्मन्तः सर्व एव ब्रह्मभूता हि मे मताः ।
अस्मिन् यज्ञे महाभागाः सुर्यपावकवर्चसः ॥14॥

कृताभिषेकाः शुचयः कृतजप्याहुताग्न्यः ।
भवन्त आसने स्वस्था ब्रवीमि किमहं द्विजाः ॥15॥

पुराणसंहिताः पुण्याः कथा धर्मार्थसंश्रिताः ।
इति वृत्तं नरेन्द्राणामृषीणां च महात्मनाम् ॥16॥

Transliteration

sautirūvāca
janamejayasya rājarṣe sarpasatre mahātmanā ||9||

samīpe pārthivendrasya samyak parikṣitasya ca |
kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaproktāḥ supuṇyā vividhā kathāḥ ||10||

kathitāścāpi vidhivad yā vaiśampāyanena vai | 
śrutvāhaṃ tā vicitrārthā mahābhāratasaṃśritāḥ ||11||

bahuni samparikramya tīrthānyāyatanāni ca |
samaṃtapañcakaṃ nāma puṇyaṃ dvijaniṣevitam ||12||

gatavānasmi taṃ deśaṃ yudhdaṃ yatrābhavat purā |
kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām ||13||

didṛkṣurāgatastasmāt samīpaṃ bhavatāmiha |
āyuṣmantaḥ sarva eva brahmabhūtā hi me matāḥ |
asmin yajñe mahābhāgāḥ suryapāvakavarcasaḥ ||14||

kṛtābhiṣekāḥ śucayaḥ kṛtajapyāhutāgnyaḥ |
bhavanta āsane svasthā bravīmi kimahaṃ dvijāḥ ||15||

purāṇasaṃhitāḥ puṇyāḥ kathā dharmārthasaṃśritāḥ |
iti vṛttaṃ narendrāṇāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām ||16||

With these words spoken and filling the air with spiritual aura, उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava), gazing onto the assembly of the most radiant sages, says, "Now, O learned sages, ye whose souls are sanctified by snaan, japa, agnihotra, reveal unto me thy wishes. For I stand ready, at your command, to unravel any wonderous tale ye seek to hear from myself. Shall I, unto thee, unfold the sacred accounts of the Puranas, brimming with the profound essence of धर्म (dharma) and अर्थ (artha), which, like holy unction, sanctify the soul and awaken the inner self to divine wisdom? Or dost thou yearn to hear of the supreme itihaasa—this epic chronicle of yore—wherein the valorous deeds of ancient kings and the sublime experiences of venerable rishis are immortalized, each tale steeped in the nectar of timeless truths?"

Thus having spoken, उग्रश्रवा (Ugrashrava) awaited the reply of the sages. The august assembly of seers, steeped in reverence and deep wisdom, joined their hands and, with humility and anticipation, made their plea. "O noble Soota, thy words have kindled within us an ardent yearning to hear of that most venerable history—महाभारत (the Mahabharata)—the sacred epic composed by the illustrious sage कृष्णद्वैपायन व्यास (Krishnadwaipayana Vyasa), son of the revered महर्षि पराशर (Maharshi Parashar)."

"We beseech thee, honored one, to recount to us this immortal saga, woven with threads of dharma, artha, and the exploits of mighty heroes. In this grand itihaasa are contained the timeless virtues and the destinies of both the virtuous and the valiant, unfolding the cosmic dance of fate and righteousness. In thy words, let us be witness to the noble deeds, the trials, and triumphs of those who walked the sacred soil of भारत (Bharata), that we may drink deeply of the wisdom and valor enshrined within its verses."

Thus, begins the narration of our इतिहास (itihaas)—history—महाभारत (the Mahabharat).

Deep dive, we shall, into this journey of Mahabharat, in our upcoming blogs.

Reference: Mahabharat, Adiparva, Pratham Khand, Gitapress, Gorakhpur.