(cf. Anukramaṇī). § 1: The Sūta Ugraśravas (Sauti), son
of Lomaharṣaṇa, had heard the Mahābhārata, which had been
composed by Vyāsa, recited—under the direction of Dvai-
pāyana (i.e. Vyāsa) himself—by Vaiśampāyana, disciple of
Vyāsa, at the serpent-sacrifice of king Janamejaya, son of
Parikṣit; he had thereupon undertaken a pilgrimage to the
tīrthas (holy places) and visited Samantapañcaka (b); thence
he came to the twelve years’ sattra (long sacrifice) of
Śaunaka in the Naimiṣa forest, where he related the
Mahābhārata, (§ 2) beginning with the adoration of Viṣṇu
identified with the Absolute (Brahmán), and (§ 3) a brief
exposition of the creation and succession of beings from the
Absolute through Brahmán, the 21 Prajāpatis (α), gods,
etc. (β), down to the families of the Kurus, etc. (γ),
mentioned in the poem.—§ 4: The Mahābhārata contains
an enlarged and an abridged form; some make it begin with
Manu (i.e. I, 75, 18 = 3143; otherwise Nīl.), some with Āstīka
(i.e. I, 13, 1 = 1020), and some with Uparicara (i.e. I, 63, 1
= 2334) (v. 52). Vyāsa had composed the Mahābhārata in
a moment, and, at the counsel of Brahmán, had Gaṇeśa to
write it down as fast as he dictated to him. (An enumeration
of the first sixteen books is contained in v. 88—91.) The
portion destined for men (100,000 ślokas out of six millions)
he taught Vaiśampāyana, who narrated it in the intervals
between the parts of the serpent-sacrifice of Janamejaya,
first giving a survey of the principal contents (α), partly in
the form of a conversation between Dhṛtarāṣṭra and
Sañjaya.—§ 5: Sañjaya, in order to console Dhṛtarāṣṭra,
first enumerated 24 great kings (α), who were formerly
mentioned by Nārada to Śaivya (B. Śvaitya) when lamenting
the loss of a son, and thereupon (§ 6) 66 others (α), who
had all died.—§ 7: He, who hears or reads the Mahābhārata,
is purified from the most atrocious sins (261 ff. = 254 ff.).