'Soota said, 'Hearing that Janamejaya was installed in the Sarpa Satra (snake-sacrifice), the learned Rishi Krishna-Dwaipayana (Vyasa) went there on the occasion. He (Rishi Vyasa), the grand-father of the Pandavas, was born in an island of the (river) Yamuna, of the virgin Kaali by Shakti's son, Paarasharaa.
"The illustrious one (Rishi Vyasa) developed by his will alone his body as soon as he was born, and mastered Vedas with their branches (Vedangas in Sanskrit), and all the histories (Itihaasa in Sanskrit). He readily obtained that which no one could obtain by Tapas, by the study of the Vedas, by vows (Sankalpa in Sanskrit), by fasts, by children, and by yagna. The first of Veda-knowing ones, he (Rishi Vyasa) divided the Vedas into four parts (Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharvana Veda). The Brahmana Rishi (Vyasa) had knowledge of the supreme Brahma, knew the past by intuition, was holy, and cherished truth. Of sacred action and great fame, he fathered Pandu, Dhritarashtra and Vidura in order to continue the line of Shantanu.
"The high-souled Rishi (Vyasa), with his disciples all knoweledgeable with Vedas and their branches (Vedangas in Sanskrit), entered the pavilion of yagna of the Rajarishi Janamejaya. He saw that the king Janamejaya was seated in the region of yagna like Devenndra, surrounded by numerous Sadasyas (members), by kings of various countries whose crown locks had undergone the sacred bath, and by competent Ritwiks like to (Lord) Brahma Himself.
"That foremost one of Bharata's race, the Rajarishi Janamejaya, seeing the Rishi (Vyasa) come, advanced quickly with his followers and relatives in great joy. The king (Janamejaya) with the approval of his Sadasyas, gave the Rishi a golden seat as (Lord) Indra did to (Deva Guru) Brihaspati. When the Rishi (Vyasa), capable of granting boons and adored by Deva Rishis themselves, had been seated, the king of kings (Janamejaya) worshipped him according to the rites of Shastras. The king (Janamejaya) then offered him--his grandfather Krishna (Rishi Vyasa)--who fully deserved them, water to wash his feet and mouth, the Arghya, and cows.
"Accepting those offerings from the Pandava Janamejaya and ordering the cows also not to be slain, Vyasa became much gratified. The king (Janamejaya), after those adorations bowed to his great-grandfather (Rishi Vyasa), and sitting in joy asked him about his welfare. The illustrious Rishi also, casting his eyes upon him (King Janamejaya) and asking him about his welfare, worshipped the Sadasyas, having been before worshipped by them all. After all this, Janamejaya with all his Sadasyas, questioned that first of Brahmanas (Rishi Vyasa), with joined palms as follows:
'O Brahmana (Rishi Vyasa), you have seen with your own eyes the acts of the Kurus and the Pandavas. I am desirous of hearing you recite their history. What was the cause of the disunion among them that was fruitful of such extraordinary actions? Why also did that great battle, which caused the death of countless creatures occur between all my grandfathers--their clear sense over-clouded by fate? O excellent Brahmana, tell me all this in full as everything had happened.'
"Hearing those words of Janamejaya, Krishna-Dwaipayana (Rishi Vyasa) directed his disciple Vaishampaayana seated by his side, saying, 'The discord that happened between the Kurus and the Pandavas in ancient times, narrate all to the king (Janamejaya) as you have heard from me.'
"Then that blessed Brahmana (Rishi Vaishampaayana), at the command of his Guru (Rishi Vyasa) recited the whole of that history to the king (Janamejaya), the Sadasyas, and all the chieftains there assembled. He told them all about the hostility and the utter extinction of the Kurus and the Pandavas.'"
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