Vaishampayana said : O best of the Bharata race, thereupon king Yudhishthira asked the most enlightened Markandeya a question that is too difficult to be understood.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा मार्कण्डेयं महाद्युतिम्। पप्रच्छ भरतश्रेष्ठ धर्मप्रश्नं सुदुर्विदम्॥