O excellent Saunaka, I shall recount to you what Vaishampayana, the disciple of the intelligent Vyasa, said when questioned on these very topics by king Janamejaya.
सौतिरुवाच जनमेजयेन यत् पृष्टः शिष्यो व्यासस्य धीमतः। तत् तेऽहं कथयिष्यामि पौराणं शौनकोत्तम॥