Vaishampayana said : Bowing down first to my preceptor with the eight parts of my body touching the ground and then worshipping with devotion, reverence and singleness of mind all the Brahmanas and learned men (present here), I shall now recite in full the narration, I heard from the best of intelligent men, the high-souled great Rishi, Vyasa.
वैशंपायन उवाच गुरवे प्राड्नमस्कृत्य मनोबुद्धिसमाधिभिः। संपूज्य च द्विजान्सर्वास्तथान्यान्विदुषो जनान्॥ महर्षेर्विश्रुतस्येह सर्वलोकेषु धीमतः। प्रवक्ष्यामि मतं कृत्स्नं व्यासस्यास्य महात्मनः॥