Janamejaya said : Worshipful Sir, I desire to hear from you in detail the accounts of the births and deeds and achievements among men, of the Devas, the Danavas, the Rakshasas, the Gandharvas, the lions, the tigers, the snakes, the birds and other animals and in short of all creatures, that became incarnate in human forms.
जनमेजय उवाच देवानां दानवानां च गन्धर्वोरंगरक्षसाम्। सिंहव्याघ्रमृगाणां च पन्नगानां पतत्रिणाम्॥ सर्वेषां चैव भूतानां संभवं भगवन्नहम्। श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वेन मानुषेषु महात्मनाम्। जन्म कर्म च भूतानामेतेषामनुपूर्वशः॥