Bowing down my head to your father (Vyasa) that wise son of Parashara, through whose grace, I have acquired excellent and celestial vision, the power of seeing the hearing from a great distance, and knowing other people's hearts and also the past and the future, the delightful power of going through the sky, also the knowledge of all the persons that violate the ordinance and also the power of not being cut by weapons in battle, I shall narrate to you the romantic and the highly wonderful and hair-stirring battle that was fought amongst the Bharatas, now listen to me.
नमस्कृत्वा पितुस्तेऽहं पाराशर्याय धीमते। यस्य प्रसादाद् दिव्यं तत् प्राप्तं ज्ञानमनुत्तमम्॥ दृष्टिश्चातीन्द्रिया राजन् दूराच्छ्रवणमेव च। परचित्तस्य विज्ञानमतीतानागतस्य च॥ व्युत्थितोत्पत्तिविज्ञानमाकाशे च गतिः शुभा। अस्त्रैरसंगो युद्धेषु वरदानान्महात्मनः॥ शृणु मे विस्तरेणेदं विचित्रं परमाद्भुतम्। भरतानामभूद् युद्धं यथा तल्लोमहर्षणम्॥