Sauti said : Having heard that Janamejaya has been installed in the Snake-sacrifice, the learned Rishi Krishna Dvaipayana went there.

The grandfather of the Pandavas, (Krishna Dvaipayana) was born in an island of the Yamuna, in the womb of the maiden Kali by Shakti's son Parashara.

As soon as born, the illustrious man developed his body by his will alone and mastered the Vedas and the Vedangas and all the histories.

He achieved that which could not be achieved by asceticism, or by the study of the Vedas, by vows, by fasts, by progeny or by sacrifice.

The best of the best Veda-knowing men first divided the Vedas into four parts. He was a great Brahma-knowing Rishi, a great poet, a truthful man, a holy ascetic.

That great Rishi of sacred deeds and great fame, in order to continue the line of Shantanu begot Pandu, Dhritarashtra and Vidura.

This illustrious man accompanied by his disciples, learned in the Vedas and the Vedangas, entered the sacrificial grounds of the royal sage Janamejaya.

He saw there seated king Janamejaya surrounded by his numerous Sadasya like Indra surrounded by the celestials.

He was surrounded by kings of various countries who had undergone the sacred baths and by competent Ritvijas who were like Brahma himself all seated comfortably in the sacrificial grounds.

The best of the Bharata race, the royal sage Janamejaya, seeing the Rishi approaching, advanced quickly in great joy with all his relatives and followers.

The king, with the approval of the Sadasyas, offered a golden seat to the Rishi as did Indra to (his preceptor) Brihaspati.

When the boon-granting and the adored of the celestials, the Rishis (Vyasa) took his seat, the king of kings (Janamejaya) worshipped him according to the ordinances.

The king then offered to his grandfather Krishna (Dvaipayana) in due form water to wash his feet and mouth, Arghya and kine.

Vyasa was much pleased on accepting the offerings from the Pandava Janamejaya and he ordered that the kine should not be slaughtered.

Thus having worshipped him the king bowed to his great grandfather. And having seated himself in joy, he asked him about his welfare.

The illustrious Rishi, also looked (graciously) at him and asked him about his welfare. He then worshipped the Sadasyas who had already worshipped him.

Thereupon with joined hands, Janamejaya, with all his Sadasyas, addressed the best of the Brahmanas (Vyasa) thus:

Janamejaya said : O Brahmana, you saw with your own eyes the great deeds of the Kurus and the Pandavas. I desire to hear them narrated by you.

What was the cause of the quarrel between them? They were all of great deeds and virtuous mind. Why did that great battle, which was the cause of the death of countless men, occur among my grandfathers, their sense being (surely) over-clouded by Fate? O best of Brahmanas, tell me all this in full as they happened.

Sauti said : Having heard these words of Janamejaya, Krishna Dvaipayana addressed his disciple Vaishampayana, seated by his side saying,

Vyasa said : Repeat, exactly as you heard from me the account of the quarrel between the Kurus and the Pandavas of old.

Sauti said: That best of Brahmanas, (Vaishampayana), having been thus commanded by his preceptor, recited the whole of that old history,

To the king, to the Sadasyas and to all the chiefs and potentates present there. He told them all about the quarrel and the utter extinction of the Kurus and the Pandavas.