Shloka 2
उग्रश्रवाः सूतः नैमिषारण्ये — Sauti at Naimiṣāraṇya
Protocol of Epic Recitation
पौराणिक: पुराणे कृतश्रम: स कृताञ्जलिस्तानुवाच । कि भवन्न्त:ः श्रोतुमिच्छन्ति किमहं ब्रवाणीति,वे पुराणोंके ज्ञाता थे। उन्होंने पुराणविद्यामें बहुत परिश्रम किया था। वे नैमिषारण्यवासी महर्षियोंसे हाथ जोड़कर बोले--'पूज्यपाद महर्षिगण! आपलोग क्या सुनना चाहते हैं? मैं किस प्रसंगपर बोलूँ?”
paurāṇikaḥ purāṇe kṛtaśramaḥ sa kṛtāñjalistān uvāca | kiṃ bhavantaḥ śrotum icchanti kim ahaṃ bravāṇīti ||
পুৰাণবিদ্যাত দীঘলীয়া পৰিশ্ৰমে প্ৰশিক্ষিত সেই পৌৰাণিকে কৰজোড়ে ক’লে—“পূজ্য মহর্ষিগণ! আপোনালোকে কি শুনিবলৈ ইচ্ছা কৰে? মই কোন বিষয় ক’ম?”
उत्तड़क उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical discipline of knowledge-transmission: a learned speaker approaches a worthy audience with reverence (kṛtāñjali) and offers teaching according to what the listeners seek. It models humility, service, and responsiveness rather than self-promotion.
A Purāṇa-expert addresses the sages residing in Naimiṣāraṇya. With folded hands, he asks what they wish to hear and which topic he should speak on, setting the stage for a requested narration.