Shloka 17
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope
ऋषय ऊचु: द्वैपायनेन यत् प्रोक्त पुराणं परमर्षिणा । सुरैब्रह्रार्षिभिश्वैव श्रुव्वा यदभिपूजितम्
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ: dvaipāyanena yat proktaṃ purāṇaṃ paramarṣiṇā | surair brahmarṣibhiś caiva śrutvā yad abhipūjitam ||
The sages said: “That ancient sacred narrative which was proclaimed by Dvaipāyana, the supreme seer—having been heard, it was duly honored and revered by the gods and by the Brahmarṣis as well.”
Educational Q&A
The verse establishes the Mahābhārata’s sanctity and authority by grounding it in Vyāsa’s revelation and in the reverent acceptance of both divine beings and the highest sages, implying that true teaching is validated by realized hearers and careful transmission.
The assembled sages speak, describing the work taught by Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) as an ancient, revered account—one that, upon being heard, was honored by gods and Brahmarṣis—thereby introducing the epic with a statement of its exalted reception.