Shloka 2
देयं समाप्ते भगवन् किं च पर्वणि पर्वणि । वाचक: कीदृशश्षात्र एष्टव्यस्तद् वदस्व मे
janamejaya uvāca | deyaṃ samāpte bhagavan kiṃ ca parvaṇi parvaṇi | vācakaḥ kīdṛśaś cātra eṣṭavyas tad vadasva me ||
Janamejaya berkata: “Wahai Bhagavan, persembahan apa yang patut diberikan pada saat selesai (pembacaan), dan apa yang patut diberikan pada akhir tiap parvan? Dan seperti apakah narator yang layak dipilih untuk śāstra suci ini? Mohon jelaskan kepadaku.”
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharma in the form of disciplined listening/recitation: sacred study is not merely textual but is completed through proper giving (dāna) and by choosing a qualified, trustworthy narrator. It implies that transmission of the Mahābhārata should be ethically grounded—supported by generosity and guided by a competent speaker.
King Janamejaya, continuing his inquiry to the sage, asks practical details about conducting a Mahābhārata recitation: what donations should be offered at the end of the whole recital and at the end of each parvan, and what qualities the appointed reciter should possess.