Shloka 78
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope
श्रुत्वैतत् प्राह विघ्नेशो यदि मे लेखनी क्षणम् | लिखितो नावतिषछ्ेत तदा स्यां लेखको हाहम्,यह सुनकर विघ्नराज श्रीगणेशजीने कहा--“व्यासजी! यदि लिखते समय क्षणभरके लिये भी मेरी लेखनी न रुके तो मैं इस ग्रन्थका लेखक बन सकता हूँ
śrutvaitat prāha vighneśo yadi me lekhanī kṣaṇam | likhito nāvatiṣṭhet tadā syāṁ lekhako hy aham ||
Hearing this, Vighneśa (Gaṇeśa) replied: “If, while writing, my stylus does not have to stop even for a moment, then I will indeed become the scribe of this work.” The condition underscores the gravity of the undertaking: the epic is to be transmitted with unwavering continuity, demanding both the composer’s clarity and the scribe’s unbroken attention.
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined transmission of sacred knowledge: a monumental narrative should be recorded with uninterrupted focus and fidelity, emphasizing steadiness, commitment, and the seriousness of preserving dharmic tradition.
Gaṇeśa responds after hearing the proposal to write the Mahābhārata, agreeing to serve as the scribe on the condition that his pen must not be forced to pause even briefly while writing.