Shloka 8
आस्तीक-उपाख्यान-प्रस्तावः | Introduction to the Āstīka Narrative
शिष्यो व्यासस्य मेधावी ब्राह्मणेष्विदमुक्तवान् | तस्मादहमुपश्रुत्य प्रवक्ष्यामि यथातथम्,उग्रश्रवाजीने कहा--शौनकजी! ब्राह्मणलोग इस इतिहासको बहुत पुराना बताते हैं। पहले मेरे पिता लोमहर्षणजीने, जो व्यासजीके मेधावी शिष्य थे, ऋषियोंके पूछनेपर साक्षात् श्रीकृष्णद्वैधायन (व्यास)-के कहे हुए इस इतिहासका नैमिषारण्यवासी ब्राह्मणोंके समुदायमें वर्णन किया था। उन्हींके मुखसे सुनकर मैं भी इसका यथावत् वर्णन करता हूँ
śiṣyo vyāsasya medhāvī brāhmaṇeṣv idam uktavān | tasmād aham upaśrutya pravakṣyāmi yathātatham ||
The wise disciple of Vyāsa spoke this account among the Brāhmaṇas. Therefore, having heard it in that authentic lineage, I shall now relate it exactly as it was—faithfully preserving the received tradition.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes faithful transmission: a narrator should speak only after hearing from an authoritative source and should present the account 'yathātatham'—exactly as received—highlighting integrity and reliability in preserving sacred history (itihāsa).
Śaunaka indicates that the Mahābhārata account was previously recited by a wise disciple of Vyāsa in an assembly of Brāhmaṇas, and that the present narration will follow that heard tradition accurately.