Shloka 3
वैशम्पायन उवाच शृणु राजन् विधिमिमं फलं यच्चापि भारतात् | श्रुताद् भवति राजेन्द्र यत् त्वं मामनुपृच्छसि,वैशम्पायनजीने कहा--राजेन्द्र! महाभारत सुननेकी जो विधि है और उसके श्रवणसे जो फल होता है, जिसके विषयमें तुमने मुझसे जिज्ञासा प्रकट की है, वह सब बता रहा हूँ; सुनो
vaiśampāyana uvāca: śṛṇu rājan vidhim imaṁ phalaṁ yac cāpi bhāratāt | śrutād bhavati rājendra yat tvaṁ mām anupṛcchasi ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Listen, O King. I shall explain the proper procedure for hearing the Mahābhārata and also the fruit that arises from such listening—precisely what you, O best of kings, have asked me about.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the Mahābhārata as a text whose hearing (śravaṇa) should follow a proper vidhi (prescribed method) and yields a definite phala (spiritual/ethical benefit). It emphasizes respectful inquiry and disciplined reception of tradition.
Vaiśampāyana responds to the king’s question by announcing that he will now describe both the procedure for listening to the Mahābhārata and the results obtained from hearing it.