श्रीसूत उवाच । साधुपृष्टं हि युष्माभिरतिगुह्यं मुनीश्वराः । शृणुध्वं मनसा सार्द्धं ब्रवीम्यत्यद्भुतां कथाम्
śrīsūta uvāca | sādhupṛṣṭaṃ hi yuṣmābhiratiguhyaṃ munīśvarāḥ | śṛṇudhvaṃ manasā sārddhaṃ bravīmyatyadbhutāṃ kathām
Śrī Sūta berkata: “Wahai para muni yang mulia, kamu bertanya dengan tepat—ini perkara yang sangat rahsia. Dengarlah dengan hati yang terpusat; akan aku kisahkan cerita yang amat menakjubkan.”
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Śrī Sūta)
Sacred knowledge bears fruit when approached with reverence, right questioning, and concentrated listening.
The verse introduces the forthcoming māhātmya connected to Vētālavarada Tīrtha in the Setu region.
A listening-dharma is implied: hear the kathā attentively (manasā) as a spiritual discipline.