Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 5 — Karmaphala-Nirdeśa and Phalāśruti (कर्मफलनिर्देशः फलश्रुतिश्च)
कीर्ति प्रथणता लोके पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् | अन््येषां क्षत्रियाणां च भूरिद्रविणतेजसाम्
kīrti-prathanatā loke pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām | anyeṣāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ ca bhūri-draviṇa-tejasām | sarvajñaḥ vidhi-vidhānake jñātā dharmajñaḥ sādhuḥ indriyātīta-jñāna-sampannaḥ śuddhaḥ tapaḥ-prabhāvena pavitrāntaḥkaraṇavān aiśvarya-sampannaḥ sāṅkhya-yoga-vidvān tathā aneka-śāstra-pāradarśī munivaraḥ vyāsaḥ divya-dṛṣṭyā dṛṣṭvā mahātmā-pāṇḍavān anyāṃś ca pracura-dhana-sampannān mahātejasvinaḥ rājñaḥ kīrti-prasāraṇāya asya itihāsasya racanāṃ cakāra
कीर्तिं प्रथयिता लोके पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । अन्येषां क्षत्रियाणां च भूरिद्रविणतेजसाम् ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse frames the Mahābhārata as an itihāsa composed to preserve and spread exemplary fame rooted in dharma: noble conduct, rightful kingship, and the ethical weight of actions are made memorable through narrative, guided by Vyāsa’s purified insight and śāstric mastery.
Vaiśaṃpāyana explains why the epic was composed: Vyāsa, endowed with divine sight and spiritual authority, created this history so that the renown of the Pāṇḍavas and other powerful kings would be known widely in the world.