Shloka 23
नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् | देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्
nārāyaṇaṁ namaskṛtya naraṁ caiva narottamam | devīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ tato jayam udīrayet ||
నారాయణునికి నమస్కరించి, నరశ్రేష్ఠుడైన నరునికి (అర్జునునికి) కూడా; దేవి సరస్వతికి, వ్యాసమహర్షికి వందనం చేసి— అనంతరం ‘జయ’ (మహాభారతం)ను ఉచ్ఛరించవలెను.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Before engaging with the Mahābhārata, one should begin with reverent salutations—to the divine source (Nārāyaṇa), the exemplary human/divine hero (Nara, understood in tradition as Arjuna in the Nara–Nārāyaṇa pair), the power of inspired speech (Sarasvatī), and the transmitter/compiler (Vyāsa). The teaching is that ethical learning requires humility and acknowledgment of the sources of truth and right speech.
Vaiśampāyana introduces (or reiterates) the customary maṅgala/invocation that precedes the recitation of the epic: after offering salutations to Nārāyaṇa, Nara, Sarasvatī, and Vyāsa, the reciter should proclaim ‘Jaya,’ i.e., begin the Mahābhārata narration.