अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope
उवाच स महातेजा ब्रह्माणं परमेषछ्ठिनम् । कृतं मयेदं भगवन् काव्यं परमपूजितम्,परम तेजस्वी व्यासजीने परमेष्ठी ब्रह्माजीसे निवेदन किया--“भगवन्! मैंने यह सम्पूर्ण लोकोंसे अत्यन्त पूजित एक महाकाव्यकी रचना की है”
uvāca sa mahātejā brahmāṇaṃ parameṣṭhinam | kṛtaṃ mayedaṃ bhagavan kāvyaṃ paramapūjitam ||
Vị hiền triết rực rỡ oai quang ấy bèn thưa với Phạm Thiên, Đấng Tối Thượng an bài muôn loài: “Bạch Thánh Chủ! Con đã soạn nên trường ca vĩ đại này—một sử thi đáng được tôn kính bậc nhất trong mọi thế giới.”
The verse highlights humility and accountability in authorship: even a great sage presents his work to a higher authority (Brahmā), implying that sacred literature should align with dharma and be offered in reverence rather than pride.
Vyāsa, described as greatly radiant, approaches Brahmā and informs him that he has completed a supremely revered epic (the Mahābhārata), setting the stage for its validation and proper transmission.