Adi Parva

Janamejaya Asks Vaishampayana About the Kings' Origins

Why "Supporting"?

Causal ReachTop 79%

Character WeightTop 95%

State ChangeTop 92%

Narrative RecallTop 50%

~1 min read

King Janamejaya, having heard only fragments of the story, presses the sage Vaishampayana. He wants to know in detail why the great, god-like warriors were born on earth in the first place.

The king listened, but the pieces did not yet form a whole picture. Janamejaya turned to the sage Vaishampayana, who had been narrating the epic tale. "O Brahmana," he said. "You have mentioned some of these radiant kings, and others you have not. I wish to hear the accounts of all of them, in detail." His curiosity was specific and pointed. "O man of good fortune! Why were these great warriors, the equals of the gods, born on earth? Tell me in detail."

Adi Parva, Chapter 58