Janamejaya Requests a Detailed Account of His Ancestry
King Janamejaya has heard a brief account of his ancestors, but it leaves him unsatisfied. He tells the sage Vaishampayana that a story this sacred, this beloved, deserves more than a summary—it demands the full, detailed history from the very beginning.
The king listened as the sage Vaishampayana finished speaking. Janamejaya now knew the great origins of his ancestors and the noble kings of his line. But instead of feeling complete, he felt a sharper hunger.
He addressed the Brahmana. "I have heard it. But I am not satisfied." The account was too brief. It was like being given only a taste of amrita (the nectar of immortality)—enough to know its power, but not enough to drink.
He loved this history. Who, he asked, would not find pleasure in hearing of such a sacred lineage? The fame of these men—their qualities, righteousness, strength, valour, and perseverance—was established throughout the three worlds. A summary could not contain them.
Therefore, he made his request plain. "Narrate it to me in greater detail. Recite the divine account from Prajapati Manu onwards." He wanted the story in full.