purāṇasaṃśritāḥ puṇyāḥ kathā vā dharmasaṃśritāḥ itivṛttaṃ narendrāṇām ṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām śrutaṃ me bhāratākhyānaṃ dharmakāmārthamokṣadam janamejayena pṛṣṭaḥ san vaiśaṃpāyana uktavān ṛṣīṇām agratas tatra dharmiṣṭhānāṃ mahātmanām vyāsadevājñayā tatra yad vaiśaṃpāyanas tadā śrutaṃ vai bhāratākhyānaṃ vedārthaiś copabṛṃhitam tatra me viditaṃ sarvaṃ bhāratākhyānam āditaḥ

“Sauti said that he had heard at Janamejaya's snake-sacrifice the sacred stories composed by Krishna-Dwaipayana and recited by Vaisampayana, that he had wandered to many holy places and come to Samantapanchaka, the field of the Kuru-Pandava battle, desiring to see the sages; and he offered to recite the sacred histories. (trans. K.M. Ganguli)”