"Sauti said, 'Be it so. And when the high-souled master hath been seated
I shall narrate, questioned by him, sacred stories on a variety of
subjects." After a while that excellent Brahmana (Saunaka) having duly
finished all his duties, and having propitiated the gods with prayers and
the manes with oblations of water, came back to the place of sacrifice,
where with Sauti seated before was the assembly of saints of rigid vows
sitting at ease. And when Saunaka was seated in the midst of the Ritwiks
and Sadhyas, who were also in their seats, he spake as followeth."



SECTION V

(Pauloma Parva continued)

"Saunaka said, 'Child, thy father formerly read the whole of the Puranas,
O son of Lomaharshana, and the Bharata with Krishna-Dwaipayana. Hast thou
also made them thy study? In those ancient records are chronicled
interesting stories and the history of the first generations of the wise
men, all of which we heard being rehearsed by thy sire. In the first
place, I am desirous of hearing the history of the race of Bhrigu.
Recount thou that history, we shall attentively listen to thee."

"Sauti answered, 'By me hath been acquired all that was formerly studied
by the high-souled Brahmanas including Vaisampayana and repeated by them;
by me hath been acquired all that had been studied by my father. O
descendant of the Bhrigu race, attend then to so much as relateth to the
exalted race of Bhrigu, revered by Indra and all the gods, by the tribes
of Rishis and Maruts (Winds). O great Muni, I shall first properly