Question

At whose request during the Nagyagnya was The Mahabharata narrated ?

• A. Vaishampayan
• B. Parikshit
• C. Sanjay
• D. Janmejaya

Hint:

Remember the key figures in the Mahabharata's narration chain: Vyasa (composer) -> Vaishampayan (first narrator) -> Janmejaya (first listener). A second narration is performed later by Ugrashrava Sauti to the rishis in the Naimisha forest.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question pertains to the narrative frame of the epic Mahabharata, specifically the context in which its first major recitation took place. The 'Nagyagnya' is also known as the Sarpa Satra or snake sacrifice.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Mahabharata has a layered narrative structure. The core story was composed by Vyasa.
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{Vyasa taught the epic to his disciple Vaishampayan. } \\ \bullet & \text{Vaishampayan was the one who narrated the epic for the first time. } \\ \bullet & \text{He did so at the request of King Janmejaya, who was the great-grandson of Arjuna and the son of Parikshit. } \\ \bullet & \text{The occasion for this narration was the great snake sacrifice (Nagyagnya or Sarpa Satra) that Janmejaya was performing to avenge the death of his father, Parikshit, who was killed by a snake bite. } \\ \bullet & \text{Sanjay was the narrator who described the events of the Kurukshetra War to the blind king Dhritarashtra. } \\ \end{array}\] Thus, the narration by Vaishampayan was done at the request of King Janmejaya.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct answer is Janmejaya.