Mahabharata 1.4.8

1.4.8

sūta uvāca |
evamastu gurau tasminnupaviṣṭe mahātmani |
tena pṛṣṭaḥ kathāḥ puṇyā vakṣyāmi vividhāśrayāḥ || 8 ||

"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."