Ugrasrava
Importance.
- He is the first person introduced in the Mahabharata after Vyasa bows to Narayana, Nara, and Saraswathi.
- Ugrasrava means the one with the high or loud voice. He also had another name, Sauti, the son of Suta.
- He was well versed in the Puranas.
- He is best known as the narrator of the Mahabharata to Saunaka and other sages of Naimisaranya.
- He is also known as Sauti.
Parentage :
Ugrasrava was the son of Romaharshana because of his thrilling and delightful way of narration. Romaharshana was also called Suta and his name is also sometimes spelled as Lomaharshana. Suta is the one who narrated the Srimad Bhagavatam to Saunaka and other at Naimsaranya. It was customary to hear itihasas at yajnas. Sri Rama heard Valmiki’s Ramayanam from Lava Kusa at the Aswamedha Yajna. Janamejaya heard the Mahabharatam at the Sarpa Yajna. (Even we hear Ganesa’s story every Ganesa Caturthi).
Story from the Mahabharata, Adi Parva :
One day Ugrasrava came to Naimsaranya.
This means the forest of Nimi. (It is in modern Uttar Pradesh). Nimi was Sita Devi’s Purvaja (ancestor, previous born. As per my calculations, he may have been her grandfather. (Please see Generations between Rama and Krishna. And Generations previous to Sri Rama. if you are interested.)
He came to Naimisaranya to tell the sages there the Puranas. The sages there were Saunaka and others, who had come there to perform a long 12 year yajna, to ward off the evil effects of Kaliyuga.
They believed that with Sri Krishna and Raja Parikshit gone, there would be no one to respect and protect the brahmans and Rishis. By that time the most brahmans, following the Varna – Asrama – Dharma were completely into philosophy. It does look as if Aswatthama, the son of Drona and the grandson of Bharadwaja was the last brahman warrior for several centuries. (The Bhargavas (Parasurama) and the Bharadwajas were noted for their fighting skills.)
Saunaka received Ugrasrava with respect and Ugrasrava took his asana (easy sitting posture) humbly. Ugrasarava asked Saunaka and others how their penance was going and Saunaka asked Ugrasarava about his well being, travels and purpose.
Ugrasrava said, “I heard the wonderful narrative composed by Krishna Dwaipayana (Veda Vyasa). Vaisampayana related it entirely at the Sarpa – Yajna (Naga – Yajna) of King Janamejaya. (Janamejaya was the son of Parikshit and the grandson of Abhimanyu.) I travelled to Samantha Panachaka (Kurukshetra), where the Pandavas and Kauravas fought with all the kings of the country on one side or the other. Shall I tell you the sacred stories collected in the Puranas containing precepts of Dharma and of worldly profit, or the acts of illustrious saints and sovereigns of mankind?”
To which Saunaka replied, ” Tell us that Purana, first composed by the great Rishi Dwaipayana, which was heard and esteemed both by the Devas and the Brahmarshis a was highly esteemed. It is the best narrative that exists, possessing subtle meanings logically combined with knowledge gleaned from the Vedas. It is a sacred work. It is composed in elegant language, and it includes the subjects of other books. It explains the other Sastras and the Vedas. Tell us that itihasa also called Bharata, the holy composition of the wonderful Vyasa, which dispells the fear of evil, just as it was cheerfully recited by the Rishi Vaisampayana, under the direction of Dwaipayana himself, at the sarpa yajna of Raja Janamejaya!”
Sauti (Ugrasrava) then bowed and began to tell them about the Bharatam.
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