The first Suta, Lomaharshana, the direct disciple of Sage Vyasa was narrating Puranas to Rishis in Naimisharanya during their thousand-year-long-yaga.

He was killed by Lord Balarama.

There was a misunderstanding and the Lord in a fit of anger killed Lomaharshana.

But when he realized what had happened, the Lord transferred all the knowledge and qualities of Lomaharshana onto the body of his son, Ugrashrava.

He also blessed Ugrasharava with longevity till the end of the yaga.

After this, Ugrashrava continued narrating the Puranas in the place of his father.

See what all can be done with yogic power.

Balarama was a mahayogi.

Of course, he is avatara of Adishesha.

But now he is in human form.

Even then he had so much power in him.

He had used Brahmastra to kill Lomaharshana.

Then after realizing the misunderstanding, transferred everything that he had onto his son’s body.

Why did Balarama not revive Lomaharhana himself?

Then it would have been insult to Brahmastra.

But there was a small difference between Lomaharshana and his son Ugrashrava.

Lomaharshana never left Naimisharanya, ever.

But Ugrashrava, went to the banks of Ganga when Shukadeva was narrating Shrimad Bhagavata to Raja Parikshit, listened, learned, then came back to Naimisharanya to narrate the same to the Rishis.

This was towards the end of the thousand-year-long yaga.

Rishis had a strange demand.

We want to listen to the essence of all shastras, essence of all teachings.

They had heard all other Puranas by then.

Shastras are Puranas.

Teachings based on historical incidents are called Puranas.

Historical incidents narrated so that people can learn what is dharma and what is adharma.

The shastras are sometimes apparently contradictory also.
One shastra will say do this; another shastra will say don’t do this.

For example, the performer of a yajna has to take a deeksha on the previous day.

Deeksha is upavasa.

From that time it is as if the Devatas of the particular yajna are present in the yaga vedi.

They have come like guests.

They are given offerings only on the next day.

Till that time, can the performer of the yajna, the yajamana, can he take any food?

Naturally, no, because there are guests at home.

They are not offered anything till the next day.

How can the host alone have food?

This is what you might think.

But there is a problem here.

If you abstain from taking food on the previous night of any ritual, then it is a characteristic of pitru-karma.

So the yajna going to be performed is a Deva-karya and it may end up looking like a Pitru-karya.

You are changing the nature of the ritual.

This is one argument.

What to do now?

The Yajamana can take something which the Devas don’t consume such as what grows underground.

So there are two options here.

Either ignore the argument that it will become a Pitru-karma and do complete fasting, incurring the risk of diluting the nature of the yajna, or take something that Devas don’t take.

But then, host is taking food when the guests are not given anything.

Such confusions are there in shastras.

There are clear solutions.

But it can be confusing for many people.

So Rishis did not want to get into all these anymore.

They just wanted the essence; which will not confuse.

So they asked Suta one question.

They made one demand.

Shaunaka Maharshi was the kulapati of the yajna.

He told Ugrashrava: we have been hearing the Puranas from your father and you as well.

We have learned a lot from you both.

You have been so kind to us, telling us so much about the incidents of the past.

But shastras are endless.

Nobody has seen everything.

Those Rishis who have told us something, that is as per what they have experienced.

Their experiences, they have shared with us.

Nobody can say that I have seen everything.

Nobody can say that this is everything.

Sometimes, the Rishi-vachanas also apparently look contradicting each other.

Because of all these, doubts come in the mind.

Is this knowledge authentic?

If it is authentic, then why is someone else contradicting it?

Both arguments sound convincing.

So now, you have seen all the shastras.

So far, you told us whatever we asked for.

We asked you: tell us about Shiva; you told us Shiva Purana.

We told you: tell us about Vishnu; you told us Vishnu Purana.

But now, what we want from you is, since you have learned all the shastras, tell us their essence.

What you have understood as their essence, essence of all shastras, essence of all teachings.

We know, so far you didn’t tell us this because we never asked for it.

We know you are our well-wisher.

You are here for our benefit.

Now you please tell us the essence of all teachings, which you have so far kept hidden from us.

Please tell us that now.

Shaunaka Maharshi told Suta.