Text 7
kathaṁ vā pāṇḍaveyasya
rājarṣer muninā saha
saṁvādaḥ samabhūt tāta
yatraiṣā sātvatī śrutiḥ
katham — how is it; vā — also; pāṇḍaveyasya — of the descendant of Pāṇḍu (Parīkṣit); rājarṣeḥ — of the king who was a sage; muninā — with the muni; saha — with; saṁvādaḥ — discussion; samabhūt — took place; tāta — O darling; yatra — whereupon; eṣā — like this; sātvatī — transcendental; śrutiḥ — essence of the Vedas.
How did it so happen that King Parīkṣit met this great sage, making it possible for this great transcendental essence of the Vedas [Bhāgavatam] to be sung to him?
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is stated here as the essence of the Vedas. It is not an imaginary story as it is sometimes considered by unauthorized men. It is also called Śuka-saṁhitā, or the Vedic hymn spoken by Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the great liberated sage.