My chanting teacher had this verse in Vishnu Sahasranamam. And much later, a student from Bali had shared this bit in a Sanskrit forum.
An auspicious beginning of the narration.
नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् ।
देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत् ॥Having bowed down to Narayana and Nara, the most exalted ones, and also to the goddess Saraswati, must the words of Jaya begin.
At the end, known as भारत सावित्री, is a series of beautiful verses that convey the essence, like the bright light of the pole star..
This world’s a Stage..
Thousands of mothers and fathers, and hundreds of sons and wives, arise in the world and depart from it. Others will similarly depart.
The wise one is shielded..
There are thousands of occasions for joy, and hundreds of occasions for fear; These affect only him that is ignorant, but never him that is wise;
Do not stray from Dharma for any stakes
With uplifted arms I am crying aloud, but nobody hears me.
From Dharma comes Wealth, also Pleasure;
Why should not Dharma, therefore, be courted?For the sake neither of pleasure, nor of fear, nor of cupidity should any one cast off Dharma. Indeed, for the sake of even life, one should not cast off Dharma; Dharma is eternal. Pleasure and Pain are not eternal;
भारत सावित्री :
महाभारत, स्वर्गारोहणपर्व, अध्याय ५, श्लोक ४७-५४
मातापितृसहस्राणि पुत्रदारशतानि च ।
संसारेष्वनुभूतानि यान्ति यास्यन्ति चापरे ॥हर्षस्थानसहस्राणि भयस्थानशतानि च ।
दिवसे दिवसे मूढमाविशन्ति न पण्डितम् ॥ऊर्ध्वबाहुम्विरौम्येश न च कश्चित् शृणोति मे ।
धर्मादर्थश्च कामश्च स धर्म किं न सेव्यते ॥न जातु कामान् न भयान् न लोभात्ध र्मं त्यजेज्जीवितस्यापि हेतो: ।
नित्यो धर्म: सुखदुखो त्वनित्ये जीवो नित्यो हेतुरस्य त्वनित्य: ॥
फलश्रुति
That man who, waking up at dawn, reads this Savitri of the Bharata, acquires all the rewards attached to a recitation of this history and ultimately attains to the highest Brahman.
इमां भारत सावित्रीं परातर उत्थाय यः पठेत ।
स भारत फलं पराप्य परं बरह्माधिगच्छति ॥As the sacred Ocean, as the Himavat mountain, are both regarded as mines of precious gems, even so is this Bharata.
यथा समुद्रॊ भगवान यथा च हिमवान गिरिः ।
खयाताव उभौ रत्ननिधी तथा भारतम उच्यते ॥The man of learning, by reciting to others this Veda or Agama composed by Dwaipayana Krishna, earns wealth. There is no doubt in this that he who, with rapt attention, recites this history called Bharata, attains to high success.
महाभारतम आख्यानं यः पठेत सुसमाहितः ।
स गच्छेत परमां सिद्धिम इति मे नास्ति संशयः ॥What need has that man of a sprinkling of the waters of Pushkara who attentively listens to this Bharata, while it is recited to him ? It represents the nectar that fell from the lips of the Dwaipayana (island-born Vyasa). It is immeasurable, sacred, sanctifying, sin-cleansing, and auspicious.
दवैपायनॊष्ठपुटनिःसृतम अप्रमेयं; पुण्यं पवित्रम अथ पापहरं शिवं च ।
यॊ भारतं समधिगच्छति वाच्यमानं; किं तस्य पुष्करजलैर अभिषेचनेन ॥
