Verse 1.8.1

त्रयो होद्गीथे कुशला बभूवुः शिलकः शालावत्यश्चैकितायनो दाल्भ्यः प्रवाहणो जैवलिरिति ते होचुरुद्गीथे वै कुशलाः स्मो हन्तोद्गीथे कथां वदाम इति ॥ १.८.१ ॥

trayo hodgīthe kuśalā babhūvuḥ śilakaḥ śālāvatyaścaikitāyano dālbhyaḥ pravāhaṇo jaivaliriti te hocurudgīthe vai kuśalāḥ smo hantodgīthe kathāṃ vadāma iti || 1.8.1 ||

1. In ancient times, these three—Śilaka, the son of Salāvat, Caikitāyana, the son of Cikitāyana of the Dalbha clan, and Pravāhaṇa, the son of Jīvala—were skilled in the art of the udgītha. They said: ‘We have mastered the art of the udgītha. If you so wish, we can discuss the udgītha’.

Word-for-word explanation:

Trayaḥ ha udgīthe kuśalāḥ bābhūvuḥ, in early days there were three sages skilled in the udgītha; śilakaḥ śālāvatyaḥ, Śilaka, the son of Śalāvat; caikitāyanaḥ dālbhyaḥ, Caikitāyana, the son of Cikitāyana, of the Dalbha clan; pravāhaṇaḥ jaivaliḥ, Pravāhaṇa, the son of Jīvala; iti te ha ūcuḥ, they declared; udgīthe vai kuśalāḥ smaḥ, we have mastered the art of the udgītha; hanta udgīthe kathām vadāmaḥ iti, if you so wish we can discuss the udgītha.

Commentary:

Śilaka, Caikitāyana Dālbhyah, and Pravāhaṇa—these three scholars had studied the udgītha very well, and in an assembly of scholars, they offered to discuss the subject, if the others so desired. It was not that they were trying to show off their knowledge. They just wanted the others to know that they were prepared to speak on this subject if the other scholars present so wished.