tatra -- there; ahuh -- spoke; brahmanah -- brahmanas; kecit -- some; asinah -- seated; brahma -- in the Vedas; vadinah -- fluent; purvesham -- of those of the past; punya -- pious; yasasam -- whose fame; rajnam -- of kings; ca -- and; akathayan -- they recounted; kathah -- stories.

Some brahmanas sitting in that assembly hall would fluently chant Vedic mantras, while others recounted stories of past kings of pious renown.