Wherever one may be—at a sacred place, deep within the forest, or in the comfort of home—listening to the divine stories is always held in the highest esteem. Any spacious patch of earth becomes a suitable stage for narrating these tales, for their sanctity is not bound by location. Before the storytelling begins, the ground must be purified and cleansed. One should smear and decorate it with minerals, and move household items aside, placing them neatly in a corner. After five days of preparation, the coverings spread earlier should be cleaned with care. A lofty pavilion is to be constructed, adorned with banana trunks, standing tall and inviting. This pavilion should be splendidly embellished with fruits, flowers, and leaves, and crowned with a canopy. Flags are to be raised in all four directions, making the space radiant and vibrant, reflecting abundant wealth and devotion. Above, intricate depictions of the seven worlds must be made, and within these realms, renounced Brahmins should be seated and awakened, ready to partake in the sacred event. The arrangement of seats comes first; the Brahmins’ seats are to be placed in proper order, and for the speaker of the narrative, a special divine seat should be prepared. Tradition prescribes that the speaker face north while the listener faces east. If the speaker faces east, then the listener should face north. Alternatively, the east direction is regarded as the sacred space between the worshipped and the worshipper; this is the prescribed orientation for the arrival of listeners, as taught by those skilled in place and time. The speaker should be a detached Vaishnava Brahmin, purified by the Vedic scriptures, skilled in illustrating examples, steadfast, and utterly free from desire. Those who are confused by many doctrines, attached to worldly pleasures, or proponents of heretical views should not be chosen to recite Shuka’s scripture, even if they are learned. Beside the speaker, another such scholar should be placed for assistance—one who can resolve doubts and is devoted to enlightening the people. On the day of the vow, the speaker should shave before sunrise, then perform purification and bathing. Each day, after briefly completing his own sandhya and other rites with care, he should worship the lord of obstacles, seeking the removal of any hindrances to the narration. Having satisfied the ancestors for purification, he should perform atonement. Then, a sacred mandala should be created, and Hari should be established there. With a mantra dedicated to Krishna, the ritual of worship should be performed in order. After circumambulating and offering prostrations, praise should be recited at the end of the worship: “O ocean of compassion, lift me, who am submerged in the sea of worldly existence, wretched and bound by the delusion of karma, from the ocean of becoming.” Next, the worship of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam should be performed with care, following the prescribed method, with affection, incense, and lamps. Afterward, holding a coconut, salutations are to be offered, and praises recited with a cheerful mind: “This scripture known as the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is indeed Krishna Himself, manifest before us. O Lord, I have accepted You for the purpose of liberation from the ocean of worldly existence. My cherished desire has been fulfilled entirely by You. Without any obstacles, it must be carried out; I am Your servant, O Keśava.” Having spoken thus in a humble voice, the speaker should be honored, adorned with garments and ornaments, and praised after the worship: “O boar-formed, awakened one, expert in all scriptures, by the revelation of this narrative, destroy my ignorance.” After these rites, a vow should be undertaken joyfully for one’s own welfare, to be observed for seven nights according to one’s capacity. Five Brahmins should be chosen to prevent interruption of the narration, and they should recite the twelve-syllable mantra of Hari. Brahmins, Vaiṣṇavas, and others who perform kīrtana should be bowed to and honored, given instructions, and then the listener should take his own seat. Casting aside concerns for wealth, possessions, home, and children, one should absorb the mind in the narrative, pure in intent, for such devotion leads to the highest result. The narration begins at sunrise and continues for three and a half watches of the day, recited properly and steadily by a wise person. At midday, there is a pause of two ghaṭikās, during which Vaiṣṇavas perform kīrtana. To maintain mastery over bodily functions, a light meal that brings comfort should be taken; the seeker of the narrative should eat havis food only once. If able, one may fast for seven nights and then listen, or, after drinking ghee or milk, listen comfortably. Alternatively, one may subsist on fruit or eat only once; whatever is easily accomplished should be done for the purpose of listening. Eating is considered preferable for those listening to the narrative; fasting is not recommended if it causes interruption. O Nārada, hear the rules for those undertaking the seven-day vow: those without initiation into Viṣṇu are not eligible to listen to the narrative. Observing celibacy, sleeping on the ground, eating from leaves, and partaking of food only after the narrative is completed—these practices should be observed daily by one undertaking the vow. Always avoid split pulses, honey, oil, heavy foods, and anything impure or stale. The vow requires one to keep far away desire, anger, intoxication, pride, envy, greed, hypocrisy, delusion, and hatred. One who observes the vow of reciting these stories should avoid speaking ill of Vedic scholars, Vaiṣṇavas, brāhmaṇas, teachers, cows, those observing vows, women, kings, and great souls. One should not converse with women in their period, outcastes, foreigners, the fallen, those outside the Vedic fold, haters of the twice-born, or those opposed to the Vedas. Instead, one should practice truthfulness, purity, compassion, silence, simplicity, humility, and generosity of mind. The poor, the wasting, the sick, the unfortunate, those engaged in sinful acts, the childless, and those desiring liberation should all listen to this sacred story, for its grace is boundless and its power to uplift is supreme.