लेखत्वं ब्राह्मणो गच्छेत्क्षत्रियो विप्रतां व्रजेत्
A Brāhmaṇa attains the status of a writer; a Kṣatriya attains Brāhmaṇahood.
सूतमागध बन्द्याद्या ये चान्ये संकरोद्भवाः
Charioteers, bards, heralds, and others born of mixed castes,
इतिहासपुराणाभ्यां न त्वन्यत्पावनं नृणाम्
For people, nothing else is as purifying as the Itihasas and Puranas.
विधिना राजशार्दूल शृण्वतां यत्फलं किल
O tiger among kings, hear now the fruit that comes to those who listen according to the prescribed method.
शतानीक उवाच भगवन्केन विधिना श्रोतव्यं भारतं नरैः
Śatānīka said: O Blessed One, by what method should men listen to the Mahabharata?
कथं तु वैष्णवा धर्माः शिवधर्मा अशेषतः
And how, in full, should the Vaishnava and Shaiva dharmas be heard?
वाचनीयं कथं चापि वाचको द्विजसत्तम
And how should it be recited, and who should be the reciter, O best of twice-born?
स्वरूपं चास्य मे ब्रूहि खषोल्कस्य महात्मनः
Tell me also the true nature of that great-souled Khaṣolka.
पारणेपारणे पूज्यो वाचकः श्रावकैः कथम् 1.216.
How should the reciter be honored by the listeners at the conclusion and during the recitation?
न च किं कार्यसिद्धं यत्सिद्धं पर्वणि पर्वणि सुमन्तुरुवाच सम्यक्पृष्टोऽस्मि राजेन्द्र इतिहासपुराणयोः
And what, if anything, should be accomplished at each festival? Sumantu said: O king of kings, you have rightly questioned me about the Itihasas and Puranas.
श्रवणे तु महाबाहो श्रूयतां यन्मया पुरा
O mighty-armed one, listen now to what I have heard in ancient times regarding their recitation.
हंत ते कथयाम्येष पुराणश्रवणे विधिम् मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो ब्रह्महत्यादिभिर्विभो
Come, I shall tell you the method for hearing the Puranas; by this, one is freed from all sins, even the killing of a Brahmin.
सायं प्रातस्तथा रात्रौ शुचिर्भूत्वा शृणोति यः
Whoever, having become pure, listens in the evening, morning, and at night—
प्रत्यूषे भगवान्ब्रह्मा दिनांते तुष्यते हरिः पारणानि दशाहेषु एके कुर्वंति तानि भोः
At dawn, Lord Brahma is pleased; at day's end, Hari is satisfied. Some perform the recitations over ten days, O dear one.
भवेद्वै राजशार्दूल शृणु तेषां च यत्फलम्
O tiger among kings, listen to the fruit that comes to them.
शुद्धवासा गृहादेत्य स्थानं यत्समयान्वितम्
Wearing clean garments, one should approach the designated place at the proper time.
नात्युच्चं नातिनीचं च ह्यासनं भजते ततः
Then, one should take a seat that is neither too high nor too low.
वन्दनीयं प्रपूज्य च श्रोतृभिः कुरुनन्दन
O descendant of the Kurus, the reciter should be honored and worshipped by the listeners.
न स्थेयं श्रावकैस्तस्माद्वाचकस्यासने नृप 1.216.
Therefore, O king, the listeners should not stand on the seat of the reciter.
यथा शिशुर्गुरोर्वीर स तेषां हि गुरुर्मतः
O hero, just as a child regards his teacher, so too is the reciter considered their teacher.
उप विश्य ततः पश्चाच्छ्रावकः शृणुयान्नृप
Then, after entering, the listener should hear, O King.
प्रणम्य शिरसा तस्य पुस्तकस्य विशांपते पुनर्बध्नीत तत्सूत्रं तन्मुक्त्वा वाचयेत्क्वचित्
Having bowed his head to the book, O lord of the people, he should again tie the thread, and sometimes recite it after untying.
त्रिविधं पुस्तकं विद्यात्सूत्रं वासुकिरुच्यते
One should know the book as threefold; the thread is called Vāsuki.
शंकरश्च तथा सूत्रं पंक्तयः सर्वदेवताः
Śaṃkara's thread likewise, and the lines are for all the deities.
अग्रे स्थिता ग्रहाः सर्वे दिशो वापि तथा विभो
All the planets are placed in front, as well as the directions, O mighty one.
यंत्रद्वयं काष्ठमयमधोर्ध्वं यदुदाहृतम्
The two wooden devices mentioned below and above.
इत्थं देवमयं ह्येतत्पुस्तकं देवपूजितम्
Thus, this book is divine, worshipped by the gods.
योऽस्य सूत्रं बृहत्कृत्वा प्रयच्छति नरोत्तमः
Whoever, O best of men, makes its thread large and offers it.
निरूप्य पात्रं राजेन्द्र कराभ्यां गृह्य वाचकः वाल्मीकिं च तथा राजन्विधिं विष्णुं शिवं रविम्।।1.216.
Having examined the vessel, O king of kings, the reciter takes it with his hands, and also invokes Vālmīki, the rite, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and the Sun.
नमस्कारमथैषां तु पठित्वा कुरुनंदन।। ततोसौ व्याहरेद्विप्रान्वाचकः श्रदयान्वितः
After reciting the salutations to them, O son of Kuru, then the reciter, filled with faith, addresses the Brāhmaṇas.