Raivata was born as a treasure-house of all knowledge, renowned for his righteousness, mastery of weapons, devotion to dharma in both word and deed, and great strength. Recognizing his excellence, Brahma appointed Raivata as Manu, entrusting him with the rulership of a Manvantara. In this exalted position, Raivata governed the world with justice and virtue. Thus, the power of the Goddess has been described in brief, for who indeed could recount the full greatness of this Purana in all its detail? After hearing the glory and procedure of the Bhagavata from the lotus-born one, and having worshipped Kumara, the sage returned once more to his own hermitage. O Brahmins, I have spoken to you of the greatness of the Bhagavata. Whoever listens to or recites it here with devotion will enjoy all worldly pleasures and, at the end, attain liberation. The gathered sages, hearing this, spoke to Suta: “O most fortunate one, we have heard of the supreme greatness. Now, we wish to know the proper procedure for listening to the Purana.” Suta replied, “Listen, O sages, to the procedure for hearing the Purana, by which all desires are fulfilled for those who listen. First, an astrologer should be summoned to determine an auspicious time. The recitation should begin in a pure month and continue for six months, bringing auspiciousness. The narration is most beneficial when begun under the stars Hasta, Ashwini, Mula, Pushya, Brahma, Maitra, Indu, or Vaishnava, and on auspicious days and times. By choosing the right qualities—Guru, Bhadra, Veda, Abja, Sharanga, and Abhidhiguṇa—in sequence, one attains righteousness, prosperity, success in the narration, and supreme happiness. Relief from suffering, protection from rulers, attainment of knowledge, and other blessings follow in order. The place of narration should be purified as instructed by Shiva. Alternatively, for the pleasure of the Goddess, one may listen during any month, especially during the four Navaratri festivals, after purifying the date, day, and star. All necessary arrangements should be made as for weddings and other great ceremonies; in this sacred sacrifice, the wise must perform every required act with care. Many companions should be engaged in the preparations—people who are free from deceit and greed, who are clever, generous, and devoted to the Goddess. Messengers must be sent out diligently to every region and among all people, inviting everyone to attend, for the narrative of the Goddess is about to take place. Followers of Surya, Ganapati, Shiva, Shakti, and Vishnu—all are to be included, for here the gods and their energies are worshipped together. Those who yearn for the nectar-like essence of the glorious Devi Bhagavata, and especially those devoted to the love of the narrative, should come. Brahmins and people of other castes, women, and those in various stages of life—whether they desire something or are free from desire—should all partake in the nectar of this story. At no time should there be even the mention of eating; all should arrive at the proper time for the sacred gathering, and their stay should be only for as long as is meritorious. All matters concerning the guests should be conducted with humility, and suitable lodging should be arranged for those who have come. The place for the narration should be prepared on the ground, thoroughly cleaned and smeared with cow dung, in a spacious and pleasing area. A beautiful pavilion should be constructed, adorned with plantain pillars and decorated above with canopies, banners, and flags. A divine seat, furnished with comfortable coverings, should be carefully arranged for the speaker, facing either east or north. Appropriate seats should also be provided for the listeners, both men and women, so all may hear the narration comfortably. The best speaker is one who is eloquent, self-controlled, well-versed in scripture, devoted to the worship of the Goddess, compassionate, unattached, skillful, and steadfast. The listener, too, should be devoted to Brahman, a worshipper of the gods, intent on the essence of the narration, generous, free from greed, humble, and non-violent. One who is heretical, greedy, lustful, hypocritical, harsh, or prone to anger is not fit to be a speaker in this sacrifice to the Goddess. To resolve any doubts, there should be a learned and virtuous person who can instruct the listeners, remaining attentive and serving as an assistant to the speaker. At an auspicious time during the day, all—the speaker, listeners, and others—should perform shaving and similar rites, and then undertake the prescribed observances. At sunrise, after bathing and performing purification, one should briefly attend to the daily twilight worship and offerings to the ancestors. To become fit for hearing the narration, cows should be given as gifts. At the very beginning, Ganapati should be worshipped as the remover of all obstacles. After installing water pots, the guardians of the directions as well as the boy-deity, the protector of the field, the Yoginis, and the Mothers should be worshipped. The tulasi plant, the planets, Vishnu, and Shankara should also be honored, and then the World-Mother should be worshipped with the nine-syllabled mantra. The sacred Bhāgavata book itself should be worshipped with all offerings, properly honoring the Goddess’s embodiment in words, with beautiful and auspicious letters. To remove obstacles to the narration, a learned Brahmin should be selected, and both the nine-syllabled mantra and the Saptaśatī hymn should be recited. After circumambulating and offering salutations, one should recite the hymn: ‘O Kātyāyanī, Great Power, Bhavānī, Sovereign of the Worlds. O Compassionate One, lift me up, who am sunk in the ocean of worldly existence. O Mother of the Universe, worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, be gracious. O Goddess, grant the boon my mind desires; I bow to you.’ Having thus prayed, one should listen to the story with a steady mind. The narrator should also be duly honored, regarding him as Vyasa himself, adorning him with garlands, ornaments, cloth, and the like, and then respectfully requested to begin. One should say, ‘O knower of all scriptures and histories, embodiment of Vyasa, I bow to you. Dispel the dense darkness within by the moonrise of the story.’ Thereafter, for nine days, the prescribed observances should be performed. First, having seated and honored the Brahmins and others, one should sit down oneself, ready to receive the sacred narrative.