कूष्मांडनलिकाशाकं न भुंजीत कथाव्रती । कामं क्रोधं मदं लोभं दंभं मानं च वर्जयेत्
One observing the vow of the story should not eat pumpkin, leafy greens, and the like; he should also renounce desire, anger, pride, greed, hypocrisy, and arrogance.
विप्रध्रुक्पतितव्रात्यश्वपाकयवनांत्यजैः । उदक्यया वेदबाह्यैर्न वदेद्यः कथाव्रती
One observing the vow of the story should not converse with those who are haters of Brahmins, outcastes, dog-eaters, Yavanas, Chandalas, menstruating women, or those outside the Vedas.
वेदगोगुरुविप्राणां स्त्रीराज्ञां महतां तथा । देवानां देवभक्तानां न निंदां शृणुयादपि
He should not even listen to slander of the Vedas, cows, teachers, Brahmins, women, kings, the great, gods, or devotees of the gods.
विनयं चार्जवं शौचं दयां च मितभाषणम् । उदारं मानसं चैव कुर्याद्यस्तु कथाव्रती
One observing the vow of the story should practice humility, straightforwardness, purity, compassion, measured speech, and a noble mind.
वंध्या वा काकवंध्या वा दुर्भगा वा मृतार्भका । दरिद्रश्चानपत्यश्च भक्त्येमां शृणुयात्कथाम्
Whether barren, or having only one child, or unfortunate, or whose child has died, or poor and without offspring—if any of these listens to this story with devotion,
वंध्या वा काकवंध्या वा दुर्भगा वा मृतार्भका । पतद्गर्भांगना या च ताभिः श्राव्या तथा कथा
Whether barren, or having only one child, or unfortunate, or whose child has died, or a woman whose pregnancy has ended prematurely—this story should be heard by them as well.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षांश्च यो वांछति विना श्रमम् । भगवत्या भागवतं श्रोतव्यं तेन यत्नतः
Whoever desires dharma, wealth, pleasure, or liberation without effort should diligently listen to the Bhāgavata of the Goddess.
कथादिनानि चैतानि नययज्ञैः समानि हि । तेषु दत्तं हुतं जप्तमनन्तफलदं भवेत्
The days spent in hearing this story are equal to days spent in ritual sacrifices; whatever is given, offered, or recited during them yields infinite rewards.
एवं व्रतं नवाहं तु कृत्वोद्यापनमाचरेत् । महाष्टमीव्रतं यद्वत्तथा कार्यं फलेप्सुभिः
Thus, one should observe this vow for nine days and then perform its conclusion, just as is done in the great aṣṭamī vow, by those desiring its fruits.
निष्कामाः श्रवणेनैव पूता मुक्तिं व्रजन्ति हि । भोगमोक्षप्रदा नॄणां यतो भगवती परा
Even those without desire become purified and attain liberation simply by hearing; for the supreme Goddess grants both enjoyment and liberation to people.
पुस्तकस्य च वक्तुश्च पूजा कार्या तु नित्यशः । वक्त्रा दत्तं प्रसादं तु गृह्णाद्भक्तिपूर्वकम्
The book and the speaker should be worshipped daily; one should accept the offering given by the speaker with devotion.
कुमारी: पूजयेन्नित्यं भोजयेत्प्रार्थयेच्च यः । सुवासिनीश्च विप्रांश्च तस्य सिद्धिर्न संशयः
Whoever daily worships, feeds, and prays to young girls, married women, and Brahmins—there is no doubt that he attains success.
गायत्र्या नामसाहस्रं समाप्तावथ वा पठेत् । विष्णोर्नामसहस्रं च सर्वदोषोपशान्तये
At the conclusion, one may recite the thousand names of Gāyatrī, or the thousand names of Viṣṇu, for the removal of all faults.
यस्य स्मृत्या च नामोक्त्या तपोयज्ञक्रियादिषु । न्यूनं संपूर्णतां याति तस्माद्विष्णुं च कीर्तयेत्
By remembering and uttering His name, any deficiency in austerities, sacrifices, or rites becomes complete; therefore, one should praise Viṣṇu.
देव्याः सप्तशतीमंत्रैः समाप्तौ होममाचरेत् । देवीमाहात्म्यमूलेन नवार्णमनुनाऽथवा
At the conclusion, one should perform a fire offering with the seven hundred mantras of the Goddess, or with the root mantra of the Devī Māhātmya, or with the nine-letter mantra.
गायत्र्या त्वथवा होमः पायसेन ससर्पिषा । यतो भागवतं त्वेतद्गायत्रीमयमीरितम्
Alternatively, the fire offering may be performed with Gāyatrī, using rice pudding with ghee; for this Bhāgavata is declared to be permeated by Gāyatrī.
वाचकं तोषयेत्सम्यग्वस्त्रभूषाधनादिभिः । प्रसन्ने वाचके सर्वाः प्रसन्ना तस्य देवताः
One should properly please the speaker with garments, ornaments, and wealth; when the speaker is pleased, all deities are pleased with him.
ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेद्भक्त्या दक्षिणाभिश्च तोषयेत् ! पृथिव्यां देवरूपास्ते तुष्टेष्वेष्वीप्सितं फलम्
One should feed Brahmins with devotion and satisfy them with gifts; for they are embodiments of the gods on earth, and when they are pleased, one's desired fruits are attained.
सुवासिनी: कुमारीश्च देवीभक्तया च भोजयेत् । ताभ्योऽपि दक्षिणां दत्त्वा प्रार्थयेत्सिद्धिमात्मनः
One should also feed married women and young girls with devotion to the Goddess, and after giving them gifts, pray for one's own success.
दद्याद्दानानि चान्यानि सुवर्णं गाः पयस्विनीः । हयानिभान्मेदिनीं च तस्य स्यादक्षयं फलम्
One should give other gifts as well—gold, cows that give milk, horses, elephants, and land; for him, the reward will be inexhaustible.
देवीभागवतं चैतल्लिखितं शोभनाक्षरम् । हेमसिंहासने स्थाप्यं पट्टवस्त्रेण वेष्टितम्
This Devī Bhāgavata, written in beautiful script, should be placed on a golden throne and wrapped in silk cloth.
अष्टम्यां वा नवम्यां च वाचकायार्चिताय च । दद्यात्स भोगान्भुक्त्वेह दुर्लभं मोक्षमाप्नुयात्
On the eighth or ninth day, after worshipping the speaker, one should give him enjoyment; after enjoying here, he attains the rare liberation.
दरिद्रो दुर्बलो बालस्तरुणो जरठोऽपि वा । पुराणवेत्ता वैद्यः स्यात्पूज्यो मान्यश्च सर्वदा
Whether poor, weak, young, youthful, or even aged, one who knows the Purāṇas or is a physician should always be respected and honored.
सन्ति लोकस्य बहवो गुरवो गुणजन्मतः । सर्वेषामपि तेषां च पुराणज्ञः परो गुरुः
There are many teachers in the world, born of virtue; yet among them all, the knower of the Purāṇas is the supreme teacher.
पौराणिको ब्राह्मणस्तु व्यासासनसमाश्रितः । असमाप्ते प्रसंगे तु नमस्कुर्यान्न कस्यचित्
A Brāhmaṇa versed in the Purāṇas, seated on Vyāsa's seat, should not bow to anyone during the discourse until it is completed.
पौराणिकीं कथां दिव्यां येऽपि शृण्वंत्यभक्तितः । तेषां पुण्यफलं नास्ति दुःखदारिद्र्यभागिनाम्
Those who listen to the divine Purāṇic story without devotion gain no merit, and remain subject to suffering and poverty.
असंपूज्य पुराणं तु ताम्बूलकुसुमादिभिः । ये शृण्वंति कथां देव्यास्ते दरिद्रा भवंति हि
Those who listen to the Goddess's story without first honoring the Purāṇa with offerings like betel or flowers truly become poor.
कीर्त्यमानां कथां त्यक्त्वा ये व्रजंत्यन्यतो नराः । भोगान्तरे प्रणश्यंति तेषां दाराश्च सम्पदः
Those who, abandoning the recited story, go elsewhere, lose their enjoyments, and their spouses and wealth perish.
ये च तुंगासनारूढाः कथां शृण्वंति दांभिकाः । ते वायसा भवंत्यत्र भुक्त्वा निरययातनाम्
Those arrogant ones who, seated on high seats, listen to the story become crows here after suffering the torments of hell.
` ये चाढ्यासनसंस्थाश्च ये वीरासनसंस्थिताः । शृण्वंति च कथां दिव्यां ते स्युरर्जुनशाखिनः
Those seated on low or heroic seats who listen to the divine story become birds dwelling on arjuna trees.