देवेषु च समस्तेषु समदृष्टिः शिवे रतः । शतरुद्रियजापी च साग्निकश्चातिवाचकः
'Who regards all the gods equally, delights in Shiva, recites the Shatarudriya, maintains the sacred fire, and is a skilled reciter—'
यजुर्वेदी विशेषेण पूजयेत्पुस्तकं सुधीः । श्रीतालपत्रलिखितं देवलिप्यन्वितं शुभम्
'Especially one learned in the Yajurveda should worship the book, auspicious, written on fresh palm leaves, and adorned with divine script.'
बंधाद्यतिप्रपंचं यद्युगपत्प्रणवाक्षरम् । प्रागूर्द्ध्वंरेखयोः प्रांते प्रणवस्याग्रयोजिका
'If, at the beginning or end of the binding or any elaborate section, the syllable Om is written, with a line at the start or end, and the head of Om joined at the top—'
रेखा भवेदेवमेका अकारस्तस्य पार्श्वतः । शिरोभागमुपक्रम्य सकोणाधः प्रलंबिनी
'Let there be a single line thus, with the letter A at its side, beginning at the top and hanging down at an angle below.'
आकारः स हि विज्ञेयः पट्टिकादक्षरेखया । वामे षड्वक्रबिंदूद्वा विकार इति कीर्तितः
'That is to be understood as the letter A, marked with a line from the strip; on the left, with six bends and a dot above, it is called Vikara.'
तस्य वामशिरोरेखा लंबिन्या ई उदाहृतः । सर्वाक्षरे शिरोरेखा अवक्रा प्रणवं विना
'Its left head-line, hanging down, is called I; in every letter, the head-line is slanted, except for Om.'
तस्यां तु लंबरेखान्या तदंते च लवित्रवत् । उकारः स हि विख्यातो लवित्रद्वयतस्तदू
Upon it, there is another line at the end, resembling a spade; that is known as the syllable 'u', situated between two spade-like marks.
एवमन्यानि सर्वाणि अक्षराण्याह भारती । लिप्यानयैव लिखितं पुराणं तु प्रशस्यस्ते
In this way, O Bhāratī, all the other letters are described; the Purāṇa written in this script is praised by you.
ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवं च मार्तंडं नारदेरितम् । मार्कंडेयमथाग्नेयं कौर्मं वामनमेव च
The Brāhma, Pādma, Vaiṣṇava, Mārtaṇḍa, Nārada, Mārkaṇḍeya, Āgneya, Kaurma, and Vāmana Purāṇas,
गारुडं लैंगमाख्यातं स्कांदं मात्स्यं नृसिंहकम् । तथैव गदितं राम पुराणं कापिलं तथा
The Gāruḍa, Laiṅga, Skānda, Mātsya, Nṛsiṃha, Rāma, and Kāpila Purāṇas are also mentioned in the same way.
वाराहं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं शकुनेषु प्रशस्यते । शैवं भागवतं दौर्गं भविष्योत्तरमेव च
The Vārāha and Brahmavaivarta Purāṇas are praised among the birds; likewise, the Śaiva, Bhāgavata, Daurga, and Bhaviṣyottara Purāṇas.
भविष्यं चोपसंज्ञानि त्वन्यानि च विवर्जयेत् । विमुच्य पुस्तकं रत्नपीठे निक्षिप्य संस्कृतम्
The Bhaviṣya and other supplementary texts should be set aside; having purified the book, place it upon a jeweled seat.
धौतवस्त्रधरः स्नात्वा शुचिरक्रोधनोऽज्वरः । आदावात्मानमभ्यर्च्य कृत्वा संकल्पमेव च
Wearing clean garments, having bathed, pure, free from anger and fever, first worship yourself and make a resolve.
अंकुशं चाक्षसूत्रं च पाशं पुस्तकमेव च । धारयंतीं सितां ध्यायेत्प्रसन्नास्यां सरस्वतीम्
Meditate upon Sarasvatī, white in color, with a serene face, holding a goad, rosary, noose, and book, clad in white.
गोक्षीरसदृशाकारं त्रिनेत्रं वृषवाहनम् । सहासवदनं शांतं शुक्लांबरधरं शिवम्
Meditate on Śiva, whose form resembles cow's milk, three-eyed, riding the bull, with a smiling, peaceful face, and dressed in white garments.
हरिणं चाभयं चोर्द्ध्वबाहुयुग्मं किरीटिनम् । व्याख्यामुद्रा चं दक्षेधो वामहस्ते वरप्रदम्
Meditate on Hari, with a gesture of fearlessness, both arms raised, crowned, showing the gesture of explanation with the right hand, and granting boons with the left.
नानारत्नविभूषाढ्यं गिरिजार्द्धांबुजासनम् । बहुभिर्मुनिमुख्यैस्तु ध्यायमान पदांबुजम्
Adorned with various jewels, seated on half a lotus with Girijā, and worshipped at his lotus feet by many foremost sages.
मूर्तिमद्भिस्तथा वेदैः स्तूयमानं पुराणकैः । अन्यैः समस्तलोकैश्च संसेवितपदांबुजम्
Praised by the Vedas and Purāṇas in embodied form, and served at his lotus feet by all the worlds.
ध्यात्वैवं पूजकः सम्यगादौ पूजां समारभेत् । आपो वा इदमित्येतत्कलशस्याभिमंत्रणम्
Having meditated thus, the worshipper should properly begin the worship; 'This indeed is water'—this is the consecration of the pot.
तज्जलं च गृहीत्वा च पात्रस्थमभिमंत्रयेत् । तत्सद्ब्रह्मेति मंत्रेण प्रशस्य प्रणवेन तु
Taking that water and placing it in a vessel, he should consecrate it with the mantra 'That is true Brahman,' and with the praised praṇava.
आत्मानं सर्वपात्राणि तत आवाहयेदिति । यद्वागिति तृचेनैव भारती षोडशार्चनम्
He should invoke himself and all the vessels; or, with the threefold verse 'yadvāg,' perform the sixteenfold worship of Bhāratī.
पुरुषसूक्तेन वा कुर्याद्गायत्र्या वा समर्चयेत् । ॐ नमो भगवते अमुक पुराणेति पुराणमर्चयेत्
Or, he may perform the worship with the Puruṣa Sūkta or with the Gāyatrī; 'Om, obeisance to the blessed one, to such-and-such Purāṇa'—thus he should worship the Purāṇa.
कांडादिति हि मंत्रेण दूर्वामानीय पूजयेत् । ॐ नमो भगवत्यै दूर्वायै इति
With the mantra 'kāṇḍāditi,' he should bring dūrvā grass and worship it: 'Om, obeisance to the blessed goddess Dūrvā.'
सलोकपाल पूजा स्यादथ कन्या समर्चनम् । वत्सरात्पंचकादूर्द्ध्वं दशवर्षादधः शुभाः
Then the worship of the guardians of the world is performed, and next the worship of maidens; those above five and below ten years of age are auspicious.
अनुत्पन्नऋतुर्वापि तां प्रयत्नेन पूजयेत् । गंधपुष्पाक्षतैर्धूपैर्दीपतांबूलभूषणैः
Even if she is not of age, one should worship her with effort, using fragrance, flowers, unbroken rice, incense, lamp, betel, and ornaments.
पाठयेदप्यमुं मंत्रं पूजकः कन्यकामिमाम्
The worshipper should also recite this mantra over the maiden.
सत्यं ब्रूहि प्रियं ब्रूहि भगवति सरस्वति नमस्ते नमस्त इति
"Speak the truth, speak what is dear, O Goddess Sarasvati, obeisance, obeisance to you."
गायत्र्यानुक्रमार्थात्तु दूर्वायुग्मं तु कारयेत् । सन्निधौ पुस्तकस्याधः सहस्रपरमेत्यृचा
According to the order of the Gayatri, one should prepare a pair of darbha grass, and place it beneath the book, together with the Sahasraparameṭṛcā verse.
दूर्वायुग्मत्रयं दद्यात्तस्या हस्ते विचक्षणः । सा प्रक्षिपेत्पुस्तसंधौ शलाकात्रयमन्वनु
The wise one should give three pairs of darbha grass into her hand; she should then place three sticks between the leaves of the book, one after another.
विसृज्यतां पुनर्दद्याच्छिवाभ्यां नम इत्यथ । पत्रयोर्मध्यमः श्लोकः कार्यसिद्धेर्हि सूचकः
After releasing them, he should again offer them, saying, 'Obeisance to Shiva and Parvati'; the middle verse between the leaves is the indicator of success in the task.