करणे चापि लग्ने च ग्रहताराबलान्विते । अमूढेन ग्रहे बाले न च वृद्धौ गुरौस्थिते
When the lunar day and ascendant are favorable, and the planets and stars are strong; when the planets are not eclipsed, not in infancy nor in old age, nor when Jupiter is afflicted,
न कृष्णपक्षे ग्रहणे न च नास्तिकसंनिधौ । पूर्वोक्तलक्षणोपेतं पुराणं शृणुयादिति
Not during the dark fortnight, not during an eclipse, nor in the presence of atheists; one should listen to the Purāṇa endowed with the previously mentioned characteristics.
शुद्धगेहेऽथवा शुद्धवेदिकायां मठेथ वा । नदीतीरे देवगेहे सभामंडप एव च
In a pure house, or on a clean altar, or even in a monastery; on a riverbank, in a temple, or in a public hall,
रथ्या मठेथ वा रम्ये पुण्यशालासु राघव । स्वयं नमस्य विप्रेंद्रान्पुराणज्ञं विशेषतः
Or in a beautiful street or in a hall of merit, O Rāghava; one should personally honor the foremost brāhmaṇas, especially the knower of the Purāṇas.
आसनं कल्पितं कुर्य्यादूर्ध्वं सर्वविशेषितम् । एहि धर्म्मासनमिति वक्तव्यं स्यादनिष्ठुरम्
One should prepare a distinguished seat above all others, and gently say, 'Come, O seat of dharma.'
पुराणप्रक्रमदिने यत्कार्यं तदुदीरयेत् । व्याख्यातारं पुराणस्य वस्त्राद्यैः परिपूजयेत्
On the day the Purāṇa is commenced, one should declare the intended act, and honor the expounder of the Purāṇa with garments and other gifts.
शुभानि दत्वा वस्त्राणि सूक्ष्माणि च नवानि च । करकंठविभूषादि पात्रमासनमेव च
Giving auspicious, fine, and new garments, as well as a water pot, a neck ornament, and a vessel or seat,
गंधपुष्पाक्षतैः पूज्य तांबूलं विनिवेद्य च । शुक्लांबरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम्
One should worship with fragrance, flowers, and unbroken rice, and offer betel; then meditate on Viṣṇu, clad in white, moon-hued, four-armed.
प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत्सर्वविघ्नोपशांतये । सभासदश्च संपूज्य गणेशं प्रार्थयेत्ततः
One should meditate on his gracious face to remove all obstacles; after honoring the assembly, one should then pray to Gaṇeśa.
ॐनमेत्यादि मंत्रेण पूजनं भारती नुतिः । प्रातःकाले पुराणस्य प्रक्रमं प्रारभेदिति
With the mantra beginning with 'oṃ namah,' one should perform worship and praise Sarasvatī; in the morning, one should begin the recitation of the Purāṇa.
उपक्रमदिने राम त्रिपंचदश वा शुभाः । श्लोका द्वितीये दिवसे ततो द्विगुणिताः शुभाः
On the first day, O Rāma, fifteen auspicious verses; on the second day, twice as many auspicious verses.
तृतीये दिवसे राम ततश्चाधिकमिष्यते । दिनानामव्यवच्छेदाद्व्याख्यानं श्रवणं तथा
On the third day, O Rāma, even more are desired; without interruption of days, both exposition and listening should continue.
व्यवस्थितिर्यदा जाता तदा पौराणिकं गुरुम् । तांबूलादिप्रदायाथ परेद्युः शृणुयादपि
When the arrangement is made, then one should offer betel and similar items to the Purāṇic teacher, and on the next day, listen again.
पुराणमेवं श्रोतव्यं दैनंदिनमिति श्रुतिः । व्रतरूपेण यः कश्चित्पुराणं शृणुयान्नरः
The Purāṇa should be listened to daily—so declares the scripture; whoever listens to the Purāṇa as a vow,
यदैवं तत्पुराणं तु तत्र याति न संशयः । पुराणं श्रोतुकामेन श्लोकश्चैकोपि चेच्छ्रुतः
Whenever one listens to that Purāṇa, there is no doubt he attains its result; even if a single verse is heard by one desiring to listen to the Purāṇa,
तद्दिने तु कृतं पापं नाशयेत्तु न संशयः
On that very day, any sin committed is destroyed—there is no doubt about this.
एवं पुराणं शृणुयाच्च यस्तु स ब्रह्महत्याकृतपापबंधात् । सुरापीतिः स्वर्णहरश्च राम गुर्वंगनागश्च विमुक्तिमेति
Thus, whoever listens to the Purāṇa—even one guilty of killing a brāhmaṇa, drinking liquor, stealing gold, violating the teacher’s wife, or other such acts—attains liberation.
पापानि चान्यानि कृतानि पुंभिः सर्वाणि नश्यंति पुराकृतानि । इहापि यान्यब्दशतार्जितानि श्रोतुर्विनश्यंति तथा च वक्तुः
All other sins committed by men, even those done in the past, are destroyed; and those accumulated over hundreds of years in this very life perish for both the listener and the reciter.
कलौ समस्तविप्राणां सर्वज्ञत्वं न विद्यते । विगुणापि ततो व्याख्या फलदा दानकर्मवत्
In the Kali age, none of the brāhmaṇas possess complete knowledge; yet even an imperfect explanation yields fruit, like the act of giving gifts.
पुराणानामभिप्रायं व्यासो वेद न चापरः । अहं वेद्मि विशेषेण व्यासादपि विधेरपि
Vyāsa alone knows the true intent of the Purāṇas, and no one else; I know it especially, even more than Vyāsa and the Creator.
न स्वाध्यायस्तपो वापि न मंत्रो न जुहोतयः । फलंति न तथा तिष्ये पुराणश्रवणं यथा
Neither self-study, nor austerity, nor mantra, nor sacrificial offerings yield results as surely as listening to the Purāṇa.
एकैकश्रवणादेव पातकं महदेव तु । नाशमाप्नोत्यसंदेहः श्रीशैले वर्तनादिव
By merely hearing even a single verse, O Mahādeva, a great sin is destroyed without doubt, just as by residing at Śrīśaila.
अतो गुरुः पुराणज्ञः श्रोतृवंद्योऽघनाशनः । न तस्मादधिकः कश्चिद्गुरुरस्ति गतिप्रदः
Therefore, the Purāṇa-knowing teacher is worthy of honor from the listener and is the remover of sin; there is no greater teacher than he, the giver of liberation.
मंत्रेषु गुरवो ये च वेदशास्त्रेषु ये मताः । नेशते सर्वविज्ञानं दातुं तस्मान्न बोधकाः
Those who are teachers of mantras or of Vedic scriptures are not able to impart all knowledge; therefore, they are not true enlighteners.
पिशाचाः प्रायशो राम ब्रह्मराक्षसनामिनः । वेदमंत्रस्य वेत्तारो दृश्यंते न पुराणवित्
O Rāma, those called Piśācas or Brahmarākṣasas are often seen to know Vedic mantras, but not the knower of the Purāṇa.
पुराणविमुखो नैव सर्वः सर्वं हि पश्यति । पुराणज्ञो हि तस्तस्मात्पापनाशकरः प्रभुः
One who is averse to the Purāṇa does not see everything; but the knower of the Purāṇa, therefore, is a lord who destroys sin.
तत्पूजा सर्वपूजा स्यात्सर्वद्रोहोऽस्य पीडनम् । यथा समस्तदानानां विद्यादानं प्रशस्यते
His worship is the worship of all; to harm him is to harm all. Just as the gift of knowledge is praised above all gifts,
पौराणिकस्तथा धन्यस्तत्र दानं महत्फलम् । राम उवाच-। किं वा पौराणिके देयं कियत्कीदृशमेव च
So too, the Purāṇic teacher is blessed, and giving to him yields great fruit. Rāma said: What should be given to the Purāṇic teacher, and of what kind and how much?
पुराणं कीदृशं वर्ज्यं वर्ज्यः कीदृक्पुराणवित् । शंभुरुवाच- षड्रसानन्नपानानि स्नेहद्रव्याणि यानि च
What kind of Purāṇa should be avoided, and what kind of Purāṇa-knower should be avoided? Śambhu said: Foods and drinks of all six tastes, and whatever is made with oil or ghee,
गृहं सोपस्करं राम पुराणज्ञाय दापयेत् । पर्याप्तान्येव सर्वाणि अधिकानि फलाधिकात्
A house furnished with all its equipment, O Rāma, should be given to the knower of the Purāṇa; all should be sufficient, for more brings greater fruit.