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.
दद्याद्द्रव्यमतो भूयः सचैलं शोभितं मृदु । भूषणानि यथार्हाणि स्वशक्त्या प्रतिपादयेत्
One should give even more wealth, with fine garments, soft and adorned, and ornaments as appropriate, according to one's ability.
गंधपुष्पं प्रतिदिनं केवलं गंधमेव च । केवलं च तथा पुष्पं फलकाले फलान्यपि
One should offer daily fragrance and flowers, or only fragrance, or only flowers, and fruits when they are in season.
तांबूलं च तथा दद्यान्नमस्कुर्याच्च भक्तितः । पुराणस्य समाप्तौ तु दद्याद्दानादिकं तथा
Likewise, one should give betel and bow with devotion; and at the conclusion of the Purana, one should give gifts and the like.
अधिकं तु तथा देयं भूहिरण्यादिकं नृप । न च तूष्णीमुपक्रम्य श्रोतुमर्हति कश्चन
Additionally, one should give more, such as land, gold, and so on, O King; and no one should approach and listen in silence.
सभासद्भिः कृता चैव या पूजैकेन वा कृता । देवस्थाने यथाशक्ति सर्वैः पूजनमिष्यते
Whether the worship is performed by the assembly or by one person, worship at the temple by all, according to their ability, is approved.
तीर्थेपि च यथा राम पुण्येष्वायतनेषु च । स्वशक्त्या पूजनं कुर्यात्पुराणज्ञाय राघव
Likewise at holy places, O Rama, and in sacred shrines, one should worship the knower of the Purana according to one's ability.
श्रोतुस्तु लक्षणं पूर्वं मयोक्तं तु भवेन्नृप । पौराणिकस्य सर्वस्य लक्षणं कथयामि ते
I have already described the qualifications of the listener, O King; now I will tell you the qualifications of the reciter of the Purana.
कुलहीनो महाव्याधिर्महापापी तिरस्कृतः । शौचाचारविहीनश्च वेदस्मृतिविवर्जितः
One who is without family, afflicted by great disease, a great sinner, despised, lacking purity and proper conduct, and devoid of Veda and Smriti.
अन्यदेवः पूतिवचो व्यंगश्चाप्यधिकांगवान् । परपूर्वापतिः स्तेनः प्राणिहंता निराकृतिः
One who worships other gods, speaks foul words, is deformed or has extra limbs, has another's wife as his first, is a thief, a killer of living beings, or of bad appearance.
अथ वर्ज्यं पुराणं ते कथयामि नृपोत्तम । पूर्वज्ञैरुच्यमानं च यत्प्रोक्तं मुनिभिः परैः
Now I will tell you, O best of kings, which Purana is to be avoided, as declared by the ancients and spoken by the great sages.
व्यासादयो मुनिवरा यत्प्रोचुस्तदुदीरयेत् । पुराणस्थं पठेद्ग्रन्थं व्याख्यायेत विचारयन्
One should recite only what has been spoken by Vyasa and other great sages; one should read the text found in the Purana, explaining it with reflection.
यया कयापि वा राम भाषयादेशभाषतः । न देशभाषा रचितं ग्रंथं श्रुत्वा फलं लभेत्
O Rama, in whatever language or regional dialect it is spoken, one does not obtain the fruit by hearing a text composed in a regional dialect.
व्याख्या या कापि काकुत्स्थ पुराणस्य हिता हि सा । तस्मात्त्वं देवयाचस्व व्याख्यास्ये यत्पुराणकम्
Any explanation of the Purana, O Kakutstha, is indeed beneficial; therefore, you should request the gods, and I will explain the Purana.
शंभुरुवाच- एवं पौराणिकेनोक्तं श्रुतवानपि गौतमः । स्वयं वस्त्रत्रयं प्रादाद्ब्राह्मणाय महात्मने
Shambhu said: Thus, as instructed by the reciter of the Purana, Gautama, having listened, himself gave three garments to the great-souled Brahmin.
कौर्मं पुराणं प्रथमं श्रुतवानिति नः श्रुतम् । दत्तवान्स्वर्णमधिकं वस्त्राणि च शुभानि च
It is heard by us that he first listened to the Kurma Purana; he gave additional gold and fine garments.
अथ लैंगं च शुश्राव वैष्णवं वामनं तथा । पाद्मं च गारुडं चैव सौरं ब्राह्ममथैव च
Then he listened to the Linga, Vaishnava, Vamana, Padma, Garuda, Saura, and Brahma Puranas as well.
एवमष्ट स शुश्राव पुराणानि स गौतमः । अथ रामायणं चैव कौर्ममेव पुनश्च सः
Thus Gautama listened to these eight Puranas; then he also listened again to the Ramayana and the Kurma Purana.
शिवनारायणेत्येवं जपं चक्रे सदैव हि । अवाप निधनं चापि स गतो ब्रह्मणः पदम्
He always recited the names 'Shiva' and 'Narayana'; he attained death and went to the abode of Brahman.
ब्रह्मा संपूज्य तं विप्रं विष्णुलोकमथागमत् । विष्णुना पूजितः सोऽथ जगाम शिवमंदिरम्
Brahma, having honored that Brahmin, then went to the abode of Vishnu; being worshipped by Vishnu, he afterwards proceeded to Shiva's temple.
सर्वेषामेव वंद्योऽसौ गौतमो मुनिसत्तमः । भारतश्रवणे चापि नियमा ये मयेरिताः
Gautama, the foremost among sages, is worthy of reverence from all; and the observances I have prescribed are to be followed when listening to the Bharata.