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.
पुरा व्यासेन मुनिना त्रिवर्षाद्यत्कृतं शुभम् । श्रवणात्तस्य कृत्स्नस्य व्याकर्ता भारतस्य यः
Long ago, the auspicious work accomplished by the sage Vyasa after three years—he who expounds the entire Bharata upon hearing it.
न किंचित्प्रणमेद्विप्रं मुक्त्वा योगिनमुत्तमम् । सर्वेषामेव वंद्योसौ भारतं व्याकरोति यः
One should bow to no Brahmin except the supreme yogi; he alone is worthy of reverence who expounds the Bharata.
यो महाभारतं नित्यं व्याख्यास्यति पठेच्च वा । स सर्वेभ्योधिको विप्रस्तारयेच्चैव मानवान्
Whoever regularly explains or recites the Mahabharata, that Brahmin surpasses all others and indeed delivers mankind.
व्याकरोति च पर्वैकं सर्वाणि कतिचित्तु वा । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो हव्ये कव्ये विशिष्यते
Whether he expounds a single section or several, he becomes free from all sins and excels in both offerings to the gods and ancestors.
तमेव प्रणमेद्विप्रं तमेवार्हं च पूजयेत् । तमेव भोजयेन्नित्यं सर्वं तस्मै निवेदयेत्
One should bow to that Brahmin alone, honor him as worthy, feed him daily, and dedicate everything to him.
तस्य पूजाविधिः प्रोक्तो व्याख्यानसमये द्विजः । प्रतिपूज्योऽथ वस्त्राद्यैः पूजयेद्विधिमार्गतः
The method of honoring him has been declared for the time of exposition; he should be properly worshipped with garments and other items according to prescribed rules.
आदिपर्वसमाप्तौ च सूक्ष्मवस्त्रत्रयं ददेत् । सुवर्णं च यथाशक्ति सभापर्वणि वाससी
At the completion of the Adiparva, three fine garments should be given; and as one is able, gold and clothing at the Sabha Parva.
आनुशासनिकारण्यस्वर्गारोहेषु पर्वसु । आदिपर्वणि पूजा या सा पूजा नृपपुंगव
At the Anushasana, Aranya, and Svargarohana Parvas, the worship performed at the Adiparva should be repeated, O best of kings.
कर्णाश्वमेधवैराटशल्यद्रोणेषु पर्वसु । सूक्ष्मवस्त्रत्रयं शुद्धं निष्कद्वयमथापि वा
At the Karna, Ashvamedha, Virata, Shalya, and Drona Parvas, three pure garments or two gold coins should be given.
क्षुद्रपर्वस्वथान्येषु निष्कावथ समानयेत् । हरिवंशे सनिष्कं तु वस्त्रत्रितयमेव तु
At the minor Parvas and others, gold coins should be presented; in the Harivamsa, three garments along with a gold coin should be given.
भारतस्याखिलस्यैव समाप्तौ क्षेत्रदो भवेत् । रामायणस्य श्रवणे कांडेकांडे प्रपूजयेत्
At the completion of the entire Bharata, one becomes a giver of land; and during the recitation of the Ramayana, one should honor at the end of each section.
क्षेत्रं पर्याप्तमथवा सुवर्णमपि दापयेत् । व्याख्यातुर्गुरुवाक्यस्य सर्वकल्मषनाशनः
If land is not sufficient, gold may also be given; the words of the expounder and teacher destroy all faults.
अर्थोधर्म्मश्च कामश्च मोक्षश्च नृपसत्तम । व्याख्याश्रवणतः सर्वे सिद्धयंति च सुबुद्धयः
O best of kings, wealth, righteousness, pleasure, and liberation—all are attained by hearing and expounding, and wisdom is perfected.
ब्रह्महत्यादिपापानां सर्वेषामपि नाशनम् । एकेन श्रवणेनास्य किं नरैर्न श्रुतं भुवि
The destruction of all sins, including the killing of a Brahmin, occurs; what is there that is not heard on earth by men through a single listening to this?
यानवसुसुवर्णाद्यैर्नित्यमेनं प्रपूजयेत् । व्याख्यातारं यतः पापसंदोहस्य विनाशनम्
One should always honor him with vehicles, gold, and other gifts; for the expounder is the destroyer of accumulated sin.
अन्यान्यपि पुराणानि मुनिप्रोक्तानि तान्यपि । श्रोतॄणां पापनाशाय वक्तुश्चापि विशेषतः
Other Puranas spoken by sages should also be recited; for the destruction of sins of listeners, and especially for the speaker.
यश्च सर्वपुराणानि षट्त्रिंशत्तु प्रकीर्तयेत् । शृणोति वा न तस्यास्ति चित्तच्छेदः कदाचन
Whoever recites all the thirty-six Purāṇas, or even listens to them, will never experience any disturbance of mind at any time.
ब्राह्मं पुराणं प्रथमं द्वितीयं पाद्ममुच्यते । तृतीयं वैष्णवं चैव चतुर्थं शैवमुच्यते
The Brahma Purāṇa is said to be the first, the Padma the second, and the Vaiṣṇava the third; the Śaiva is declared the fourth.
अथ भागवतं प्रोक्तं पंचमं षष्ठमुच्यते । भविष्यं नारदीयं च सप्तमं परिकीर्तितम्
Next, the Bhāgavata is spoken of as the fifth, the Bhaviṣya as the sixth, and the Nārada Purāṇa is renowned as the seventh.
मार्कंडेयमिति प्रोक्तमष्टमं नवमं तथा । आग्नेयं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं दशमं परिकीर्तितम्
The Mārkaṇḍeya is named as the eighth, and the ninth is the Āgneya; the Brahmavaivarta is counted as the tenth.