अंतं गतस्य वेदानां सर्वशास्त्रार्थवेदिनः । पुंसोऽश्रुतपुराणस्य न सम्यग्याति दर्शनम्
Even one who knows the end of the Vedas and the meaning of all scriptures, if he has not heard the Purāṇas, does not gain true understanding.
सूत उवाच- एवमुक्तो रघुश्रेष्ठो मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः । प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे पुराणश्रवणोत्सुकः
Sūta said— Thus addressed by the sages, seers of truth, the best of the Raghu line felt incomparable joy, eager to hear the Purāṇas.
श्रीराम उवाच- लिगार्चनप्रकारं च लिंगमाहात्म्यमेव च । महेशनाममाहात्म्यं पूजामाहात्म्यमेव च
Śrī Rāma said— The procedure of worshipping the liṅga, the greatness of the liṅga, the glory of the names of Maheśa, and the greatness of worship—
नमस्कारस्य माहात्म्यं दृष्टिमाहात्म्यमेव च । जलदानस्य माहात्म्यं धूपदानस्य सत्तम
The greatness of salutation, the greatness of vision, the greatness of offering water, and the greatness of offering incense, O noble one—
दीपगंधादिदानस्य पुष्पमाहात्म्यमेव च । नानाख्यानेतिहासानां कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम्
The giving of lamps, fragrances, and the like, the greatness of flowers, and the stories of various legends and histories that destroy sin—
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षांश्च तदुपायांश्च सुव्रत । तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो मुनिवरोत्तम
O virtuous one, I wish to hear from you about all these: dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa, and the means to attain them, O best of sages.
शंभुरुवाच- रामराम महाबाहो पुण्यवानसि राघव । राज्यासक्तस्य ते जाता पुराणश्रवणे रतिः
Śaṃbhu said: O Rāma, mighty-armed, you are virtuous, O descendant of Raghu; even though you are attached to kingship, you have developed a fondness for hearing the Purāṇas.
स्यान्महत्सेवया राम पुण्यतीर्थनिषेवणात् । सा जिह्वा या शिवं गायेत्तच्चित्तं यत्तदर्प्पितम्
Such fondness, O Rāma, arises from great service and from visiting holy places; that tongue is blessed which sings of Śiva, and that mind which is devoted to him.
तावेव केवलौ श्लाघ्यौ यौ तत्पूजाकरौ करौ । सुजन्मदेहमत्यर्थं तदेवाशेषजन्मसु
Only those two hands are truly praiseworthy which perform his worship; that human body is most excellent, and so in all births.
यदेवोत्पुलकोभासि हर नामानुकीर्तनात् । कृतार्थोऽसि महाराज तत्प्रश्नानुगता मतिः
Whenever you shine with horripilation from reciting the names of Hara, O great king, you are fulfilled; your mind follows such questions.
अनंतरं समाजग्मुर्जांघिकाः सत्वरश्रमाः । तत्करात्पत्रिकां गृह्य पपाठ रघुसत्तमः
Immediately, the swift-footed ascetics arrived; taking the letter from his hand, the best of the Raghus read it.
मनसाऽचिंतयद्रामः कथमेतदभूदिति । रामं शंभुस्तदा प्राह देव्या ब्राह्मणवेषवान्
Rāma thought in his mind, 'How did this come to be?' Then Śaṃbhu, in the guise of a brāhmaṇa, spoke to Rāma and the goddess.
किं चिंतयसि काकुत्स्थ मुनिष्वग्रे वसत्स्वपि । तद्वाक्यं राघवः श्रुत्वा पप्रच्छ मुनिपुंगवान्
Why do you worry, O descendant of Kakutstha, even while the sages are present before you? Hearing those words, Rāghava questioned the foremost sages.
श्रीरामउवाच- विभीषणः कथमसौ बद्धः शृंखलया नृभिः । मत्स्थापितं शिवं लिगं दृष्ट्वा रामेश्वरं त्वहो
Śrī Rāma said: How has Vibhīṣaṇa been bound with chains by men, after seeing the liṅga of Śiva, Rāmeśvara, which I established?
द्राविडैः कुटिलैर्दुष्टैरात्मना तद्विचार्यताम् । विचार्य मुनिवर्यास्ते नेशास्तज्ज्ञातुमल्पतः
Let this be considered by the Drāviḍas, who are crooked and wicked; let the foremost sages consider it, for they are not able to know it easily.
न जानीम इति प्राहू रामं रामस्तदाब्रवीत् । पुराणं वीक्ष्य विधिना तत्सर्वं ब्रूत सत्तमाः
They said to Rāma, 'We do not know.' Then Rāma said, 'Look into the Purāṇa according to the proper method and tell me everything, O excellent ones.'
भवदज्ञानहेतुश्च विचार्यस्तदनंतरम् । किं किं पुराणं प्रेक्ष्यं स्याद्वर्जनीयं तथैव किम्
Afterwards, let the cause of your ignorance be considered; what Purāṇa should be consulted, and what should be avoided as well?
प्रशस्तः कीदृशः श्लोकस्तदन्यः कीदृशो भवेत् । कीदृशेषु च कार्येषु कीदृशः पूजकस्तथा
What kind of verse is praiseworthy, and what is of another kind? In what actions, and what kind of worshipper is suitable?
पूजा च कीदृशैर्भक्तैः कार्या निर्णयदर्शने । इति रामस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा ते द्विजसत्तमाः
By what kind of devotees should worship be performed, according to the proper discernment? Hearing these words of Rāma, those excellent twice-borns—
प्रत्यूचुस्तं रघुश्रेष्ठं चिंताव्याकुलमानसम् । न वक्तारो वरं राम वीक्षतां तु पुराणवित्
Replied to that best of the Raghus, whose mind was troubled with concern: 'We are not fit to speak, O Rāma; let the knower of the Purāṇas be consulted.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा राघवः शंभुं पप्रच्छ विनयान्वितः । सोपि तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य प्रत्युवाच महामतिः
Hearing this, Rāghava respectfully questioned Śaṃbhu; and he, listening to those words, replied with great wisdom.
शंभुरुवाच- पुराणजीवी पूजार्हः स्वशाखाध्ययनः शुचिः । मीमांसातत्त्वविज्ञानः श्रोत्रियोऽनृतदूषकः
Śaṃbhu said: One who lives by the Purāṇas, who is worthy of worship, who has studied his own branch, who is pure, who knows the essence of Mīmāṃsā, who is learned in the Vedas, and who avoids falsehood—
देवेषु च समस्तेषु समदृष्टिः शिवे रतः । शतरुद्रियजापी च साग्निकश्चातिवाचकः
With equal vision toward all the gods, devoted to Shiva, reciting the Śatarudriya, performing rituals with fire, and uttering sacred words.
यजुर्वेदी विशेषेण पूजयेत्पुस्तकं सुधीः । श्रीतालपत्रलिखितं देवलिप्यन्वितं शुभम्
Especially the wise one versed in the Yajur Veda should worship the book, auspicious and inscribed on palm leaves, adorned with divine script.
बंधाद्यतिप्रपंचं यद्युगपत्प्रणवाक्षरम् । प्रागूर्द्ध्वंरेखयोः प्रांते प्रणवस्याग्रयोजिका
If, at once, the syllable of the Pranava is bound with the extensive marks, then at the ends of the lines, the tip of the Pranava is joined.
रेखा भवेदेवमेका अकारस्तस्य पार्श्वतः । शिरोभागमुपक्रम्य सकोणाधः प्रलंबिनी
Thus, a single line is formed, with the letter 'a' beside it, beginning at the upper part, hanging down with an angle below.
आकारः स हि विज्ञेयः पट्टिकादक्षरेखया । वामे षड्वक्रबिंदूद्वा विकार इति कीर्तितः
That form is to be understood as the 'ā' by the line of the script, and to the left, with six bends and dots, it is called a variant.
तस्य वामशिरोरेखा लंबिन्या ई उदाहृतः । सर्वाक्षरे शिरोरेखा अवक्रा प्रणवं विना
The left upper line of that hanging form is called 'ī'; in all letters, the upper line is curved, except for the Pranava.
तस्यां तु लंबरेखान्या तदंते च लवित्रवत् । उकारः स हि विख्यातो लवित्रद्वयतस्तदू
In that, the hanging line at the end is like a spade; that is known as 'u', and from the two spades, it is derived.
एवमन्यानि सर्वाणि अक्षराण्याह भारती । लिप्यानयैव लिखितं पुराणं तु प्रशस्यस्ते
Thus, all other letters are described by Bhāratī; a Purāṇa written in this script is praised.