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.
ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवं च मार्तंडं नारदेरितम् । मार्कंडेयमथाग्नेयं कौर्मं वामनमेव च
Brāhma, Padma, Vaiṣṇava, Mārtaṇḍa, Nārada, Mārkaṇḍeya, Agneya, Kaurma, and Vāmana as well.
गारुडं लैंगमाख्यातं स्कांदं मात्स्यं नृसिंहकम् । तथैव गदितं राम पुराणं कापिलं तथा
Gāruḍa, Laiṅga, Skānda, Mātsya, Nṛsiṃha, likewise the Rāma Purāṇa and Kāpila as well.
वाराहं ब्रह्मवैवर्तं शकुनेषु प्रशस्यते । शैवं भागवतं दौर्गं भविष्योत्तरमेव च
Vārāha, Brahmavaivarta, are praised among the birds; Śaiva, Bhāgavata, Daurga, and Bhaviṣyottara as well.
भविष्यं चोपसंज्ञानि त्वन्यानि च विवर्जयेत् । विमुच्य पुस्तकं रत्नपीठे निक्षिप्य संस्कृतम्
One should avoid the Bhaviṣya and other supplementary texts; after purifying, place the book on a jeweled seat.
धौतवस्त्रधरः स्नात्वा शुचिरक्रोधनोऽज्वरः । आदावात्मानमभ्यर्च्य कृत्वा संकल्पमेव च
Wearing clean clothes, having bathed, pure, free from anger and fever, first worship oneself and make a resolve.
अंकुशं चाक्षसूत्रं च पाशं पुस्तकमेव च । धारयंतीं सितां ध्यायेत्प्रसन्नास्यां सरस्वतीम्
Meditate on Sarasvatī, holding a goad, rosary, noose, and book, fair in color, with a serene face.
गोक्षीरसदृशाकारं त्रिनेत्रं वृषवाहनम् । सहासवदनं शांतं शुक्लांबरधरं शिवम्
With a form like cow's milk, three-eyed, riding a bull, smiling, peaceful, clad in white, Shiva.
हरिणं चाभयं चोर्द्ध्वबाहुयुग्मं किरीटिनम् । व्याख्यामुद्रा चं दक्षेधो वामहस्ते वरप्रदम्
A deer, the gesture of fearlessness, two raised arms, crowned; the gesture of explanation in the right hand, boon-giving in the left.
नानारत्नविभूषाढ्यं गिरिजार्द्धांबुजासनम् । बहुभिर्मुनिमुख्यैस्तु ध्यायमान पदांबुजम्
Adorned with various jewels, seated on a lotus with Girijā on one half, worshipped by many foremost sages at his lotus feet.
मूर्तिमद्भिस्तथा वेदैः स्तूयमानं पुराणकैः । अन्यैः समस्तलोकैश्च संसेवितपदांबुजम्
Praised by Vedas with form, by Purāṇas, and served by all worlds, his lotus feet are attended.