ध्यात्वैवं पूजकः सम्यगादौ पूजां समारभेत् । आपो वा इदमित्येतत्कलशस्याभिमंत्रणम्
Having thus meditated, the worshipper should properly begin the worship at the outset; the mantra for consecrating the pot is: 'This indeed is water.'
तज्जलं च गृहीत्वा च पात्रस्थमभिमंत्रयेत् । तत्सद्ब्रह्मेति मंत्रेण प्रशस्य प्रणवेन तु
Then, taking that water, he should enchant it while it is in the vessel, using the mantra 'That is true Brahman,' along with the excellent syllable Om.
आत्मानं सर्वपात्राणि तत आवाहयेदिति । यद्वागिति तृचेनैव भारती षोडशार्चनम्
He should invoke himself and all the vessels with the mantra, 'Let him be invoked here,' or else, with the threefold verse beginning 'yad vāg,' perform the sixteenfold worship of Sarasvati.
पुरुषसूक्तेन वा कुर्याद्गायत्र्या वा समर्चयेत् । ॐ नमो भगवते अमुक पुराणेति पुराणमर्चयेत्
He may perform the worship with the Purusha Sukta or with the Gayatri, or worship the Purana with the mantra: 'Om, obeisance to the blessed one, to such-and-such Purana.'
कांडादिति हि मंत्रेण दूर्वामानीय पूजयेत् । ॐ नमो भगवत्यै दूर्वायै इति
With the mantra 'Kanda,' he should bring and worship the sacred grass, saying: 'Om, obeisance to the blessed Durva.'
सलोकपाल पूजा स्यादथ कन्या समर्चनम् । वत्सरात्पंचकादूर्द्ध्वं दशवर्षादधः शुभाः
Then comes the worship of the guardians of the worlds, and next the honoring of a maiden; auspicious are those above five and below ten years of age.
अनुत्पन्नऋतुर्वापि तां प्रयत्नेन पूजयेत् । गंधपुष्पाक्षतैर्धूपैर्दीपतांबूलभूषणैः
Or, even if she has not reached puberty, she should be worshipped with care, with fragrance, flowers, rice grains, incense, lamps, betel, and ornaments.
पाठयेदप्यमुं मंत्रं पूजकः कन्यकामिमाम्
The worshipper should also recite this mantra to the maiden:
सत्यं ब्रूहि प्रियं ब्रूहि भगवति सरस्वति नमस्ते नमस्त इति
'Speak truth, speak kindly, O blessed Sarasvati, obeisance, obeisance to you.'
गायत्र्यानुक्रमार्थात्तु दूर्वायुग्मं तु कारयेत् । सन्निधौ पुस्तकस्याधः सहस्रपरमेत्यृचा
According to the order of the Gayatri, he should prepare a pair of sacred grasses; in the presence of the book, beneath it, with the verse 'sahasraparam.'
दूर्वायुग्मत्रयं दद्यात्तस्या हस्ते विचक्षणः । सा प्रक्षिपेत्पुस्तसंधौ शलाकात्रयमन्वनु
The wise one should place a set of three pairs of sacred grasses in her hand; she should then insert three sticks at the joint of the book, one after another.
विसृज्यतां पुनर्दद्याच्छिवाभ्यां नम इत्यथ । पत्रयोर्मध्यमः श्लोकः कार्यसिद्धेर्हि सूचकः
After releasing them, he should again offer them, saying, 'Obeisance to Shiva,' and the middle verse between the leaves is the indicator of the accomplishment of the task.
पूर्वपत्रे समाप्तिः स्याच्छ्लोकस्य यदि राघव । परपत्रे पठेच्छ्लोकं विविच्यार्थमुदीरयेत्
If the verse ends on the previous leaf, O Raghava, it is concluded; if it is on the next leaf, he should read the verse, carefully discerning its meaning.
शनैःशनैः पठेत्प्राज्ञो व्याख्यासेच्च शनैःशनैः । त्वरेह न हि कर्तव्या कुप्यति त्वरया तु गीः
The wise should read slowly and explain slowly; haste should not be made here, for speech becomes disturbed by haste.
घटिकायास्तु पादः स्यादत्वरास्यात्ततोधिका । त्वरयेन्न च वक्तारं ज्ञातव्यांशमनुद्विजम्
A quarter of a ghaṭikā should be allotted, and if there is haste, a little more; the reciter should not be hurried, and the meaning should be understood without agitation.
विविच्य पाठं श्लोकस्य निश्चित्यार्थं च मानसे । प्रतीपं तन्न वक्तव्यं विविच्य रघुनंदन
Having carefully read the verse and determined its meaning in the mind, it should not be spoken contrary to that, O descendant of Raghu.
यदि युक्तमयुक्तं वा श्लोकमन्यं पठेदसौ । पुस्तकस्थं च हित्वैव पूजकः स द्विजो यदि
If he reads another verse, whether appropriate or not, leaving aside the one in the book, if the worshipper is a twice-born,
तत्तथैव हि विज्ञेयं विसंवादो न शस्यते । दैवागतो हि स श्लोको दैवं हि बलवत्तरम्
It should be understood just as it is; contradiction is not praised. That verse has come by divine will, for fate is indeed more powerful.
उपश्रुतिषु यद्वच्च नापराधो द्विजस्य तु । विस्मयो न च कर्तव्यो दैवस्य कुटिला गतिः
And as for what is heard in omens, there is no fault in the twice-born; nor should one be astonished, for the ways of fate are crooked.
यत्तत्पदविपर्यासे पत्रे चोपरिवारिणि । तमादेशं तिरस्कृत्य द्वितीयं तु पठेदतः
When there is a reversal of words, or when the leaf is covered above, disregarding that indication, one should read the second one thereafter.
ततस्तृतीयं पाठ्यं स्यात्ततः कार्यं विवेचनम् । अविसर्गांतपूर्वास्ते पवर्गेतरपंचमाः
Then the third should be read, and after that, discernment should be applied; those ending without visarga, and the fifth of the other groups apart from the pa-class.
स्तुतिलिड्वर्जितः श्लोकः शकुनेषु प्रशस्यते । अध्यायादिः समाप्तिश्च वृथा पत्रं वृथा लिपिः
A verse lacking praise or the verb liṭ is praised among omens; a chapter's beginning or end is futile, as is a leaf or writing in vain.
उक्तानुवचनं चैव द्व्युपस्तुतमथैव च । दग्धपत्रं नष्टलिपिः संदिग्धाक्षरमेव च
Repetition of what has been said, or double praise, a burnt leaf, lost writing, or a doubtful letter—
एतानि शकुने नित्यं वर्जनीयानि पंडितैः । प्रश्नो हि द्विविधो ज्ञेयो दीप्तशांत प्रभेदतः
These are always to be avoided by the learned in omens; a question is to be known as of two kinds, distinguished as blazing or calm.
शांतं च द्विविधं ज्ञेयमुत्पत्तिस्थितिवृद्धितः । तत्र शांतं प्रशस्तं स्याल्लक्षितं पूर्वलक्षणैः
And the calm is to be known as twofold, according to origin, duration, and increase; among these, the calm that is marked by previous signs is commendable.
कार्यभेदास्तु वर्ण्यंते केचिन्मर्त्योपयोगिनः । कस्यचित्कार्यमादाय कश्चित्प्रष्टा भवत्यपि
Differences in action are described, some useful for mortals; someone takes up a certain task, and someone becomes the questioner.
स करोति तदा प्रश्नं समेत्य स्मरतेऽत्र किम् । स पुनर्धार्य पत्रं तत्तस्मिन्पत्रं प्रशस्यते
He then makes the inquiry, remembering what is appropriate there; he should again hold the leaf, and that leaf is praised in this context.
अथवा तत्क्षमोपेतं वैराग्यं परमेव च । यतः कुतश्चिद्दृष्टस्तु स्तुतिपादकमेव च
Or, if it is endowed with patience and supreme detachment, or is seen for some reason, it becomes the basis for praise.
परिहृत्य परं चापि तस्मिन्नर्थे शुभावहम् । मृतो गृह्णाति वागर्थमिति प्रश्नोऽशुभप्रदः
Setting aside the other, even so, in that matter which brings auspiciousness, if the dead receives the meaning of speech, that inquiry brings misfortune.
विवादे विजयप्रश्ने जयद्योतकमिष्यते । सृष्टिरप्यत्र शस्ता स्यात्क्रूरायां क्लेशतो जयः
In a dispute, for a question of victory, that which indicates victory is desired; creation is also auspicious here, but in cruelty, victory comes with suffering.