रक्षो हंतुमशक्तस्तु मृत्युहीनं ततो मुनिः । स्वयं च राक्षसो भूत्वा वाक्यमाह महामुनिः
But the sage was unable to kill the demon, who was free from death; then, becoming a demon himself, the great sage spoke these words.
किमर्थमागतोसीह वनं मुनिनिषेवितम् । स आह राजा रक्षोघ्नस्तमहं हंतुमागतः
'For what purpose have you come here, to this forest frequented by sages?' He replied, 'I am the king, the slayer of demons; I have come to kill him.'
मुनिरप्याह किं तेन जीवितेन मृतेन वा । भुक्त्वामिषं मदीयं तु युद्धं कृत्वा जयं व्रज
The sage also said, 'What is the use of that life, whether living or dead? Eat my flesh, then fight and win.'
राक्षस उवाच- कथं त्वं राक्षसो मह्यं भक्षणाय भविष्यसि । वसिष्ठोऽप्यथ मानुष्यमास्थाय वियति स्थितः
The demon said: 'How will you, a sage, become food for me, a demon?' Then Vasiṣṭha, assuming a human form, stood in the sky.
निष्ठीव्य मस्तके तस्य मुष्टिना तमताडयत् । ताडितो राक्षसस्तेन व्यद्रावयदृषिश्च तम्
He spat on the demon's head and struck him with his fist; struck by him, the demon fled, and the sage pursued him.
पलायमानावन्योन्यं जलधिं तु गतावुभौ । तत्रस्थेन ग्रहेणासौ गृहीतो राक्षसस्तदा
Both, fleeing from each other, reached the ocean; there, the demon was seized by one who dwelt there.
मुनिः पुनरयोध्यायां पूर्ववत्समतिष्ठत । शंभुरुवाच- तस्मात्स्वाभिमतं कुर्यात्पुराणज्ञो विमत्सरः
The sage then returned to Ayodhyā as before. Śaṃbhu said: 'Therefore, the knower of the Purāṇas should act according to his own inclination, without envy.'
श्रवणस्य विधानं च कथयामि शुभं शृणु । शुक्लपक्षे दिने शुद्धे वारनक्षत्रयोगतः
'I will now tell you the auspicious procedure for listening; listen. On a pure day in the bright fortnight, with the proper conjunction of weekday and lunar mansion—'
करणे चापि लग्ने च ग्रहताराबलान्विते । अमूढेन ग्रहे बाले न च वृद्धौ गुरौस्थिते
Neither during an eclipse, nor when the planets and stars are weak, nor when the mind is confused, nor when the planet is young, nor when Jupiter is in decline, should the Purāṇa be heard.
न कृष्णपक्षे ग्रहणे न च नास्तिकसंनिधौ । पूर्वोक्तलक्षणोपेतं पुराणं शृणुयादिति
Not during the dark fortnight, not during an eclipse, nor in the presence of atheists, should one listen to the Purāṇa; it should be heard only when the previously described auspicious signs are present.
शुद्धगेहेऽथवा शुद्धवेदिकायां मठेथ वा । नदीतीरे देवगेहे सभामंडप एव च
In a pure house, or on a clean altar, or in a monastery, or on a riverbank, or in a temple, or in a public hall, the Purāṇa should be recited.
रथ्या मठेथ वा रम्ये पुण्यशालासु राघव । स्वयं नमस्य विप्रेंद्रान्पुराणज्ञं विशेषतः
Or, O Rāghava, it may be recited in a pleasant street or in a hall of merit; one should personally honor the foremost Brāhmaṇas, especially those learned in the Purāṇas.
आसनं कल्पितं कुर्य्यादूर्ध्वं सर्वविशेषितम् । एहि धर्म्मासनमिति वक्तव्यं स्यादनिष्ठुरम्
A special seat should be prepared above all others, and one should gently say, 'Come, this is the seat of dharma.'
पुराणप्रक्रमदिने यत्कार्यं तदुदीरयेत् । व्याख्यातारं पुराणस्य वस्त्राद्यैः परिपूजयेत्
On the day of commencing the Purāṇa, the necessary rites should be performed, and the expounder of the Purāṇa should be honored with garments and other gifts.
शुभानि दत्वा वस्त्राणि सूक्ष्माणि च नवानि च । करकंठविभूषादि पात्रमासनमेव च
Having given auspicious, fine, and new garments, as well as ornaments for the hand and neck, vessels, and a seat,
गंधपुष्पाक्षतैः पूज्य तांबूलं विनिवेद्य च । शुक्लांबरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम्
One should worship with fragrant substances, flowers, and unbroken rice, and offer betel; then meditate on Viṣṇu, clad in white garments, moon-like in color, and four-armed.
प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत्सर्वविघ्नोपशांतये । सभासदश्च संपूज्य गणेशं प्रार्थयेत्ततः
To remove all obstacles, one should meditate on Viṣṇu with a serene face; after honoring the assembly, one should then pray to Gaṇeśa.
ॐनमेत्यादि मंत्रेण पूजनं भारती नुतिः । प्रातःकाले पुराणस्य प्रक्रमं प्रारभेदिति
With the mantra beginning with 'Oṃ namah,' one should perform worship and praise Sarasvatī; in the morning, the recitation of the Purāṇa should be commenced.
उपक्रमदिने राम त्रिपंचदश वा शुभाः । श्लोका द्वितीये दिवसे ततो द्विगुणिताः शुभाः
On the first day, O Rāma, fifteen auspicious verses are to be recited; on the second day, twice as many auspicious verses should be recited.
तृतीये दिवसे राम ततश्चाधिकमिष्यते । दिनानामव्यवच्छेदाद्व्याख्यानं श्रवणं तथा
On the third day, O Rāma, even more are to be recited; there should be no interruption in the days, both in explanation and in listening.
व्यवस्थितिर्यदा जाता तदा पौराणिकं गुरुम् । तांबूलादिप्रदायाथ परेद्युः शृणुयादपि
When the arrangement is thus established, the Purāṇic teacher should be given betel and other offerings, and on the next day, one should listen again.
पुराणमेवं श्रोतव्यं दैनंदिनमिति श्रुतिः । व्रतरूपेण यः कश्चित्पुराणं शृणुयान्नरः
Thus, the Purāṇa should be heard daily, as prescribed; whoever listens to the Purāṇa as a vow,
यदैवं तत्पुराणं तु तत्र याति न संशयः । पुराणं श्रोतुकामेन श्लोकश्चैकोपि चेच्छ्रुतः
Whenever one listens to that Purāṇa, there is no doubt about the result; even if only a single verse is heard by one desiring to listen,
तद्दिने तु कृतं पापं नाशयेत्तु न संशयः
The sin committed on that day is destroyed—of this there is no doubt.
एवं पुराणं शृणुयाच्च यस्तु स ब्रह्महत्याकृतपापबंधात् । सुरापीतिः स्वर्णहरश्च राम गुर्वंगनागश्च विमुक्तिमेति
Whoever thus listens to the Purāṇa, even if he has committed the sins of killing a Brāhmaṇa, drinking liquor, stealing gold, or approaching a teacher’s wife, O Rāma, is liberated.
पापानि चान्यानि कृतानि पुंभिः सर्वाणि नश्यंति पुराकृतानि । इहापि यान्यब्दशतार्जितानि श्रोतुर्विनश्यंति तथा च वक्तुः
All other sins committed by men, even those accumulated over a hundred years in this life, are destroyed for both the listener and the reciter.
कलौ समस्तविप्राणां सर्वज्ञत्वं न विद्यते । विगुणापि ततो व्याख्या फलदा दानकर्मवत्
In the Kali age, the complete knowledge of all the Brahmins does not exist; therefore, even an imperfect explanation bears fruit, like the act of giving charity.
पुराणानामभिप्रायं व्यासो वेद न चापरः । अहं वेद्मि विशेषेण व्यासादपि विधेरपि
Vyāsa alone knows the true intent of the Purāṇas, and no one else; I know it especially, even more than Vyāsa and even than Brahmā.
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 does.
एकैकश्रवणादेव पातकं महदेव तु । नाशमाप्नोत्यसंदेहः श्रीशैले वर्तनादिव
By merely hearing it once, O Mahādeva, even a great sin is destroyed without doubt, just as by residing at Śrīśaila.