अतो गुरुः पुराणज्ञः श्रोतृवंद्योऽघनाशनः । न तस्मादधिकः कश्चिद्गुरुरस्ति गतिप्रदः
Therefore, the teacher who knows the Purāṇas, who is to be revered by listeners and destroys sin—there is no greater teacher than he, the giver of liberation.
मंत्रेषु गुरवो ये च वेदशास्त्रेषु ये मताः । नेशते सर्वविज्ञानं दातुं तस्मान्न बोधकाः
Those who are considered teachers of mantras and Vedic scriptures are not able to impart all knowledge; therefore, they are not true enlighteners.
पिशाचाः प्रायशो राम ब्रह्मराक्षसनामिनः । वेदमंत्रस्य वेत्तारो दृश्यंते न पुराणवित्
O Rāma, those known as Piśācas or Brahma-rākṣasas are often seen to know Vedic mantras, but not the meaning of the Purāṇas.
पुराणविमुखो नैव सर्वः सर्वं हि पश्यति । पुराणज्ञो हि तस्तस्मात्पापनाशकरः प्रभुः
One who is averse to the Purāṇas does not see everything, for only the knower of the Purāṇas, therefore, is the lord who destroys sin.
तत्पूजा सर्वपूजा स्यात्सर्वद्रोहोऽस्य पीडनम् । यथा समस्तदानानां विद्यादानं प्रशस्यते
Worship of him is the worship of all; harming him is enmity with all, just as the gift of knowledge is praised above all gifts.
पौराणिकस्तथा धन्यस्तत्र दानं महत्फलम् । राम उवाच-। किं वा पौराणिके देयं कियत्कीदृशमेव च
Likewise, the Purāṇika is blessed, and giving to him yields great fruit. Rāma said: What should be given to the Purāṇika, and of what kind and how much?
पुराणं कीदृशं वर्ज्यं वर्ज्यः कीदृक्पुराणवित् । शंभुरुवाच- षड्रसानन्नपानानि स्नेहद्रव्याणि यानि च
Which kind of Purāṇa should be avoided, and which kind of Purāṇa-knower should be avoided? Śambhu said: Foods and drinks of six tastes, and all substances containing oil—
गृहं सोपस्करं राम पुराणज्ञाय दापयेत् । पर्याप्तान्येव सर्वाणि अधिकानि फलाधिकात्
A house with its furnishings, O Rāma, should be given to the knower of the Purāṇas; all should be sufficient, and more yields greater fruit.
दद्याद्द्रव्यमतो भूयः सचैलं शोभितं मृदु । भूषणानि यथार्हाणि स्वशक्त्या प्रतिपादयेत्
Therefore, one should give more valuable items, with garments, beautiful and soft; ornaments as appropriate, according to one's ability.
गंधपुष्पं प्रतिदिनं केवलं गंधमेव च । केवलं च तथा पुष्पं फलकाले फलान्यपि
One should offer fragrance and flowers daily, or only fragrance, or only flowers, and fruits as they are in season.
तांबूलं च तथा दद्यान्नमस्कुर्याच्च भक्तितः । पुराणस्य समाप्तौ तु दद्याद्दानादिकं तथा
Likewise, one should give betel and bow with devotion; and at the conclusion of the Purāṇa, one should give gifts and the like.
अधिकं तु तथा देयं भूहिरण्यादिकं नृप । न च तूष्णीमुपक्रम्य श्रोतुमर्हति कश्चन
Moreover, one should give land, gold, and the like, O king; and no one should begin to listen in silence.
सभासद्भिः कृता चैव या पूजैकेन वा कृता । देवस्थाने यथाशक्ति सर्वैः पूजनमिष्यते
Whether the worship is performed by an assembly or by one person, worship in a temple by all, according to ability, is approved.
तीर्थेपि च यथा राम पुण्येष्वायतनेषु च । स्वशक्त्या पूजनं कुर्यात्पुराणज्ञाय राघव
Likewise, O Rāma, in holy places and sacred shrines, worship should be performed for the knower of the Purāṇas, according to one's ability, O descendant of Raghu.
श्रोतुस्तु लक्षणं पूर्वं मयोक्तं तु भवेन्नृप । पौराणिकस्य सर्वस्य लक्षणं कथयामि ते
O king, I have previously described the characteristics of one who listens; now I will tell you the characteristics of a Purāṇika in full.
कुलहीनो महाव्याधिर्महापापी तिरस्कृतः । शौचाचारविहीनश्च वेदस्मृतिविवर्जितः
He is without noble lineage, afflicted by grave disease, a great sinner, despised, lacking purity and proper conduct, and devoid of Vedic and Smṛti knowledge.
अन्यदेवः पूतिवचो व्यंगश्चाप्यधिकांगवान् । परपूर्वापतिः स्तेनः प्राणिहंता निराकृतिः
He worships other gods, speaks impure words, is deformed or has extra limbs, has another's wife as his own, is a thief, a killer of living beings, and without proper appearance.
अथ वर्ज्यं पुराणं ते कथयामि नृपोत्तम । पूर्वज्ञैरुच्यमानं च यत्प्रोक्तं मुनिभिः परैः
Now, O best of kings, I will tell you which Purāṇa should be avoided, as spoken by the ancient sages and declared by the great seers.
व्यासादयो मुनिवरा यत्प्रोचुस्तदुदीरयेत् । पुराणस्थं पठेद्ग्रन्थं व्याख्यायेत विचारयन्
Whatever the eminent sages like Vyāsa have proclaimed, that alone should be recited; one should read the text found in the Purāṇas and explain it after careful consideration.
यया कयापि वा राम भाषयादेशभाषतः । न देशभाषा रचितं ग्रंथं श्रुत्वा फलं लभेत्
O Rāma, in whatever language or regional dialect it is spoken, one does not obtain the fruit by hearing a text composed in a regional language.
व्याख्या या कापि काकुत्स्थ पुराणस्य हिता हि सा । तस्मात्त्वं देवयाचस्व व्याख्यास्ये यत्पुराणकम्
O Kākutstha, whatever explanation of the Purāṇa there may be, it is beneficial; therefore, you should request the gods for the explanation of whichever Purāṇa.
शंभुरुवाच- एवं पौराणिकेनोक्तं श्रुतवानपि गौतमः । स्वयं वस्त्रत्रयं प्रादाद्ब्राह्मणाय महात्मने
Śaṃbhu said: Thus, although Gautama heard what was spoken by the Purāṇika, he himself gave three garments to the great-souled Brāhmaṇa.
कौर्मं पुराणं प्रथमं श्रुतवानिति नः श्रुतम् । दत्तवान्स्वर्णमधिकं वस्त्राणि च शुभानि च
It is heard that he first listened to the Kūrma Purāṇa; he gave gold and also auspicious garments.
अथ लैंगं च शुश्राव वैष्णवं वामनं तथा । पाद्मं च गारुडं चैव सौरं ब्राह्ममथैव च
Then he listened to the Liṅga, Vaiṣṇava, Vāmana, Padma, Gāruḍa, Sāura, and Brāhma Purāṇas.
एवमष्ट स शुश्राव पुराणानि स गौतमः । अथ रामायणं चैव कौर्ममेव पुनश्च सः
Thus Gautama listened to eight Purāṇas; then he also listened to the Rāmāyaṇa and again to the Kūrma Purāṇa.
शिवनारायणेत्येवं जपं चक्रे सदैव हि । अवाप निधनं चापि स गतो ब्रह्मणः पदम्
He always performed the recitation of 'Śiva-Nārāyaṇa', and upon death, he attained the abode of Brahma.
ब्रह्मा संपूज्य तं विप्रं विष्णुलोकमथागमत् । विष्णुना पूजितः सोऽथ जगाम शिवमंदिरम्
Brahmā, having worshipped that Brāhmaṇa, then went to the world of Viṣṇu; there, being worshipped by Viṣṇu, he proceeded to the temple of Śiva.
सर्वेषामेव वंद्योऽसौ गौतमो मुनिसत्तमः । भारतश्रवणे चापि नियमा ये मयेरिताः
Gautama, the foremost sage, is worthy of reverence by all; and the rules I have stated for hearing the Bhārata apply to him.
पुरा व्यासेन मुनिना त्रिवर्षाद्यत्कृतं शुभम् । श्रवणात्तस्य कृत्स्नस्य व्याकर्ता भारतस्य यः
Long ago, the auspicious work created by the sage Vyāsa over three years—whoever explains the entire Bhārata after hearing it—
न किंचित्प्रणमेद्विप्रं मुक्त्वा योगिनमुत्तमम् । सर्वेषामेव वंद्योसौ भारतं व्याकरोति यः
He should not bow to any Brāhmaṇa except the supreme yogin; for whoever explains the Bhārata is worthy of reverence by all.