शंभुरुवाच- आसीत्पुरा बलः कश्चित्सोम इत्यभिविश्रुतः । तस्य पुत्रश्च मंदाख्यो दशवर्षवया अभूत्
Shambhu said: Long ago there was a powerful man named Soma, renowned by that name; he had a son called Manda, who was ten years old.
स चाग्निपक्वकुल्माषान्घंटायां प्राक्षिपन्नृप । तानभक्षयदप्येष तेन चोपहताभवत्
That boy, O king, threw some parched beans cooked on fire into a bell; yet he ate them, and because of this he became afflicted.
गृहीतुमथ तं वैश्यं यतमानोऽब्रवीदिदम् । अथ वैश्यः स्वयं तत्र निश्चित्य द्रव्यशोधनम्
Then, as someone tried to seize that merchant, he spoke these words; and the merchant himself, considering the purification of the goods, acted accordingly.
लौकिके कृतवाँल्लोके व्यवहारपदश्च ताम् । एतेन पापयोगेन गणो घंटामुखोऽभवत्
He performed, in worldly dealings, the act called 'vyavahara' regarding that matter; through this sinful act, the group became known as 'those with bell-shaped mouths.'
राम उवाच- द्रव्यशुद्धेर्विशुद्धा सा कथं पापस्य कारणम् । सम्यगुक्तं द्रव्यशुद्ध्यै कथं न द्रव्यशोधिनी
Rama said: If the purification of goods was pure, how could it be the cause of sin? You have spoken rightly about the purification of goods; how then was it not a purifier of goods?
शंभुरुवाच- न लौकिकव्यवहृतौ तवाभक्तो भविष्यति । स याति च शिवस्थानं वक्ता चापि तथा भवेत्
Shambhu said: In worldly transactions, if one is not devoted to you, he will not attain you; but he who speaks thus goes to the abode of Shiva and becomes a speaker as well.
सूत उवाच- यश्च वक्ति कथामेतां स तेन सदृशो भुवि । गुह्याद्गुह्यतमं विप्राः शिवज्ञानप्रदं भवेत्
Suta said: Whoever recites this story becomes like him on earth; O Brahmins, this is the most secret of secrets, bestowing the knowledge of Shiva.
एतद्वः कथितं विप्राः पुण्यायुष्यतमं महत् । य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या शिवलोके महीयते
O Brahmins, this great and most auspicious tale has been told to you; whoever listens to this with devotion is honored in the realm of Shiva.
पुराणवक्त्रे दातव्यं वस्त्रं गोहेमभूषणम् । भूमिः सस्यफलोपेता देया शक्त्यनुसारतः
One should give to the reciter of the Purana cloth, cows, gold, and ornaments; land with crops and fruits should be given according to one's ability.
शिवराघवसंवादं सर्वाघौघनिकृंतनम् । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि स याति परमं पदम्
Whoever recites or listens to the dialogue of Shiva and Raghava, which destroys all heaps of sins, attains the supreme state.
ॐ श्रीविष्णवे नमः । ॐ श्रीवेदव्यासाय नमः । ॐ नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्
Om, obeisance to Shri Vishnu! Om, obeisance to Shri Vedavyasa! Having bowed to Narayana, and also to the best of men, to the goddess Sarasvati and Vyasa, then one should utter victory.
अज्ञानतिमिरांधस्य ज्ञानांजनशलाकया । चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः
Obeisance to the revered Guru, by whom my eyes, blinded by the darkness of ignorance, have been opened with the stick of knowledge-anointment.
ऋषय ऊचुः -। श्रुतं पातालखंडं च त्वयाख्यातं विदांवर । नानाख्यानसमायुक्तं परमानंददायकम्
The sages said: We have heard the Patalakhanda, which you have narrated, O best of the wise, filled with various stories, giving supreme joy.
अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामो भगवद्भक्तिवर्द्धनम् । पाद्मे यच्छेषमस्तीह तद्ब्रूहि कृपया गुरो
Now we wish to hear that which increases devotion to the Lord; whatever remains here in the Padma, please tell us that out of compassion, O teacher.
सूत उवाच-। शृणुध्वं मुनयः सर्वे यदुक्तं शंकरेण हि । पृच्छते नारदायैव विज्ञानं पापनाशनम्
Suta said: O sages, all of you listen to what was spoken by Shankara to Narada when he asked, knowledge that destroys sin.
एकादा नारदो लोकान्पर्यटन्भगवत्प्रियः । गतोऽद्रि मंदरं शंभुं प्रष्टुं किंचिन्मनोगतम्
Once, Narada, beloved of the Lord, while wandering among the worlds, went to Mount Mandara to ask Shambhu something that was on his mind.
तत्रासीनमुमानाथं प्रणिपत्य शिवाज्ञया । उपविष्टः समादिष्ट आसनेऽभिमुखो विभोः
There, having bowed to Uma's Lord who was seated, by Shiva's command he sat down on the seat assigned, facing the mighty one.
नारद उवाच। पप्रच्छ इदमेवेशं यन्मां पृच्छथ सत्तमाः । भगवन्देवदेवेश पार्वतीश जगद्गुरो
Narada said: He asked this very thing of the Lord, which you, O best of the good, are now asking me; O Lord, God of gods, Lord of Parvati, teacher of the world.
भगवत्तत्वविज्ञानं येन स्यात्तन्ममादिश । शिव उवाच। शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि पुराणं वेदसंमितम्
Tell me that by which one may gain knowledge of the divine truth, O Lord. Shiva said: Listen, Narada, I will declare a Purana in accordance with the Vedas.
यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः । प्रथमोत्तरकीर्तिः स्यात्पर्वताख्यानमेव च
By hearing this, one is freed from all sins—there is no doubt of this. First comes the glory of Uttara, and the account of the mountain.
जालंधरं तथाख्यानं श्रीशैलाख्यं ततः परम् । हरिद्वारस्य व्याख्यानं विष्णुपादोद्भवां तथा
Then the account of Jalandhara, and next the account of Śrīśaila; after that, the explanation of Haridvara and the origin of Vishnu's footprint.
प्रयागतीर्थं ते वक्ष्ये दशाश्वमेधिकं च तत् । तुलसीमहिमाचैव शंखचक्रगदादिकम्
I will describe to you the holy place of Prayaga, and the ten Ashvamedha sites; also the greatness of Tulasi, and the conch, discus, mace, and so on.
द्वारकायास्तथाख्यानं महोत्सवविधिस्ततः । तडाकजं तथा पुण्यं वापीकूपप्रपादिकम्
Then the account of Dwaraka, followed by the procedure for grand festivals; the merit of ponds, wells, and drinking places, and other sacred waters.
गाणपत्यं ततो वक्ष्ये वैष्णवागममेव च । जीर्णोद्धारस्य माहात्म्यं मंदाकिनी समागमम्
After that, I will speak of the Ganapatya tradition and the Vaishnava scripture; the greatness of restoration of dilapidated shrines, and the meeting with the Mandakini.
साभ्रमत्यास्तु माहात्म्यं माहात्म्यं तीरजं तथा । स्त्रीशूद्राणां तथा धर्मं तथा त्याज्यैश्च धारणम्
The greatness of the Sābhramati river, and likewise the merit of riverbanks; the duties of women and Shudras, and the observances to be avoided.
उमामहेशसंवादे प्रोक्तं नामसहस्रकम् । कैलासात्तत्समानीतं नारदेनाग्रजन्मना
The thousand names spoken in the dialogue of Uma and Mahesha, brought from Kailasa by Narada, the eldest-born.
लोकानां ब्राह्मणानां च क्षत्रियाणां विशेषतः । स्त्रीशूद्राणां विशेषेण पठितव्यं समाहितैः
It should be recited by the people, especially by Brahmins and Kshatriyas, and particularly by women and Shudras who are attentive.
इदं पवित्रं परमं पुण्यमायुष्यवर्धनम् । पठितव्यं विशेषेण विष्णोः सायुज्यमाप्नुयात्
This is pure, supremely holy, and increases longevity; it should be recited especially, and one attains union with Vishnu.
विष्णोर्नामसहस्रं तत्पावनं भुवि विश्रुतम् । चतुर्विंशतिमूर्तीनां स्थानकानीह संवदेत्
That thousand names of Vishnu, renowned as purifying on earth, will be discussed here, along with the places of the twenty-four forms.
तेषां च मातापितरावंतरं च ब्रवीम्यहम् । गोत्रं वेदांश्चतेषां वै कर्माणीह तथैव च
I will tell you their mothers and fathers, and their lineages; their Vedas and their deeds as well.