The Rite of Honoring the Reciter

Verse 1 (shiva.uma.43.1)

शौनक उवाच । आचार्यपूजनं ब्रूहि सूत व्यासगुरोऽधुना । ग्रन्थस्य श्रवणान्ते हि किं कर्तव्यं तदप्यहो

śaunaka uvāca ācāryapūjanaṁ brūhi sūta vyāsaguro'dhunā granthasya śravaṇānte hi kiṁ kartavyaṁ tadapyaho

Shaunaka said: O Suta, disciple of Vyasa, now tell us of the worship of the teacher — what indeed should be done at the conclusion of hearing this text?

Verse 2 (shiva.uma.43.2)

सूत उवाच । पूजयेद्विधिवद्भक्त्याचार्यं श्रुत्वा कथां पराम् । ग्रन्थान्ते विधिवद्दद्यादाचार्याय प्रसन्नधीः

sūta uvāca pūjayedvidhivadbhaktyācāryaṁ śrutvā kathāṁ parām granthānte vidhivaddadyādācāryāya prasannadhīḥ

Suta said: Having heard this supreme narrative, one of clear mind should worship the teacher duly, with devotion, and at the end of the text should give him his due offering according to rite.

Verse 3 (shiva.uma.43.3)

ततो वक्तारमानम्य सम्पूज्य च यथाविधि । भूषणैर्हस्तकर्णानां वस्त्रैः सौम्यादिभिः सुधीः

tato vaktāramānamya sampūjya ca yathāvidhi bhūṣaṇairhastakarṇānāṁ vastraiḥ saumyādibhiḥ sudhīḥ

Then the wise devotee should bow to the reciter, honour him duly according to rite, and adorn him with ornaments for the hands and ears and with fine garments and the like.

Verse 4 (shiva.uma.43.4)

शिवपूजासमाप्तौ तु दद्याद्धेनुं सवत्सिकाम् । कृत्वासनं सुवर्णस्य पलमानस्य साम्बरम्

śivapūjāsamāptau tu dadyāddhenuṁ savatsikām kṛtvāsanaṁ suvarṇasya palamānasya sāmbaram

At the conclusion of the worship of Shiva, one should give a cow with her calf, and should also have made a seat of gold weighing one pala, together with a cloth covering.

Verse 5 (shiva.uma.43.5)

तत्रास्थाप्य शुभं ग्रन्थं लिखितं ललिताक्षरैः । आचार्याय सुधीर्दद्यान्मुक्तः स्याद्भवबन्धनैः

tatrāsthāpya śubhaṁ granthaṁ likhitaṁ lalitākṣaraiḥ ācāryāya sudhīrdadyānmuktaḥ syādbhavabandhanaiḥ

Having placed upon it this auspicious text, written in beautiful letters, the wise devotee should give it to the teacher; by this he is freed from the bonds of worldly existence.

Verse 6 (shiva.uma.43.6)

ग्रामो गजो हयश्चापि यथाशक्त्यपराणि च । मुने सर्वाणि देयानि वाचकाय महात्मने

grāmo gajo hayaścāpi yathāśaktyaparāṇi ca mune sarvāṇi deyāni vācakāya mahātmane

O sage, a village, an elephant, a horse, and other things too — all these, according to one's means, should be given to that great-souled reciter.

Verse 7 (shiva.uma.43.7)

विधानसहितं सम्यक् श्रुतं हि सफलं स्मृतम् । पुराणं शौनकमुने सत्यमेवोदितं मया

vidhānasahitaṁ samyak śrutaṁ hi saphalaṁ smṛtam purāṇaṁ śaunakamune satyamevoditaṁ mayā

A Purana that is properly heard together with its due ritual observance — that alone, it is said, bears fruit. O sage Shaunaka, this I have spoken truly.

Verse 8 (shiva.uma.43.8)

तस्माद्विधानयुक्तं तु शृणुयाद्भक्तितो मुने । पुराणं निगमार्थाढ्यं पुण्यदं हृदयं श्रुतेः

tasmādvidhānayuktaṁ tu śṛṇuyādbhaktito mune purāṇaṁ nigamārthāḍhyaṁ puṇyadaṁ hṛdayaṁ śruteḥ

Therefore, O sage, this Purana, together with its proper rites, should be heard with devotion — for it is rich in the meaning of the Vedas, bestows merit, and is the very heart of the Shruti.