Skandapurana 2.2.49

The sages said:

O venerable Jaimini, master of all the Vedas and Vedāṅgas,

by your grace, the māhātmya of the Lord of the Universe,

of this king of sacred fields, and of all the festivals in every detail,

as well as the fruit of consuming the Lord's leftover food,

the exceedingly rare history of King Indradyumna,

the manifestation of Nīlamādhava and of the Wooden Brahman,

has been heard as it flowed properly from the lotus of your mouth.

Now we wish to hear from you, O best of speakers,

everything in detail, O holy one, all of us filled with joy:

that fruit which has been stated precisely for the hearing of the Purāṇa,

what is its rule, and how does it become complete in all parts?

If you have compassion for us, you ought to tell it properly.

Jaimini said:

Well done, well done, O best of sages, that you have asked with supreme joy!

In that, incomparable delight has arisen in me, causing my hair to stand on end.

I shall tell you all of that; listen attentively.

At the beginning of listening to a Purāṇa, according to one's own means,

having first made the ritual resolve according to the rule, [one should select] a brahmin born of a pure lineage,

free from defective limbs, peaceful, belonging to one's own Vedic branch, or one's own family priest,

knowing the true meaning of all treatises; with exceedingly radiant ornaments,

with garments, sandalwood paste, garlands and the like, one should appoint him for reading and recitation.

Having folded his hands in supplication, he should then pray to the twice-born:

“You are Viṣṇu, you are Viṣṇu indeed, there is never any difference.

May my [listening] be free of obstacles through your grace, and be pleased [with me]!”

Then, [having placed] the appointed brahmin on an auspicious, costly seat,

And seating him, one should place a garland around his neck,

place a mass of flowers upon his head, and anoint him with sandalwood paste. // 13

For at that time the brahmin is regarded as equal to Vyāsa.

Through that very brahmin, upon the book embodying the form of Viṣṇu, // 14

one should have the worship of Vyāsa performed with sandalwood, agallochum, and flowers,

with various pleasing rites of worship, and also with diverse foods and eatables. // 15

With devotion, the rite of offering a seat and other honors should be performed day after day.

Now I will declare the characteristic marks of a listener: let it be heard! // 16

And for the accommodation of the followers who have arrived, O brahmins,

having himself prepared suitable seats in a proper manner, // 17

seated upon an auspicious seat, he should be eager in mind;

or else he should sit on the ground together with all in a purified place. // 18

One's seat before Vyāsa should not be high at all.

Having performed his ritual ablution, full of joy, wearing two white garments, // 19

having sipped water, his body marked with tilakas of the conch, discus, and other symbols,

he should meditate upon Viṣṇu in his mind and cultivate deep faith. // 2.2.49.20

In the Purāṇa, in the brahmin, in the deity, and in the rite of mantras,

in a sacred ford, and in the word of an elder, faith yields fruit. // 21

Therefore, O best of sages, all religious merit has faith as its cause.

Conversation with heretics and idle chatter should be scrupulously avoided; // 22

at the time of listening to the Purāṇa, one should abandon all anxieties.

According to this rule, O brahmins, one should listen every day with joy. // 23

Then, when the recitation is concluded, with clappings of hands repeatedly,

uttering names such as 'Victory to Kṛṣṇa, Lord of the Universe, Hara!', // 24

one should magnify the sound so that it is heard even in the sky.

And in this way one should act every day for the pleasure of the enemy of Mura. // 25

Then, upon the conclusion of the text, intent on pleasing Viṣṇu,

especially with garments, garlands, sandalwood, and ornaments,

one should adorn the brahmin who is equal to Vyāsa with supreme devotion, O twice-born ones. // 26

And according to one's means, one should offer the priestly fee in accordance with the rule.

Whoever should give whatever, hear that now from me: // 27

Kings should give elephants adorned with ornaments and endowed with auspicious marks;

kṣatriyas should do likewise, for they are regarded as equal to kings. // 28

Brahmins [should give] manuscripts, caskets for the worship of Viṣṇu,

gold, silver, grain, and cloth according to their devotion. // 29

Vaiśyas [should give horses] adorned with gemmed ornaments and born in the Sindhu region,

and cows endowed with good marks, accompanied by calves and giving milk. // 2.2.49.30

And intent on righteousness, they should give other gifts, such as gold and the like.

Śūdras, their minds endowed with supreme joy, should give // 31

garments, gold, grain, gems, and cows,

decked with various ornaments, possessing large udders, and pregnant for the first time. // 32

In this way one should give a priestly fee so that the guru is satisfied.

According to one's capacity, O brahmins, one should not be miserly with wealth. // 33

A rite for peace, a rite for prosperity, an observance, a wedding, and similar rites,

as well as listening to the Purāṇa, an act leading to liberation, // 34

sacrifice, charitable donation, and various kinds of observances—

if devoid of a priestly fee, then it becomes fruitless. // 35

The demons snatch away the fruit of that rite,

just as the charm of women devoid of a husband's love, // 36

and the turned backs of bowmen fleeing from battle,

or, O twice-born ones, the viciousness of horses that will not run, // 37

or the learning of scholars learned in all treatises rendered useless through muteness—

whatever rite is devoid of a priestly fee is just like that, completely fruitless. // 38

Because through giving, a multitude of sins is destroyed,

it is sung as 'dakṣiṇā' by those who know the sacred texts, O brahmins. // 39

Then one should feed the brahmins with [foods] prepared according to one's capacity,

provided with camphor, sugar, clarified butter, and rice cooked in milk, // 2.2.49.40

with six kinds of foods, drinks, and the like, very delicious and resembling nectar.

To them also one should give gold, garments, and other gifts according to one's ability. // 41

All this regarding the hearing of the Purāṇa has been told to you,

and the procedure with its main parts and subsidiaries by which this [listening] becomes fruitful.

Now, O best of sages, what else do you wish to know?"

The sages said:

"Ah, great is our good fortune, that the destruction of a flood of sins,

the fruit of hearing the Purāṇa itself, and

the procedure with all its main parts and subsidiaries have been heard by us from the lotus of your mouth!

We are blessed! We have acquired merit! We are freed from feverish anxiety in saṃsāra!

Now indeed, according to our capacity, O sage, is offered to you

a sacrificial fee for the attainment of the fruit; be pleased and accept it."

Having spoken thus, the sages, having no possessions, prepared sacrificial wood, kuśa grass, flowers, fruits, unbroken grains, and the like,

and offering it to him, the sages, fully liberated, departed for the supreme sacred field, exceedingly rejoiced.

Thus ends the forty-ninth chapter in the dialogue with the seer Jaimini, in the Puruṣottamakṣetra-māhātmya, in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].

Thus ends the second [part], the glorious Puruṣottama (Jagannātha) Kṣetra-māhātmya, in the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa. (2-2)