|| Om Nama: Shivaya ||

Chapter – 9– The significance of Sri Shiva Mahapuran -3

Sutha! Sutha!  Mahaprajja! Vyasashishya ! Namosthuthe | Dhanyasthvam Shaivavayoasi Varnnaneeya  Mahathguna: ||

Shaunaka speaks “ Oh! Sutha, Oh! Mahaprajja, Oh! The disciple of Maharishi Veda Vyasa, you have commendable virtues. I shall repeatedly prostrate before you, Kindly narrate the method of conducting the recital of Sri Shiva Mahapuran, so that all the listeners could achieve an abundance of piousness.”

Sutha Pauranika speaks “ Oh! Shaunak, I shall narrate the method of conducting the recitation of Sri Shiv Mahapuran to attain the highest of the propitious reward.  The Sri Shiva Mahapuran Katha should be organized after discussing the auspicious hours for  the recitation with your family priest, receive the priest in your house with honor and offer him an abundance of Dhakshina/Charity,  discuss with all your family members and their availability, the news of the program of  recitation of Sri Shivamahapuran should be sent across the villages so that the people desirous of listening would join to obtain piousness,  women, men, Shudras, and people from all caste and creed should be informed  to attain the supreme knowledge of Lord Shiva.   Some people may stay away from listening to Harikatha would be invited to attend the same so that they may obtain the meritorious rewards of listening and reading the same.  The ardent devotees of Lord Shiva should be received with great respect; ascetics should be invited to make the recitation of Shivamahapuran auspicious and more successful.  The recitation of Shivamahapuran is nectar-like should be consumed with a pleasant and devoted heart.  If the people do not find time to attend the whole recital, at least they should be present for a while, opportunities like these are rare to obtain.  The invitation for the recitation of Shivamahapuran should be sent to all, and the people attended should be received with great honor.  A beautiful Mandap/hall should be decorated with flowers in a sacred place or one’s own house.  The place where the Shivakatha conducted should be purified, decorated with auspicious marks and Rangoli.  The Mandap should be clean without the daily household equipment; Mandap should be decorated with fruits, flowers, flags, banners of Lord and plantain tree.  A sanctified place in the Mandap where Lord Shiva’s veneration is conducted, a raised seat should be arranged for Vaktha/orator.  Oh! Mune, separate seats should be provided for listeners and ascetics.  Oh! Shaunak, it is compulsory that the listeners should be free from the discussion of worldly matters.  The orator should be seated facing north, and the listeners should be seated facing east.  The listeners should be seated their legs folded across, and there should be no speech that rouses the emotion of others.  The speaker should be seated facing the listener, while the speaker narrates the Shivamahapuran from the Vyasapeed, no one should disturb him or no one should pay salutations to him.  The speaker can be of any age of child, young man or elderly person, rich or poor, the listeners should give utmost respect to the speaker no matter his age or status.  The person who is well-versed in Purana should not be looked down, his words spoken has the effects of Kamadhenu which fulfills all the desires of the worshiper.  People are born with the piousness of their previous births are considered as preceptor, the one who is profound in Purana is considered as the best among them.  The Jiva’s born on the Earth has to undergo numerous miseries and sorrows of worldly existence after taking births in crores of Yonis, therefore the speaker showers nectar-like Purana which leads to salvation is considered as a supreme preceptor.  The orator of Sri Shivamahapuran should be compassionate and kind, he/she should be clever,  pleasant, free from jealousy and pride, should be noble-hearted, and should have thorough knowledge in Shiva Mahapuran is considered as an excellent speaker.  He/she should conduct the lecture from the morning to the end of three and a half  Praharas.  Sri Shivamahapuran should not be recited before the wicked natured, morally wrong, swollen with pride and jealous, ego, disrespecting others and finding pleasures in hurting others.  The recitation of Sri Shivamahapuran should not be performed before the wicked, thieves, and deceitful people.”