The one telling the Purana should face north and the people who listen to the shiva purana should face east. One should not sit with one's feet towards that direction. There is no objection to sitting in any other direction. The storyteller, whether a boy, a youth, or an old man, poor or weak, should always be saluted by those who listen to the purana and wish him well. This means that everyone should respect him. The nine planets should also be worshipped. The deity of the mandala should also be worshipped with the intention that whoever recites the name of Sarvatobhadra will attain auspiciousness. Then, the book of Puranas should also be worshipped in the manner prescribed for Shiva worship. After the puja, one should join hands with great devotion and humbly pray to the book in the form of Shiva and recite the Stotra. After worshipping in this way, one should make a vow before the Puranas with a pure mind, saying, "I will remain steadfast in my efforts until the Puranas are finished."
Then one should pray to the Puranika as follows: O Puranika, who is in the form of Vyasa, you are a special scholar, you have learned the Shiva Shastra. Therefore, with this supremely holy light of Shiva's story, destroy my ignorance especially, Then, we should invite five people or at least one person, entertain them, and give them the vow to chant the Shiva Panchakshari, meaning, before the mantra, we should invite them and pray on our behalf to chant. "O Shaunaka, in this way he has explained the Purana and the order of the one who listens and the one who tells. Ask what else you want to ask," said the Suta. Here ends the sixth chapter of the Shiva Purana, titled "Sravanavidhi" in the Mahatma of the Skanda Purana. The Shaunakas says, "O sage suta, you are the best among the Shaivites. You are the most intelligent, the best, the blessed, the auspicious, and the most wonderful. You have told us this story of Shiva, which is very beautiful and wonderful." For the benefit of all the worlds, be kind to me and inform me of the rules and vows for listening to the Shiva Purana, to those who wish to hear it.
The Suta sage says, "O Shaunaka, I will tell you the rules that should be followed when people listen to the Shiva Purana. If listened to what I am saying with devotion, the rules that person will get the best results without any problems." People who are not initiated have no authority in listening to the stories. People who are willing to listen should take initiation from those who recite the Puranas. All men and women can listen to this Shiva Purana in a ritualistic manner with effort. The days of reciting and listening to this Shiva Purana should be considered the best and equal to a thousand homas. Even if the days of listening to this Purana are short, donations made with devotion will yield imperishable, i.e., infinite, results. In this way, one should listen to this great story, follow the rules, and perform the Udyapanam with great joy. Devotees do not have to do Udyapanam, that is, if they do not do it, there is no problem, if they can, they can do it. Because devotees of Shiva who listen to the Shiva Purana story with devotion, without any desire for reward, become purified by listening.
After the completion of the Shiva Purana recitation festival, all those who have come to listen should worship Shiva with devotion. One should worship the book as per the Shiva Puja ritual, and then one should worship and honor the purana narrators. The great Shivapurana’s mahatma, which grants all desires, has been completely narrated by me so far. What else would you like to hear? This Shri Shiva Purana is said to be like a tilak in the Puranas. It is very dear to God, beautiful, and can cure the disease of samsara. Saraswati herself praises the multitude of qualities of those who always meditate on the Supreme Lord shiva. Those who listen to this pious story, such great ones, transcend the bondage of samsara. The Supreme Lord is without the qualities of sattva, rajas, tamos, and is always present, and is indistinct. That means unmanifest. Lord shiva is the who shines within and without this world with his extraordinary glory, and who is present within and outside the mind, and who is the form of speech and mind, anyone who meditates on this Supreme Lord with devotion, who is endless and the form of eternal bliss will be blessed by lord shiva.
Here is the seventh chapter of the Shiva Purana in the Sanatkumara Samhita, titled "book worship and description of worship" in the Sri Skanda Mahapurana.
Vidyeshwara Samhita
At the confluence of the Ganga and the yamuna rivers, there is a place called Prayag, which is both a religious and a great place. This supremely auspicious place is the path to Brahmaloka, that is, it is a holy place that is a means to attain Brahmaloka. O omniscient Suta great sage, by your special virtue, you have acquired all this knowledge of the Puranas from Vyasa, having studied it from your guru Vyasa. Therefore, you are the destiny of wonderful stories. You are the treasure of good stories, just as the ocean is the home of gems. There is nothing in these three worlds that is not known to you, whether it is what has happened in the past, what is happening now, or what will happen in the future.
You have come to give us your darshan. It is not right for you to leave without doing us the proper favor. O great sage, there is one thing we need to ask you now. If you wish to bestow your grace upon us, you must tell us that matter, even if it is a secret. The point is that when the terrible Kali Yuga arrives, all humans will abandon virtuous deeds, become interested in immorality, and abandon the path of truth. And in the Kali Yuga, they will be slandering others, coveting other people's wealth, being interested in other people's women, and being interested in torturing others. This Shiva Purana, which is similar to the Vedas, was composed of twenty-four thousand verses and seven Samhitas. The first of these is called the Vidyeshwara Samhita, the second is the Rudra Samhita, the third is the Shatarudra Samhita, and the fourth is the Koti Rudra Samhita.
The fifth is called the Uma Samhita, the sixth is called the Kailasa Samhita, and the seventh is called the Vayaviya Samhita, so there are seven Samhitas. The Shiva Purana, which is composed of seven Samhitas in this way, is divine. And, having the form of Parabrahma, is supreme, and is endowed with good fortune. This Shaiva Purana is like a tilak among the Puranas, the most excellent, praising the Supreme Being, which is known and adorned by the Vedantas. Whoever reads or listens to such a Shiva Purana with love, such a person will become very dear to Shiva and will attain a noble destiny. Here ends the second chapter of the first Sri Vidyeshwara Samhita of the Sri Shiva Purana. Vyasa says, after hearing such statements about the Shiva Purana from the Suta, he asked the Suta to tell him this Shiva Purana, which is full of the essence of Vedanta.
Hearing these words from the sages, the great sage Suta, greatly pleased, remembered Shankara and began to speak thus. The Sutas says, "O sage, remember Lord Shiva, who is free from all vices, and listen to the one who recites the essence of the Vedas, the greatest of the Puranas, the Shri Shiva Purana." Listen, O sages, this Purana is like explaining the essence of the Vedas. Long ago, many kalpas were passing by again and again. At that time, the Prakrit Kalpa, the Shvetavaraha Kalpa, had arrived, and the work of creation had also begun. At that time, among the sages living on both sides of the Triveni Sangam, this object was considered the best. No, there was a great debate among themselves as to whether this thing was better or not. Then all those sages who had doubts in this way went to Brahma to ask him about this.
