न नास्तिके कथां पुण्यामिमां ब्रूयात्कदाचन । श्रद्दधानाय शान्ताय कीर्तनीया द्विजातये
na nāstike kathāṃ puṇyāmimāṃ brūyātkadācana | śraddadhānāya śāntāya kīrtanīyā dvijātaye
Kisah suci yang berpahala ini jangan sekali-kali diceritakan kepada orang yang tidak beriman. Hendaklah ia dilantunkan kepada yang berkeyakinan, berperangai damai, dan kepada dvija (yang ‘dua kali lahir’) yang layak mendengar.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)
Tirtha: प्रभासक्षेत्र
Type: kshetra
Listener: ऋषयः
Scene: कथावाचकः श्रोतृमण्डलीं परीक्षते—श्रद्धालवः शान्ताः अग्रे उपविष्टाः; एकः नास्तिक-रूपः दूरं निरस्तः; पृष्ठभूमौ प्रभास-तीर-चिह्न
Sacred teachings are to be transmitted responsibly—faith and serenity are presented as key qualifications for receiving Māhātmya.
Prabhāsakṣetra is the context; the verse sets rules for sharing its Māhātmya.
A prescription about recitation (kīrtana): recite the narrative only to qualified, faith-filled listeners.