Interesting chapter, certainly in terms of backstory, but maybe a bit too much there was a lot of exposition about the gods which could be spread out more I think.
I'm a bit divided on the character of Listener. On the one hand I find him interesting because he has his plans and really likes to scheme. On the other hand, and I'm finding this the stronger consideration, he falls into my pet peeve of the Telepathic Plot Device to get around the limitations of third person limited.
Now, this may be just me, but whenever I've read about a telepathic character that character is immediately used to give us the thoughts and therefore the truth and true motivations of the other important but non-viewpoint characters. It's basically third person omniscient not so cleverly disguised.
I'm still not convinced on the necessity of sex for awakening a shri. You explain that attaining it is done by losing control, through sex, torture, and drugs. Finally, the third option is named. I suppose religious dogma forbids drugs as much as torture, but it still feels like a heavy handed way to instil conflict between some characters.
I also don't see what the other interests are in creating trouble between those three for the ones who ordered this particular coupling. If sex is so particularly dangerous I'm sure it's a wiser choice to let Titan have sex with the women, since no matter the explosive power he is immune. And, depending on the views of the characters and the culture, why not the men as well? As an alternative there must also be a female god with high resistances and why do they need to have sex with each other? Why not get them some beautiful attendants to go through the deed? Wouldn't that be a great honour for the attendants and if one or more are killed to awaken a god, well, that's just collateral isn't it?
On an aside, I did find this line very funny:
The whole problem could have been solved long ago, but the religious idiots in charge would rather see a Polaesi die every few years then let one succumb to the sin of masturbation.
They are gods, they should've just decreed it was now legal. It's interesting to see the living gods stuck in the same hodgepodge and bureaucracy as any other institute.