Ninth Skandha · Chapter 29
Sourceश्रीनारायण उवाच सावित्रीवचनं श्रुत्वा जगाम विस्मयं यमः । प्रहस्य वक्तुमारेभे कर्मपाकं तु जीविनाम् ॥ १ ॥ धर्म उवाच कन्या द्वादशवर्षीया वत्से त्वं वयसाधुना । ज्ञानं ते पूर्वविदुषां ज्ञानिनां योगिनां परम् ॥ २ ॥ सावित्रीवरदानेन त्वं सावित्री कला सती । प्राप्ता पुरा भूभृता च तपसा तत्समा सुते ॥ ३ ॥ यथा श्रीः श्रीपतेः क्रोडे भवानी च भवोरसि । यथादितिः कश्यपे च यथाहल्या च गौतमे ॥ ४ ॥ यथा शची महेन्द्रे च यथा चन्द्रे च रोहिणी । यथा रतिः कामदेवे यथा स्वाहा हुताशने ॥ ५ ॥ यथा स्वधा च पितृषु यथा सन्ध्या दिवाकरे । वरुणानी च वरुणे यज्ञे च दक्षिणा यथा ॥ ६ ॥ यथा वराहे पृथिवी देवसेना च कार्तिके । सौभाग्या सुप्रिया त्वं च तथा सत्यवतः प्रिये ॥ ७ ॥ अयं तुभ्यं वरो दत्तोऽप्यपरं च यथेप्सितम् । शृणु देवि महाभागे ददामि सकलेप्सितम् ॥ ८ ॥ सावित्र्युवाच सत्यवत औरसानां पुत्राणां शतकं मम । भविष्यति महाभाग वरमेतन्मदीप्सितम् ॥ ९ ॥ मत्पितुः पुत्रशतकं श्वशुरस्य च चक्षुषी । राज्यलाभो भवत्वेवं वरमेतन्मदीप्सितम् ॥ १० ॥ अन्ते सत्यवता सार्धं यास्यामि हरिमन्दिरम् । समतीते लक्षवर्षे देहीदं मे जगत्प्रभो ॥ ११ ॥ जीवकर्मविपाकं च श्रोतुं कौतूहलं मम । विश्वनिस्तारबीजं च तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥ १२ ॥ धर्मराज उवाच भविष्यति महासाध्वि सर्वं मानसिकं तव । जीवकर्मविपाकं च कथयामि निशामय ॥ १३ ॥ शुभानामशुभानां च कर्मणां जन्म भारते । पुण्यक्षेत्रे च नान्यत्र सर्वं च भुञ्जते जनाः ॥ १४ ॥ सुरा दैत्या दानवाश्च गन्धर्वा राक्षसादयः । नराश्च कर्मजनका न सर्वे जीविनः सति ॥ १५ ॥ विशिष्टजीविनः कर्म भुञ्जते सर्वयोनिषु । शुभाशुभं च सर्वत्र स्वर्गेषु नरकेषु च ॥ १६ ॥ विशेषतो जीविनश्च भ्रमन्ते सर्वयोनिषु । शुभाशुभं भुञ्जते च कर्म पूर्वार्जितं परम् ॥ १७ ॥ शुभेन कर्मणा याति स्वर्लोकादिकमेव च । कर्मणा चाशुभेनैव भ्रमन्ति नरकेषु च ॥ १८ ॥ कर्मनिर्मूलने भक्तिः सा चोक्ता द्विविधा सति । निर्वाणरूपा भक्तिश्च ब्रह्मणः प्रकृतेरिह ॥ १९ ॥ रोगी कुकर्मणा जीवश्चारोगी शुभकर्मणा । दीर्घजीवी च क्षीणायुः सुखी दुःखी च कर्मणा ॥ २० ॥ अन्धादयश्चाङ्गहीनाः कर्मणा कुत्सितेन च । सिद्ध्यादिकमवाप्नोति सर्वोत्कृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥ २१ ॥ सामान्यं कथितं देवि विशेषं शृणु सुन्दरि । सुदुर्लभं सुगोप्यं च पुराणेषु स्मृतिष्वपि ॥ २२ ॥ दुर्लभा मानुषी जातिः सर्वजातिषु भारते । सर्वेभ्यो ब्राह्मणः श्रेष्ठः प्रशस्तः सर्वकर्मसु ॥ २३ ॥ ब्रह्मनिष्ठो द्विजश्चैव गरीयान् भारते सति । निष्कामश्च सकामश्च ब्राह्मणो द्विविधः सति ॥ २४ ॥ सकामाज्ज प्रधानश्च निष्कामो भक्त एव च । कर्मभोगी सकामश्च निष्कामो निरुपद्रवः ॥ २५ ॥ स याति देहं त्यक्त्वा च पदं यत्तन्निरामयम् । पुनरागमनं नास्ति तेषां निष्कामिनां सति ॥ २६ ॥ सेवन्ते द्विभुजं कृष्णं परमात्मानमीश्वरम् । गोलोकं प्रति ते भक्ता दिव्यरूपविधारिणः ॥ २७ ॥ सकामिनो वैष्णवाश्च गत्वा वैकुण्ठमेव च । भारतं पुनरायान्ति तेषां जन्म द्विजातिषु ॥ २८ ॥ काले गते च निष्कामा भवन्त्येव ्क्रमेण च । भक्तिं च निर्मलां तेभ्यो दास्यामि निश्चितं पुनः ॥ २९ ॥ ब्राह्मणा वैष्णवाश्चैव सकामाः सर्वजन्मसु । न तेषां निर्मला बुद्धिर्विष्णुभक्तिविवर्जिताः ॥ ३० ॥ तीर्थाश्रिता द्विजा ये च तपस्यानिरताः सति । ते यान्ति ब्रह्मलोकं च पुनरायान्ति भारते ॥ ३१ ॥ स्वधर्मनिरता ये च तीर्थान्यत्रनिवासिनः । व्रजन्ति ते सत्यलोकं पुनरायान्ति भारते ॥ ३२ ॥ स्वधर्मनिरता विप्राः सूर्यभक्ताश्च भारते । व्रजन्ति ते सूर्यलोकं पुनरायान्ति भारते ॥ ३३ ॥ मूलप्रकृतिभक्ता ये निष्कामा धर्मचारिणः । मणिद्वीपं प्रयान्त्येव पुनरावृत्तिवर्जितम् ॥ ३४ ॥ स्वधर्मे निरता भक्ताः शैवाः शाक्ताश्च गाणपाः । ते यान्ति शिवलोकं च पुनरायान्ति भारते ॥ ३५ ॥ ये विप्रा अन्यदेवेज्याः स्वधर्मनिरताः सति । ते यान्ति सर्वलोकं च पुनरायान्ति भारते ॥ ३६ ॥ हरिभक्ताश्च निष्कामाः स्वधर्मनिरता द्विजाः । ते च यान्ति हरेर्लोकं क्रमाद्भक्तिबलादहो ॥ ३७ ॥ स्वधर्मरहिता विप्रा देवान्यसेवनाः सदा । भ्रष्टाचाराश्च कामाश्च ते यान्ति नरकं ध्रुवम् ॥ ३८ ॥ स्वधर्मनिरता एव वर्णाश्चत्वार एव च । भवन्त्येव शुभस्यैव कर्मणः फलभोगिनः ॥ ३९ ॥ स्वकर्मरहिता ये च नरकं यान्ति ते ध्रुवम् । भारते न भवन्त्येव कर्मणः फलभोगिनः ॥ ४० ॥ स्वधर्मनिरता एव वर्णाश्चत्वार एव च । स्वधर्मनिरता विप्राः स्वधर्मनिरताय च ॥ ४१ ॥ कन्यां ददति विप्राय चन्द्रलोकं प्रयान्ति ते । वसन्ति तत्र ते साध्वि यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश ॥ ४२ ॥ सालङ्कृताया दानेन द्विगुणं फलमुच्यते । सकामा यान्ति तल्लोकं न निष्कामाश्च साधवः ॥ ४३ ॥ ते प्रयान्ति विष्णुलोकं फलसङ्घातवर्जिताः । गव्यं च रजतं स्वर्णं वस्त्रं सर्पिः फलं जलम् ॥ ४४ ॥ ये ददत्येव विप्रेभ्यश्चन्द्रलोकं प्रयान्ति ते । वसन्ति ते च तल्लोके यावन्मन्वन्तरं सति ॥ ४५ ॥ सुचिरात्सुचिरं वासं कुर्वन्ति तेन ते जनाः । ये ददति सुवर्णांश्च गाश्च ताम्रादिकं सति ॥ ४६ ॥ ते यान्ति सूर्यलोकं च शुचये ब्राह्मणाय च । वसन्ति ते तत्र लोके वर्षाणामयुतं सति ॥ ४७ ॥ विपुले सुचिरं वासं कुर्वन्ति च निरामयाः । ददाति भूमिं विप्रेभ्यो धनानि विपुलानि च ॥ ४८ ॥ स याति विष्णुलोकं च श्वेतद्वीपं मनोहरम् । तत्रैव निवसत्येव यावच्चन्द्रदिवाकरौ ॥ ४९ ॥ विपुले विपुलं वासं करोति पुण्यवान्मुने । गृहं ददति विप्राय ये जना भक्तिपूर्वकम् ॥ ५० ॥ ते यान्ति विष्णुलोकं च सुचिरं सुखदायकम् । गृहरेणुप्रमाणं च विष्णुलोके महत्तमे ॥ ५१ ॥ विपुले विपुलं वासं कुर्वन्ति मानवाः सति । यस्मै यस्मै च देवाय यो ददाति गृहं नरः ॥ ५२ ॥ स याति तस्य लोकं च रेणुमानाब्दमेव च । सौधे चतुर्गुणं पुण्यं देशे शतगुणं फलम् ॥ ५३ ॥ प्रकृष्टे द्विगुणं तस्मादित्याह कमलोद्भवः । यो ददाति तडागं च सर्वपापापनुत्तये ॥ ५४ ॥ स याति जनलोकं च रेणुमानाब्दमेव च । वाप्यां फलं दशगुणं प्राप्नोति मानवः सदा ॥ ५५ ॥ स तु वापीप्रदानेन तडागस्य फलं लभेत् । धनुश्चतुःसहस्रेण दर्श्यमानेन निश्चितम् ॥ ५६ ॥ न्यूना वा तावती प्रस्थे सा वापी परिकीर्तिता । दशवापीसमा कन्या यदि पात्रे प्रदीयते ॥ ५७ ॥ फलं ददाति द्विगुणं यदि सालङ्कृता भवेत् । यत्फलं च तडागे च तदुद्धारे च तत्कलम् ॥ ५८ ॥ वाप्याश्च पङ्कोद्धरणे वापीतुल्यफलं लभेत् । अश्वत्थवृक्षमारोप्य प्रतिष्ठां यः करोति च ॥ ५९ ॥ स प्रयाति तपोलोकं वर्षाणामयुतं सति । पुष्पोद्यानं यो ददाति सावित्रि सर्वभूतये ॥ ६० ॥ स वसेद् ध्रुवलोके च वर्षाणामयुतं धुवम् । यो ददाति विमानं च विष्णवे भारते सति ॥ ६१ ॥ विष्णुलोके वसेत्सोऽपि यावन्मन्वन्तरं परम् । चित्रयुक्ते च विपुले फलं तस्य चतुर्गुणम् ॥ ६२ ॥ तस्यार्धं शिबिकादाने फलमेव लभेद् ध्रुवम् । यो ददाति भक्तियुक्तो हरये दोलमन्दिरम् ॥ ६३ ॥ विष्णुलोके वसेत्सोऽपि यावन्मन्वन्तरं शतम् । राजमार्गं सौधयुक्तं यः करोति पतिव्रते ॥ ६४ ॥ वर्षाणामयुतं सोऽपि शक्रलोके महीयते । ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽथ देवेभ्यो दाने समफलं लभेत् ॥ ६५ ॥ यद्धि दत्तं च तद्भुङ्क्ते न दत्तं नोपतिष्ठते । भुक्त्वा स्वर्गादिजं सौख्यं पुण्यवाञ्जन्म भारते ॥ ६६ ॥ लभेद्विप्रकुलेष्वेव क्रमेणैवोत्तमादिषु । भारते पुण्यवान्विप्रो भुक्त्वा स्वर्गादिकं फलम् ॥ ६७ ॥ पुनः सोऽपि भवेद्विप्रश्चैवं च क्षत्रियादयः । क्षत्रियो वाथ वैश्यो वा कल्पकोटिशतेन च ॥ ६८ ॥ तपसा ब्राह्मणत्वं च न प्राप्नोति श्रुतौ श्रुतम् । नाभुक्तं क्षीयते कर्म कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ॥ ६९ ॥ अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम् । देवतीर्थसहायेन कायव्यूहेन शुध्यति । एतत्ते कथितं किञ्चित् किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥ ७० ॥
śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca sāvitrīvacanaṃ śrutvā jagāma vismayaṃ yamaḥ | prahasya vaktumārebhe karmapākaṃ tu jīvinām || 1 || dharma uvāca kanyā dvādaśavarṣīyā vatse tvaṃ vayasādhunā | jñānaṃ te pūrvaviduṣāṃ jñānināṃ yogināṃ param || 2 || sāvitrīvaradānena tvaṃ sāvitrī kalā satī | prāptā purā bhūbhṛtā ca tapasā tatsamā sute || 3 || yathā śrīḥ śrīpateḥ kroḍe bhavānī ca bhavorasi | yathāditiḥ kaśyape ca yathāhalyā ca gautame || 4 || yathā śacī mahendre ca yathā candre ca rohiṇī | yathā ratiḥ kāmadeve yathā svāhā hutāśane || 5 || yathā svadhā ca pitṛṣu yathā sandhyā divākare | varuṇānī ca varuṇe yajñe ca dakṣiṇā yathā || 6 || yathā varāhe pṛthivī devasenā ca kārtike | saubhāgyā supriyā tvaṃ ca tathā satyavataḥ priye || 7 || ayaṃ tubhyaṃ varo datto'pyaparaṃ ca yathepsitam | śṛṇu devi mahābhāge dadāmi sakalepsitam || 8 || sāvitryuvāca satyavata aurasānāṃ putrāṇāṃ śatakaṃ mama | bhaviṣyati mahābhāga varametanmadīpsitam || 9 || matpituḥ putraśatakaṃ śvaśurasya ca cakṣuṣī | rājyalābho bhavatvevaṃ varametanmadīpsitam || 10 || ante satyavatā sārdhaṃ yāsyāmi harimandiram | samatīte lakṣavarṣe dehīdaṃ me jagatprabho || 11 || jīvakarmavipākaṃ ca śrotuṃ kautūhalaṃ mama | viśvanistārabījaṃ ca tanme vyākhyātumarhasi || 12 || dharmarāja uvāca bhaviṣyati mahāsādhvi sarvaṃ mānasikaṃ tava | jīvakarmavipākaṃ ca kathayāmi niśāmaya || 13 || śubhānāmaśubhānāṃ ca karmaṇāṃ janma bhārate | puṇyakṣetre ca nānyatra sarvaṃ ca bhuñjate janāḥ || 14 || surā daityā dānavāśca gandharvā rākṣasādayaḥ | narāśca karmajanakā na sarve jīvinaḥ sati || 15 || viśiṣṭajīvinaḥ karma bhuñjate sarvayoniṣu | śubhāśubhaṃ ca sarvatra svargeṣu narakeṣu ca || 16 || viśeṣato jīvinaśca bhramante sarvayoniṣu | śubhāśubhaṃ bhuñjate ca karma pūrvārjitaṃ param || 17 || śubhena karmaṇā yāti svarlokādikameva ca | karmaṇā cāśubhenaiva bhramanti narakeṣu ca || 18 || karmanirmūlane bhaktiḥ sā coktā dvividhā sati | nirvāṇarūpā bhaktiśca brahmaṇaḥ prakṛteriha || 19 || rogī kukarmaṇā jīvaścārogī śubhakarmaṇā | dīrghajīvī ca kṣīṇāyuḥ sukhī duḥkhī ca karmaṇā || 20 || andhādayaścāṅgahīnāḥ karmaṇā kutsitena ca | siddhyādikamavāpnoti sarvotkṛṣṭena karmaṇā || 21 || sāmānyaṃ kathitaṃ devi viśeṣaṃ śṛṇu sundari | sudurlabhaṃ sugopyaṃ ca purāṇeṣu smṛtiṣvapi || 22 || durlabhā mānuṣī jātiḥ sarvajātiṣu bhārate | sarvebhyo brāhmaṇaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ praśastaḥ sarvakarmasu || 23 || brahmaniṣṭho dvijaścaiva garīyān bhārate sati | niṣkāmaśca sakāmaśca brāhmaṇo dvividhaḥ sati || 24 || sakāmājja pradhānaśca niṣkāmo bhakta eva ca | karmabhogī sakāmaśca niṣkāmo nirupadravaḥ || 25 || sa yāti dehaṃ tyaktvā ca padaṃ yattannirāmayam | punarāgamanaṃ nāsti teṣāṃ niṣkāmināṃ sati || 26 || sevante dvibhujaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ paramātmānamīśvaram | golokaṃ prati te bhaktā divyarūpavidhāriṇaḥ || 27 || sakāmino vaiṣṇavāśca gatvā vaikuṇṭhameva ca | bhārataṃ punarāyānti teṣāṃ janma dvijātiṣu || 28 || kāle gate ca niṣkāmā bhavantyeva krameṇa ca | bhaktiṃ ca nirmalāṃ tebhyo dāsyāmi niścitaṃ punaḥ || 29 || brāhmaṇā vaiṣṇavāścaiva sakāmāḥ sarvajanmasu | na teṣāṃ nirmalā buddhirviṣṇubhaktivivarjitāḥ || 30 || tīrthāśritā dvijā ye ca tapasyāniratāḥ sati | te yānti brahmalokaṃ ca punarāyānti bhārate || 31 || svadharmaniratā ye ca tīrthānyatranivāsinaḥ | vrajanti te satyalokaṃ punarāyānti bhārate || 32 || svadharmaniratā viprāḥ sūryabhaktāśca bhārate | vrajanti te sūryalokaṃ punarāyānti bhārate || 33 || mūlaprakṛtibhaktā ye niṣkāmā dharmacāriṇaḥ | maṇidvīpaṃ prayāntyeva punarāvṛttivarjitam || 34 || svadharme niratā bhaktāḥ śaivāḥ śāktāśca gāṇapāḥ | te yānti śivalokaṃ ca punarāyānti bhārate || 35 || ye viprā anyadevejyāḥ svadharmaniratāḥ sati | te yānti sarvalokaṃ ca punarāyānti bhārate || 36 || haribhaktāśca niṣkāmāḥ svadharmaniratā dvijāḥ | te ca yānti harerlokaṃ kramādbhaktibalādaho || 37 || svadharmarahitā viprā devānyasevanāḥ sadā | bhraṣṭācārāśca kāmāśca te yānti narakaṃ dhruvam || 38 || svadharmaniratā eva varṇāścatvāra eva ca | bhavantyeva śubhasyaiva karmaṇaḥ phalabhoginaḥ || 39 || svakarmarahitā ye ca narakaṃ yānti te dhruvam | bhārate na bhavantyeva karmaṇaḥ phalabhoginaḥ || 40 || svadharmaniratā eva varṇāścatvāra eva ca | svadharmaniratā viprāḥ svadharmaniratāya ca || 41 || kanyāṃ dadati viprāya candralokaṃ prayānti te | vasanti tatra te sādhvi yāvadindrāścaturdaśa || 42 || sālaṅkṛtāyā dānena dviguṇaṃ phalamucyate | sakāmā yānti tallokaṃ na niṣkāmāśca sādhavaḥ || 43 || te prayānti viṣṇulokaṃ phalasaṅghātavarjitāḥ | gavyaṃ ca rajataṃ svarṇaṃ vastraṃ sarpiḥ phalaṃ jalam || 44 || ye dadatyeva viprebhyaścandralokaṃ prayānti te | vasanti te ca talloke yāvanmanvantaraṃ sati || 45 || sucirātsuciraṃ vāsaṃ kurvanti tena te janāḥ | ye dadati suvarṇāṃśca gāśca tāmrādikaṃ sati || 46 || te yānti sūryalokaṃ ca śucaye brāhmaṇāya ca | vasanti te tatra loke varṣāṇāmayutaṃ sati || 47 || vipule suciraṃ vāsaṃ kurvanti ca nirāmayāḥ | dadāti bhūmiṃ viprebhyo dhanāni vipulāni ca || 48 || sa yāti viṣṇulokaṃ ca śvetadvīpaṃ manoharam | tatraiva nivasatyeva yāvaccandradivākarau || 49 || vipule vipulaṃ vāsaṃ karoti puṇyavānmune | gṛhaṃ dadati viprāya ye janā bhaktipūrvakam || 50 || te yānti viṣṇulokaṃ ca suciraṃ sukhadāyakam | gṛhareṇupramāṇaṃ ca viṣṇuloke mahattame || 51 || vipule vipulaṃ vāsaṃ kurvanti mānavāḥ sati | yasmai yasmai ca devāya yo dadāti gṛhaṃ naraḥ || 52 || sa yāti tasya lokaṃ ca reṇumānābdameva ca | saudhe caturguṇaṃ puṇyaṃ deśe śataguṇaṃ phalam || 53 || prakṛṣṭe dviguṇaṃ tasmādityāha kamalodbhavaḥ | yo dadāti taḍāgaṃ ca sarvapāpāpanuttaye || 54 || sa yāti janalokaṃ ca reṇumānābdameva ca | vāpyāṃ phalaṃ daśaguṇaṃ prāpnoti mānavaḥ sadā || 55 || sa tu vāpīpradānena taḍāgasya phalaṃ labhet | dhanuścatuḥsahasreṇa darśyamānena niścitam || 56 || nyūnā vā tāvatī prasthe sā vāpī parikīrtitā | daśavāpīsamā kanyā yadi pātre pradīyate || 57 || phalaṃ dadāti dviguṇaṃ yadi sālaṅkṛtā bhavet | yatphalaṃ ca taḍāge ca taduddhāre ca tatkalam || 58 || vāpyāśca paṅkoddharaṇe vāpītulyaphalaṃ labhet | aśvatthavṛkṣamāropya pratiṣṭhāṃ yaḥ karoti ca || 59 || sa prayāti tapolokaṃ varṣāṇāmayutaṃ sati | puṣpodyānaṃ yo dadāti sāvitri sarvabhūtaye || 60 || sa vased dhruvaloke ca varṣāṇāmayutaṃ dhuvam | yo dadāti vimānaṃ ca viṣṇave bhārate sati || 61 || viṣṇuloke vasetso'pi yāvanmanvantaraṃ param | citrayukte ca vipule phalaṃ tasya caturguṇam || 62 || tasyārdhaṃ śibikādāne phalameva labhed dhruvam | yo dadāti bhaktiyukto haraye dolamandiram || 63 || viṣṇuloke vasetso'pi yāvanmanvantaraṃ śatam | rājamārgaṃ saudhayuktaṃ yaḥ karoti pativrate || 64 || varṣāṇāmayutaṃ so'pi śakraloke mahīyate | brāhmaṇebhyo'tha devebhyo dāne samaphalaṃ labhet || 65 || yaddhi dattaṃ ca tadbhuṅkte na dattaṃ nopatiṣṭhate | bhuktvā svargādijaṃ saukhyaṃ puṇyavāñjanma bhārate || 66 || labhedviprakuleṣveva krameṇaivottamādiṣu | bhārate puṇyavānvipro bhuktvā svargādikaṃ phalam || 67 || punaḥ so'pi bhavedvipraścaivaṃ ca kṣatriyādayaḥ | kṣatriyo vātha vaiśyo vā kalpakoṭiśatena ca || 68 || tapasā brāhmaṇatvaṃ ca na prāpnoti śrutau śrutam | nābhuktaṃ kṣīyate karma kalpakoṭiśatairapi || 69 || avaśyameva bhoktavyaṃ kṛtaṃ karma śubhāśubham | devatīrthasahāyena kāyavyūhena śudhyati | etatte kathitaṃ kiñcit kiṃ bhūyaḥ śrotumicchasi || 70 ||
English translation
1. Narayana said Yama got thunderstruck at these queries of Savitri. He then began to describe, with a smiling countenance, the fruition of the several works of the Jivas.
2-8. He said “O Child! You are now a daughter only twelve years old. But you speak of wisdom like the Highest Jhanins and Yogis, Sanaka and others. O Child! By virtue of the boon granted by Savitri, you have become incarnate of Her in part. The King AsVapati got you before by performing severe penances. As Laksmi is dear and fortunate with regard to Visnu, as Mahadevi is to Mahadeva, Aditi to Kas’yapa, Ahalya to Gautama, so you are to Satyavana in respect of affection and good-luck and other best qualities. As S’achi is to Mahendra, as Rohini is to Moon, as Rati is to Kama, as Svaha is to Fire, as Svadha is to the Piths, as Sanjha is to the Sun, as Varunani is to Varuna, as Daksina is to Yajha, as Earth is to Varaha, as Devasena is to Kartika, so you are fortunate and blessed with respect to Satyavana. O Savitri! I myself grant you this boon of my own accord. Now ask other boons. O highly fortunate One! I will fulfil all your desires.”
9-12. Savitri said “O Noble One! Let there be one hundred sons of mine by Satyavana. This is the boon that I want. Let there be one hundred sons of my Father as well; let my Father-in-law get back his (lost) eyesight and may he get back his lost kingdom. This is another boon that I want. Thou art the Lord of the world. So grant me this boon, too, that I may have this my very body for a lakh years when I may go to Vaikuntha with Satyavana. Now I am eager to hear the
various fruitions of Karmas of several Jivas. Kindly narrate them and oblige.”
13-70. Dharma said You are very chaste. So what you have thought will verily come to pass. Now I describe the fruition of Karmas of the JTvas. Listen. Excepting this holy land of Bharata, nowhere do the people enjoy wholly the fruition of their two-fold Karmas, good and bad. It is only the Suras, Daityas, Danavas, Gandharvas, Raksasas, and men that do Karmas. The beasts and the other JTvas do not do Karmas. The special JTvas, e.g., men, etc., experience the fruition of their Karmas in Heavens, hells and in all the other Yonis (wombs). Specially, as the JTvas roam in all the different Yonis, they enjoy their Karmas, good or bad, as the case may be, carved in their previous births. The good works get fructified in Heavens; and the bad works lead the JTvas to hells. This Karma can be got rid of by Bhakti. This Bhakti is of two kinds (1) Nirguna of the nature of Nirvana; and (2) towards Prakriti, of the astute of Brahma, and with Maya inherent. Diseases come as the result of bad and ignorant actions and healthiness comes from good and certain scientific Karmas. Similar are the remarks for short and long lives for happiness and pain. By bad works, one becomes blind or deformed in body. So by doing excellent Karmas, one acquires Siddhis, etc.. These are spoken generally. I will now speak in detail; listen. This is very secret even in Puranas and Smritis. In this Bharatavarsa men are the best of all the various classes of beings. The Brahmans are the best of men and are best in all Kinds of Karmas. They are responsible, too, for their actions. O Chaste One! Of the Brahmins, again, those that are attached to the Brahmanas are the best. The Brahmanas are of two kinds as they are Sakama (with desires) or Niskama (without desires). The NiskamT Brahmanas are superior to the SakamT Brahmanas. For the SakamTs are to enjoy the fruits of their Karmas, while the NiskamT Brahmanas are perfectly free from any such disturbances (they have not to come back to this field of Karma). The Niskama Bhakta after they quit their
bodies, go to a place free from sickness or disease, pure and perfect. From there they do not come back. The Niskama Bhaktas assuming the divine forms go to the Goloka and worship the Highest God, the Highest Self, the two-armed Krisna. The Sakami Vaisnavas go to Vaikuntha; but they come back in Bharata and get into the wombs of the twice-born. By degrees they also become Niskama when they certainly acquire pure undefiled Bhakti. The Brahmanas and Vaisnavas that are Sakamis in all the births, never get that pure undefiled intellect and never get the devotion to Visnu. The Brahmanas, living in the Tirthas (sacred places of pilgrimages) and attached to Tapas go to Brahmaloka (the region of Brahma); they again come down to Bharata. Those that are devotedly attached to their own Dharma (religion) and reside in places other than Tirthas, go to Satyaloka and again come to Bharata. The Brahmanas, following their own Dharma and devoted to the Sun go to the world of the Sun and again come to Bharata. And those who are devoted to Mula Prakriti and devoted to Niskama Dharma go to Mani Dvipa and have not to come back from thither. The Bhaktas of S’iva, S’akti, and Gane’sa, and attached to their own Dharmas respectively go to the S’iva Loka and return from thence. Those Brahmanas that worship the other Devas and attached to their own Dharmas go to those regions of theirs respectively and again come to Bharata. Attached to their own Dharmas, the Niskami Bhaktas of Hari go by their Bhakti step by step to the region of S’ri Hari. Those that are not attached to their own Dharmas and do not worship the Devas and always bent on doing things as they like without any regard to their Acharas go certainly to hells. No doubt in this. The Brahmanas and the other three Varnas, attached to their own Dharmas all enjoy the fruits of their good works. But those who do not do their Svadharma, go verily down into hells. They do not came to Bharata for their rebirth, they enjoy their fruits of Karmas in hells! Therefore the four Varnas ought to follow their own Dharmas of the Brahmanas, they are to remain attached to their own Dharmas and give their daughters in marriage to the similarly qualified Brahmanas. They then go to the Chandraloka (the region of the Moon). There they remain for the life periods of the fourteen Indras. And if the girl be
given, with ornaments, the results obtained would be twice. If the girl be given with a desire in view, then that world is obtained; but if the girl be given without any desire but to fulfil the God’s will and God’s satisfaction only, then one would not have to go to that world. They go to Visnu Loka, bereft of the fruits of all Karmas. Those that give to the Brahmanas pasture ground and cattle, silver, gold, garment, fruits and water, go to the Chandraloka and live there for one Manvantara. They live long in those regions by virtue of that merit. Again those that give gold, cows, copper, etc., to the holy Brahmanas, go to the Surya Loka (the region of the Sun) and live there for one Ayuta years (10,000 years), free from diseases, etc., for a long time. Those that give lands and lots of wealth to the Brahmins, go to the Visnu Loka and to the beautiful S’veta Dvipa (one of the eighteen minor divisions of the known continents). And there they live as long as the Sun and Moon exist. O Muni! The meritorious persons live long in that wide region. Note S’veta Dvipa may mean Vaikuntha, where Visnu resides. Those who give with devotion dwelling places to the Brahmanas, go to the happy Visnu Loka. And there, in that great Visnu Loka, they live for years equal to the number of molecules, in that house. He who offers a dwelling house in honour of any Deva, goes to the region of that Deva and remains there for a number of years equivalent to the number of particles in that house. The lotus-born Brahma said that if one offers a royal palace, one obtains a result four times and if one offers a country, one gets the result one hundred times that; again if one offers an excellent country, twice as much merit one acquires. One who dedicates a tank for the expiation of all one’s sins, one lives in Janar Loka (one of the pious regions) for a period equivalent to the number of particles therein). If any man offers a Vapi (a well) in preference to other gifts, one gets ten fold fruits thereby. If one offers seven VapTs, one acquires the fruits of offering one tank. A VapT is one which is four thousand Dhanus long and which is as much wide or less (Note Dhanu equals a measure of four hastas). If offered to a good bridegroom, then the giving of a daughter in marriage is equivalent to a dedication of ten Vapis. And if the girl be offered with ornaments, twice the merits accrue. The same merit
accrues in clearing the bed of the mud of a pond as in digging it. So for the VapT (well). O Chaste One! He who plants an AsVattha tree and dedicates it to a godly purpose, lives for one Ayuta years in Tapar Loka. O Savitri! He who dedicates a flower garden for the acquirement of all sorts of good, lives for one Ayuta years in Dhruva Loka.
O Chaste One! He who gives a Vimana (any sort of excellent carriage) in honour of Visnu, in this Hindoosthan, lives for one Manvantara in Visnuloka. And if one gives a Vimana of variegated colours and workmanship, four times the result accrues. And one who gives a palanquin, acquires half the fruits. Again if anybody gives, out of devotion, a swinging temple (the Dol Mandir) to Bhagavan S’ri Hah, lives for one hundred Manvantras, in the region of Visnu. O Chaste One! He who makes a gift of a royal road, decorated with palatial buildings on either side, lives with great honour and love in that Indraloka for one Ayuta years. Equal results follow whether the above things are offered to the Gods or to the Brahmanas. He enjoys that which he gives. No giving, no enjoying. After enjoying the heavenly pleasures, etc., the virtuous person takes birth in Bharata as a Brahmin or in other good families, in due order, and ultimately in the Brahmana families. The virtuous Brahmana, after he has enjoyed the heavenly pleasures, takes his birth again in Bharata in Brahmana, Ksattriya or in Vais’ya families. A Ksattriya or a Vais’ya can never obtain Brahmanahood, even if he performs asceticism for one Koti Kalpas. This is stated in the S’rutis. Without enjoying the fruits, no Karma can be exhausted even in one hundred Koti Kalpas. So the fruits of the Karmas must be enjoyed, whether they be auspicious or inauspicious. By the help of seeing the Devas and seeing the Tirthas again and again, purity is acquired. O Savitri! So now I have told you something. What more d o you want to hear? Say.
Here ends the Twenty-Ninth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the anecdote of Savitri on the fruits of making gifts and on the effects of Karmas in S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24517, revision 75101 (2016-07-25T03:36:14Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk09ch29.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.