कर्म्मणो बीजरूपश्च सन्ततं तत्फलप्रदः
Action is of the nature of a seed, and it continually yields its corresponding fruit.
सोऽपि तद्धेतुरूपश्च कर्म्म तेन भवेत्सति
That too becomes the cause, and thus, through action, existence comes to be.
आत्मनः प्रतिबिम्बं च देही जीवः स एव च
The embodied soul is the very reflection of the self, and is itself the living being.
पृथिवी वायुराकाशो जलं तेजस्तथैव च
Earth, air, space, water, and likewise fire—
कर्त्ता भोक्ता च देही च स्वात्मा भोजयिता सदा
The embodied self is always the doer, the enjoyer, the self, and the one who causes enjoyment.
सदसद्भेदबीजं च ज्ञानं नानाविधं भवेत्
Knowledge, which is of many kinds, becomes the seed of the distinction between real and unreal.
इन्द्रियाणां वै प्रवरमीश्वराणां समूहकम्
Of the senses, the foremost is considered the aggregate of the lords.
अनिरूप्यमदृश्यं च ज्ञानभेदं मनः स्मृतम् 2.25.
That which cannot be defined or seen, the diversity of knowledge, is known as the mind.
अङ्गिनामङ्ग रूपं च प्रेरकं सर्वकर्मणाम्
The form of the limb among limbs, the instigator of all actions—
सूर्य्यो वायुश्च पृथिवी वाण्याद्या देवताः स्मृताः
The sun, the wind, the earth, speech, and others are known as deities.
परमात्मा परं ब्रह्म निर्गुणः प्रकृतेः परः
The supreme self, the highest Brahman, is without qualities and beyond nature.
इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं मया पृष्टं यथागमम्
Thus, everything you asked has been explained by me according to the tradition.
सावित्र्युवाच प्रश्नं यद्यत्करोमि त्वां तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
Savitri said: Whatever question I ask you, you are worthy to answer it.
कां कां योनिं याति जीवः कर्मणा केन वा यम
To which womb does the soul go, by what action, or by what cause, O Yama?
केन वा कर्मणा मुक्तिः केन भक्तिर्भवेद्धरेः
By what action is there liberation, and by what is there devotion to Hari?
केन वा दीर्घजीवी च केनाल्पायुश्च कर्म्मणा
By what action does one become long-lived, and by what action does one have a short life?
अङ्गहीनश्च काणश्च बधिरः केन कर्म्मणा
By what action does one become without limbs, or blind, or deaf?
क्षिप्तोऽतिलुब्धकश्चैव केन वा नरघातकः 2.25.
By what action does one become mad, excessively greedy, or a killer of men?
केन वा ब्राह्मणत्वं च तपस्वित्वं च केन वा
By what is one a brāhmaṇa, and by what is one an ascetic?
गोलोकं केन वा ब्रह्मन्सर्वोत्कृष्टं निरामयम्
By what, O Brāhmaṇa, is Goloka the highest and free from all affliction?
को वा कं नरकं याति कियन्तं तेषु तिष्ठति
Who goes to which hell, and how long do they remain there?
यद्यदस्ति मया पृष्टं तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
Whatever I have asked, you ought to explain that to me.
नारायण उवाच ।। सावित्रीवचनं श्रुत्वा जगाम विस्मयं यमः । प्रहस्य वक्तुमारेभे कर्मपाकं च जीविनाम्
Nārāyaṇa said: Hearing Sāvitrī’s words, Yama was amazed; smiling, he began to speak about the results of actions for living beings.
यम उवाच ज्ञानं ते पूर्वविदुषां योगिनां ज्ञानिनां परम्
Yama said: The knowledge of the wise of old, of yogis, and of the truly knowledgeable—
सावित्रीवरदानेन त्वं सावित्रीकला सति
By the boon granted to Sāvitrī, you are an aspect of Sāvitrī.
यथा श्रीः श्रीपतेः क्रोडे भवानी च भवोरसि
Just as Śrī is on the lap of Śrīpati, and Bhavānī is on the breast of Bhava,
धर्मोरसि यथा मूर्त्तिः शतरूपा मनौ यथा
Just as Dharma is on his chest, and Śatarūpā is with Manu,
अदितिः कश्यपे चापि यथाऽहल्या च गौतमे
Just as Aditi is with Kaśyapa, and Ahalyā is with Gautama,
यथा रतिः कामदेवे यथा स्वाहा हुताशने
Just as Rati is with Kāma, and Svāhā is with the Fire-god,
वरुणानी च वरुणे यज्ञे च दक्षिणा यथा
Just as Varuṇānī is with Varuṇa, and Dakṣiṇā is with the sacrifice,