लक्षो जन्मकृतं पापं दशलक्षोऽन्यजन्मजम् । सर्वजन्मकृतं पापं शतलक्षाद्विनश्यति
Sins committed in one birth are destroyed by a hundred thousand; those from ten births by a million; and all sins from all births are destroyed by ten million.
करोति मुक्तिं विप्राणां जपो दशगुणस्ततः । करं सर्पफणाकारं कृत्वा तद्रन्धमुद्रितम्
The recitation performed by brāhmaṇas grants liberation, and is ten times more effective when done with the hand shaped like a serpent's hood, sealing the opening.
आनम्रमूर्धमचलं प्रजपेत्प्राङ्मुखो द्विजः । अनामिकामध्यदेशादधोऽवामक्रमेण च
With the head bowed and steady, facing east, the twice-born should recite, moving from the middle of the ring finger downward, in order, to the base of the little finger.
तर्जनीमूलपर्यन्तं जपस्यैवं क्रमः करे । श्वेतपङ्कजबीजानां स्फटिकानां च संस्कृताम्
This is the sequence for recitation on the hand, from the base to the tip of the index finger; using beads of white lotus seeds or crystal, properly prepared.
कृत्वा वै मालिकां राजन् जपेत्तीर्थे सुरालये । संस्थाप्य मालामश्वत्थपत्रे पद्मे च संयतः
Having made a rosary, O King, one should recite at a sacred place or temple, placing the rosary on a peepal leaf or lotus, with self-control.
कृत्वा गोरोचनाक्तां च गायत्र्या स्नापयेत्सुधीः । गायत्रीशतकं तस्यां जपेच्च विधिपूर्वकम्
Having anointed it with cow's gall, the wise should bathe it with the Gāyatrī mantra, and recite the Gāyatrī one hundred times upon it, according to proper procedure.
अथवा पञ्चगव्येन स्नात्वा मालां सुसंस्कृताम् । अथ गङ्गोदकेनैव स्नात्वा वातिसुसंस्कृताम्
Alternatively, after bathing the well-prepared rosary with pañcagavya, or else with Ganges water, making it extremely pure—
एवं क्रमेण राजर्षे दशलक्षं जपं कुरु । साक्षाद्द्रक्ष्यसि सावित्रीं त्रिजन्मपातकक्षयात्
In this manner, O royal sage, perform one hundred thousand recitations; you will directly see Sāvitrī, as the sins of three births are destroyed.
नित्यं सन्ध्यां च हे राजन् करिष्यसि दिने दिने । मध्याह्ने चापि सायाह्ने प्रातरेव शुचिः सदा
O King, you should perform the sandhyā ritual every day—at midday, in the evening, and always in the morning, remaining pure.
सन्ध्याहीनोऽशुचिर्नित्यमनर्हः सर्वकर्मसु । यदह्ना कुरुते कर्म न तस्य फलभाग्भवेत्
One who neglects sandhyā is always impure and unfit for all rites; whatever action he performs that day will not bear fruit.
नोपतिष्ठति यः पूर्वां नोपास्ते यस्तु पश्चिमाम् । स शूद्रवद्बहिष्कार्यः सर्वस्माद् द्विजकर्मणः
He who does not perform the morning or evening sandhyā should be excluded from all duties of the twice-born, like a Śūdra.
यावज्जीवनपर्यन्तं त्रिःसन्ध्यां यः करोति च । स च सूर्यसमो विप्रस्तेजसा तपसा सदा
He who performs the three sandhyās throughout his life is, in brilliance and austerity, always equal to the sun, O brāhmaṇa.
तत्पादपद्मरजसा सद्यःपूता वसुन्धरा । जीवन्मुक्तः स तेजस्वी सन्ध्यापूतो हि यो द्विजः
By the dust of his lotus feet, the earth is instantly purified; that twice-born, purified by sandhyā, is liberated while living and radiant.
तीर्थानि च पवित्राणि तस्य संस्पर्शमात्रतः । ततः पापानि यान्त्येव वैनतेयादिवोरगाः
Holy places become pure merely by his touch; thus, sins depart from him just as serpents flee from Garuḍa.
न गृह्णन्ति सुराः पूजां पितरः पिण्डतर्पणम् । स्वेच्छया च द्विजातेश्च त्रिसन्ध्यारहितस्य च
The gods do not accept worship, nor the ancestors the offerings, from a twice-born who neglects the three sandhyās, acting as he pleases.
मूलप्रकृत्यभक्तो यस्तन्मन्त्रस्याप्यनर्चकः । तदुत्सवविहीनश्च विषहीनो यथोरगः
He who has no devotion to the root nature, who does not honor its mantra, who neglects its festivals, is like a serpent without poison.
विष्णुमन्त्रविहीनश्च त्रिसन्ध्यारहितो द्विजः । एकादशीविहीनश्च विषहीनो यथोरगः
A twice-born who lacks the Viṣṇu mantra, who neglects the three sandhyās, or who omits the eleventh day observance, is like a serpent without poison.
हरेरनैवेद्यभोजी धावको वृषवाहकः । शूद्रान्नभोजी यो विप्रो विषहीनो यथोरगः
A brāhmaṇa who eats food not offered to Hari, who runs after the bull, or who eats food of a Śūdra, is like a serpent without poison.
शूद्राणां शवदाही यः स विप्रो वृषलीपतिः । शूद्राणां सूपकारश्च विषहीनो यथोरगः
A Brahmin who cremates the dead for Shudras is the master of outcastes; a Brahmin who cooks for Shudras is like a serpent without poison.
शूद्राणां च प्रतिग्राही शूद्रयाजी च यो द्विजः । मसिजीवी असिजीवी विषहीनो यथोरगः
A twice-born who accepts gifts from Shudras or performs sacrifices for Shudras, who lives by ink or by the sword, is like a serpent without poison.
यः कन्याविक्रयी विप्रो यो हरेर्नामविक्रयी । यो विप्रोऽवीरान्नभोजी ऋतुस्नातान्नभोजकः
A Brahmin who sells maidens, who sells the name of Hari, who eats food not given by the pure, or eats food from a woman in her period—
भगजीवी बार्धुषिको विषहीनो यथोरगः । यो विद्याविकयी विप्रो विषहीनो यथोरगः
One who lives off a courtesan, who is a messenger, is like a serpent without poison; a Brahmin who sells knowledge is like a serpent without poison.
सूर्योदये स्वपेद्यो हि मत्स्यभोजी च यो द्विजः । शिवापूजादिरहितो विषहीनो यथोरगः
A twice-born who sleeps at sunrise, who eats fish, or who neglects the worship of Shiva and others, is like a serpent without poison.
इत्युक्त्वा च मुनिश्रेष्ठः सर्वपूजाविधिक्रमम् । तमुवाच च सावित्र्या ध्यानादिकमभीप्सितम्
Having thus spoken of all the improper ways of worship, O best of sages, he then told him the desired meditation and other practices of Savitri.
दत्त्वा सर्वं नृपेन्द्राय ययौ च स्वाश्रमे मुने । राजा संपूज्य सावित्रीं ददर्श वरमाप च
After giving everything to the king, the sage returned to his own hermitage; the king, having worshipped Savitri, saw her and obtained a boon.
नारद उवाच किं वा ध्यानं च सावित्र्याः किं वा पूजाविधानकम् । स्तोत्रं मन्त्रं च किं दत्त्वा प्रययौ स पराशरः
Narada said: What was the meditation on Savitri, what was the method of worship, what hymn or mantra did Parashara give before departing?
नृपः केन विधानेन संपूज्य श्रुतिमातरम् । वरं च कं वा सम्प्राप सम्पूज्य तु विधानतः
By what method did the king worship the Mother of the Vedas, and what boon did he obtain after worshipping her according to the proper rite?
तत्सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि सावित्र्याः परमं महत् । रहस्यातिरहस्यं च श्रुतिसिद्धं समासतः
I wish to hear all this—the supreme and great secret of Savitri, the most confidential mystery established in the Vedas, in brief.
श्रीनारायण उवाच ज्येष्ठकृष्णत्रयोदश्यां शुद्धकाले च यत्नतः । व्रतमेव चतुर्दश्यां व्रती भक्त्या समाचरेत्
Shri Narayana said: On the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of Jyeshtha, at a pure time, one should carefully observe the vow, and on the fourteenth, perform it with devotion.
व्रतं चतुर्दशाब्दं च द्विसप्तफलसंयुतम् । दत्त्वा द्विसप्तनैवेद्यं पुष्पधूपादिकं चरेत्
The vow, lasting fourteen years, yields twice sevenfold fruits; offering twice seven kinds of food, one should perform worship with flowers, incense, and the like.