कां कां योनिं याति जीवः कर्मणा केन वा पुनः । केन वा कर्मणा स्वर्गं केन वा नरकं पितः
By what action does the soul enter which womb, and by what action again? By what action does one go to heaven, and by what action to hell, O father?
केन वा कर्मणा मुक्तिः केन भक्तिर्भवेद् गुरौ । केन वा कर्मणा योगी रोगी वा केन कर्मणा
By what action is there liberation, and by what is there devotion to the guru? By what action does one become a yogi or a sick person?
केन वा दीर्घजीवी च केनाल्पायुश्च कर्मणा । केन वा कर्मणा दुःखी सुखी वा केन कर्मणा
By what action does one become long-lived, and by what action short-lived? By what action is one unhappy, or by what action happy?
अङ्गहीनश्च काणश्च बधिरः केन कर्मणा । अन्धो वा पङ्गुरपि वा प्रमत्तः केन कर्मणा
By what action does one become limbless, one-eyed, or deaf? Or by what action blind, lame, or mad?
क्षिप्तोऽतिलुब्धकश्चौरः केन वा कर्मणा भवेत् । केन सिद्धिमवाप्नोति सालोक्यादिचतुष्टयम्
By what action does one become possessed, extremely greedy, or a thief? By what action does one attain the fourfold perfection, such as residing in the same world as the deity?
केन वा ब्राह्मणत्वं च तपस्वित्वं च केन वा । स्वर्गभोगादिकं केन वैकुण्ठं केन कर्मणा
By what action does one become a Brahmin, or an ascetic? By what action does one enjoy heavenly pleasures, or by what action does one reach Vaikuntha?
गोलोकं केन वा ब्रह्मन् सर्वोत्कृष्टं निरामयम् । नरको वा कतिविधः किंसंख्यो नाम किं च वा
O Brahman, by whom was Goloka created, that supreme and flawless realm? And how many kinds of hell are there, by what names, and of what number?
को वा कं नरकं याति कियन्तं तेषु तिष्ठति । पापिनां कर्मणा केन को वा व्याधिः प्रजायते । यद्यत्प्रियं मया पृष्टं तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
Who goes to which hell, and for how long do they remain there? By what actions do sinners incur disease, and what diseases arise? Whatever I have asked out of affection, you ought to explain to me.
सावित्र्युपाख्याने कर्मविपाकवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच सावित्रीवचनं श्रुत्वा जगाम विस्मयं यमः । प्रहस्य वक्तुमारेभे कर्मपाकं तु जीविनाम्
Narration of the results of actions in the story of Savitri. Shri Narayana said: Hearing Savitri’s words, Yama was filled with wonder; smiling, he began to speak about the results of actions for living beings.
धर्म उवाच कन्या द्वादशवर्षीया वत्से त्वं वयसाधुना । ज्ञानं ते पूर्वविदुषां ज्ञानिनां योगिनां परम्
Dharma said: O child, though you are only twelve years old, you possess the supreme knowledge known to the wise and to great yogis of the past.
सावित्रीवरदानेन त्वं सावित्री कला सती । प्राप्ता पुरा भूभृता च तपसा तत्समा सुते
By the boon granted to Savitri, you are indeed a portion of Savitri herself, O virtuous one; formerly, by your austerity, you attained this, equal to the earth-supporting king.
यथा श्रीः श्रीपतेः क्रोडे भवानी च भवोरसि । यथादितिः कश्यपे च यथाहल्या च गौतमे
Just as Shri is on the lap of Shri-pati, Bhavani on the chest of Bhava, Aditi with Kashyapa, and Ahalya with Gautama,
यथा शची महेन्द्रे च यथा चन्द्रे च रोहिणी । यथा रतिः कामदेवे यथा स्वाहा हुताशने
Just as Shachi is with Mahendra, Rohini with Chandra, Rati with Kamadeva, and Svaha with the Fire-god,
यथा स्वधा च पितृषु यथा सन्ध्या दिवाकरे । वरुणानी च वरुणे यज्ञे च दक्षिणा यथा
Just as Svadha is among the ancestors, Sandhya with the Sun, Varunani with Varuna, and Dakshina in the sacrifice,
यथा वराहे पृथिवी देवसेना च कार्तिके । सौभाग्या सुप्रिया त्वं च तथा सत्यवतः प्रिये
Just as the Earth is with Varaha, Devasena with Kartikeya, Saubhagya and Supriya, so too are you, beloved of Satyavat.
अयं तुभ्यं वरो दत्तोऽप्यपरं च यथेप्सितम् । शृणु देवि महाभागे ददामि सकलेप्सितम्
This boon has been granted to you, and whatever else you desire as well; listen, O great and fortunate goddess, I will grant you all that you wish.
सावित्र्युवाच सत्यवत औरसानां पुत्राणां शतकं मम । भविष्यति महाभाग वरमेतन्मदीप्सितम्
Savitri said: May I have a hundred sons born from Satyavat, O greatly fortunate one; this is the boon I desire.
मत्पितुः पुत्रशतकं श्वशुरस्य च चक्षुषी । राज्यलाभो भवत्वेवं वरमेतन्मदीप्सितम्
May my father have a hundred sons, and may my father-in-law’s sight be restored; may the kingdom be regained—this is the boon I desire.
अन्ते सत्यवता सार्धं यास्यामि हरिमन्दिरम् । समतीते लक्षवर्षे देहीदं मे जगत्प्रभो
At the end, may I go to the abode of Hari together with Satyavat; when a hundred thousand years have passed, O Lord of the world, grant me this.
जीवकर्मविपाकं च श्रोतुं कौतूहलं मम । विश्वनिस्तारबीजं च तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि
I am eager to hear about the results of actions for living beings, and also the seed that delivers all from the world; please explain this to me.
धर्मराज उवाच भविष्यति महासाध्वि सर्वं मानसिकं तव । जीवकर्मविपाकं च कथयामि निशामय
Dharmaraja said: O most virtuous one, all that you have desired in your mind shall be fulfilled; now listen as I describe the results of actions for living beings.
शुभानामशुभानां च कर्मणां जन्म भारते । पुण्यक्षेत्रे च नान्यत्र सर्वं च भुञ्जते जनाः
In Bharata, people experience the results of both good and bad actions, and in holy places, not elsewhere; all reap the fruits of their deeds.
सुरा दैत्या दानवाश्च गन्धर्वा राक्षसादयः । नराश्च कर्मजनका न सर्वे जीविनः सति
Gods, demons, danavas, gandharvas, rakshasas, and men—all are born of actions; not all living beings, however, are so.
विशिष्टजीविनः कर्म भुञ्जते सर्वयोनिषु । शुभाशुभं च सर्वत्र स्वर्गेषु नरकेषु च
Distinguished living beings experience the results of their actions in all wombs, both good and bad, everywhere—in heaven and in hell.
विशेषतो जीविनश्च भ्रमन्ते सर्वयोनिषु । शुभाशुभं भुञ्जते च कर्म पूर्वार्जितं परम्
Especially, living beings wander through all forms of existence, and they experience good and bad according to the supreme karma previously performed.
शुभेन कर्मणा याति स्वर्लोकादिकमेव च । कर्मणा चाशुभेनैव भ्रमन्ति नरकेषु च
By virtuous action, one attains the heavenly worlds and the like; by unvirtuous action, one wanders in the hells.
कर्मनिर्मूलने भक्तिः सा चोक्ता द्विविधा सति । निर्वाणरूपा भक्तिश्च ब्रह्मणः प्रकृतेरिह
For the destruction of karma, devotion is declared to be twofold: devotion in the form of liberation, and devotion to Brahman or to Nature here.
रोगी कुकर्मणा जीवश्चारोगी शुभकर्मणा । दीर्घजीवी च क्षीणायुः सुखी दुःखी च कर्मणा
A being becomes diseased through evil deeds, and healthy through virtuous deeds; long-lived or short-lived, happy or unhappy, all according to karma.
अन्धादयश्चाङ्गहीनाः कर्मणा कुत्सितेन च । सिद्ध्यादिकमवाप्नोति सर्वोत्कृष्टेन कर्मणा
The blind and the disabled are so due to vile actions; by the most excellent actions, one attains success and the like.
सामान्यं कथितं देवि विशेषं शृणु सुन्दरि । सुदुर्लभं सुगोप्यं च पुराणेषु स्मृतिष्वपि
The general principle has been stated, O Devi; now hear the special teaching, O beautiful one, which is very rare and well concealed even in the Purāṇas and Smṛtis.