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.
दुर्लभा मानुषी जातिः सर्वजातिषु भारते । सर्वेभ्यो ब्राह्मणः श्रेष्ठः प्रशस्तः सर्वकर्मसु
Human birth is difficult to obtain among all species in Bhārata; among all, the brāhmaṇa is the highest, praised in all actions.
ब्रह्मनिष्ठो द्विजश्चैव गरीयान् भारते सति । निष्कामश्च सकामश्च ब्राह्मणो द्विविधः सति
A twice-born devoted to Brahman is indeed most worthy in Bhārata; and the brāhmaṇa is of two kinds: one with desires and one without.
सकामाज्ज प्रधानश्च निष्कामो भक्त एव च । कर्मभोगी सकामश्च निष्कामो निरुपद्रवः
Of these, the one with desires is foremost, but the one without desires is truly a devotee; the brāhmaṇa with desires enjoys the fruits of action, while the one without desires is free from affliction.
स याति देहं त्यक्त्वा च पदं यत्तन्निरामयम् । पुनरागमनं नास्ति तेषां निष्कामिनां सति
He, having abandoned the body, attains that state which is free from disease; for those without desires, there is no return.
सेवन्ते द्विभुजं कृष्णं परमात्मानमीश्वरम् । गोलोकं प्रति ते भक्ता दिव्यरूपविधारिणः
They serve the two-armed Krishna, the Supreme Self, the Lord; those devotees, assuming divine forms, go to Goloka.
सकामिनो वैष्णवाश्च गत्वा वैकुण्ठमेव च । भारतं पुनरायान्ति तेषां जन्म द्विजातिषु
The Vaiṣṇavas with desires, having gone to Vaikuṇṭha, return again to Bhārata, taking birth among the twice-born.
काले गते च निष्कामा भवन्त्येव ्क्रमेण च । भक्तिं च निर्मलां तेभ्यो दास्यामि निश्चितं पुनः
When the time has passed, they gradually become without desires; I will surely grant them pure devotion again.
ब्राह्मणा वैष्णवाश्चैव सकामाः सर्वजन्मसु । न तेषां निर्मला बुद्धिर्विष्णुभक्तिविवर्जिताः
Brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas with desires, in all births, do not possess pure understanding, being devoid of devotion to Viṣṇu.
तीर्थाश्रिता द्विजा ये च तपस्यानिरताः सति । ते यान्ति ब्रह्मलोकं च पुनरायान्ति भारते
Those twice-born who reside at holy places and are devoted to austerity go to Brahmaloka, but return again to Bhārata.
स्वधर्मनिरता ये च तीर्थान्यत्रनिवासिनः । व्रजन्ति ते सत्यलोकं पुनरायान्ति भारते
Those who are devoted to their own dharma, residing at holy places or elsewhere, go to Satyaloka, but return again to Bhārata.
स्वधर्मनिरता विप्राः सूर्यभक्ताश्च भारते । व्रजन्ति ते सूर्यलोकं पुनरायान्ति भारते
Brāhmaṇas devoted to their own dharma and worshippers of the Sun in Bhārata go to Sūryaloka, but return again to Bhārata.
मूलप्रकृतिभक्ता ये निष्कामा धर्मचारिणः । मणिद्वीपं प्रयान्त्येव पुनरावृत्तिवर्जितम्
Those devoted to the primal Nature, who are without desires and follow dharma, go to Maṇidvīpa, from which there is no return.
स्वधर्मे निरता भक्ताः शैवाः शाक्ताश्च गाणपाः । ते यान्ति शिवलोकं च पुनरायान्ति भारते
Those devoted to their own duty, who are followers of Shiva, Shakti, or Ganesha, attain the realm of Shiva and return again to Bharata.
ये विप्रा अन्यदेवेज्याः स्वधर्मनिरताः सति । ते यान्ति सर्वलोकं च पुनरायान्ति भारते
Those Brahmins who worship other deities, yet remain devoted to their own duty, reach all worlds and return again to Bharata.
हरिभक्ताश्च निष्कामाः स्वधर्मनिरता द्विजाः । ते च यान्ति हरेर्लोकं क्रमाद्भक्तिबलादहो
Brahmins who are devoted to Hari, free from desire and steadfast in their own duty, gradually attain the realm of Hari by the power of devotion.
स्वधर्मरहिता विप्रा देवान्यसेवनाः सदा । भ्रष्टाचाराश्च कामाश्च ते यान्ति नरकं ध्रुवम्
Brahmins who lack devotion to their own duty, always serve other gods, are corrupt in conduct and driven by desire, surely go to hell.
स्वधर्मनिरता एव वर्णाश्चत्वार एव च । भवन्त्येव शुभस्यैव कर्मणः फलभोगिनः
Only those among the four castes who are devoted to their own duty enjoy the fruits of virtuous actions.
स्वकर्मरहिता ये च नरकं यान्ति ते ध्रुवम् । भारते न भवन्त्येव कर्मणः फलभोगिनः
Those who lack their own prescribed actions surely go to hell; in Bharata, they do not enjoy the fruits of action.
स्वधर्मनिरता एव वर्णाश्चत्वार एव च । स्वधर्मनिरता विप्राः स्वधर्मनिरताय च
Only those among the four castes who are devoted to their own duty, and Brahmins devoted to their own duty, are so.
कन्यां ददति विप्राय चन्द्रलोकं प्रयान्ति ते । वसन्ति तत्र ते साध्वि यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश
Brahmins who give a maiden in marriage attain the realm of the moon; they dwell there, O virtuous one, as long as the fourteen Indras reign.