अश्वमेधशतेनैव शक्रत्वं च लभेद्ध्रुवम् । सहस्रेण विष्णुपदं सम्प्राप्तः पृथुरेव च
By a hundred Aśvamedha sacrifices, one certainly attains the status of Indra; by a thousand, King Pṛthu attained the abode of Viṣṇu.
स्नानं च सर्वतीर्थानां सर्वयज्ञेषु दीक्षणम् । सर्वेषां च व्रतानां च तपसां फलमेव च
Bathing in all holy waters, initiation in all sacrifices, and the fruit of all vows and austerities—
पाठे चतुर्णां वेदानां प्रादक्षिण्यं भुवस्तथा । फलभूतमिदं सर्वं मुक्तिदं शक्तिसेवनम्
The recitation of the four Vedas, circumambulation of the earth—all these fruits are gained, and liberation is attained, by worship of Śakti.
पुराणेषु च वेदेषु चेतिहासेषु सर्वतः । निरूपितं सारभूतं देवीपादाम्बुजार्चनम्
In all the Purāṇas, Vedas, and histories, it is established everywhere that the worship of the lotus feet of the Goddess is the very essence.
तद्वर्णनं च तद्ध्यानं तन्नामगुणकीर्तनम् । तत्स्तोत्रस्मरणं चैव वन्दनं जपमेव च
Describing Her, meditating on Her, singing Her names and virtues, remembering Her hymns, offering praise, and reciting Her mantras—
तत्पादोदकनैवेद्यं भक्षणं नित्यमेव च । सर्वसम्मतमित्येवं सर्वेप्सितमिदं सति
Partaking daily of Her foot-water and offerings—this is universally approved and desired by all.
भज नित्यं परं ब्रह्म निर्गुणं प्रकृतिं पराम् । गृहाण स्वामिनं वत्से सुखं वस च मन्दिरे
Constantly worship the Supreme Brahman, the attributeless, the highest Prakṛti; accept the Lord, my child, and dwell happily in the home.
अयं ते कथितः कर्मविपाको मङ्गलो नृणाम् । सर्वेप्सितः सर्वमतस्तत्त्वज्ञानप्रदः परः
This auspicious result of karma has been told to you, which is most desired by people, supreme, and bestows true knowledge.
यमाष्टकवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच शक्तेरुत्कीर्तनं श्रुत्वा सावित्री यमवक्त्रतः । साश्रुनेत्रा सपुलका यमं पुनरुवाच सा
Description of the Yamāṣṭaka Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Hearing the praise of Śakti from Yama’s mouth, Sāvitrī, her eyes filled with tears and her body bristling with joy, spoke again to Yama.
सावित्र्युवाच शक्तेरुत्कीर्तनं धर्म सकलोद्धारकारणम् । श्रोतॄणां चैव वक्तॄणां जन्ममृत्युजराहरम्
Sāvitrī said: The praise of Śakti, O Dharma, is the cause of deliverance for all, and for those who hear or speak it, it removes birth, death, and old age.
दानवानां च सिद्धानां तपसां च परं पदम् । योगानां चैव वेदानां कीर्तनं सेवनं विभो
For the Dānavas, the Siddhas, and those who perform austerities, it is the supreme goal; for yogas and Vedas, O Lord, it is praise and service.
मुक्तित्वममरत्वं च सर्वसिद्धित्वमेव च । श्रीशक्तिसेवकस्यैव कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्
Liberation, immortality, and all accomplishments—even the sixteenth part of these cannot be attained without service to Śrī Śakti.
भजामि केन विधिना वद वेदविदांवर । शुभकर्मविपाकं च श्रुतं नॄणां मनोहरम्
By what method should I worship? Tell me, O best among knowers of the Veda. I have heard of the delightful results of virtuous actions among people.
कर्माशुभविपाकं च तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि । इत्युक्त्वा च सती ब्रह्मन् भक्तिनम्रात्मकन्धरा
And also the results of unvirtuous actions—please explain that to me. Having spoken thus, O Brahman, she stood with devotion, her head bowed in reverence.
तुष्टाव धर्मराजं च वेदोक्तेन स्तवेन च । सावित्र्युवाच तपसा धर्ममाराध्य पुष्करे भास्करः पुरा
She praised the Lord of Dharma with a hymn from the Vedas. Sāvitrī said: By austerity, worshipping Dharma at Puṣkara, the Sun once obtained Dharma as a son.
धर्मं सूर्यः सुतं प्राप धर्मराजं नमाम्यहम् । समता सर्वभूतेषु यस्य सर्वस्य साक्षिणः
I bow to Dharmarāja, the son whom Sūrya obtained. He is equal toward all beings, the witness of everything.
अतो यन्नाम शमनमिति तं प्रणमाम्यहम् । येनान्तश्च कृतो विश्वे सर्वेषां जीविनां परम्
Therefore, I bow to him whose name is Śamana (the pacifier). By whom the end is brought to all living beings in the universe.
कामानुरूपं कालेन तं कृतान्तं नमाम्यहम् । बिभर्ति दण्डं दण्डाय पापिनां शुद्धिहेतवे
I bow to that Kṛtānta (the end-maker), who, in accordance with desires and at the proper time, brings about the end for all. He holds the staff for punishment, for the purification of sinners.
नमामि तं दण्डधरं यः शास्ता सर्वजीविनाम् । विश्वं च कलयत्येव यः सर्वेषु च सन्ततम्
I bow to that wielder of the staff, who is the ruler of all living beings. He continually perceives the entire universe in all.
अतीव दुर्निवार्यं च तं कालं प्रणमाम्यहम् । तपस्वी ब्रह्मनिष्ठो यः संयमी सञ्जितेन्द्रियः
I bow to that Kāla (Time), who is extremely difficult to withstand. He is austere, established in Brahman, self-restrained, and has conquered his senses.
जीवानां कर्मफलदस्तं यमं प्रणमाम्यहम् । स्वात्मारामश्च सर्वज्ञो मित्रं पुण्यकृतां भवेत्
I bow to Yama, the giver of the fruits of actions to living beings. He delights in his own self, is all-knowing, and is a friend to the doers of merit.
पापिनां क्लेशदो यस्तं पुण्यमित्रं नमाम्यहम् । यज्जन्म ब्रह्मणोंऽशेन ज्वलन्तं ब्रह्मतेजसा
I bow to him, the friend of the virtuous, who brings suffering to sinners. His birth is from a portion of Brahmā, blazing with the brilliance of Brahman.
यो ध्यायति परं ब्रह्म तमीशं प्रणमाम्यहम् । इत्युक्त्वा सा च सावित्री प्रणनाम यमं मुने
I bow to that Lord who meditates on the Supreme Brahman. Having spoken thus, Sāvitrī bowed to Yama, O sage.
यमस्तां शक्तिभजनं कर्मपाकमुवाच ह । इदं यमाष्टकं नित्यं प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत्
Yama then spoke to her about the worship of his power and the results of actions. Whoever recites this Yamāṣṭaka daily upon rising in the morning—
यमात्तस्य भयं नास्ति सर्वपापात्प्रमुच्यते । महापापी यदि पठेन्नित्यं भक्तिसमन्वितः । यमः करोति संशुद्धं कायव्यूहेन निश्चितम्
—has no fear from Yama and is freed from all sins. Even a great sinner, if he recites it daily with devotion, Yama certainly purifies him, along with his bodily constitution.
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां नवमस्कन्धे यमाष्टकवर्णनं नामेकत्रिशोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, in the Eighteen-Thousand-Verse Collection, in the Ninth Book, the thirty-first chapter named 'Description of the Yamāṣṭaka' is concluded.
सावित्र्युपाख्याने कुण्डसंख्यानिरूपणम् श्रीनारायण उवाच मायाबीजं महामन्त्रं प्रदत्त्वा विधिपूर्वकम् । कर्माशुभविपाकं च तामुवाच रवेः सुतः
In the story of Sāvitrī: the determination of the number of Kuṇḍas. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Having given the great mantra, the seed of Māyā, according to the proper method, the son of the Sun spoke to her about the results of actions, both virtuous and unvirtuous.
धर्मराज उवाच शुभकर्मविपाकान्न नरकं याति मानवः । कर्माशुभविपाकं च कथयामि निशामय
Dharmarāja said: From the results of virtuous actions, a person does not go to hell. Now I will tell you about the results of unvirtuous actions—listen.
नानापुराणभेदेन नामभेदेन भामिनि । नानाप्रकारं स्वर्गं च याति जीवः स्वकर्मभिः
O beautiful one, by the differences among various Purāṇas and by differences in names, the soul attains various kinds of heavens according to its own actions.
शुभकर्मविपाकान्न नरकं याति कर्मभिः । कुकर्मणा च नरकं याति नानाविधं नरः
By the results of virtuous actions, one does not go to hell; but by evil deeds, a person goes to various kinds of hell.