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.
नरकाणां च कुण्डानि सन्ति नानाविधानि च । नानाशास्त्रप्रमाणेन कर्मभेदेन यानि च
There are pits of hell, of various kinds, determined by different scriptures and by the diversity of actions.
विस्तृतानि च गर्तानि क्लेशदानि च दुःखिनाम् । भयङ्कराणि घोराणि हे वत्से कुत्सितानि च
There are deep chasms, causing suffering to the miserable, terrifying, dreadful, and vile, O dear one.
षडशीति च कुण्डानि एवमन्यानि सन्ति च । निबोध तेषां नामानि प्रसिद्धानि श्रुतौ सति
There are eighty-six pits, and others as well; listen to their names, renowned in the scriptures.
वह्निकुण्डं तप्तकुण्डं क्षारकुण्डं भयानकम् । विट्कुण्डं मूत्रकुण्डं च श्लेष्मकुण्डं च दुःसहम्
The fiery pit, the heated pit, the caustic pit, the dreadful one; the pit of excrement, the pit of urine, and the intolerable pit of phlegm.
गरकुण्डं दूषिकुण्डं वसाकुण्डं तथैव च । शुक्रकुण्डमसुक्कुण्डमश्रुकुण्डं च कुत्सितम्
The pit of poison, the pit of filth, the pit of fat likewise; the pit of semen, the pit of pus, and the loathsome pit of tears.
कुण्डं गात्रमलानां च कर्णविट्कुण्डमेव च । मज्जाकुण्डं मांसकुण्डं नक्रकुण्डं च दुस्तरम्
The pit of bodily grime, the pit of earwax, the pit of marrow, the pit of flesh, and the insurmountable pit of crocodiles.
लोमकुण्डं केशकुण्डमस्थिकुण्डं च दुस्तरम् । ताम्रकुण्डं लोहकुण्डं प्रतप्तं क्लेशदं महत्
The pit of hair, the pit of head-hair, the pit of bones, hard to cross; the copper pit, the iron pit, blazing and greatly tormenting.
चर्मकुण्डं तप्तसुराकुण्डं च परिकीर्तितम् । तीक्ष्णकण्टककुण्डं च विषोदं विषकुण्डकम्
The pit of skin, the pit of heated liquor is also mentioned; the pit of sharp thorns, the pit filled with poison, and the poisonous pit.
प्रतप्तकुण्डं तैलस्य कुन्तकुण्डं च दुर्वहम् । कृमिकुण्डं पूयकुण्डं सर्पकुण्डं दुरन्तकम्
The pit of boiling oil, the pit of spikes, unbearable; the pit of worms, the pit of pus, the pit of serpents, exceedingly dreadful.
मशकुण्डं दंशकुण्डं भीमं गरलकुण्डकम् । कुण्डं च वज्रदंष्ट्राणां वृश्चिकानां च सुव्रते
The pit of flies, the pit of biting insects, the terrible pit of venom; the pit of those with diamond-like fangs, and the pit of scorpions, O virtuous one.
शरकुण्डं शूलकुण्डं खड्गकुण्डं च भीषणम् । गोलकुण्डं नक्रकुण्डं काककुण्डं शुचास्पदम्
The pit of arrows, the pit of spears, the dreadful pit of swords; the pit of balls, the pit of crocodiles, the pit of crows, a place of torment.
मन्थानकुण्डं बीजकुण्डं वज्रकुण्डं च दुःसहम् । तप्तपाषाणकुण्डं च तीक्ष्णपाषाणकुण्डकम्
The pit of churning, the pit of seeds, the pit of thunderbolts, unbearable; the pit of heated stones, and the pit of sharp stones.
लालाकुण्डं मसीकुण्डं चूर्णकुण्डं तथैव च । चक्रकुण्डं वक्रकुण्डं कूर्मकुण्डं महोल्बणम्
The pit of saliva, the pit of ink, the pit of powder likewise; the pit of wheels, the pit of curves, the pit of tortoises, exceedingly fierce.
ज्वालाकुण्डं भस्मकुण्डं दग्धकुण्डं शुचिस्मिते । तप्तसूचीमसिपत्रं क्षुरधारं सूचीमुखम्
The pit of flames, the pit of ashes, the pit of burning, O fair-smiled one; the pit of heated needles, sword-blades, razor-edges, and needle-mouths.
गोकामुख नक्रमुखं गजदंशं च गोमुखम् । कुम्भीपाकं कालसूत्रं मत्स्योदं कृमितन्तुकम्
The pit of cow-mouths, crocodile-mouths, elephant bites, and cow-mouths; the Kumbhipaka, Kaalasutra, Matsyoda, and the pit of worm-threads.
पांसुभोज्यं पाशवेष्टं शूलप्रोतं प्रकम्पनम् । उल्कामुखमन्धकूपं वेधनं ताडनं तथा
The pit where one eats earth, is bound with ropes, is impaled on stakes, and is shaken; the pit of meteors, the dark well, piercing, and beating as well.
जालरन्ध्रं देहचूर्णं दलनं शोषणं कषम् । शूर्पं ज्वालामुखं चैव धूमान्धं नागवेष्टनम्
The pit of netted holes, the pit of body-powdering, crushing, drying, and scraping; the winnowing basket, the flaming mouth, the smoke-blinded, and the pit of serpent-binding.
कुण्डान्येतानि सावित्रि पापिनां क्लेशदानि च । नियुतैः किङ्करगणै रक्षितानि च सन्ततम्
These are the pits, O Savitri, that bring suffering to sinners, and are always guarded by countless hosts of servants.
दण्डहस्तैः पाशहस्तैर्मदमत्तैर्भयङ्करैः । शक्तिहस्तैर्गदाहस्तैरसिहस्तैः सुदारुणैः
With staffs in hand, with nooses in hand, intoxicated and terrifying; with spears, with maces, with swords, exceedingly fierce.
तमोयुक्तैर्दयाहीनैर्निवार्यैश्च न सर्वतः । तेजस्विभिश्च निःशङ्कैराताम्रपिङ्गलोचनैः
Endowed with darkness, devoid of compassion, impossible to restrain from all sides; radiant, fearless, with coppery and tawny eyes.