तामित्युवाच सन्तुष्टः स्वयं चैव रुरोद ह । धर्मराज उवाव लक्षवर्षं सुखं भुक्त्वा पुण्यक्षेत्रे च भारते
Spoke to her, pleased, and himself wept. The Lord of Dharma said: 'After enjoying happiness for a hundred thousand years in the sacred land of Bharata,
अन्ते यास्यसि तल्लोकं यत्र देवी विराजते । गत्वा च स्वगृहं भद्रे सावित्र्याश्च व्रतं कुरु
At the end, you will go to that world where the Goddess shines; return to your home, O blessed one, and observe the vow of Savitri.
द्विसप्तवर्षपर्यन्तं नारीणां मोक्षकारणम् । ज्येष्ठशुक्लचतुर्दश्यां सावित्र्याश्च व्रतं शुभम्
For twenty-eight years, the vow of Savitri is the cause of liberation for women, especially on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Jyeshtha.
शुक्लाष्टम्यां भाद्रपदे महालक्ष्या यथा व्रतम् । द्व्यष्टवर्षं व्रतं चैव प्रत्यादेयं शुचिस्मिते
On the bright eighth day in Bhadrapada, as is the vow of Mahalakshmi, the twenty-eight-year vow should be undertaken, O pure-smiled one.
करोति भक्त्या या नारी सा याति च विभोः पदम् । प्रतिमङ्गलवारे च देवीं मङ्गलदायिनीम्
A woman who performs it with devotion attains the Lord's abode; on every auspicious day, worship the Goddess who bestows auspiciousness.
प्रतिमासं शुक्लषष्ठ्यां षष्ठीं मङ्गलदायिनीम् । तथा चाषाढसङ्क्रान्त्यां मनसां सर्वसिद्धिदाम्
Every month, on the bright sixth day, worship Shashthi, the giver of auspiciousness; and on the solstice of Ashadha, worship with the mind the giver of all accomplishments.
राधां रासे च कार्तिक्यां कृष्णप्राणाधिकप्रियाम् । उपोष्य शुक्लाष्टम्यां च प्रतिमासं वरप्रदाम्
Worship Radha in the Rasa festival in Kartika, who is dearer to Krishna than life; fasting on the bright eighth day each month, worship the bestower of boons.
विष्णुमायां भगवतीं दुर्गां दुर्गतिनाशिनीम् । प्रकृतिं जगदम्बां च पतिपुत्रवतीषु च
Worship Vishnumaya, the blessed Durga, destroyer of misfortune, the primal nature, the Mother of the world, among women with husbands and sons.
पतिव्रतासु शुद्धासु यन्त्रेषु प्रतिमासु च । या नारी पूजयेद्भक्त्या धनसन्तानहेतवे
Among chaste and pure women, in yantras and images, whichever woman worships with devotion for the sake of wealth and progeny,
इहलोके सुखं भुक्त्वा यात्यन्ते श्रीविभोः पदम् । एवं देव्या विभूतीश्च पूजयेत्साधकोऽनिशम्
Enjoying happiness in this world, she ultimately attains the abode of the glorious Lord; thus, the practitioner should worship the powers of the Goddess constantly.
सर्वकालं सर्वरूपा संसेव्या परमेश्वरी । नातः परतरं किञ्चित्कृतकृत्यत्वदायकम्
The Supreme Lady, who takes all forms at all times, is to be worshipped; there is nothing higher than her that grants fulfillment of all duties.
इत्युक्त्वा तां धर्मराजो जगाम निजमन्दिरम् । गृहीत्वा स्वामिनं सा च सावित्री च निजालयम्
Having spoken thus, the Lord of Dharma returned to his own abode; Savitri also went to her home, taking her husband with her.
सावित्री सत्यवांश्चैव प्रययौ च यथागमम् । अन्यांश्च कथयामास स्ववृत्तान्तं हि नारद
Savitri and Satyavan proceeded as was proper, and she recounted her story to others, O Narada.
सावित्रीजनकः पुत्रान् सम्प्राप्तः प्रक्रमेण च । श्वशुरश्चक्षुषी राज्यं सा च पुत्रान् वरेण च
Savitri's father gradually obtained sons; her father-in-law regained his sight and his kingdom, and she too received sons by her boon.
लक्षवर्षं सुखं भुक्त्वा पुण्यक्षेत्रे च भारते । जगाम स्वामिना सार्धं देवीलोकं पतिव्रता
After enjoying happiness for a hundred thousand years in the sacred land of Bharata, the devoted wife went to the world of the Goddess together with her husband.
सवितुश्चाधिदेवी या मन्त्राधिष्ठातृदेवता । सावित्री ह्यपि वेदानां सावित्री तेन कीर्तिता
She who is the presiding goddess of Savita, the deity who empowers the mantra, is also called Savitri among the Vedas for this reason.
इत्येवं कथितं वत्स सावित्र्याख्यानमुत्तमम् । जीवकर्मविपाकं च किं पुनः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
Thus, O child, the excellent story of Savitri has been told, along with the results of actions in life; what else do you wish to hear?
लक्ष्म्युपाख्यानवर्णनम् नारद उवाच श्रीमूलप्रकृतेर्देव्या गायत्र्यास्तु निराकृतेः । सावित्रीयमसंवादे श्रुतं वै निर्मलं यशः
The narration of Lakshmi's story.
तद्गुणोत्कीर्तनं सत्यं मङ्गलानां च मङ्गलम् । अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि लक्ष्म्युपाख्यानमीश्वर
Narada said: O Lord, I have heard the pure and glorious dialogue of Savitri, the formless Gayatri, and the goddess who is the primal source of Shri.
केनादौ पूजिता सापि किंभूता केन वा पुरा । तद्गुणोत्कीर्तनं मह्यं वद वेदविदांवर
The praise of her qualities is truly the most auspicious of all auspicious things; now, O Lord, I wish to hear the story of Lakshmi.
श्रीनारायण उवाच सृष्टेरादौ पुरा ब्रह्मन् कृष्णस्य परमात्मनः । देवी वामांससम्भूता बभूव रासमण्डले
By whom was she first worshipped, what was she like in the beginning, and by whom, in ancient times? O best of knowers of the Veda, tell me the praise of her qualities.
अतीव सुन्दरी श्यामा न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डिता । यथा द्वादशवर्षीया शश्वत्सुस्थिरयौवना
Shri Narayana said: In the beginning of creation, O Brahman, the Goddess, born from the left side of Krishna, the Supreme Self, appeared in the circle of the rasa dance.
श्वेतचम्पकवर्णाभा सुखदृश्या मनोहरा । शरत्पार्वणकोटीन्दुप्रभाप्रच्छादनानना
She was exceedingly beautiful, dark-complexioned, adorned with a banyan garland, ever in the bloom of stable youth, as if twelve years old.
शरन्मध्याह्नपद्मानां शोभामोचनलोचना । सा देवी द्विविधा भूता सह सर्वेश्वरेच्छया
Her radiance was like white campaka flowers, pleasing to behold, captivating, her face outshining the brilliance of ten million autumn full moons.
स्वीयरूपेण वर्णेन तेजसा वयसा त्विषा । यशसा वाससा कृत्या भूषणेन गुणेन च
Her eyes surpassed the beauty of autumn midday lotuses; by the will of the Lord of all, that Goddess became twofold.
स्मितेन वीक्षणेनैव प्रेम्णा वानुनयेन च । तद्वामांसान्महालक्ष्मीर्दक्षिणासांच्च राधिका
By her own form, color, brilliance, age, splendor, fame, garments, actions, ornaments, and virtues—
राधाऽऽदौ वरयामास द्विभुजञ्च परात्परम् । महालक्ष्मीश्च तत्पश्चाच्चकमे कमनीयकम्
By her smile, glance, affection, and gentle persuasion, from her left side came Mahalakshmi, and from her right side, Radhika.
कृष्णस्तद्गौरवेणैव द्विधारूपो बभूव ह । दक्षिणांसश्च द्विभुजो वामांसश्च चतुर्भुजः
First, Radhika chose the Supreme, two-armed form, and then Mahalakshmi desired the charming form that followed.
चतुर्भुजाय द्विभुजो महालक्ष्मीं ददौ पुरा । लक्ष्यते दृश्यते विश्वं स्निग्धदृष्ट्या ययानिशम्
Out of respect for them, Krishna took two forms: the right side became two-armed, and the left side became four-armed.
देवीभूता च महती महालक्ष्मीश्च सा स्मृता । राधाकान्तश्च द्विभुजो लक्ष्मीकान्तश्चतुर्भुजः
She is remembered as the great Mahālakṣmī, who became the goddess; Rādhākānta has two arms, Lakṣmīkānta has four arms.