The Dialogue of Yama and Savitri, Continued

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.9.28.1)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । यमस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा सावित्री च पतिव्रता । तुष्टाव परया भक्त्या तमुवाच मनस्विनी

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca | yamasya vacanaṁ śrutvā sāvitrī ca pativratā | tuṣṭāva parayā bhaktyā tamuvāca manasvinī

Sri Narayana said: Having heard Yama's words, the devoted Savitri praised him with supreme devotion, and, resolute of mind, spoke to him.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.9.28.2)

सावित्र्युवाच । किं कर्म तद्भवेत्केन को वा तद्धेतुरेव च । को वा देही च देहः कः को वात्र कर्मकारकः

sāvitryuvāca | kiṁ karma tadbhavetkena ko vā taddhetureva ca | ko vā dehī ca dehaḥ kaḥ ko vātra karmakārakaḥ

Savitri said: What is karma, and by what does it come about, and what indeed is its cause? Who is the embodied soul, what is the body, and who here is the doer of karma?

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.9.28.3)

किं वा ज्ञानं च बुद्धिः का को वा प्राणः शरीरिणाम् । कानीन्द्रियाणि किं तेषां लक्षणं देवताश्च काः

kiṁ vā jñānaṁ ca buddhiḥ kā ko vā prāṇaḥ śarīriṇām | kānīndriyāṇi kiṁ teṣāṁ lakṣaṇaṁ devatāśca kāḥ

What is knowledge, and what is intellect? What is the vital breath of embodied beings? What are the senses, what is their nature, and who are their presiding deities?

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.9.28.4)

भोक्ता भोजयिता को वा को वा भोगश्च निष्कृतिः । को जीवः परमात्मा कस्तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि

bhoktā bhojayitā ko vā ko vā bhogaśca niṣkṛtiḥ | ko jīvaḥ paramātmā kastanme vyākhyātumarhasi

Who is the enjoyer, and who causes the enjoying? What is experience, and what is its release? Who is the individual soul, and who is the Supreme Soul? Please explain all this to me.

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.9.28.5)

धर्म उवाच । वेदप्रणिहितो धर्मः कर्म यन्मङ्गलं परम् । अवैदिकं तु यत्कर्म तदेवाशुभमेव च

dharma uvāca | vedapraṇihito dharmaḥ karma yanmaṅgalaṁ param | avaidikaṁ tu yatkarma tadevāśubhameva ca

Dharma said: Dharma is that which is enjoined by the Veda — that action which is supremely auspicious. But whatever action goes against the Veda, that alone is inauspicious.

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.9.28.6)

अहैतुकी देवसेवा सङ्कल्परहिता सती । कर्मनिर्मूलरूपा च सा एव परभक्तिदा

ahaitukī devasevā saṅkalparahitā satī | karmanirmūlarūpā ca sā eva parabhaktidā

Worship of God that is without ulterior motive, free of desire, that uproots karma at its very root — that alone bestows supreme devotion.

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.9.28.7)

को वा कर्मफलं भुङ्क्ते को वा निर्लिप्त एव च । ब्रह्मभक्तो यो नरश्च स च मुक्तः श्रुतः श्रुतौ

ko vā karmaphalaṁ bhuṅkte ko vā nirlipta eva ca | brahmabhakto yo naraśca sa ca muktaḥ śrutaḥ śrutau

Who indeed experiences the fruit of karma, and who remains untouched by it? That man who is devoted to Brahman is declared in the Shruti to be liberated.

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.9.28.8)

जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिशोकभीतिविवर्जितः । भक्तिश्च द्विविधा साध्वि श्रुत्युक्ता सर्वसम्मता

janmamṛtyujarāvyādhiśokabhītivivarjitaḥ | bhaktiśca dvividhā sādhvi śrutyuktā sarvasammatā

He becomes free of birth, death, old age, disease, grief, and fear. O virtuous woman, devotion is of two kinds, as declared in the Shruti and accepted by all.

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.9.28.9)

निर्वाणपददात्री च हरिरूपप्रदा नृणाम् । हरिरूपस्वरूपां च भक्तिं वाञ्छन्ति वैष्णवाः

nirvāṇapadadātrī ca harirūpapradā nṛṇām | harirūpasvarūpāṁ ca bhaktiṁ vāñchanti vaiṣṇavāḥ

One kind bestows the state of liberation; the other bestows upon men the very form of Hari. Vaishnavas desire that devotion whose very nature is the form of Hari.

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.9.28.10)

अन्ये निर्वाणमिच्छन्ति योगिनो ब्रह्मवित्तमाः । कर्मणो बीजरूपश्च सततं तत्फलप्रदः

anye nirvāṇamicchanti yogino brahmavittamāḥ | karmaṇo bījarūpaśca satataṁ tatphalapradaḥ

Others — yogis, the foremost among the knowers of Brahman — desire liberation alone. Karma itself is the seed-form, ever giving rise to its own fruit.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.9.28.11)

कर्मरूपश्च भगवान्परात्मा प्रकृतिः परा । सोऽपि तद्धेतुरूपश्च देहो नश्वर एव च

karmarūpaśca bhagavānparātmā prakṛtiḥ parā | so'pi taddheturūpaśca deho naśvara eva ca

The Lord, the Supreme Self, the Supreme Prakriti — He himself assumes the form of karma; He too is its very cause, while the body remains ever perishable.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.9.28.12)

पृथिवी वायुराकाशो जलं तेजस्तथैव च । एतानि सूत्ररूपाणि सृष्टिरूपविधौ सतः

pṛthivī vāyurākāśo jalaṁ tejastathaiva ca | etāni sūtrarūpāṇi sṛṣṭirūpavidhau sataḥ

Earth, air, ether, water, and fire likewise — these are the thread-like, foundational elements in the ordinance that shapes creation.

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.9.28.13)

कर्मकर्ता च देही च आत्मा भोजयिता सदा । भोगो विभवभेदश्च नित्कृतिर्मुक्तिरेव च

karmakartā ca dehī ca ātmā bhojayitā sadā | bhogo vibhavabhedaśca nitkṛtirmuktireva ca

The doer of karma is the embodied soul; the Self is ever the one who brings about experience. Enjoyment is the differentiation born of one's varied fortune, and its final release is liberation itself.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.9.28.14)

सदसद्भेदबीजं च ज्ञानं नानाविधं भवेत् । विषयाणां विभागानां भेदि बीजं च कीर्तितम्

sadasadbhedabījaṁ ca jñānaṁ nānāvidhaṁ bhavet | viṣayāṇāṁ vibhāgānāṁ bhedi bījaṁ ca kīrtitam

Knowledge is the seed that distinguishes the real from the unreal, and it takes many forms; it is declared to be the seed that differentiates the divisions among sense-objects.

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.9.28.15)

बुद्धिर्विवेचना सा च ज्ञानबीजं श्रुतौ श्रुतम् । वायुभेदाश्च प्राणाश्च बलरूपाश्च देहिनाम्

buddhirvivecanā sā ca jñānabījaṁ śrutau śrutam | vāyubhedāśca prāṇāśca balarūpāśca dehinām

That power of discrimination is the intellect, declared in the Shruti to be the seed of knowledge. The various divisions of the vital air are the prana, the very strength of embodied beings.

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.9.28.16)

इन्द्रियाणां च प्रवरमीश्वरांशमनूहकम् । प्रेरकं कर्मणां चैव दुर्निवार्यं च देहिनाम्

indriyāṇāṁ ca pravaramīśvarāṁśamanūhakam | prerakaṁ karmaṇāṁ caiva durnivāryaṁ ca dehinām

Foremost among the senses is the mind — a portion of the Lord, the faculty that reasons — the impeller of all actions, and hard indeed for embodied beings to restrain.

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.9.28.17)

अनिरूप्यमदृश्यं च ज्ञानभेदो मनः स्मृतम् । लोचनं श्रवणं घ्राणं त्वक्च रसनमिन्द्रियम्

anirūpyamadṛśyaṁ ca jñānabhedo manaḥ smṛtam | locanaṁ śravaṇaṁ ghrāṇaṁ tvakca rasanamindriyam

It is beyond description and unseen; the mind is remembered as a distinct faculty of knowledge. The eye, the ear, the nose, the skin, and the tongue — these are the sense-organs.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.9.28.18)

अङ्गिनामङ्गरूपं च प्रेरकं सर्वकर्मणाम् । रिपुरूपं मित्ररूपं सुखरूपं च दुःखदम्

aṅgināmaṅgarūpaṁ ca prerakaṁ sarvakarmaṇām | ripurūpaṁ mitrarūpaṁ sukharūpaṁ ca duḥkhadam

The mind is, as it were, a limb of embodied beings, the impeller of all actions; it takes the form of an enemy, the form of a friend, the form of happiness, and it also brings sorrow.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.9.28.19)

सूर्यो वायुश्च पृथिवी ब्रह्माद्या देवताः स्मृताः । प्राणदेहादिभृद्यो हि स जीवः परिकीर्तितः

sūryo vāyuśca pṛthivī brahmādyā devatāḥ smṛtāḥ | prāṇadehādibhṛdyo hi sa jīvaḥ parikīrtitaḥ

The Sun, the Wind, the Earth, and Brahma and the other gods are held to be the presiding deities. He who bears the vital breath, the body, and the rest is indeed proclaimed to be the jiva.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.9.28.20)

परमं व्यापकं ब्रह्म निर्गुणः प्रकृतेः परः । कारणं कारणानां च परमात्मा स उच्यते

paramaṁ vyāpakaṁ brahma nirguṇaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ | kāraṇaṁ kāraṇānāṁ ca paramātmā sa ucyate

That which is the supreme, all-pervading Brahman, without attributes, beyond Prakriti, the cause of all causes — that is called the Paramatma.

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.9.28.21)

इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं त्वया पृष्टं यथागमम् । ज्ञानिनां ज्ञानरूपं च गच्छ वत्से यथासुखम्

ityevaṁ kathitaṁ sarvaṁ tvayā pṛṣṭaṁ yathāgamam | jñānināṁ jñānarūpaṁ ca gaccha vatse yathāsukham

Thus everything you asked has been told, in accordance with scripture — this very form of knowledge for the wise. Now go, my child, as you wish.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.9.28.22)

सावित्र्युवाच । त्यक्त्वा क्व यामि कान्तं वा त्वां वा ज्ञानार्णवं ध्रुवम् । यद्यत्करोमि प्रश्नं च तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति

sāvitryuvāca | tyaktvā kva yāmi kāntaṁ vā tvāṁ vā jñānārṇavaṁ dhruvam | yadyatkaromi praśnaṁ ca tadbhavānvaktumarhati

Savitri said: Whom shall I leave and go from — my beloved, or you, the very ocean of certain knowledge? Whatever I ask, may you be pleased to answer.

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.9.28.23)

कां कां योनिं याति जीवः कर्मणा केन वा पुनः । केन वा कर्मणा स्वर्गं केन वा नरकं पितः

kāṁ kāṁ yoniṁ yāti jīvaḥ karmaṇā kena vā punaḥ | kena vā karmaṇā svargaṁ kena vā narakaṁ pitaḥ

O father, into what various wombs does the soul pass, and by what karma does it take rebirth? By what karma does it attain heaven, and by what karma, hell?

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.9.28.24)

केन वा कर्मणा मुक्तिः केन भक्तिर्भवेद् गुरौ । केन वा कर्मणा योगी रोगी वा केन कर्मणा

kena vā karmaṇā muktiḥ kena bhaktirbhaved gurau | kena vā karmaṇā yogī rogī vā kena karmaṇā

By what karma is liberation attained, and by what karma does devotion to one's guru arise? By what karma does one become a yogi, and by what karma, diseased?

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.9.28.25)

केन वा दीर्घजीवी च केनाल्पायुश्च कर्मणा । केन वा कर्मणा दुःखी सुखी वा केन कर्मणा

kena vā dīrghajīvī ca kenālpāyuśca karmaṇā | kena vā karmaṇā duḥkhī sukhī vā kena karmaṇā

By what karma is one long-lived, and by what karma short-lived? By what karma is one sorrowful, and by what karma happy?

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.9.28.26)

अङ्गहीनश्च काणश्च बधिरः केन कर्मणा । अन्धो वा पङ्गुरपि वा प्रमत्तः केन कर्मणा

aṅgahīnaśca kāṇaśca badhiraḥ kena karmaṇā | andho vā paṅgurapi vā pramattaḥ kena karmaṇā

By what karma does one become maimed, one-eyed, or deaf? By what karma blind, or lame, or insane?

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.9.28.27)

क्षिप्तोऽतिलुब्धकश्चौरः केन वा कर्मणा भवेत् । केन सिद्धिमवाप्नोति सालोक्यादिचतुष्टयम्

kṣipto'tilubdhakaścauraḥ kena vā karmaṇā bhavet | kena siddhimavāpnoti sālokyādicatuṣṭayam

By what karma does one become deranged, excessively greedy, or a thief? By what karma does one attain the fourfold siddhi beginning with sālokya?

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.9.28.28)

केन वा ब्राह्मणत्वं च तपस्वित्वं च केन वा । स्वर्गभोगादिकं केन वैकुण्ठं केन कर्मणा

kena vā brāhmaṇatvaṁ ca tapasvitvaṁ ca kena vā | svargabhogādikaṁ kena vaikuṇṭhaṁ kena karmaṇā

By what karma does one attain brahminhood, and by what, the state of an ascetic? By what karma the enjoyments of heaven and the like, and by what karma, Vaikuntha?

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.9.28.29)

गोलोकं केन वा ब्रह्मन् सर्वोत्कृष्टं निरामयम् । नरको वा कतिविधः किंसङ्ख्यो नाम किं च वा

golokaṁ kena vā brahman sarvotkṛṣṭaṁ nirāmayam | narako vā katividhaḥ kiṁsaṅkhyo nāma kiṁ ca vā

O Brahman, by what karma does one attain Goloka, supreme above all and free of affliction? And how many kinds of hell are there — what is their number, and what are their names?

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.9.28.30)

को वा कं नरकं याति कियन्तं तेषु तिष्ठति । पापिनां कर्मणा केन को वा व्याधिः प्रजायते । यद्यत्प्रियं मया पृष्टं तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि

ko vā kaṁ narakaṁ yāti kiyantaṁ teṣu tiṣṭhati | pāpināṁ karmaṇā kena ko vā vyādhiḥ prajāyate | yadyatpriyaṁ mayā pṛṣṭaṁ tanme vyākhyātumarhasi

Who goes to which hell, and for how long does he remain there? By what karma of sinners does what disease arise? Whatever I have lovingly asked, may you be pleased to explain it all to me.