The Glory of Savitri Tirtha

Verse 1 (skanda.5.355.1)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। तस्यैवानन्तरं पार्थ सावित्रीतीर्थमुत्तमम्। यत्र सिद्धा महाभागा सावित्री वेदमातृका

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| tasyaivānantaraṁ pārtha sāvitrītīrthamuttamam| yatra siddhā mahābhāgā sāvitrī vedamātṛkā

Shri Markandeya said: O Partha, immediately after that lies the excellent Savitri Tirtha, where the illustrious Savitri, mother of the Vedas, attained accomplishment.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.355.2)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। सावित्री का द्विजश्रेष्ठ कथं वाराध्यते बुधैः। प्रसन्ना वा वरं कं च ददाति कथयस्व मे

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| sāvitrī kā dvijaśreṣṭha kathaṁ vārādhyate budhaiḥ| prasannā vā varaṁ kaṁ ca dadāti kathayasva me

Yudhishthira said: O best of the twice-born, who is Savitri, how is she worshipped by the wise, and, when pleased, what boon does she grant? Tell me this.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.355.3)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। पद्मा पद्मासनस्थेनाधिष्ठिता पद्मयोगिनी। सावित्रतेजःसदृशी सावित्री तेन चोच्यते

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| padmā padmāsanasthenādhiṣṭhitā padmayoginī| sāvitratejaḥsadṛśī sāvitrī tena coccyate

Shri Markandeya said: Enthroned by the lotus-seated Brahma, the lotus-yogini, resembling the radiance of the sun, she is thus called Savitri.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.355.4)

पद्मानना पद्मवर्णा पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणा। ध्यातव्या ब्राह्मणैर्नित्यं क्षत्रवैश्यैर्यथाविधि

padmānanā padmavarṇā padmapatranibhekṣaṇā| dhyātavyā brāhmaṇairnityaṁ kṣatravaiśyairyathāvidhi

Lotus-faced, lotus-hued, with eyes like lotus petals — she should be meditated upon daily by brahmins, and duly by kshatriyas and vaishyas.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.355.5)

ब्रह्महत्याभयात्सा हि न तु शूद्रैः कदाचन। उच्चारणाद्धारणाद्वा नरके पतति ध्रुवम्

brahmahatyābhayātsā hi na tu śūdraiḥ kadācana| uccāraṇāddhāraṇādvā narake patati dhruvam

She is to be worshipped for fear of the sin of killing a brahmin — but never by shudras; by reciting or wearing her mantra, a shudra falls, without fail, into hell.

Verse 6 (skanda.5.355.6)

वेदोच्चारणमात्रेण क्षत्रियैर्धर्मपालकैः। जिह्वाछेदोऽस्य कर्तव्यः शूद्रस्येति विनिश्चयः

vedoccāraṇamātreṇa kṣatriyairdharmapālakaiḥ| jihvāchchhedo'sya kartavyaḥ śūdrasyeti viniścayaḥ

It is a fixed decree that, for the mere recitation of the Veda by a shudra, his tongue should be cut out by the dharma-upholding kshatriyas.

Verse 7 (skanda.5.355.7)

बाला बालेन्दुसदृशी रक्तवस्त्रानुलेपना। उषःकाले तु ध्यातव्या सन्ध्या सन्धान उत्तमे

bālā bālendusadṛśī raktavastrānulepanā| uṣaḥkāle tu dhyātavyā sandhyā sandhāna uttame

As a young girl, resembling the crescent moon, adorned in red garments and unguents — she should be meditated upon at dawn, during the excellent morning devotion.

Verse 8 (skanda.5.355.8)

उत्तुङ्गपीवरकुचा सुमुखी शुभदर्शना। सर्वाभरणसम्पन्ना श्वेतमाल्यानुलेपना

uttuṅgapīvarakucā sumukhī śubhadarśanā| sarvābharaṇasampannā śvetamālyānulepanā

with full, rounded breasts, of lovely countenance, auspicious to behold, adorned with every ornament, wearing white garlands and unguents —

Verse 9 (skanda.5.355.9)

श्वेतवस्त्रपरिच्छन्ना श्वेतयज्ञोपवीतिनी। मध्याह्नसन्ध्या ध्यातव्या तरुणा भुक्तिमुक्तिदा

śvetavastraparicchannā śvetayajñopavītinī| madhyāhnasandhyā dhyātavyā taruṇā bhuktimuktidā

clad in white garments, wearing the white sacred thread — at the midday devotion she should be meditated upon as a young woman, the bestower of both enjoyment and liberation.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.355.10)

प्रदोषे तु पुनः पार्थ श्वेता पाण्डुरमूर्धजा। सुमृता तु दुर्गकान्तारे मातृवत्परिरक्षति

pradoṣe tu punaḥ pārtha śvetā pāṇḍuramūrdhajā| sumṛtā tu durgakāntāre mātṛvatparirakṣati

O Partha, then at evening she is white-haired, grey; well remembered, she protects like a mother even in the most impassable forest.

Verse 11 (skanda.5.355.11)

विशेषेण तु राजेन्द्र सावित्रीतीर्थमुत्तमम्। स्नात्वाचम्य विधानेन मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः

viśeṣeṇa tu rājendra sāvitrītīrthamuttamam| snātvācamya vidhānena manovākkāyakarmabhiḥ

O Rajendra, especially at the excellent Savitri Tirtha, having bathed and sipped water according to rule, with the deeds of mind, speech, and body—

Verse 12 (skanda.5.355.12)

प्राणायामैर्दहेद्दोषान् सप्तजन्मार्जितान्बहून्। आपोहिष्ठेति मन्त्रेण प्रोक्षयेदात्मनस्तनुम्

prāṇāyāmairdahedoṣān saptajanmārjitānbahūn| āpohiṣṭheti mantreṇa prokṣayedātmanastanum

by breath-control one should burn away the many faults accumulated over seven births; with the mantra 'Apo hi shtha' one should sprinkle water upon one's own body.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.355.13)

नवषट्च तथा तिस्रस्तत्र तीर्थे नृपोत्तम। आपोहिष्ठेति त्रिरावृत्य प्रतिग्राहैर्न लिप्यते

navaṣaṭca tathā tisrastatra tīrthe nṛpottama| āpohiṣṭheti trirāvṛtya pratigrāhairna lipyate

O best of kings, at that tirtha, by repeating the mantra 'Apo hi shtha' nine, six, or three times, one is not tainted even by the faults of accepting gifts.

Verse 14 (skanda.5.355.14)

अघमर्षणं त्र्यृचं तोयं यथावेदमथापि वा। उपपापैर्न लिप्येत पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा

aghamarṣaṇaṁ tryṛcaṁ toyaṁ yathāvedamathāpi vā| upapāpairna lipyeta padmapatramivāmbhasā

By the three-verse Aghamarshana hymn recited over water, or according to Vedic rite — one remains untainted by lesser sins, just as a lotus leaf remains untouched by water.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.355.15)

त्र्यापं हि कुरुते विप्र उल्लेखत्रयमाचरेत्। चतुर्थं कारयेद्यस्तु ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति

tryāpaṁ hi kurute vipra ullekhatrayamācaret| caturthaṁ kārayedyastu brahmahatyāṁ vyapohati

O brahmin, one should sip water three times and perform the threefold marking; whoever performs it a fourth time removes even the sin of killing a brahmin.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.355.16)

द्रुपदाख्यश्च यो मन्त्रो वेदे वाजसनेयके। अन्तर्जले सकृज्जप्तः सर्वपापक्षयंकरः

drupadākhyaśca yo mantro vede vājasaneyake| antarjale sakṛjjaptaḥ sarvapāpakṣayaṁkaraḥ

The mantra called Drupada, found in the Vajasaneyi Veda, when recited even once while submerged in water, destroys all sin.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.355.17)

उदुत्यमिति मन्त्रेण पूजयित्वा दिवाकरम्। गायत्रीं च जपेद्देवीं पवित्रां वेदमातरम्

udutyamiti mantreṇa pūjayitvā divākaram| gāyatrīṁ ca japeddevīṁ pavitrāṁ vedamātaram

Having worshipped the sun with the mantra 'Udu tyam,' one should recite the sacred Gayatri, the mother of the Vedas.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.355.18)

गायत्रीं तु जपेद्देवीं यः सन्ध्यानन्तरं द्विजः। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति

gāyatrīṁ tu japeddevīṁ yaḥ sandhyānantaraṁ dvijaḥ| sarvapāpavinirmukto brahmalokaṁ sa gacchati

The twice-born who recites the goddess Gayatri after the evening devotion is freed from all sin and goes to the world of Brahma.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.355.19)

दशभिर्जन्मभिर्लब्धं शतेन तु पुराकृतम्। त्रियुगं तु सहस्रेण गायत्री हन्ति किल्बिषम्

daśabhirjanmabhirlabdhaṁ śatena tu purākṛtam| triyugaṁ tu sahasreṇa gāyatrī hanti kilbiṣam

Gayatri destroys, with ten recitations, sin acquired over ten births; with a hundred, sin done in a past life; and with a thousand, the accumulated sin of three ages.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.355.20)

गायत्रीसारमात्रोऽपि वरं विप्रः सुयन्त्रितः। नायन्त्रितश्चतुर्वेदी सर्वाशी सर्वविक्रयी

gāyatrīsāramātro'pi varaṁ vipraḥ suyantritaḥ| nāyantritaścaturvedī sarvāśī sarvavikrayī

A brahmin who knows even just the essence of Gayatri, but is well self-disciplined, is superior; while an undisciplined knower of the four Vedas, who eats anything and sells anything, is not.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.355.21)

सन्ध्याहीनोऽशुचिर्नित्यमनर्हः सर्वकर्मसु। यदन्यत्कुरुते किंचिन्न तस्य फलभाग्भवेत्

sandhyāhīno'śucirnityamanarhaḥ sarvakarmasu| yadanyatkurute kiṁcinna tasya phalabhāgbhavet

One who neglects the daily devotions is ever impure, and unfit for all sacred rites; whatever else such a one does, he shall not partake of its fruit.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.355.22)

सन्ध्यां नोपासते यस्तु ब्राह्मणो मन्दबुद्धिमान्। स जीवन्नेव शूद्रः स्यान्मृतः श्वा सम्प्रजायते

sandhyāṁ nopāsate yastu brāhmaṇo mandabuddhimān| sa jīvanneva śūdraḥ syānmṛtaḥ śvā samprajāyate

The dull-witted brahmin who does not perform the daily devotion becomes, while yet living, as good as a shudra, and, upon death, is reborn as a dog.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.355.23)

सावित्रीतीर्थमासाद्य सावित्रीं यो जपेद्द्विजः। त्रैविद्यं तु फलं तस्य जायते नात्र संशयः

sāvitrītīrthamāsādya sāvitrīṁ yo japeddvijaḥ| traividyaṁ tu phalaṁ tasya jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

The twice-born who, reaching Savitri Tirtha, recites the Savitri mantra there, obtains the fruit of knowledge of the three Vedas, of this there is no doubt.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.355.24)

पित्ॄनुद्दिश्य यः स्नात्वा पिण्डनिर्वपणं नृप। कुरुते द्वादशाब्दानि तृप्यन्ति तत्पितामहाः

pitṝnuddiśya yaḥ snātvā piṇḍanirvapaṇaṁ nṛpa| kurute dvādaśābdāni tṛpyanti tatpitāmahāḥ

O king, he who bathes and offers rice-balls dedicated to the ancestors — his forefathers remain satisfied for twelve years.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.355.25)

सावित्रीतीर्थमासाद्य यः कुर्यात्प्राणसंक्षयम्। ब्रह्मलोकं वसेत्तावद्यावदाभूतसम्प्लवम्

sāvitrītīrthamāsādya yaḥ kuryātprāṇasaṁkṣayam| brahmalokaṁ vasettāvadyāvadābhūtasamplavam

He who, reaching Savitri Tirtha, relinquishes his life there, dwells in the world of Brahma until the great dissolution.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.355.26)

पूर्णे चैव ततः काल इह मानुष्यतां गतः। चतुर्वेदो द्विजो राजञ्जायते विमले कुले

pūrṇe caiva tataḥ kāla iha mānuṣyatāṁ gataḥ| caturvedo dvijo rājañjāyate vimale kule

When that period is completed, and he again attains human birth, O king, he is born a brahmin, learned in the four Vedas, into a spotless family.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.355.27)

धनधान्यचयोपेतः पुत्रपौत्रसमन्वितः। व्याधिशोकविनिर्मुक्तो जीवेच्च शरदां शतम्

dhanadhānyacayopetaḥ putrapautrasamanvitaḥ| vyādhiśokavinirmukto jīvecca śaradāṁ śatam

Endowed with abundant wealth and grain, blessed with sons and grandsons, free from disease and sorrow, he lives for a hundred autumns.