Brahmavaivarta Purana — Prakriti Khanda — Chapter 24
BvP 2 24.1
नारायण उवाच ।। स्तुत्वा सोऽश्वपतिस्तेन संपूज्य विधिपूर्वकम् ।। ददर्श तत्र तां देवीं सहस्रार्कसमप्रभाम्
nārāyaṇa uvāca || stutvā so'śvapatistena saṃpūjya vidhipūrvakam || dadarśa tatra tāṃ devīṃ sahasrārkasamaprabhām
Nārāyaṇa said: Having praised (her) with that (hymn) and worshipped (her) according to the prescribed rite, Aśvapati saw there that goddess, whose radiance equalled a thousand suns.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.2
उवाच सा तं राजानं प्रसन्ना सस्मिता सती ।। यथा माता स्वपुत्रं च द्योतयन्ती दिशस्त्विषा स च संवत्सरेऽतीते सत्यवान्सत्यविक्रमः ।। जगाम फलकाष्ठार्थं प्रहर्षं पितुराज्ञया कर्मणा ब्राह्मणत्वं च मुक्तत्वं च स्वकर्मणा ।। सुरत्वं च मनुत्वं च राजेन्द्रत्वं लभेन्नरः कर्मणा नरकं यान्ति जीवाः स्वर्गं स्वकर्मणा ।। कर्मणा शक्रलोकं च सूर्य्यलोकं स्वकर्मणा
uvāca sā taṃ rājānaṃ prasannā sasmitā satī || yathā mātā svaputraṃ ca dyotayantī diśastviṣā sa ca saṃvatsare'tīte satyavānsatyavikramaḥ || jagāma phalakāṣṭhārthaṃ praharṣaṃ piturājñayā karmaṇā brāhmaṇatvaṃ ca muktatvaṃ ca svakarmaṇā || suratvaṃ ca manutvaṃ ca rājendratvaṃ labhennaraḥ karmaṇā narakaṃ yānti jīvāḥ svargaṃ svakarmaṇā || karmaṇā śakralokaṃ ca sūryyalokaṃ svakarmaṇā
She, gracious and smiling, the chaste one, lighting up the directions with her brilliance, spoke to that king as a mother to her own son. And when a year had passed, Satyavān of true valour went with delight, by his father's command, to fetch fruit and firewood. By action (a man attains) brahminhood, and by his own action the state of liberation; a man may obtain godhood, the rank of a Manu, and the position of chief of kings. By action living beings go to hell, and by their own action to heaven; by action to Indra's world, and by their own action to the sun's world.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.3
सावित्र्युवाच ।। जानामि ते महाराज यत्ते मनसि वर्त्तते ।। वाञ्छितं तव पत्न्याश्च सर्वं दास्यामि निश्चितम्
sāvitryuvāca || jānāmi te mahārāja yatte manasi varttate || vāñchitaṃ tava patnyāśca sarvaṃ dāsyāmi niścitam
Sāvitrī said: I know, great king, what is in your mind; and your wife's wish too — all of it I shall certainly grant.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.4
साध्वी कन्याभिलाषं च करोति तव कामिनी ।। त्वं प्रार्थयसि पुत्रं च भविष्यति च ते क्रमात्
sādhvī kanyābhilāṣaṃ ca karoti tava kāminī || tvaṃ prārthayasi putraṃ ca bhaviṣyati ca te kramāt
Your loving, virtuous wife desires a daughter, while you ask for a son; and in due course both will come to you.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.5
इत्युक्त्वा सा महादेवी ब्रह्मलोकं जगाम ह ।। राजा जगाम स्वगृहं तत्कन्याऽऽदौ बभूव ह
ityuktvā sā mahādevī brahmalokaṃ jagāma ha || rājā jagāma svagṛhaṃ tatkanyā''dau babhūva ha
Having said this, that great goddess went to Brahmā's world; the king went to his own house, and a daughter was indeed born to him first.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.6
राज्ञो धनाच्च सावित्र्या बभूव कमला कला ।। सावित्रीति च तन्नाम चकाराश्वपतिर्नृपः
rājño dhanācca sāvitryā babhūva kamalā kalā || sāvitrīti ca tannāma cakārāśvapatirnṛpaḥ
From the king's seed and from Sāvitrī there came to be a portion of Kamalā; and King Aśvapati made her name 'Sāvitrī'.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.7
कालेन सा वर्द्धमाना बभूव च दिने दिने ।। रूपयौवनसम्पन्ना शुक्ले चन्द्रकला यथा
kālena sā varddhamānā babhūva ca dine dine || rūpayauvanasampannā śukle candrakalā yathā
Growing with time, she increased day by day, endowed with beauty and youth, like the moon's crescent in the bright fortnight.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.8
सा वरं वरयामास द्युमत्सेनात्मजं तदा।। सावित्री सत्यवन्तं च नानागुणसमन्वितम् ।।
sā varaṃ varayāmāsa dyumatsenātmajaṃ tadā|| sāvitrī satyavantaṃ ca nānāguṇasamanvitam ||
Then she, Sāvitrī, chose as her husband the son of Dyumatsena, Satyavān, who was endowed with many virtues.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.9
राजा तस्मै ददौ तां च रत्नभूषणभूषिताम् ।। स च सार्धं कौतुकेन तां गृहीत्वा गृहं ययौ
rājā tasmai dadau tāṃ ca ratnabhūṣaṇabhūṣitām || sa ca sārdhaṃ kautukena tāṃ gṛhītvā gṛhaṃ yayau
And the king gave her to him, adorned with jewels and ornaments; and he, with festive joy, took her and went home.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.11
जगाम तत्र सावित्री तत्पश्चाद्दैवयोगतः ।। निपत्य वृक्षाद्दैवेन प्राणांस्तत्याज सत्यवान्
jagāma tatra sāvitrī tatpaścāddaivayogataḥ || nipatya vṛkṣāddaivena prāṇāṃstatyāja satyavān
Sāvitrī went there after him, by the working of fate; and by fate Satyavān fell from a tree and gave up his life-breaths.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.12
यमस्तज्जीवपुरुषं बद्ध्वाङ्गुष्ठसमं मुने ।। गृहीत्वा गमनं चक्रे तत्पश्चात्प्रययौ सती
yamastajjīvapuruṣaṃ baddhvāṅguṣṭhasamaṃ mune || gṛhītvā gamanaṃ cakre tatpaścātprayayau satī
Yama, O sage, bound that soul-person, of the size of a thumb, and taking it set out; and the virtuous woman followed after him.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.13
पश्चात्तां सुन्दरीं दृष्ट्वा यमः संयमिनीपतिः ।। उवाच मधुरं साध्वीं साधूनां प्रवरो महान्
paścāttāṃ sundarīṃ dṛṣṭvā yamaḥ saṃyaminīpatiḥ || uvāca madhuraṃ sādhvīṃ sādhūnāṃ pravaro mahān
Then, seeing that beautiful, virtuous woman behind him, Yama, lord of Saṃyaminī, greatest and best of the good, spoke sweetly (to her).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.14
यम उवाच ।। अहो क्व यासि सावित्रि गृहीत्वा मानुषीं तनुम् ।। यदि यास्यसि कान्तेन सार्धं देहं तदा त्यज
yama uvāca || aho kva yāsi sāvitri gṛhītvā mānuṣīṃ tanum || yadi yāsyasi kāntena sārdhaṃ dehaṃ tadā tyaja
Yama said: Ah, where are you going, Sāvitrī, keeping your human body? If you would go along with your husband, then abandon the body.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.15
गन्तुं मर्त्त्यो न शक्नोति गृहीत्वा पाञ्चभौतिकम्।। देहं च यमलोकं च नश्वरं नश्वरः सदाः
gantuṃ marttyo na śaknoti gṛhītvā pāñcabhautikam|| dehaṃ ca yamalokaṃ ca naśvaraṃ naśvaraḥ sadāḥ
A mortal cannot go (there) keeping the body made of the five elements; and the body is perishable, and Yama's world (too) — the perishable is always (perishable).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BvP 2 24.16
पूर्णश्च भर्त्तुस्ते कालः ह्यभवद्भारते सति ।। स कर्मफलभोगार्थं सत्यवान्याति मद्गृहम् कर्मणेन्द्रो भवेज्जीवो ब्रह्मपुत्रः स्वकर्मणा ।। स्वकर्मणा हरेर्दासो जन्मादिरहितो भवेत्
pūrṇaśca bharttuste kālaḥ hyabhavadbhārate sati || sa karmaphalabhogārthaṃ satyavānyāti madgṛham karmaṇendro bhavejjīvo brahmaputraḥ svakarmaṇā || svakarmaṇā harerdāso janmādirahito bhavet
O virtuous one, your husband's time in Bhārata has indeed run out; that Satyavān comes to my house to experience the fruit of his deeds. By action a soul may become Indra, by his own action a son of Brahmā; by his own action he may become a servant of Hari, free from birth and the rest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.17
कर्मणा जायते जन्तुः कर्मणैव प्रलीयते ।। सुखं दुःखं भयं शोकं कर्मणैव प्रपद्यते
karmaṇā jāyate jantuḥ karmaṇaiva pralīyate || sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhayaṃ śokaṃ karmaṇaiva prapadyate
By action a creature is born, and by action alone it dissolves away; pleasure, pain, fear and grief — by action alone does it meet with them.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.19
स्वकर्मणा सर्वसिद्धिममरत्वं लभेद् ध्रुवम् ।। लभेत्स्वकर्मणा विष्णोः सालोक्यादिचतुष्टयम्
svakarmaṇā sarvasiddhimamaratvaṃ labhed dhruvam || labhetsvakarmaṇā viṣṇoḥ sālokyādicatuṣṭayam
By his own action one surely attains every accomplishment and immortality; by his own action he may obtain the fourfold state beginning with dwelling in Viṣṇu's world (sālokya, etc.).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.21
कर्मणा च मुनीन्द्रत्वं तपस्वित्वं च कर्मणा ।। कर्मणा क्षत्रियत्वं च वैश्यत्वं च स्वकर्मणा
karmaṇā ca munīndratvaṃ tapasvitvaṃ ca karmaṇā || karmaṇā kṣatriyatvaṃ ca vaiśyatvaṃ ca svakarmaṇā
And by action (comes) the state of being a chief among sages, and by action the state of an ascetic; by action the state of a kṣatriya, and by his own action that of a vaiśya.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.22
कर्मणा चैव शूद्रत्वमन्त्यजत्वं स्वकर्मणा
karmaṇā caiva śūdratvamantyajatvaṃ svakarmaṇā
And by action the state of a śūdra, and by his own action that of an outcaste.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.23
स्वकर्मणा च म्लेच्छत्वं लभते नात्र संशयः ।। स्वकर्मणा जङ्गमत्वं स्थावरत्वं स्वकर्मणा
svakarmaṇā ca mlecchatvaṃ labhate nātra saṃśayaḥ || svakarmaṇā jaṅgamatvaṃ sthāvaratvaṃ svakarmaṇā
And by his own action he obtains the state of a barbarian (mleccha) — there is no doubt here; by his own action the state of a moving being, by his own action that of an unmoving one.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.24
स्वकर्मणा च शैलत्वं वृक्षत्वं च स्वकर्मणा ।। स्वकर्मणा पशुत्वं च पक्षित्वं च स्वकर्मणा
svakarmaṇā ca śailatvaṃ vṛkṣatvaṃ ca svakarmaṇā || svakarmaṇā paśutvaṃ ca pakṣitvaṃ ca svakarmaṇā
And by his own action the state of a mountain, and by his own action that of a tree; by his own action the state of a beast, and by his own action that of a bird.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.25
स्वकर्मणा क्षुद्रजन्तुः कृमित्वं च स्वकर्मणा ।। स्वकर्मणा च सर्पत्वं गन्धर्वत्वं स्वकर्मणा
svakarmaṇā kṣudrajantuḥ kṛmitvaṃ ca svakarmaṇā || svakarmaṇā ca sarpatvaṃ gandharvatvaṃ svakarmaṇā
By his own action (he becomes) a tiny creature, and by his own action a worm; and by his own action the state of a snake, by his own action that of a gandharva.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.26
स्वकर्मणा राक्षसत्वं किन्नरत्वं स्वकर्मणा ।। स्वकर्मणा च यक्षत्वं कूष्माण्डत्वं स्वकर्मणा
svakarmaṇā rākṣasatvaṃ kinnaratvaṃ svakarmaṇā || svakarmaṇā ca yakṣatvaṃ kūṣmāṇḍatvaṃ svakarmaṇā
By his own action the state of a rākṣasa, by his own action that of a kinnara; and by his own action the state of a yakṣa, by his own action that of a kūṣmāṇḍa.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.27
स्वकर्मणा च प्रेतत्वं वेतालत्वं स्वकर्मणा।। भूतत्वं च पिशाचत्वं डाकिनीत्वं स्वकर्मणा
svakarmaṇā ca pretatvaṃ vetālatvaṃ svakarmaṇā|| bhūtatvaṃ ca piśācatvaṃ ḍākinītvaṃ svakarmaṇā
And by his own action the state of a preta, by his own action that of a vetāla; the state of a bhūta, of a piśāca, and of a ḍākinī by his own action.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.28
दैत्यत्वं दानवत्वं चाप्यसुरत्वं स्वकर्मणा ।। कर्मणा पुण्यवाञ्जीवो महापापी स्वकर्मणा
daityatvaṃ dānavatvaṃ cāpyasuratvaṃ svakarmaṇā || karmaṇā puṇyavāñjīvo mahāpāpī svakarmaṇā
The state of a daitya, of a dānava, and also of an asura (comes) by one's own action; by action the living being is meritorious, and by his own action a great sinner.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.29
कर्मणा सुन्दरोऽरोगी महारोगी च कर्मणा ।। कर्मणा चान्धः काणश्च कुत्सितश्च स्वकर्मणा
karmaṇā sundaro'rogī mahārogī ca karmaṇā || karmaṇā cāndhaḥ kāṇaśca kutsitaśca svakarmaṇā
By action one is handsome and free of disease, and by action gravely diseased; by action blind and one-eyed, and by his own action despised.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.31
कर्मणा चन्द्रलोकं च वह्निलोकं स्वकर्मणा ।। कर्मणा वायुलोकं च कर्मणा वरुणालयम्
karmaṇā candralokaṃ ca vahnilokaṃ svakarmaṇā || karmaṇā vāyulokaṃ ca karmaṇā varuṇālayam
By action (one goes to) the world of the moon, and by his own action to the world of fire; by action to the world of wind, and by action to the abode of Varuṇa.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.32
तथा कुबेरलोकं च नरो याति स्वकर्मणा ।। कर्मणा ध्रुवलोकं च शिवलोकं स्वकर्मणा
tathā kuberalokaṃ ca naro yāti svakarmaṇā || karmaṇā dhruvalokaṃ ca śivalokaṃ svakarmaṇā
So too a man goes to the world of Kubera by his own action; by action to the world of Dhruva, and by his own action to the world of Śiva.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.33
याति नक्षत्रलोकं च सत्यलोकं स्वकर्मणा ।। जनोलोकं तपोलोकं महर्लोकं स्वकर्मणा
yāti nakṣatralokaṃ ca satyalokaṃ svakarmaṇā || janolokaṃ tapolokaṃ maharlokaṃ svakarmaṇā
He goes to the world of the stars, and by his own action to Satyaloka; to Janoloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka by his own action.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.34
स्वकर्मणा च पातालं ब्रह्मलोकं स्वकर्मणा ।। कर्मणा भारतं पुण्यं सर्वेप्सितवरप्रदम्
svakarmaṇā ca pātālaṃ brahmalokaṃ svakarmaṇā || karmaṇā bhārataṃ puṇyaṃ sarvepsitavarapradam
And by his own action to the netherworld, by his own action to the world of Brahmā; by action to holy Bhārata, which grants every desired boon.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.35
कर्मणा याति वैकुण्ठं गोलोकं च निरामयम् ।। कर्मणा चिरजीवी च क्षणायुश्च स्वकर्मणा
karmaṇā yāti vaikuṇṭhaṃ golokaṃ ca nirāmayam || karmaṇā cirajīvī ca kṣaṇāyuśca svakarmaṇā
By action he goes to Vaikuṇṭha and to Goloka, free of affliction; by action he is long-lived, and by his own action his life lasts but a moment.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.36
कर्मणा कोटिकल्पायुः क्षीणायुश्च स्वकर्मणा ।। जीवसंचारमात्रायुर्गर्भे मृत्युः स्वकर्मणा
karmaṇā koṭikalpāyuḥ kṣīṇāyuśca svakarmaṇā || jīvasaṃcāramātrāyurgarbhe mṛtyuḥ svakarmaṇā
By action one has a lifespan of ten million kalpas, and by his own action a shortened life; by his own action his life is only the entering of the soul (into the body) — death in the womb.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BvP 2 24.37
इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं मया तत्त्वं च सुन्दरि ।। कर्मणा ते मृतो भर्त्ता गच्छ वत्से यथासुखम्
ityevaṃ kathitaṃ sarvaṃ mayā tattvaṃ ca sundari || karmaṇā te mṛto bharttā gaccha vatse yathāsukham
Thus has the whole truth been told by me, fair lady; by (his) action your husband has died — go, child, as you please.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition