Devi Bhagavata Purana — Skandha 9 — Chapter 28
DB 9 28.1
सावित्र्युपाख्याने यमसावित्रीसंवादवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच यमस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा सावित्री च पतिव्रता । तुष्टाव परया भक्त्या तमुवाच मनस्विनी
sāvitryupākhyāne yamasāvitrīsaṃvādavarṇanam śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca yamasya vacanaṃ śrutvā sāvitrī ca pativratā | tuṣṭāva parayā bhaktyā tamuvāca manasvinī
Description of the dialogue of Yama and Sāvitrī in the tale of Sāvitrī. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Having heard Yama's words, Sāvitrī, devoted to her husband, praised him with supreme devotion, and the thoughtful woman said to him:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.2
सावित्र्युवाच किं कर्म तद्भवेत्केन को वा तद्धेतुरेव च । को वा देही च देहः कः को वात्र कर्मकारकः
sāvitryuvāca kiṃ karma tadbhavetkena ko vā taddhetureva ca | ko vā dehī ca dehaḥ kaḥ ko vātra karmakārakaḥ
Sāvitrī said: What is that action? By what does it come to be, and what is its cause? Who is the embodied one, and what is the body? And who here is the doer of action?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.3
किं वा ज्ञानं च बुद्धिः का को वा प्राणः शरीरिणाम् । कानीन्द्रियाणि किं तेषां लक्षणं देवताश्च काः
kiṃ vā jñānaṃ ca buddhiḥ kā ko vā prāṇaḥ śarīriṇām | kānīndriyāṇi kiṃ teṣāṃ lakṣaṇaṃ devatāśca kāḥ
"And what is knowledge, and what is intelligence, and what is the life-breath of embodied beings? What are the senses, what is their defining mark, and who are their presiding deities?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 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 the one who causes enjoyment? What is enjoyment, and what is release? Who is the individual soul, and who the supreme Self? This you ought to explain to me."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.5
धर्म उवाच वेदप्रणिहितो धर्मः कर्म यन्मङ्गलं परम् । अवैदिकं तु यत्कर्म तदेवाशुभमेव च
dharma uvāca vedapraṇihito dharmaḥ karma yanmaṅgalaṃ param | avaidikaṃ tu yatkarma tadevāśubhameva ca
Dharma said: Dharma is what is enjoined by the Veda; that act which is supremely auspicious. But the act which is non-Vedic, that indeed is inauspicious.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.6
अहैतुकी देवसेवा संकल्परहिता सती । कर्मनिर्मूलरूपा च सा एव परभक्तिदा
ahaitukī devasevā saṃkalparahitā satī | karmanirmūlarūpā ca sā eva parabhaktidā
Service of God that is without ulterior motive, free of (selfish) intention, and true — being of a form that uproots karma — that alone bestows supreme devotion.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.7
को वा कर्मफलं भुङ्क्ते को वा निर्लिप्त एव च । ब्रह्मभक्तो यो नरश्च स च मुक्तः श्रुतः श्रुतौ
ko vā karmaphalaṃ bhuṅkte ko vā nirlipta eva ca | brahmabhakto yo naraśca sa ca muktaḥ śrutaḥ śrutau
"And who enjoys the fruit of action, and who is untouched (by it)?" The man who is devoted to Brahman, he is declared liberated in the scripture,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.8
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिशोकभीतिविवर्जितः । भक्तिश्च द्विविधा साध्वि श्रुत्युक्ता सर्वसम्मता
janmamṛtyujarāvyādhiśokabhītivivarjitaḥ | bhaktiśca dvividhā sādhvi śrutyuktā sarvasammatā
free of birth, death, old age, disease, sorrow and fear. And devotion is of two kinds, O virtuous lady, as stated in scripture and accepted by all:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.9
निर्वाणपददात्री च हरिरूपप्रदा नृणाम् । हरिरूपस्वरूपां च भक्तिं वाञ्छन्ति वैष्णवाः
nirvāṇapadadātrī ca harirūpapradā nṛṇām | harirūpasvarūpāṃ ca bhaktiṃ vāñchanti vaiṣṇavāḥ
(one) that bestows the state of nirvāṇa, and (one) that grants men the form of Hari; and the Vaiṣṇavas desire the devotion whose very nature is Hari's form.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.10
अन्ये निर्वाणमिच्छन्ति योगिनो ब्रह्मवित्तमाः । कर्मणो बीजरूपश्च सततं तत्फलप्रदः
anye nirvāṇamicchanti yogino brahmavittamāḥ | karmaṇo bījarūpaśca satataṃ tatphalapradaḥ
Others, the yogins who are the best of the knowers of Brahman, desire nirvāṇa. And (God) is the seed-form of action, ever the bestower of its fruit.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 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, is of the form of action; Prakṛti is supreme. He too is of the form of its cause; and the body is indeed perishable.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 9 28.12
पृथिवी वायुराकाशो जलं तेजस्तथैव च । एतानि सूत्ररूपाणि सृष्टिरूपविधौ सतः
pṛthivī vāyurākāśo jalaṃ tejastathaiva ca | etāni sūtrarūpāṇi sṛṣṭirūpavidhau sataḥ
Earth, wind, ether, water and likewise fire — these are the thread-forms of the Existent in the manner of the creation's formation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 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 action is the embodied one; the Self is ever the one who causes enjoyment. Enjoyment is the diversity of possessions, and release is indeed liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 9 28.14
सदसद्भेदबीजं च ज्ञानं नानाविधं भवेत् । विषयाणां विभागानां भेदि बीजं च कीर्तितम्
sadasadbhedabījaṃ ca jñānaṃ nānāvidhaṃ bhavet | viṣayāṇāṃ vibhāgānāṃ bhedi bījaṃ ca kīrtitam
Knowledge, which is the seed of the distinction between real and unreal, is of many kinds; and it is called the seed that discriminates the divisions of objects.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 9 28.15
बुद्धिर्विवेचना सा च ज्ञानबीजं श्रुतौ श्रुतम् । वायुभेदाश्च प्राणाश्च बलरूपाश्च देहिनाम्
buddhirvivecanā sā ca jñānabījaṃ śrutau śrutam | vāyubhedāśca prāṇāśca balarūpāśca dehinām
Intelligence is that discernment; it is heard in scripture to be the seed of knowledge. The modifications of air are the vital breaths, and they are the forms of strength in embodied beings.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.16
इन्द्रियाणां च प्रवरमीश्वरांशमनूहकम् । प्रेरकं कर्मणां चैव दुर्निवार्यं च देहिनाम्
indriyāṇāṃ ca pravaramīśvarāṃśamanūhakam | prerakaṃ karmaṇāṃ caiva durnivāryaṃ ca dehinām
The foremost of the senses, a portion of the Lord, beyond inference, the impeller of actions and hard for embodied beings to restrain —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 9 28.17
अनिरूप्यमदृश्यं च ज्ञानभेदो मनः स्मृतम् । लोचनं श्रवणं घ्राणं त्वक्च रसनमिन्द्रियम्
anirūpyamadṛśyaṃ ca jñānabhedo manaḥ smṛtam | locanaṃ śravaṇaṃ ghrāṇaṃ tvakca rasanamindriyam
undefinable and invisible, a mode of knowledge — that is remembered as the mind. The eye, the ear, the nose, the skin, and the tongue are the senses.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.18
अङ्गिनामङ्गरूपं च प्रेरकं सर्वकर्मणाम् । रिपुरूपं मित्ररूपं सुखरूपं च दुःखदम्
aṅgināmaṅgarūpaṃ ca prerakaṃ sarvakarmaṇām | ripurūpaṃ mitrarūpaṃ sukharūpaṃ ca duḥkhadam
(The mind is) the limb-form of those who have limbs, the impeller of all actions, of the form of an enemy and of the form of a friend, of the form of pleasure and the giver of pain.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
DB 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 Brahmā and the rest are remembered as the (presiding) deities. He who bears the vital breath, the body and the rest is proclaimed to be the individual soul.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.20
परमं व्यापकं ब्रह्म निर्गुणः प्रकृतेः परः । कारणं कारणानां च परमात्मा स उच्यते
paramaṃ vyāpakaṃ brahma nirguṇaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ | kāraṇaṃ kāraṇānāṃ ca paramātmā sa ucyate
Brahman, supreme, all-pervading, without qualities, beyond Prakṛti, the cause of causes — he is called the supreme Self.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.21
इत्येवं कथितं सर्वं त्वया पृष्टं यथागमम् । ज्ञानिनां ज्ञानरूपं च गच्छ वत्से यथासुखम्
ityevaṃ kathitaṃ sarvaṃ tvayā pṛṣṭaṃ yathāgamam | jñānināṃ jñānarūpaṃ ca gaccha vatse yathāsukham
Thus all that was asked by you has been told according to the tradition, and it is the form of knowledge of the knowers. Go, child, as you please.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.22
सावित्र्युवाच त्यक्त्वा क्व यामि कान्तं वा त्वां वा ज्ञानार्णवं ध्रुवम् । यद्यत्करोमि प्रश्नं च तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति
sāvitryuvāca tyaktvā kva yāmi kāntaṃ vā tvāṃ vā jñānārṇavaṃ dhruvam | yadyatkaromi praśnaṃ ca tadbhavānvaktumarhati
Sāvitrī said: Having left my husband, or you who are surely an ocean of knowledge, where should I go? Whatever question I put, that you ought to answer.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.23
कां कां योनिं याति जीवः कर्मणा केन वा पुनः । केन वा कर्मणा स्वर्गं केन वा नरकं पितः
kāṃ kāṃ yoniṃ yāti jīvaḥ karmaṇā kena vā punaḥ | kena vā karmaṇā svargaṃ kena vā narakaṃ pitaḥ
"Into which wombs does the living being go, and by what deed? By what deed (does one attain) heaven, and by what deed hell, O father?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 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 deed (comes) liberation, by what does devotion to the guru arise? By what deed (does one become) a yogin, and by what deed a sick man?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 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 deed (is one) long-lived, and by what deed short-lived? By what deed (is one) miserable, or by what deed happy?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 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 deed (does one become) maimed, one-eyed, deaf? Or blind, or lame, or by what deed mad?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.27
क्षिप्तोऽतिलुब्धकश्चौरः केन वा कर्मणा भवेत् । केन सिद्धिमवाप्नोति सालोक्यादिचतुष्टयम्
kṣipto'tilubdhakaścauraḥ kena vā karmaṇā bhavet | kena siddhimavāpnoti sālokyādicatuṣṭayam
"By what deed does one become insane, exceedingly greedy, or a thief? By what does one obtain the attainment, the fourfold (state) beginning with dwelling in the same world (as God)?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.28
केन वा ब्राह्मणत्वं च तपस्वित्वं च केन वा । स्वर्गभोगादिकं केन वैकुण्ठं केन कर्मणा नारायणनारदसवादे सावित्र्युपाख्याने यमसावित्रीसंवादवर्णनं नामाष्टाविंशोऽध्यायः
kena vā brāhmaṇatvaṃ ca tapasvitvaṃ ca kena vā | svargabhogādikaṃ kena vaikuṇṭhaṃ kena karmaṇā nārāyaṇanāradasavāde sāvitryupākhyāne yamasāvitrīsaṃvādavarṇanaṃ nāmāṣṭāviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ
"By what (comes) brahminhood, and by what the state of an ascetic? By what the enjoyment of heaven and the rest, and by what deed Vaikuṇṭha?" — Thus the twenty-eighth chapter, called the description of the conversation of Yama and Sāvitrī, in the story of Sāvitrī, in the dialogue of Nārāyaṇa and Nārada.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 9 28.29
गोलोकं केन वा ब्रह्मन् सर्वोत्कृष्टं निरामयम् । नरको वा कतिविधः किंसंख्यो नाम किं च वा
golokaṃ kena vā brahman sarvotkṛṣṭaṃ nirāmayam | narako vā katividhaḥ kiṃsaṃkhyo nāma kiṃ ca vā
"And by what, O brahman, (is) Goloka, highest of all and free of affliction, (attained)? And of how many kinds is hell, what is its number, and what its name?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
DB 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 kaṃ narakaṃ yāti kiyantaṃ teṣu tiṣṭhati | pāpināṃ karmaṇā kena ko vā vyādhiḥ prajāyate | yadyatpriyaṃ mayā pṛṣṭaṃ tanme vyākhyātumarhasi
"Who goes to which hell, and how long does he remain in them? By what deed of sinners does which disease arise? Whatever I have asked as pleasing (to me), that you ought to explain to me."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition