Devi Bhagavatam 9.30.1 — Devotion & Grace of the Goddess, Skandha 9, Adhyaya 30, Shloka 1

Yama's Description of Karma Vipaka and the Supremacy of Devi Yajna

Devanagari script

यमेन कर्मविपाककथनम् सावित्र्युवाच प्रयान्ति स्वर्गमन्यं च येनैव कर्मणा यम । मानवाः पुण्यवन्तश्च तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि

Transliteration

yamena karmavipākakathanam sāvitryuvāca prayānti svargamanyaṃ ca yenaiva karmaṇā yama | mānavāḥ puṇyavantaśca tanme vyākhyātumarhasi

Translation

Ang pagsasalaysay ni Yama tungkol sa pagkahinog ng karma. Sinabi ni Savitri: O Yama, sa pamamagitan ng anong mga gawa pumupunta ang mga banal na tao sa langit at sa iba pang mga dako? Dapat mong ipaliwanag iyon sa akin.

Word by Word

• yamena: by Yama
• yamena: Kartṛ
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama
• Form: Inst. Sing. Masculine

• karmavipākakathanam: telling of the ripening of actions
• karmavipākakathanam: null
• Type: Noun
• Root: karmavipākakathana
• Form: Nom. Sing. Neuter

• sāvitrī: Savitri
• sāvitrī: Kartṛ
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāvitrī
• Form: Nom. Sing. Feminine

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: null
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac
• Form: Lit, 3rd Sing. Parasmaipada

• prayānti: they go
• prayānti: null
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-yā
• Form: Lat, 3rd Plural Parasmaipada

• svargam: heaven
• svargam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga
• Form: Acc. Sing. Masculine

• anyam: other
• anyam: null
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya
• Form: Acc. Sing. Masculine

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca
• Form: Conjunction

• yena: by which
• yena: Karaṇa
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: yad
• Form: Inst. Sing. Neuter

• eva: indeed
• eva: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva
• Form: Emphasis

• karmaṇā: by action
• karmaṇā: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman
• Form: Inst. Sing. Neuter

• yama: O Yama
• yama: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama
• Form: Voc. Sing. Masculine

• mānavāḥ: humans
• mānavāḥ: Kartṛ
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava
• Form: Nom. Plural Masculine

• puṇyavantaḥ: meritorious
• puṇyavantaḥ: null
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇyavat
• Form: Nom. Plural Masculine

• tat: that
• tat: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tad
• Form: Acc. Sing. Neuter

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: asmad
• Form: Dat. Sing. (Enclitic)

• vyākhyātum: to explain
• vyākhyātum: null
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-khyā
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

• arhasi: you ought
• arhasi: null
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh
• Form: Lat, 2nd Sing. Parasmaipada

Speaker

Savitri

Shakti Theology

Devi Form: null

Mahavidya Connection: null

Shakti Manifestation: null

Tattva Discussed: null

Devi Narrative

Demon Antagonist: null

Devi Weapon Used: null

Narrative Source: null

Story Arc Position: null

Tantra Dimension

Mantra Referenced: null

Yantra Referenced: null

Kundalini Element: null

Chakra Referenced: null

Tantric Practice Type: null

Bhakti & Stuti

Stuti Type: null

Recitation Occasion: null

Phala Shruti: null

Devotee Offering Stuti: null

Cosmic Feminine

Maya Aspect: null

Creation Role: null

Shakti Philosophy: null

Relation To Brahman: null

Vyasa-Janamejaya Dialogue

Narrator: Savitri

Listener: Yama

Dialogue Context: Savitri asks Yama to explain the specific actions that lead virtuous people to heaven.

Narrative Layer: sub-embedded

Ritual Context

Text: Setting the stage for a discourse on various types of Dana (charity).

Philosophical Significance

Text: Represents the seeker's thirst for knowledge regarding practical Dharma—how specific ethical and charitable actions translate into cosmic spiritual rewards.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Savitri
• Swarga

FAQs

Who is asking the question in this verse?

Savitri is asking the question to Lord Yama.

What does Savitri want to know?

She wants to know the specific virtuous actions (karmas) by which human beings attain heaven (Swarga) and other higher realms.