Yamashtakam is a prayer sung by Goddess Savithri to Yamraja to get back her husband. Yamashtakam is a sthuti for Lord Yama Dharmaraja the God of Death.
Yamadharma Stotram Lyrics in English:
Thapasaa Dharma Rajaya, pushkare Bhaskare puraa,
Dharmasam yam sutham prapa Dharmarajam namamyaham. || 1 ||
In the olden times Sun God got Yamuna and Dharma Raja as children,
And the Son who is the follower of Dharma , was named as king of dharma.
Samathaa sarva bhootheshu yasya sarvasya sakshina,
Atho yan nama samanam ithi tham pranamamyaham. || 2 ||
He treated every living being as equal and is the witness of everything,
And thus he was equal to his name and I salute him.
Yenaa anthascha krutho, viswe sarveshaam jeevinaam param,
Karmo anuroopa kalena, tham kruthantham namamyaham. || 3 ||
He made all beings of the world die ,
At the proper time and I salute him who puts an end.
Bbarthi dandam dandachyaa, paapinaam shudhi hethave,
Namami tham Danda dharam, ya saastha sarva karmanam. || 4 ||
He gave punishment using his scepter to the sinners to make them pure,
I salute he who holds the scepter, who is the teacher of all duties.
Viswe ya kavalayathyeva sarvayuschapi santhatham,
Atheeva durnirvarya cha tham kaalam pranamamyaham. || 5 ||
Since he was swallowing the world and he always takes away all souls,
At highly exceptional circumstances and I salute that Kala.
Thapaswi Vaishnavo dharmo, samyami vijithendriya,
Jeevinaam karma phaladham tham Yamam pranamamyaham. || 6 ||
An ascetic following the Vaishnava Dharma, one who has won over his senses,
And one who awards the results of Karma to beings is Yama and I salute him.
Swa athmaramascha sarvagno mithram punyakruthaam bhaveth,
Paapinam klesadham yasya, puthro mithro namamyaham. || 7 ||
Rejoicing in his own self, one who knows all, one who is a friend of those who do good deeds,
And one who troubles sinners is the son of Sun God and I salute him.
Yajjanma Brahmaano vamse jwalantham Brahma thejasaa,
Yo dhyayathi Param brahma Brahma vamsam namamyaham. || 8 ||
He took birth in the clan of Brahma and shined with effulgence of Brahmana,
And he meditates on the divine Brahmam, and I salute the clan of Brahma.
Phala Sruthi
Ithyukthwaa saa cha Savithri prananama Yamam Mune,
Yamasthaam Vishnu Bhajanam karmapakam uvacha ha. || 9 ||
Oh sage after saying this Savithri saluted that Yama,
And Yama heard her praise of Lord Vishnu due to her ripening of her Karma.
Idham Yamastakam nithyam prathar uthaya padeth,
Yamath thasya bhayam Nasthi sarva paapath pramuchyathe. || 10 ||
If this octet on Yama is read daily as soon as one gets up in the morning,
He will have no fear of Yama and would get rid of all his sins.
Maha Paapi yathi paden nithyam BHakthyaa cha Narada,
Yama karothi tham shudham kaya vyuhena nischitham. || 11 ||
Oh Narada, if a great sinner reads it daily with devotion,
Yama will make him pure from at the time of his soul seperatring from body.
Ithi Sri Brahma Vaivartha Maha purane prakruthi khande Savithri krutha Sri yamashtakam sampoornam.
Thus ends the octet on Yama composed by Savithri which occurs in the first chapter of Brahma Vaivartha Maha Purana.