Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 90
Sourceसत्योवाच- सर्वेऽपि कालावयवास्तवकालस्वरूपिणः । समानास्तु कथं नाथ मासानां कार्तिको वरः १। एकादशी तिथीनां च मासानां कार्त्तिकः प्रियः । कथं ते देवदेवेश कारणं किं च कथ्यताम् २। श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- साधु पृष्टं त्वया सत्ये शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसा । पृथोर्वैन्यस्य संवादं देवर्षेर्नारदस्य च ३। एवमेव पुरा पृष्टो नारदः पृथुना प्रिये । उवाच कार्त्तिकाधिक्ये कारणं सर्वविन्मुनिः ४। नारद उवाच- शंखनामाभवत्पूर्वमसुरः सागरात्मजः । त्रिलोकीमथने शक्तो महाबलपराक्रमः ५। जित्वा देवान्निराकृत्य स्वर्गलोकान्महासुरः । इंद्रादिलोकपालानामधिकारांस्तथाहरत् ६। तद्भयादथ ते देवाः सुवर्णाद्रिगुहां गताः । न्यवसन्बहुवर्षाणि सावरोधाः सवासवाः ७। सुवर्णाद्रि गुहादुर्गसंस्थितास्त्रिदशा यदा । तद्वश्या न बभूवुस्ते तदा दैत्यो व्यचारयत् ८। हृताधिकारास्त्रिदशा मया यद्यपि निर्जिताः । भवंति बलयुक्तास्ते करणीयं ममात्र किम् ९। अद्य ज्ञातं मया देवा वेदमंत्रबलान्विताः । तान्हरिष्ये ततः सर्वे बलहीना भवंति हि १०। इति मत्वा ततो दैत्यो विष्णुमालक्ष्य निद्रितम् । सत्यलोकाज्जहाराशु वेदानां च गणं प्रभुः ११। नीतास्तु तेन ते वेदास्तद्भयात्ते निराक्रमन् । तोये निविविशुस्तेऽत्र यज्ञमंत्रसमन्विताः १२। तान्मार्गमाणः शंखोऽपि समुद्रांतर्गतो भ्रमन् । न ददर्श ततो दैत्यः क्वचिदेकत्र संस्थितान् १३। अथ ब्रह्मा सुरैः सार्द्धं विष्णुं शरणमन्वयात् । पूजोपकरणं गृह्य वैकुंठभवनं गतः १४। तत्र तस्य प्रबोधाय गीतवाद्यादिकाः क्रियाः । चक्रुर्देवा गंधपुष्पधूपदीपान्मुहुर्मुहुः १५। अथ प्रबुद्धो भगवांस्तद्भक्तिपरितोषितः । ददृशे तैः सुरैस्तत्र सहस्रार्कसमद्युतिः १६। उपचारैः षोडशभिः संपूज्य त्रिदशास्तदा । दंडवत्पतिता भूमौ तानुवाचाथ केशवः १७। विष्णुरुवाच- वरदोऽहं सुरगणा गीतवाद्यादि मंगलैः । मनोऽभिलषितान्कामान्सर्वानेव ददामि वः १८। इषस्य शुक्लैकादश्या यावदुद्बोधिनी भवेत् । निशातुर्यांशशेषेण गीतवाद्यादि मंगलैः १९। कुर्वंति मनुजा नित्यं भवद्भिर्यद्यथाकृतम् । ते मत्प्रियकरा नित्यं मत्सांनिध्यं व्रजंति हि २०। पाद्यार्घाचमनीयाद्यैर्भवद्भिर्यद्यथाकृतम् । तदद्भुतगुणं यस्माज्जातंवः सुखकारणम् २१। वेदाः शंखहृताः सर्वे तिष्ठंत्युदकसंस्थिताः । तानानयाम्यहं देवा हत्वा सागरनंदनम् २२। अद्यप्रभृति वेदास्तु मंत्रबीजमखान्विताः । प्रत्यब्दं कार्तिके मासि विश्रमंत्वप्सु सर्वदा २३। अद्यप्रभृत्यहमपि भवामि जलमध्यगः । भवंतोऽपि मया सार्द्धमायांतु समुनीश्वराः २४। कालेऽस्मिन्नेव कुर्वंति प्रातःस्नानं द्विजोत्तमाः । ते सर्वयज्ञावभृथैः सुस्नाताः स्युर्न संशयः २५। ये कार्तिके व्रतं सम्यङ्नित्यं कुर्वंति मानवाः । ते देहांते त्वया शक्र प्राप्या मद्भवनं सदा २६। विघ्नेभ्यो रक्षणं तेषां यया कार्यं ममाज्ञया । देया त्वया च वरुण पुत्रपौत्रादि संततिः २७। धनवृद्धिर्धनाध्यक्ष त्वया कार्या ममाज्ञया । ममरूपधराः साक्षाज्जीवन्मुक्ताश्च ते नराः २८। आजन्ममरणाद्यैश्च कृतमेतद्व्रतोत्तमम् । यथोक्तविधिना सम्यक्ते मान्या भवतामपि २९। एकादश्यां यतश्चाहं भवद्भिः प्रतिबोधितः । अतश्चैषा तिथिर्मान्या सदैव प्रीतिदा मम ३०। व्रतद्वयं सम्यगिदं नरैः कृतं कृष्णस्य सान्निध्यदमस्ति नान्यत् । दानानि तीर्थानि तपांसि यज्ञाः स्वर्लोकदानेन सदा सुरोत्तमाः ३१। इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्र संहितायां कार्तिकमाहात्म्ये श्रीकृष्णसत्यभामासंवादे शंखासुरवधउद्यमोनाम नवतितमोऽध्यायः ९०।
satyovāca- sarve'pi kālāvayavāstavakālasvarūpiṇaḥ | samānāstu kathaṃ nātha māsānāṃ kārtiko varaḥ 1| ekādaśī tithīnāṃ ca māsānāṃ kārttikaḥ priyaḥ | kathaṃ te devadeveśa kāraṇaṃ kiṃ ca kathyatām 2| śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca- sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā satye śṛṇuṣvaikāgramānasā | pṛthorvainyasya saṃvādaṃ devarṣernāradasya ca 3| evameva purā pṛṣṭo nāradaḥ pṛthunā priye | uvāca kārttikādhikye kāraṇaṃ sarvavinmuniḥ 4| nārada uvāca- śaṃkhanāmābhavatpūrvamasuraḥ sāgarātmajaḥ | trilokīmathane śakto mahābalaparākramaḥ 5| jitvā devānnirākṛtya svargalokānmahāsuraḥ | iṃdrādilokapālānāmadhikārāṃstathāharat 6| tadbhayādatha te devāḥ suvarṇādriguhāṃ gatāḥ | nyavasanbahuvarṣāṇi sāvarodhāḥ savāsavāḥ 7| suvarṇādri guhādurgasaṃsthitāstridaśā yadā | tadvaśyā na babhūvuste tadā daityo vyacārayat 8| hṛtādhikārāstridaśā mayā yadyapi nirjitāḥ | bhavaṃti balayuktāste karaṇīyaṃ mamātra kim 9| adya jñātaṃ mayā devā vedamaṃtrabalānvitāḥ | tānhariṣye tataḥ sarve balahīnā bhavaṃti hi 10| iti matvā tato daityo viṣṇumālakṣya nidritam | satyalokājjahārāśu vedānāṃ ca gaṇaṃ prabhuḥ 11| nītāstu tena te vedāstadbhayātte nirākraman | toye niviviśuste'tra yajñamaṃtrasamanvitāḥ 12| tānmārgamāṇaḥ śaṃkho'pi samudrāṃtargato bhraman | na dadarśa tato daityaḥ kvacidekatra saṃsthitān 13| atha brahmā suraiḥ sārddhaṃ viṣṇuṃ śaraṇamanvayāt | pūjopakaraṇaṃ gṛhya vaikuṃṭhabhavanaṃ gataḥ 14| tatra tasya prabodhāya gītavādyādikāḥ kriyāḥ | cakrurdevā gaṃdhapuṣpadhūpadīpānmuhurmuhuḥ 15| atha prabuddho bhagavāṃstadbhaktiparitoṣitaḥ | dadṛśe taiḥ suraistatra sahasrārkasamadyutiḥ 16| upacāraiḥ ṣoḍaśabhiḥ saṃpūjya tridaśāstadā | daṃḍavatpatitā bhūmau tānuvācātha keśavaḥ 17| viṣṇuruvāca- varado'haṃ suragaṇā gītavādyādi maṃgalaiḥ | mano'bhilaṣitānkāmānsarvāneva dadāmi vaḥ 18| iṣasya śuklaikādaśyā yāvadudbodhinī bhavet | niśāturyāṃśaśeṣeṇa gītavādyādi maṃgalaiḥ 19| kurvaṃti manujā nityaṃ bhavadbhiryadyathākṛtam | te matpriyakarā nityaṃ matsāṃnidhyaṃ vrajaṃti hi 20| pādyārghācamanīyādyairbhavadbhiryadyathākṛtam | tadadbhutaguṇaṃ yasmājjātaṃvaḥ sukhakāraṇam 21| vedāḥ śaṃkhahṛtāḥ sarve tiṣṭhaṃtyudakasaṃsthitāḥ | tānānayāmyahaṃ devā hatvā sāgaranaṃdanam 22| adyaprabhṛti vedāstu maṃtrabījamakhānvitāḥ | pratyabdaṃ kārtike māsi viśramaṃtvapsu sarvadā 23| adyaprabhṛtyahamapi bhavāmi jalamadhyagaḥ | bhavaṃto'pi mayā sārddhamāyāṃtu samunīśvarāḥ 24| kāle'sminneva kurvaṃti prātaḥsnānaṃ dvijottamāḥ | te sarvayajñāvabhṛthaiḥ susnātāḥ syurna saṃśayaḥ 25| ye kārtike vrataṃ samyaṅnityaṃ kurvaṃti mānavāḥ | te dehāṃte tvayā śakra prāpyā madbhavanaṃ sadā 26| vighnebhyo rakṣaṇaṃ teṣāṃ yayā kāryaṃ mamājñayā | deyā tvayā ca varuṇa putrapautrādi saṃtatiḥ 27| dhanavṛddhirdhanādhyakṣa tvayā kāryā mamājñayā | mamarūpadharāḥ sākṣājjīvanmuktāśca te narāḥ 28| ājanmamaraṇādyaiśca kṛtametadvratottamam | yathoktavidhinā samyakte mānyā bhavatāmapi 29| ekādaśyāṃ yataścāhaṃ bhavadbhiḥ pratibodhitaḥ | ataścaiṣā tithirmānyā sadaiva prītidā mama 30| vratadvayaṃ samyagidaṃ naraiḥ kṛtaṃ kṛṣṇasya sānnidhyadamasti nānyat | dānāni tīrthāni tapāṃsi yajñāḥ svarlokadānena sadā surottamāḥ 31| iti śrīpādmemahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsahasra saṃhitāyāṃ kārtikamāhātmye śrīkṛṣṇasatyabhāmāsaṃvāde śaṃkhāsuravadhaudyamonāma navatitamo'dhyāyaḥ 90|
English translation
Satyā said :
1-2. To him of the nature of time, all the parts of time are equal. Then how is Kārtika the best among the months? O lord of the god of gods, how is it that to you Ekādaśī among days and Kārtika among months are dear? Tell (me) the reason for this.
Śrīkṛṣṇa said :
3-4. O Satyā , you have asked well. Listen with a concentrated mind a dialogue between Vena ’s son Pṛthu and the divine sage Nārada . What you have asked, O dear one, formerly Nārada was also asked by Pṛthu. The omniscient sage told the reason for the superiority of Kārtika.
Nārada said :
5-17. Formerly there was a demon, the son of the Ocean, named Śaṅkha . He was able to destroy the three worlds and had great power and valour. The great demon, having vanquished the gods, drove them out of heaven. He also snatched the powers of the regents like Indra . Due to his fear gods along with the ladies in their harems and with Indra went to the cave of the Meru mountain and lived there for many years. When the gods who lived in the cave of the Meru mountain, could not be subjugated by the demon, he thought: ‘Even though the gods have been vanquished and their powers snatched by me, yet they are full of power. What should I do now? Today it is known (i.e. realised) by me that the gods are endowed with the power of the Vedic hymns. I shall snatch them. Then all of them will be powerless.’ Then the mighty demon thinking like this and noticing Viṣṇu to be asleep, quickly snatched from the Satya world the group of the Vedas . He took the Vedas. Due to his fear they moved out, and with the sacrifice and hymns they entered the water (of the ocean). Śaṅkha also, looking for them and wandering in the interior of the ocean, did not notice them anywhere seated at one place. Then Brahmā with the gods sought the shelter of Viṣṇu. Taking the materials of worship he went to Viṣṇu’s house. There the gods performed acts like singing, playing upon musical instruments, and repeatedly (offered him) sandal, flowers, incense and lights. Then the lord devoutly pleased by them, got up. He, having the lustre of a thousand suns was seen there by all the gods. The gods then having worshipped him in sixteen ways fell (i.e. prostrated themselves) on the earth like a staff. Then Viṣṇu said to them:
Viṣṇu said :
18-31. O groups of gods, by means of the auspicious (acts) like singing and (playing upon) the musical instruments, I (am pleased and) will grant you boons. I shall give you all objects desired by your mind. From the Ekādaśī in the bright half of Āśvina till the Udbodhinī Ekādaśī men will daily do as you did with the auspicious (acts) like singing, (playing upon) musical instruments etc. They (will) do what is dear to me, and will ever remain in my vicinity. Since what you did—(offering) water for washing the feet, respectful oblation, and (offering) water for sipping,—has had wonderful effect, it has become the cause of your happiness. O gods, all the Vedas snatched by Śaṅkha remain in water. Having killed the Ocean’s son, I shall bring them (back). May the Vedas with the basic hymns and sacrifice always rest in water from today in the month of Kārtika every year. From today I (shall) also remain in water. Along with the chief sages you may also come with me. There is no doubt that those best brāhmaṇas who during this period bathe (daily) in the morning, have well performed the ablution at the end of a sacrifice. O Indra, those men who everyday properly observe the vow in Kārtika, should be always brought by you to my house on their death. And by my order they are always to be protected from dangers. O Varuṇa , you should give them progeny—sons and grandsons etc. O Kubera , you have to increase their wealth by my order. Those men, liberated while alive, actually have my form. Those (men) who have from birth to death observed this best vow according to the rule laid down (in the holy texts), should also be honoured by you. Since you awoke me on the day of Ekādaśī, therefore, this day is always venerable and gives me joy. This couple of vows, properly observed by men, always gives Kṛṣṇa ’s proximity. No other vow (does it). O best gods, gifts, (visits to) holy places, austerities, sacrifices, do not always give (i.e. lead to) heaven.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 14182, revision 336519 (2022-04-23T11:31:51Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365668.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.