Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 118
Sourceसूत उवाच। पुनः प्रोवाच भगवान्महादेवो वृषध्वजः । श्रोतारमुपसंगम्य भक्तियुक्तं षडाननम् १। ईश्वर उवाच। कार्तिको वैष्णवो मासः सर्वमासेषु चोत्तमः । अस्मिन्मासे त्रयस्त्रिंशद्देवाः संनिहिताः कलौ २। ऊर्जे मासि महाभागौ भोजनानि द्विजातये । तिलधेनुं हिरण्यं च रजतं भूमिवाससी ३। गोप्रदानानि दास्यंति सर्वभावेन सुव्रत । सर्वेषामेव दानानां कन्यादानं विशिष्यते ४। ब्राह्मणायात्र ये कन्यां दास्यंति विधिवन्नराः । वैकुंठे वसतिस्तेषां यावदिंद्राश्चतुर्दश ५। रोमकाले तु संप्राप्ते सोमो भुंक्ते तु कन्यकाम् । ऋतुकाले तु गंधर्वा वह्निस्तु कुचदर्शने ६। तावद्विवाहयेत्कन्यां यावन्नर्तुमती भवेत् । विवाहस्त्वष्टवर्षायाः कन्यायाः शस्यते बुधैः ७। दातव्या श्रोत्रियायैव ब्राह्मणाय तपस्विने । साक्षादधीतवेदाय विधिना ब्रह्मचारिणे ८। कन्यावरप्रमाणाया एष एव विधिः स्मृतः । यावंति चैव रोमाणि कन्यायाश्च तनौ सुत ९। तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि रुद्रलोके महीयते । सहस्रमेव धेनूनां शतं चानुडुहां समम् १०। दशानुडुत्समं यानं दशयानसमो हयः । हयदानसहस्रेभ्यो गजदानं विशिष्यते ११। गजदानसहस्राणां स्वर्णदानं च तत्समम् । स्वर्णभारसहस्राणां विद्यादानं च तत्समम् १२। विद्यादानात्कोटिगुणं भूमिदानं विशिष्यते । भूमिदानसहस्रेभ्यो गोप्रदानं विशिष्यते १३। गोप्रदानसहस्रेभ्यो ह्यन्नदानं विशिष्यते । अन्नाधारमिदं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजंगमम् १४। तस्माद्देयं प्रयत्नेन कार्तिके शिखिवाहन । त्रीणि तुल्यप्रदानानि त्रीणि तुल्यफलानि च १५। कार्तिकेय उवाच। अन्यानपि महादेव धर्मान्मे वक्तुमर्हसि । यान्कृत्वा सर्वपापानि प्रक्षाल्य त्रिदशो भवेत् १६। सूत उवाच। इतिपृष्टस्तदा शंभुः पुनर्वक्तुं प्रचक्रमे । यावत्किं बहुधा स्तुत्वात्तच्छृणुध्वं तपोधनाः १७। ईश्वर उवाच। परान्नं वर्जयेद्यस्तु कार्तिके नियमे कृते । परान्नवर्जनादेव लभेच्चांद्रायणं फलम् १८। तं प्राप्तं कार्तिकं दृष्ट्वा परान्नं यस्तु वर्जयेत् । दिनेदिने तु कृच्छ्रस्य फलंप्राप्नोति मानवः १९। कार्तिके वर्जयेत्तैलं कार्तिके वर्जयेन्मधु । कार्तिके वर्जयेत्कांस्यं संघान्नं च विशेषतः २०। राक्षसीं योनिमाप्नोति सकृन्मांसस्य भक्षणात् । षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि विष्ठायां परिपच्यते २१। तन्मुक्तो जायते पापो विष्ठाशी ग्रामसूकरः । प्रवृत्तानां तु भक्षाणां कार्तिके नियमे कृते २२। अवश्यं विष्णुरूपत्वं प्राप्यते मोक्षदं पदम् । न कार्तिकसमो मासो न दैवं केशवात्परम् २३। न वेदसदृशं शास्त्रं न तीर्थं गंगया समम् । न सत्यं न समं वृत्तं न कृतेन समं युगम् २४। न तृप्ती रसना तुल्या न दानसदृशं सुखम् । न धर्मसदृशं मित्रं न ज्योतिश्चक्षुषा समम् २५। अव्रतेन क्षिपेद्यस्तु मासं दामोदरप्रियम् । कर्मभ्रष्टः स विज्ञेयो हीनयोनिषु जायते २६। कार्तिकः प्रवरो मासो वैष्णवानां सदा प्रियः । समुद्रगा नदी पुण्या दुर्लभा स्नानशालिनाम् २७। कुलशीलवतीकन्या दुर्लभा दंपती नृणाम् । दुर्लभा जननी लोके पिता चैव विशेषतः २८। दुर्लभं साधुसन्मानं दुर्लभो धार्मिकः सुतः । दुर्लभो द्वारिकावासो दुर्लभं कृष्णदर्शनम् २९। दुर्लभं गोमतीस्नानं दुर्लभं कार्तिकव्रतम् । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महीं दत्त्वा ग्रहणे चंद्रसूर्ययोः ३०। यत्फलं लभते वत्स तत्फलं भूमिशायिनः । भोजनं द्विजदंपत्योः पूजयेच्च विलेपनैः ३१। कंबलानि च रत्नानि वासांसि विविधानि च । तूलिकाश्च प्रदातव्याः प्रच्छादनपटैः सह ३२। उपानहा वातपत्रं कार्तिके देहि पावके । यः करोति नरो नित्यं कार्तिके पत्रभोजनम् ३३। न दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति यावदिंद्राश्चतुर्दश । सर्वकामफलं तस्य सर्वतीर्थफलं लभेत् ३४। न चापि नरकं पश्येद्ब्रह्मपत्रेषु भोजनात् । ब्रह्मा एष स्मृतः साक्षात्पालाशः सर्वकामदः ३५। मध्यमं वर्जयेत्पत्रं कार्तिके शिखिवाहन । ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च त्रयो देवास्त्रिपत्रके ३६। ऐश्वरं वर्जयेत्पत्रं ब्रह्माविष्णुरनुत्तमः । सर्वपुण्यमवाप्नोति शेषपत्रेषु भोजनात् ३७। भोजनान्मध्यपत्रे तु कपिलापयसस्तथा । प्राशनान्मुनिशार्दूल नरो नरकमाप्नुयात् ३८। अज्ञानाद्भुंजते यस्तु शूद्रो वा कपिलापयः । कपिलां ब्राह्मणे दत्त्वा शुद्धो भवति कार्तिके ३९। तिलदानं नदीस्नानं सर्वदा साधुदर्शनम् । भोजनं ब्रह्मपत्रेषु कार्तिके मुक्तिदायकम् ४०। मौनी पालाशभोजी च जलस्नायी सदा क्षमी । कार्तिके क्षितिशायी च हन्यात्पापं युगार्जितम् ४१। जागरं कार्तिके मासि यः करोत्यरुणोदये । दामोदराग्रे सेनानीर्गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् ४२। पितृपक्षेऽन्नदानेन ज्येष्ठाषाढे च वारिणा । कार्तिके तत्फलं पुंसां परदीपप्रबोधनात् ४३। बोधनात्परदीपस्य वैष्णवानां च सेवनात् । कार्तिके फलमाप्नोति राजसूयाश्वमेधयोः ४४। नदीस्नानं कथाविष्णोर्वैष्णवानां च दर्शनम् । न भवेत्कार्तिके यस्य हरेत्पुण्यं दशाब्दिकम् ४५। पुष्करं यः स्मरेत्प्राज्ञः कर्मणा मनसा गिरा । कार्तिके मुनिशार्दूल लक्षकोटिगुणं भवेत् ४६। प्रयागो माघमासे तु पुष्करं कार्तिके तथा । अवंती माधवे मासि हन्यात्पापं युगार्जितम् ४७। धन्यास्ते मानवा लोके कलिकाले विशेषतः । कुर्वंति स्कंद नित्यं ये सर्वथा हरिसेवनम् ४८। किं दत्तैर्बहुभिः पिंडैर्गयाश्राद्धादिभिर्मुने । तारितास्तेन पितरो नरकाच्च न संशयः ४९। क्षीरादिस्नपनं विष्णोः क्रियते पितृकारणात् । कल्पकोटिं दिवं प्राप्य वसंति त्रिदशैः सह 6.118.५०। कार्तिके नार्चितो यैस्तु कृष्णस्तु कमलेक्षणः । जन्मकोटिषु विप्रेंद्र न तेषां कमला गृहे ५१। दष्टा मुष्टा विनष्टास्ते पतिताः कलिकंदरे । यैर्नार्चितो हरिर्भक्त्या कमलैरसितैः सितैः ५२। पद्मेनैकेन देवेशं योऽर्चयेत्कमलापतिम् । वर्षायुतसहस्रस्य पापस्य कुरुते क्षयम् ५३। अपराधसहस्राणि तथा सप्तशतानि च । पद्मेनैकेन देवेशः क्षमेत प्रणतोऽर्चितः ५४। तुलसीपत्रलक्षेण कार्तिके योऽर्चयेद्धरिम् । पत्रेपत्रे मुनिश्रेष्ठ मौक्तिकं लभते फलम् ५५। तुलसीगंधमिश्रं तु यत्किंचित्क्रियते सुत । कल्पकोटिसहस्राणि प्रीतो भवति केशवः ५६। मुखे शिरसि देहे तु कृष्णोत्तीर्णां तु यो वहेत् । तुलसीं षण्मुखप्रीत्या न तस्य स्पृशते कलिः ५७। कृष्णोत्तीर्णैस्तु निर्माल्यैर्यो गात्रं परिमार्जयेत् । सर्वरोगैस्तथा पापैर्मुक्तो भवति षण्मुख ५८। विष्णोरंगारशेषेण यस्यांगं स्पृशते सुत । दुरितानि विनश्यंति व्याधयो यांति संक्षयम् ५९। शंखोदकं हरेर्भक्तिर्निर्माल्यं पादयोर्जलम् । चंदनं धूपशेषं तु ब्रह्महत्यापहारकम् ६०। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायामुत्तरखंडे कार्तिकमाहात्म्ये श्रीशिवकार्तिकेयसंवादे प्रश्नोत्तरोनाम अष्टादशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः ११८।
sūta uvāca| punaḥ provāca bhagavānmahādevo vṛṣadhvajaḥ | śrotāramupasaṃgamya bhaktiyuktaṃ ṣaḍānanam 1| īśvara uvāca| kārtiko vaiṣṇavo māsaḥ sarvamāseṣu cottamaḥ | asminmāse trayastriṃśaddevāḥ saṃnihitāḥ kalau 2| ūrje māsi mahābhāgau bhojanāni dvijātaye | tiladhenuṃ hiraṇyaṃ ca rajataṃ bhūmivāsasī 3| gopradānāni dāsyaṃti sarvabhāvena suvrata | sarveṣāmeva dānānāṃ kanyādānaṃ viśiṣyate 4| brāhmaṇāyātra ye kanyāṃ dāsyaṃti vidhivannarāḥ | vaikuṃṭhe vasatisteṣāṃ yāvadiṃdrāścaturdaśa 5| romakāle tu saṃprāpte somo bhuṃkte tu kanyakām | ṛtukāle tu gaṃdharvā vahnistu kucadarśane 6| tāvadvivāhayetkanyāṃ yāvannartumatī bhavet | vivāhastvaṣṭavarṣāyāḥ kanyāyāḥ śasyate budhaiḥ 7| dātavyā śrotriyāyaiva brāhmaṇāya tapasvine | sākṣādadhītavedāya vidhinā brahmacāriṇe 8| kanyāvarapramāṇāyā eṣa eva vidhiḥ smṛtaḥ | yāvaṃti caiva romāṇi kanyāyāśca tanau suta 9| tāvadvarṣasahasrāṇi rudraloke mahīyate | sahasrameva dhenūnāṃ śataṃ cānuḍuhāṃ samam 10| daśānuḍutsamaṃ yānaṃ daśayānasamo hayaḥ | hayadānasahasrebhyo gajadānaṃ viśiṣyate 11| gajadānasahasrāṇāṃ svarṇadānaṃ ca tatsamam | svarṇabhārasahasrāṇāṃ vidyādānaṃ ca tatsamam 12| vidyādānātkoṭiguṇaṃ bhūmidānaṃ viśiṣyate | bhūmidānasahasrebhyo gopradānaṃ viśiṣyate 13| gopradānasahasrebhyo hyannadānaṃ viśiṣyate | annādhāramidaṃ sarvaṃ jagatsthāvarajaṃgamam 14| tasmāddeyaṃ prayatnena kārtike śikhivāhana | trīṇi tulyapradānāni trīṇi tulyaphalāni ca 15| kārtikeya uvāca| anyānapi mahādeva dharmānme vaktumarhasi | yānkṛtvā sarvapāpāni prakṣālya tridaśo bhavet 16| sūta uvāca| itipṛṣṭastadā śaṃbhuḥ punarvaktuṃ pracakrame | yāvatkiṃ bahudhā stutvāttacchṛṇudhvaṃ tapodhanāḥ 17| īśvara uvāca| parānnaṃ varjayedyastu kārtike niyame kṛte | parānnavarjanādeva labheccāṃdrāyaṇaṃ phalam 18| taṃ prāptaṃ kārtikaṃ dṛṣṭvā parānnaṃ yastu varjayet | dinedine tu kṛcchrasya phalaṃprāpnoti mānavaḥ 19| kārtike varjayettailaṃ kārtike varjayenmadhu | kārtike varjayetkāṃsyaṃ saṃghānnaṃ ca viśeṣataḥ 20| rākṣasīṃ yonimāpnoti sakṛnmāṃsasya bhakṣaṇāt | ṣaṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi viṣṭhāyāṃ paripacyate 21| tanmukto jāyate pāpo viṣṭhāśī grāmasūkaraḥ | pravṛttānāṃ tu bhakṣāṇāṃ kārtike niyame kṛte 22| avaśyaṃ viṣṇurūpatvaṃ prāpyate mokṣadaṃ padam | na kārtikasamo māso na daivaṃ keśavātparam 23| na vedasadṛśaṃ śāstraṃ na tīrthaṃ gaṃgayā samam | na satyaṃ na samaṃ vṛttaṃ na kṛtena samaṃ yugam 24| na tṛptī rasanā tulyā na dānasadṛśaṃ sukham | na dharmasadṛśaṃ mitraṃ na jyotiścakṣuṣā samam 25| avratena kṣipedyastu māsaṃ dāmodarapriyam | karmabhraṣṭaḥ sa vijñeyo hīnayoniṣu jāyate 26| kārtikaḥ pravaro māso vaiṣṇavānāṃ sadā priyaḥ | samudragā nadī puṇyā durlabhā snānaśālinām 27| kulaśīlavatīkanyā durlabhā daṃpatī nṛṇām | durlabhā jananī loke pitā caiva viśeṣataḥ 28| durlabhaṃ sādhusanmānaṃ durlabho dhārmikaḥ sutaḥ | durlabho dvārikāvāso durlabhaṃ kṛṣṇadarśanam 29| durlabhaṃ gomatīsnānaṃ durlabhaṃ kārtikavratam | brāhmaṇebhyo mahīṃ dattvā grahaṇe caṃdrasūryayoḥ 30| yatphalaṃ labhate vatsa tatphalaṃ bhūmiśāyinaḥ | bhojanaṃ dvijadaṃpatyoḥ pūjayecca vilepanaiḥ 31| kaṃbalāni ca ratnāni vāsāṃsi vividhāni ca | tūlikāśca pradātavyāḥ pracchādanapaṭaiḥ saha 32| upānahā vātapatraṃ kārtike dehi pāvake | yaḥ karoti naro nityaṃ kārtike patrabhojanam 33| na durgatimavāpnoti yāvadiṃdrāścaturdaśa | sarvakāmaphalaṃ tasya sarvatīrthaphalaṃ labhet 34| na cāpi narakaṃ paśyedbrahmapatreṣu bhojanāt | brahmā eṣa smṛtaḥ sākṣātpālāśaḥ sarvakāmadaḥ 35| madhyamaṃ varjayetpatraṃ kārtike śikhivāhana | brahmā viṣṇuśca rudraśca trayo devāstripatrake 36| aiśvaraṃ varjayetpatraṃ brahmāviṣṇuranuttamaḥ | sarvapuṇyamavāpnoti śeṣapatreṣu bhojanāt 37| bhojanānmadhyapatre tu kapilāpayasastathā | prāśanānmuniśārdūla naro narakamāpnuyāt 38| ajñānādbhuṃjate yastu śūdro vā kapilāpayaḥ | kapilāṃ brāhmaṇe dattvā śuddho bhavati kārtike 39| tiladānaṃ nadīsnānaṃ sarvadā sādhudarśanam | bhojanaṃ brahmapatreṣu kārtike muktidāyakam 40| maunī pālāśabhojī ca jalasnāyī sadā kṣamī | kārtike kṣitiśāyī ca hanyātpāpaṃ yugārjitam 41| jāgaraṃ kārtike māsi yaḥ karotyaruṇodaye | dāmodarāgre senānīrgosahasraphalaṃ labhet 42| pitṛpakṣe'nnadānena jyeṣṭhāṣāḍhe ca vāriṇā | kārtike tatphalaṃ puṃsāṃ paradīpaprabodhanāt 43| bodhanātparadīpasya vaiṣṇavānāṃ ca sevanāt | kārtike phalamāpnoti rājasūyāśvamedhayoḥ 44| nadīsnānaṃ kathāviṣṇorvaiṣṇavānāṃ ca darśanam | na bhavetkārtike yasya haretpuṇyaṃ daśābdikam 45| puṣkaraṃ yaḥ smaretprājñaḥ karmaṇā manasā girā | kārtike muniśārdūla lakṣakoṭiguṇaṃ bhavet 46| prayāgo māghamāse tu puṣkaraṃ kārtike tathā | avaṃtī mādhave māsi hanyātpāpaṃ yugārjitam 47| dhanyāste mānavā loke kalikāle viśeṣataḥ | kurvaṃti skaṃda nityaṃ ye sarvathā harisevanam 48| kiṃ dattairbahubhiḥ piṃḍairgayāśrāddhādibhirmune | tāritāstena pitaro narakācca na saṃśayaḥ 49| kṣīrādisnapanaṃ viṣṇoḥ kriyate pitṛkāraṇāt | kalpakoṭiṃ divaṃ prāpya vasaṃti tridaśaiḥ saha 6.118.50| kārtike nārcito yaistu kṛṣṇastu kamalekṣaṇaḥ | janmakoṭiṣu vipreṃdra na teṣāṃ kamalā gṛhe 51| daṣṭā muṣṭā vinaṣṭāste patitāḥ kalikaṃdare | yairnārcito harirbhaktyā kamalairasitaiḥ sitaiḥ 52| padmenaikena deveśaṃ yo'rcayetkamalāpatim | varṣāyutasahasrasya pāpasya kurute kṣayam 53| aparādhasahasrāṇi tathā saptaśatāni ca | padmenaikena deveśaḥ kṣameta praṇato'rcitaḥ 54| tulasīpatralakṣeṇa kārtike yo'rcayeddharim | patrepatre muniśreṣṭha mauktikaṃ labhate phalam 55| tulasīgaṃdhamiśraṃ tu yatkiṃcitkriyate suta | kalpakoṭisahasrāṇi prīto bhavati keśavaḥ 56| mukhe śirasi dehe tu kṛṣṇottīrṇāṃ tu yo vahet | tulasīṃ ṣaṇmukhaprītyā na tasya spṛśate kaliḥ 57| kṛṣṇottīrṇaistu nirmālyairyo gātraṃ parimārjayet | sarvarogaistathā pāpairmukto bhavati ṣaṇmukha 58| viṣṇoraṃgāraśeṣeṇa yasyāṃgaṃ spṛśate suta | duritāni vinaśyaṃti vyādhayo yāṃti saṃkṣayam 59| śaṃkhodakaṃ harerbhaktirnirmālyaṃ pādayorjalam | caṃdanaṃ dhūpaśeṣaṃ tu brahmahatyāpahārakam 60| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsahasrasaṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe kārtikamāhātmye śrīśivakārtikeyasaṃvāde praśnottaronāma aṣṭādaśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 118|
English translation
Sūta said :
1. Having approached the listener, viz. Kārtikeya , full of devotion, the bull-bannered lord Śiva spoke again.
The lord said :
2-15. Kārtika is Viṣṇu ’s month and the best of all months. In the Kali age all the thirty-three gods come together in this month. In the very prosperous month of Kārtika men will give to a brāhmaṇa a cow, gold, silver, land, residence, cows with full devotion, O you of a good vow. Of all gifts the gift of a daughter is the best. Men will duly give their daughter to a brāhmaṇa of the Atri -family. They (will) live in Vaikuṇṭha as long as the fourteen Indras (rule). When small hair appears (on the private parts), Soma enjoys a daughter. When she attains puberty, gandharvas (enjoy her); and when the breasts appear (prominent), Fire (enjoys her). A man should marry his daughter as long as she has not attained puberty. Wise men recommend a girl’s marriage when she is eight years old. She should be duly given to a brāhmaṇa who is well-versed in sacred learning, possesses moral virtue, has actually studied the Vedas , and has observed celibacy. This is said to be the rule regarding a daughter to be given (in marriage). He is honoured in Rudra ’s heaven for as many thousand years as the number of hair on the daughter’s body. (The gift of) a thousand cows is equal to that of ten bulls. (The gift of) a vehicle is equal to that of ten bulls. (The gift of) a horse is equal to that of ten vehicles. The gift of an elephant is superior to the gift of thousands of horses. The gift of gold is equal to the gift of thousands of elephants. Giving knowledge is equal to the gift of thousands of bhāras of gold. The gift of (a piece of) land is a crore-fold superior to giving knowledge. The gift of cows is superior to thousands of gifts of land. Giving food is superior to thousands of gifts of cows. All this immobile and mobile world has food as its support. Therefore, O Kārtikeya, one should with an effort (i.e. should make an effort to) give (gifts) in Kārtika. (These) three are equal gifts, and have equal fruits—a cow fulfilling all desires, earth (i.e. land) and Sarasvatī (i.e. knowledge).
Kārtikeya said :
16. O great god, please tell me other (religious) practices doing which one having got rid of all (one’s) sins, would be a god.
Sūta said :
17. O you treasures of penance, what is the use of praising it in many ways? Thus asked Śiva again commenced speaking:
The lord said :
18-46. He who, observing restraints, avoids others’ food in Kārtika, gets the fruit of the Cāndrāyaṇa (vow). The man who, noticing that Kārtika has arrived, would avoid others’ food day by day, obtains the fruit of the Kṛcchra vow. A man should avoid oil in Kārtika; a man should avoid honey in Kārtika; one should avoid (the use of) bell-metal in Kārtika; and one should especially avoid food prepared for a group. By eating flesh (but) once (in Kārtika) he obtains (i.e. goes to) a demonish stock and is cooked in feces for sixty thousand years. Freed from that the sinner is born as a village-pig eating feces. When foods (generally) indulged in are restricted in Kārtika (by a man), he surely obtains Viṣṇu’s form and a position giving salvation. There is no (other) month like Kārtika and no deity superior to Viṣṇu. There is no (other) sacred knowledge like the Vedas; there is no (other) holy place like Gaṅgā ; there is no (other) practice like (that of) truth; there is no (other) age like the Kṛta (age). There is no (other) satisfaction like that of the tongue; there is no (other) pleasure like that due to giving gifts. There is no (other) friend like righteousness; there is no (other) luminary like the eyes. He who would spend (Kārtika), the month dear to Viṣṇu, without (observing) a vow, should be known to have fallen from duty and he is born in low stocks. Kārtika is the best month, always dear to Viṣṇu’s devotees. A holy river flowing into the sea is difficult to be had for a bath by those given to bathing (everyday). An unmarried girl belonging to a noble family and of good character is difficult to be found. A couple of human beings (of an amiable nature) is difficult to be found. In the world a (good) mother and especially a (good) father are difficult to be found. Honour to the good is rare. A virtuous son is rare. Residence at Dvārakā is difficult to be accomplished. Kṛṣṇa ’s sight is difficult to be had. A bath in Gomatī is had with difficulty. The Kārtika vow is difficult to be had. O child, the fruit that a man gets by giving (pieces of) land to brāhmaṇas at (the time of) lunar and solar eclipses is had by one who sleeps on the (bare) ground. He should feed a brāhmaṇa couple and should honour them with unguents. Blankets, gems, various garments, mattresses filled with cotton should be given along with bed-sheets. Give a pair of sandals or an umbrella in the purifying (month of) Kārtika. He who everyday eats from leaves in Kārtika, does not meet with a calamity as long as the fourteen Indras are ruling. He gets the fruit of all his desires, and would get the fruit of (visiting) all holy places. By eating from palāśa leaves a man does not see (i.e. have) a residence in hell, since this palāśa is actually known to be Brahmā granting all desired objects. O Kārtikeya, in Kārtika (a man) should avoid the middle (palāśa) leaf. In the three leaves (of palāśa), Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva (reside). He should avoid the divine leaf, (since) Brahmā is excellent Viṣṇu ( obscure ). By eating from the remaining leaves he obtains all religious merit. O best sage, by eating from the middle leaf (of palāśa) and by drinking the milk of a tawny cow a man would go to hell. A śūdra who ignorantly drinks the milk of a tawny cow, is purified by giving a cow to a brāhmaṇa in Kārtika. Giving sesamum, bathing in a river, always seeing the good, eating from palāśa leaves in Kārtika give salvation. He who observes silence, eats from palāśa leaves, bathes with (river-) water, always forgives, sleeps on the (bare) ground in Kārtika would destroy sin earned during (many) ages, O Kārtikeya, one who keeps awake before Viṣṇu at dawn in Kārtika, would obtain the fruit of (giving) a thousand cows. The fruit which men get by offering food in pitṛpakṣa (i.e. dark half of Bhādrapada ), and by offering water in Jyeṣṭha and Āṣāḍha , is obtained by them in lighting others’ lamps. By lighting another’s lamp and by serving Viṣṇu’s devotees in Kārtika a man gets the fruit of Rājasūya and horse sacrifices. He who does not bathe in a river, does not (tell) tale(s) of Viṣṇu, does not see Viṣṇu's devotees in Kārtika would lose the religious merit (collected during) ten years. O best sage, (the religious merit of) that wise man who would remember Puṣkara through (physical) act, mentally, or through speech, would be a lakh of crore times more.
47-60. Prayāga in the month of Māgha , Puṣkara in Kārtika, so also Avantī in Vaiśākha -month would destroy sin earned during ages. O Kārtikeya, those men are blessed especially in the Kali age, who by all means serve Viṣṇu everyday. (For him,) O sage, what is the use of having offered many piṇḍas by means of (offering) srāddhas [ śrāddhas ?] etc.? There is no doubt that he has emancipated his dead ancestors from hell. Those who for (i.e. in honour of) their dead ancestors give a bath with milk etc. to Viṣṇu, go to heaven and live there with gods for a crore of kalpas . O best brāhmaṇa, Lakṣmī does not stay for crores of existences in the houses of them who have not worshipped the lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu) in Kārtika. Those who have not worshipped Viṣṇu with black or white lotuses are stung, snatched, have perished and have fallen into the cave of Kali. He who (even) with one lotus worships the. chief of gods, the lord of Lakṣmī, destroys sins (collected during) a myriad thousands of years. The lord of gods, saluted and worshipped with (just) one lotus would forgive seven hundred thousands of sins. O best sage, he who would worship Viṣṇu in Kārtika with a lakh of Tulasī -leaves would obtain a pearl on (i.e. for) every leaf as the fruit. Viṣṇu, O (my) son, is pleased for crores of thousands of kalpas with whatever is done (i.e. offered) after being mixed with (i.e. having) the fragrance of Tulasī. O Kārtikeya, Kali does not touch him who carries in his mouth, on his head or body a Tulasī (leaf) taken down from (the image of) Viṣṇu (after it was offered to him). O Kārtikeya, he who would sprinkle his body with the offerings like flowers after taking them down from (the image of) Kṛṣṇa, becomes free from all diseases and sins also. O (my) son, undoubtedly the sins of him perish, and diseases of him come to an end, whose body touches (i.e. is smeared) with the remaining of the (burnt) charcoal etc. (offered) to Viṣṇu. The water in a conch, devotion to Viṣṇu, the remains of offerings like flowers, water (flowing from) the feet (of the image of Viṣṇu), sandal, the remains of incense remove (the sin of) the murder of a brāhmaṇa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44687, revision 333953 (2022-03-21T11:11:19Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365697.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.