Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 121
Sourceईश्वर उवाच। धात्रीच्छायां समाश्रित्य कुर्यात्पिंडं तु यो गुह । मुक्तिं प्रयांति पितरः प्रसादान्माधवस्य तु १। मूर्ध्नि पाणौ मुखे चैव देहे चैव तु यो नरः । धत्ते धात्रीफलं वत्स धात्रीफलविभूषितः २। धात्रीफलकृताहारो नरो नारायणो भवेत् । यः कश्चिद्वैष्णवो लोके धत्ते धात्रीफलं गुह ३। प्रियो भवति देवानां मनुष्याणं च का कथा । न जह्यात्तुलसीमालां धात्रीमालां विशेषतः ४। यावत्तिष्ठति कंठस्था धात्रीमाला नरस्य हि । तावत्तस्य शरीरे तु प्रतिष्ठति च केशवः ५। धात्रीं फलं तु तुलसीमृत्तिका द्वारकोद्भवा । सफलं जीवितं तस्य त्रितयं यस्य वेश्मनि ६। यावद्दिनानि वहते धात्रीमालां कलौ नरः । तावद्युगसहस्राणि वैकुंठे वसतिर्भवेत् ७। मालायुग्मं वहेद्यस्तु धात्रीतुलसिसंभवम् । वहते कंठदेशे तु कल्पकोटिं दिवं वसेत् ८। संनियम्येंद्रियग्रामं शालग्रामशिलार्चनम् । यः कुर्यान्मानवो भक्त्या पुष्पेपुष्पेऽश्वमेधजम् ९। सुराणां च यथा विष्णुः पुष्पाणां तुलसी तथा । तुलस्यानुदिनं देवं योऽर्चयेद्गरुडध्वजम् १०। जन्मदुःखजरारोगैर्मुक्तोऽसौ मुक्तिमाप्नुयात् । तुलसीमालया विष्णुः पूजितो येन कार्तिके ११। यमाक्षरकृतां मालां स्फुटं शौरिः प्रमार्जति । श्रीचंदनं सकर्पूरमगुरुं च सकुंकुमम् १२। केतकी दीपदानं च सर्वदा केशवप्रियम् । कार्तिके केतकीपुष्पं दत्तं येन कलौ युगे १३। दीपदानं महासेन कुलानां तारयेच्छतम् । सरोरुहाणि तुलसी केतकी मुनिपुष्पकम् १४। कार्तिके च दिनान्येव दीपदानं तु पंचमम् । केतकीमालया येन कार्तिके पुष्पमंडपम् १५। केशवस्य कृतं वत्स वसतिर्दिवि तस्य च । केतकीपुष्पकेनैव पूजितो गरुडध्वजः १६। समाः सहस्रं सुप्रीतो जायते मधुसूदनः । अर्चयित्वा हृषीकेशं कुसुमैः केतकीभवैः १७। पुण्यं तद्भवनं याति केशवस्य शिवं गुह । दमनकेनापि देवेशं संप्राप्ते मधुमाधवे १८। समभ्यर्च्य मुनिश्रेष्ठ अर्चनाल्लभते फलम् । अगस्तिकुसुमैर्देवं योऽर्चयेत जनार्दनम् १९। दर्शनात्तस्य भो विप्र नरकाग्निः प्रणश्यति । न तत्करोति विप्रर्षे तपसा तोषितो हरिः २०। यत्करोति महासेन मुनिपुष्पैरलंकृतः । विहाय सर्वपुष्पाणि मुनिपुष्पेण केशवम् २१। कार्तिके योऽर्चयेद्भक्त्या वाजिमेधफलं लभेत् । मुनिपुष्पकृतां मालां यो ददाति जनार्दने २२। देवेंद्रोऽपि मुनिश्रेष्ठ कुरुते तस्य सत्कथाम् । गवामयुतदानेन यत्फलं प्राप्यते गुह २३। मुनिपुष्पेण चैकेन कार्तिके लभते फलम् । कौस्तुभेन यथा प्रीतो यथा च वनमालया २४। तुलसीदलेन संप्रीतः कार्तिके च तथा हरिः । सिऊ!त उवाच। प्रश्रयावनतं दृष्ट्वा कुमारं भक्तितत्परम् २५। पुनः प्रोवाच भगवान्महादेवो वृषध्वजः । ईश्वर उवाच। शृणु दीपस्य माहात्म्यं कार्तिके शिखिवाहन २६। पितरश्चैव वांच्छंति सदा पितृगणैर्वृताः । भविष्यति कुलेऽस्माकं पितृभक्तः सुपुत्रकः २७। कार्तिके दीपदानेन यस्तोषयति केशवम् । घृतेन दीपको यस्य तिलतैलेन वा पुनः २८। ज्वलते यस्य सेनानीरश्वमेधेन तस्य किम् । तेनेष्टं क्रतुभिः सर्वैः कृतं तीर्थावगाहनम् २९। दीपदानं कृतं येन कार्तिके केशवाग्रतः । कृष्णपक्षे विशेषेण पुत्र पंचदिनानि च ३०। पुण्यानि तेषु यो दत्ते दीपं सोऽक्षयमाप्नुयात् । एकादश्यां परैर्दत्तं दीपं प्रज्वाल्य मूषिका ३१। मानुष्यं दुर्ल्लभं प्राप्य परां गतिमवाप सा । लुब्धकोऽपि चतुर्दश्यां पूजयित्वा महेश्वरम् ३२। निर्भक्षः परमं प्राप्य विष्णुलोकं जगाम सः । श्वपाकस्याश्रयाद्वैश्या दीपं कृत्वा परैः कृतम् ३३। शुद्धा लीलावती भूत्वा जगाम स्वर्गमक्षयम् । गोपः कश्चिदमावस्यां पूजां दृष्ट्वा तु शार्ङ्गिणः ३४। मुहुर्मुहुर्जयेत्युक्त्वा राजराजेश्वरोऽभवत् । तस्माद्दीपाः प्रदातव्या रात्रावस्तमते रवौ ३५। गृहेषु सर्वगोष्ठेषु सर्वेष्वायतनेषु च । देवालयेषु देवानां श्मशानेषु सरस्सु च ३६। घृतादिना शुभार्थाय यावत्पंचदिनानि च । पापिनः पितरो ये च लुप्तपिंडोदकक्रियाः । तेपि यांति परां मुक्तिं दीपदानस्य पुण्यतः ३७। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायामुत्तरखंडे कार्त्तिकमाहात्म्ये दीप गंध धात्री माहात्म्यवर्णनो नाम एकविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः १२१।
īśvara uvāca| dhātrīcchāyāṃ samāśritya kuryātpiṃḍaṃ tu yo guha | muktiṃ prayāṃti pitaraḥ prasādānmādhavasya tu 1| mūrdhni pāṇau mukhe caiva dehe caiva tu yo naraḥ | dhatte dhātrīphalaṃ vatsa dhātrīphalavibhūṣitaḥ 2| dhātrīphalakṛtāhāro naro nārāyaṇo bhavet | yaḥ kaścidvaiṣṇavo loke dhatte dhātrīphalaṃ guha 3| priyo bhavati devānāṃ manuṣyāṇaṃ ca kā kathā | na jahyāttulasīmālāṃ dhātrīmālāṃ viśeṣataḥ 4| yāvattiṣṭhati kaṃṭhasthā dhātrīmālā narasya hi | tāvattasya śarīre tu pratiṣṭhati ca keśavaḥ 5| dhātrīṃ phalaṃ tu tulasīmṛttikā dvārakodbhavā | saphalaṃ jīvitaṃ tasya tritayaṃ yasya veśmani 6| yāvaddināni vahate dhātrīmālāṃ kalau naraḥ | tāvadyugasahasrāṇi vaikuṃṭhe vasatirbhavet 7| mālāyugmaṃ vahedyastu dhātrītulasisaṃbhavam | vahate kaṃṭhadeśe tu kalpakoṭiṃ divaṃ vaset 8| saṃniyamyeṃdriyagrāmaṃ śālagrāmaśilārcanam | yaḥ kuryānmānavo bhaktyā puṣpepuṣpe'śvamedhajam 9| surāṇāṃ ca yathā viṣṇuḥ puṣpāṇāṃ tulasī tathā | tulasyānudinaṃ devaṃ yo'rcayedgaruḍadhvajam 10| janmaduḥkhajarārogairmukto'sau muktimāpnuyāt | tulasīmālayā viṣṇuḥ pūjito yena kārtike 11| yamākṣarakṛtāṃ mālāṃ sphuṭaṃ śauriḥ pramārjati | śrīcaṃdanaṃ sakarpūramaguruṃ ca sakuṃkumam 12| ketakī dīpadānaṃ ca sarvadā keśavapriyam | kārtike ketakīpuṣpaṃ dattaṃ yena kalau yuge 13| dīpadānaṃ mahāsena kulānāṃ tārayecchatam | saroruhāṇi tulasī ketakī munipuṣpakam 14| kārtike ca dinānyeva dīpadānaṃ tu paṃcamam | ketakīmālayā yena kārtike puṣpamaṃḍapam 15| keśavasya kṛtaṃ vatsa vasatirdivi tasya ca | ketakīpuṣpakenaiva pūjito garuḍadhvajaḥ 16| samāḥ sahasraṃ suprīto jāyate madhusūdanaḥ | arcayitvā hṛṣīkeśaṃ kusumaiḥ ketakībhavaiḥ 17| puṇyaṃ tadbhavanaṃ yāti keśavasya śivaṃ guha | damanakenāpi deveśaṃ saṃprāpte madhumādhave 18| samabhyarcya muniśreṣṭha arcanāllabhate phalam | agastikusumairdevaṃ yo'rcayeta janārdanam 19| darśanāttasya bho vipra narakāgniḥ praṇaśyati | na tatkaroti viprarṣe tapasā toṣito hariḥ 20| yatkaroti mahāsena munipuṣpairalaṃkṛtaḥ | vihāya sarvapuṣpāṇi munipuṣpeṇa keśavam 21| kārtike yo'rcayedbhaktyā vājimedhaphalaṃ labhet | munipuṣpakṛtāṃ mālāṃ yo dadāti janārdane 22| deveṃdro'pi muniśreṣṭha kurute tasya satkathām | gavāmayutadānena yatphalaṃ prāpyate guha 23| munipuṣpeṇa caikena kārtike labhate phalam | kaustubhena yathā prīto yathā ca vanamālayā 24| tulasīdalena saṃprītaḥ kārtike ca tathā hariḥ | siū!ta uvāca| praśrayāvanataṃ dṛṣṭvā kumāraṃ bhaktitatparam 25| punaḥ provāca bhagavānmahādevo vṛṣadhvajaḥ | īśvara uvāca| śṛṇu dīpasya māhātmyaṃ kārtike śikhivāhana 26| pitaraścaiva vāṃcchaṃti sadā pitṛgaṇairvṛtāḥ | bhaviṣyati kule'smākaṃ pitṛbhaktaḥ suputrakaḥ 27| kārtike dīpadānena yastoṣayati keśavam | ghṛtena dīpako yasya tilatailena vā punaḥ 28| jvalate yasya senānīraśvamedhena tasya kim | teneṣṭaṃ kratubhiḥ sarvaiḥ kṛtaṃ tīrthāvagāhanam 29| dīpadānaṃ kṛtaṃ yena kārtike keśavāgrataḥ | kṛṣṇapakṣe viśeṣeṇa putra paṃcadināni ca 30| puṇyāni teṣu yo datte dīpaṃ so'kṣayamāpnuyāt | ekādaśyāṃ parairdattaṃ dīpaṃ prajvālya mūṣikā 31| mānuṣyaṃ durllabhaṃ prāpya parāṃ gatimavāpa sā | lubdhako'pi caturdaśyāṃ pūjayitvā maheśvaram 32| nirbhakṣaḥ paramaṃ prāpya viṣṇulokaṃ jagāma saḥ | śvapākasyāśrayādvaiśyā dīpaṃ kṛtvā paraiḥ kṛtam 33| śuddhā līlāvatī bhūtvā jagāma svargamakṣayam | gopaḥ kaścidamāvasyāṃ pūjāṃ dṛṣṭvā tu śārṅgiṇaḥ 34| muhurmuhurjayetyuktvā rājarājeśvaro'bhavat | tasmāddīpāḥ pradātavyā rātrāvastamate ravau 35| gṛheṣu sarvagoṣṭheṣu sarveṣvāyataneṣu ca | devālayeṣu devānāṃ śmaśāneṣu sarassu ca 36| ghṛtādinā śubhārthāya yāvatpaṃcadināni ca | pāpinaḥ pitaro ye ca luptapiṃḍodakakriyāḥ | tepi yāṃti parāṃ muktiṃ dīpadānasya puṇyataḥ 37| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsahasrasaṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe kārttikamāhātmye dīpa gaṃdha dhātrī māhātmyavarṇano nāma ekaviṃśatyadhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ 121|
English translation
The Lord said :
1-25a. O Kārtikeya , of him who, resorting to the shade of dhātrī , offers piṇḍas , the dead ancestors obtain salvation through Viṣṇu ’s grace. O child, a man who, being adorned with dhātrī-fruits, holds a dhātrī fruit on his head, in his hand, mouth, on his body, and who eats dhātrī-fruits becomes Viṣṇu. O Kārtikeya, he, the devotee of Viṣṇu, who has a dhātrī-fruit, becomes dear to gods; then what to say of human beings? A man should not abandon a Tulasī -garland and especially a dhātri -garland. As long as the dhātrī-garland remains round the neck of a man, Viṣṇu, till that time, remains in his body. The life of him in whose house these three, viz. dhātrī-fruit, Tulasī, and clay from Dvārakā are (found), is fruitful. A man would live in Vaikuṇṭha for as many thousands of yugas as the days he wears a dhātrī-garland in the Kali age. He who would wear a pair of garlands of dhātrī and Tulasī round his neck would live in heaven for a crore of kalpas . A man who, having controlled the group of his senses, devoutly worships Śālagrāma stone, has the religious merit of a horse sacrifice in (i.e. from) each flower. As is Viṣṇu among gods, so is Tulasī among flowers. He who everyday would worship the Garuḍa -bannered god with Tulasī, becomes free from birth, grief, old age and diseases, and would obtain salvation. In case of him who has worshipped Viṣṇu in Kārtika , Viṣṇu rubs off the row of letters written by Yama . Śrīcandana with camphor, agaru sandal with saffron, so also offering ketakī flowers and lights is always dear to Viṣṇu. He who has offered ketakī flower or light in Kārtika in the Kali-age would emancipate a hundred (members) of his family, O Kārtikeya. On the days of Kārtika, offering of lotuses, Tulasī, ketakī-flowers and mango-blossoms, and lights as the fifth (should be done). O child, he who has made in Kārtika a bower with ketakī-garlands for Viṣṇu, obtains residence in heaven. Viṣṇu, the Garuḍa-bannered god, worshipped with a ketakī-flower only, is much pleased for a thousand years. O Kārtikeya, by worshipping Viṣṇu with ketakī-flowers, one goes to Visnu ’s auspicious and happy abode. So also having worshipped the lord of gods when Vaiśākha has come with damanaka , he obtains a fruit due to that worship, O best of sages. O brāhmaṇa , by the sight of him who worships Viṣṇu with agasti -flowers, the fire of hell perishes. O brāhmaṇa sage, Viṣṇu, pleased by penance, does not do that which, O Mahāsena , he does, when he is adorned with mango-flowers. He who, abandoning all (other) flowers, devoutly worships Viṣṇu in Kārtika with mango flowers, would obtain the fruit of a horse-sacrifice. About him who offers Viṣṇu a garland made of mango-flowers, even the lord of gods speaks good words. O Kārtikeya, the fruit which is obtained by the gift of a myriad cows, is obtained by offering (just) one mango-flower in Kārtika. As Viṣṇu is pleased with the Kaustubha gem, or with the garland of wood-flowers, so is he pleased with a Tulasī-leaf in Kārtika.
Sūta said :
25b. Seeing Kārtikeya bowing with politeness and full of devotion, Śiva , the Bull-bannered god spoke again.
The lord said :
26-37. O Kārtikeya, listen to the importance of lights in Kārtika. The dead ancestors, always surrounded by hosts of (other) dead ancestors, desire: ‘A good son, devoted to his dead ancestors, will be born in our family, who will please Viṣṇu by offering lights in Kārtika’. O Kārtikeya, to him, whose lamp burns with ghee or oil, what is the use of a horse-sacrifice? He who has offered lights in Kārtika before Viṣṇu, for five days especially in the dark half, has performed all sacrifices, and has plunged into the water at a holy place. He who offers a light on these days, would eternally obtain religious merit. A female rat, having brightened the lamp offered by others, obtained the existence of human beings difficult to obtain, and got the best position. A hunter also who, going without food, worshipped the great lord on the fourteenth day, got the highest (place) and went to Viṣṇu’s world. A prostitute Lilāvatī who, due to her resorting to a cāṇḍāla , caused (to burn more) a lamp lighted by others, became pure and went to the eternal heaven. A certain cowherd who, seeing on the new-moon day the worship of Viṣṇu again and again said, “Victory (to Viṣṇu),” became the great lord of kings. Therefore, at night, after sunset, lamps should be offered in houses, all cow-pens and all abodes, temples of gods and cremation grounds and lakes. Due to its religious merit the offering of lights with ghee for a good purpose should be done for five days. The dead ancestors who were sinful and who had missed the rites (of the offering) of piṇḍas and water, get the highest salvation due to the religious merit of offering lights.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 14227, revision 333880 (2022-03-19T00:42:21Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365700.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.