Skip to main content

Kārttikamāsa-māhātmya · Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Unit 102 of 221Kārttikamāsa-māhātmya · Chapter 5Kārttikamāsa-māhātmya · Chapter 51 source entries

Kārttikamāsa-māhātmya · Chapter 5

Source

।। नारद उवाच ।। ।। कदा स्नानं प्रकर्तव्यं कथं स्थेयं दिनावधि ।। आह्निकं तत्समाचक्ष्व विशेषेण पितामह ।।१।। ।। ।। ब्रह्मोवाच ।। ।। रात्र्यां तुर्यांशशेषायामुत्तिष्ठेत्सर्वदा व्रती ।। विष्णुं स्तुत्वा बहुस्तोत्रैर्दिनकार्यं विचारयेत् ।। २ ।। ग्रामनैर्ऋत्यदिग्भागे मलोत्सर्गं यथाविधि ।। ब्रह्मसूत्रं दक्षकर्णे स्थाप्य तत्र उदङ्मुखः ।। ३ ।। अंतर्धाय तृणं भूमौ शिरः प्रावृत्य वाससा।। वक्त्रं नियम्य वस्त्रेणाऽसंगः सोदकभाजनः ।। ४ ।। कुर्यान्मूत्रपुरीषं तु रात्रौ चेद्दक्षिणामुखः ।। तत उत्थाय चाऽऽगच्छेत्समीपं कलशस्य हि ।। ५ ।। गंधलेपक्षयकरं मृत्तिकाशौचमाचरेत् ।। एका लिंगे करे तिस्र उभयोर्मृद्द्वयं स्मृतम् ।।६।। मूत्रशौचे त्विदं ज्ञेयं विष्ठाशौचमतः शृणु ।। पंचापानेऽथवा सप्त दश वामकरे तथा ।। ७ ।। उभयोः सप्त दातव्याः पादयोर्मृत्तिकात्रयम् ।। एतच्छौचं गृहस्थस्य द्विगुणं ब्रह्मचारिणः ।। ८ ।। वानप्रस्थस्य त्रिगुणं यतीनां च चतुर्गुणम् ।। एतच्छौचं दिवा प्रोक्तं रात्रावर्द्धं समाचरेत् ।। ९ ।। मार्गस्थस्य तदर्धं स्यात्स्त्रीशूद्राणां तदर्धकम् ।। शौचकर्मविहीनस्य समस्ता निष्फलाः क्रियाः ।। 2.4.5.१० ।। दंतजिह्वाविशुद्धिं च ततः कुर्यादतंद्रितः ।। आयुर्बलं यशो वर्चः प्रजाः पशुवसूनि च ।। ।। ११ ।। ब्रह्म प्रज्ञां च मेधां च त्वं नो देहि वनस्पते ।। दंतकाष्ठं तु गृह्णीयाद्द्वादशांगुलसंमितम् ।। १२ ।। क्षीरवृक्षस्य न ग्राह्यं कार्पासस्य तथैव च ।। कंटकस्य च वृक्षस्य दग्धवृक्षस्य चैव हि ।। १३ ।। सद्वासनं मृदुतरं दंतधावनमादितः ।। १४ ।। उपवासे नवम्यां च षष्ठ्यां श्राद्धदिने रवौ ।। ग्रहणे प्रतिपद्दर्शे न कुर्याद्दंतधावनम् ।। कुर्याद्द्वादशगंडूषाननुक्ते दंतधावने ।। १५ ।। दंतान्विशोध्य विधिवन्मुखं संमार्ज्य वारिणा ।। ललाटे चोर्ध्वपुंड्रं तु धृत्वा चाचम्य वारिणा ।। १६ ।। देवालये नदीतीरे राजमार्गे विशेषतः ।। दत्त्वा चाकाशदीपं तु तुलसीसन्निधावथ ।। १७ ।। गृहीत्वार्चनसामग्रीमिष्टदेवगृहं व्रजेत् ।। ततो गायेत नृत्येत पूजां कृत्वा तु बुद्धिमान् ।। १८ ।। पठित्वा विष्णुनामानि कुर्य्यान्नीराजनं हरेः । नाडीद्वयावशिष्टायां रात्र्यां गच्छेज्जलाशयम् ।। १९ ।। तत्रोक्तविधिना स्नानं कुर्याद्वै कार्तिकव्रती ।। वस्त्रनिष्पीडनं कृत्वा कुर्याच्च तिलकं तथा ।। 2.4.5.२० ।। ततः संध्यामुपासीत स्वसूत्रोक्तेन वर्त्मना ।। ततः कार्यो जपो देव्या यावदकोंदयो भवेत् ।। २१ ।। एतत्प्रोक्तं रात्रिशेषकृत्यं दैनमथोच्यते ।। यस्मिन्कृते कार्तिकोऽयं सकलः सफलो भवेत् ।। २२ ।। विष्णोः सहस्रनामाऽऽद्यं संध्यांते च पठेत्ततः ।। देवालये समागत्य पुनः पूजनमारभेत् ।। २३ ।। नृत्यगानादिकार्येषु प्रहरं दिवसं नयेत् ।। ततः पुराणश्रवणं यामार्धं सम्यगाचरेत् ।। २४ ।। पौराणिकस्य पूजां तु तुलसीपूजनं तथा ।। कृत्वा माध्याह्निकं कर्म भुंजीत द्विदलोज्झितम् ।। २५ ।। बलिदानं वैश्वदेवमतिथीनां समर्पणम् ।। कृत्वा भुंक्ते तु यो मर्त्यः केवलं चाऽमृतं हि तत् ।। २६ ।। यथाशक्ति द्विजा भोज्याः प्रत्यहं वाऽथ पर्वणि ।। हविष्यभोजनं कुर्यादामिषं परिवर्जयेत् ।। २७ ।। भक्षयेत्तुलसीं वक्त्रशुद्ध्यर्थं तीर्थवारिणा ।। संसारव्यवहारेण दिनशेषं समापयेत् ।।२८।। सायंकाले पुनर्गच्छेद्विष्णोर्देवालयं प्रति ।। संध्यां कृत्वा प्रयुंजीत तत्र दीपन्यथाबलम्।। २९ ।। विष्णुं प्रणम्य हरये कृत्वा नीराजनं शुभम् ।। स्तोत्रपाठादिकं कुर्वन्नाद्ययामे तु जागरम् ।। ।। 2.4.5.३० ।। यामे तु प्रथमेऽतीते निद्रां कुर्याद्विचक्षणः ।। ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतं कुर्याद्भार्यामीयादृतौ तथा ।। ३१ ।। तया कामयमानो वा भार्यां गच्छेन्न दोषभाक् ।। एवं प्रतिदिनं कुर्यादामासं तु यथाविधि ।। ३२ ।। एवं तु कार्तिके मासि यः कुर्यात्परमं व्रतम् ।। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो याति विष्णोः सलोकताम् ।। ३३ ।। रोगापहं पातकनाशकृत्परं सद्बुद्धिदं पुत्रधनादिसाधकम् ।। मुक्तेर्निदानं नहि कार्तिकव्रताद्विष्णुप्रियादन्यदिहाऽस्ति भूतले ।। ३४ ।। इति श्रीस्कांदे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे कार्तिकमासमाहात्म्ये नित्यकर्मकथनंनाम पंचमोऽध्यायः ।। ५ ।।

|| nārada uvāca || || kadā snānaṃ prakartavyaṃ kathaṃ stheyaṃ dināvadhi || āhnikaṃ tatsamācakṣva viśeṣeṇa pitāmaha ||1|| || || brahmovāca || || rātryāṃ turyāṃśaśeṣāyāmuttiṣṭhetsarvadā vratī || viṣṇuṃ stutvā bahustotrairdinakāryaṃ vicārayet || 2 || grāmanairṛtyadigbhāge malotsargaṃ yathāvidhi || brahmasūtraṃ dakṣakarṇe sthāpya tatra udaṅmukhaḥ || 3 || aṃtardhāya tṛṇaṃ bhūmau śiraḥ prāvṛtya vāsasā|| vaktraṃ niyamya vastreṇā'saṃgaḥ sodakabhājanaḥ || 4 || kuryānmūtrapurīṣaṃ tu rātrau ceddakṣiṇāmukhaḥ || tata utthāya cā''gacchetsamīpaṃ kalaśasya hi || 5 || gaṃdhalepakṣayakaraṃ mṛttikāśaucamācaret || ekā liṃge kare tisra ubhayormṛddvayaṃ smṛtam ||6|| mūtraśauce tvidaṃ jñeyaṃ viṣṭhāśaucamataḥ śṛṇu || paṃcāpāne'thavā sapta daśa vāmakare tathā || 7 || ubhayoḥ sapta dātavyāḥ pādayormṛttikātrayam || etacchaucaṃ gṛhasthasya dviguṇaṃ brahmacāriṇaḥ || 8 || vānaprasthasya triguṇaṃ yatīnāṃ ca caturguṇam || etacchaucaṃ divā proktaṃ rātrāvarddhaṃ samācaret || 9 || mārgasthasya tadardhaṃ syātstrīśūdrāṇāṃ tadardhakam || śaucakarmavihīnasya samastā niṣphalāḥ kriyāḥ || 2.4.5.10 || daṃtajihvāviśuddhiṃ ca tataḥ kuryādataṃdritaḥ || āyurbalaṃ yaśo varcaḥ prajāḥ paśuvasūni ca || || 11 || brahma prajñāṃ ca medhāṃ ca tvaṃ no dehi vanaspate || daṃtakāṣṭhaṃ tu gṛhṇīyāddvādaśāṃgulasaṃmitam || 12 || kṣīravṛkṣasya na grāhyaṃ kārpāsasya tathaiva ca || kaṃṭakasya ca vṛkṣasya dagdhavṛkṣasya caiva hi || 13 || sadvāsanaṃ mṛdutaraṃ daṃtadhāvanamāditaḥ || 14 || upavāse navamyāṃ ca ṣaṣṭhyāṃ śrāddhadine ravau || grahaṇe pratipaddarśe na kuryāddaṃtadhāvanam || kuryāddvādaśagaṃḍūṣānanukte daṃtadhāvane || 15 || daṃtānviśodhya vidhivanmukhaṃ saṃmārjya vāriṇā || lalāṭe cordhvapuṃḍraṃ tu dhṛtvā cācamya vāriṇā || 16 || devālaye nadītīre rājamārge viśeṣataḥ || dattvā cākāśadīpaṃ tu tulasīsannidhāvatha || 17 || gṛhītvārcanasāmagrīmiṣṭadevagṛhaṃ vrajet || tato gāyeta nṛtyeta pūjāṃ kṛtvā tu buddhimān || 18 || paṭhitvā viṣṇunāmāni kuryyānnīrājanaṃ hareḥ | nāḍīdvayāvaśiṣṭāyāṃ rātryāṃ gacchejjalāśayam || 19 || tatroktavidhinā snānaṃ kuryādvai kārtikavratī || vastraniṣpīḍanaṃ kṛtvā kuryācca tilakaṃ tathā || 2.4.5.20 || tataḥ saṃdhyāmupāsīta svasūtroktena vartmanā || tataḥ kāryo japo devyā yāvadakoṃdayo bhavet || 21 || etatproktaṃ rātriśeṣakṛtyaṃ dainamathocyate || yasminkṛte kārtiko'yaṃ sakalaḥ saphalo bhavet || 22 || viṣṇoḥ sahasranāmā''dyaṃ saṃdhyāṃte ca paṭhettataḥ || devālaye samāgatya punaḥ pūjanamārabhet || 23 || nṛtyagānādikāryeṣu praharaṃ divasaṃ nayet || tataḥ purāṇaśravaṇaṃ yāmārdhaṃ samyagācaret || 24 || paurāṇikasya pūjāṃ tu tulasīpūjanaṃ tathā || kṛtvā mādhyāhnikaṃ karma bhuṃjīta dvidalojjhitam || 25 || balidānaṃ vaiśvadevamatithīnāṃ samarpaṇam || kṛtvā bhuṃkte tu yo martyaḥ kevalaṃ cā'mṛtaṃ hi tat || 26 || yathāśakti dvijā bhojyāḥ pratyahaṃ vā'tha parvaṇi || haviṣyabhojanaṃ kuryādāmiṣaṃ parivarjayet || 27 || bhakṣayettulasīṃ vaktraśuddhyarthaṃ tīrthavāriṇā || saṃsāravyavahāreṇa dinaśeṣaṃ samāpayet ||28|| sāyaṃkāle punargacchedviṣṇordevālayaṃ prati || saṃdhyāṃ kṛtvā prayuṃjīta tatra dīpanyathābalam|| 29 || viṣṇuṃ praṇamya haraye kṛtvā nīrājanaṃ śubham || stotrapāṭhādikaṃ kurvannādyayāme tu jāgaram || || 2.4.5.30 || yāme tu prathame'tīte nidrāṃ kuryādvicakṣaṇaḥ || brahmacaryavrataṃ kuryādbhāryāmīyādṛtau tathā || 31 || tayā kāmayamāno vā bhāryāṃ gacchenna doṣabhāk || evaṃ pratidinaṃ kuryādāmāsaṃ tu yathāvidhi || 32 || evaṃ tu kārtike māsi yaḥ kuryātparamaṃ vratam || sarvapāpavinirmukto yāti viṣṇoḥ salokatām || 33 || rogāpahaṃ pātakanāśakṛtparaṃ sadbuddhidaṃ putradhanādisādhakam || mukternidānaṃ nahi kārtikavratādviṣṇupriyādanyadihā'sti bhūtale || 34 || iti śrīskāṃde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe kārtikamāsamāhātmye nityakarmakathanaṃnāma paṃcamo'dhyāyaḥ || 5 ||

English translation

Nārada said :

1. When should the bath be taken? How should one stay throughout the day? O Pitāmaha , recount the Āhnika 3 (daily round of religious duties) in particular (during Kārttika ).

Brahmā said :

2. A person observing Vratas should always get up when a quarter of the night is still left. He should eulogize Viṣṇu with hymns (known as Prātaḥsmaraṇa ) and then think about the daily round of duties.

3-10. The man should answer calls of nature [1] in the south-west corner of the village in accordance with the injunctions. He should place the sacred thread round right ear. (In the day time) he should sit facing the North and at night he should sit facing the South while passing urine or faeces. The earth should be covered with grasses before passing urine or discharging faeces. The head should be covered with a cloth. The mouth should be covered with cloth. He should sit there alone with a water pot by his side. After the evacuation of the bowels, he should go near the pot and perform cleansing rite with clay till the foul smell and the stickiness is removed. One part of clay shall be applied to the penis, then three parts to the left hand, then two parts of clay to each of the two hands. This rule is applicable to the cleansing rite after urination.

Listen to the cleansing rite after discharging faecal matter. Five or seven parts of clay to the anus, ten parts to the left hand, then seven parts to each of the hands, three parts of clay to the feet. This is the cleansing rite in the case of a householder.

In the case of a Brahmacārī (religious student), it should be doubled, in the case of a Vānaprastha (forest-dweller) it should be trebled and in the case of ascetics ( Yatis ) it shall be quadrupled.

This rule is applicable for the day time. During the nights half the number should be followed. In the case of a wayfarer it may be halved. In the case of women and Śūdras it should be further halved.

All the holy rites of one without the cleansing rite are futile.

11-15. Then the devotee should scrupulously perform the cleansing rite of the teeth and the tongue. [2] “O tree, grant me longevity, strength, fame, refulgence, progeny, animals and wealth, Vedic knowledge , intelligence, insight etc.” (After repeating the above) he should cut off a twig, twleve Aṅgulas long, to be used as a toothbrush.

The twig should not be cut off from a tree exuding milky fluid. (Nor) the twig of a cotton tree or a thorny tree or a burnt tree (should be used). The toothbrush twig must have a good smell. It must be soft too. Toothbrush should not be used during the sixth or ninth lunar day and on the following days: days of fast, Śrāddha or eclipse, Sundays, the first lunar day and new-moon day. When toothbrush is forbidden the devotee shall gargle twelve times.

16-18. After cleaning the teeth duly, he should wash the face with water. [3] He should then apply the sacred mark on the forehead vertically after performing the Ācamana rite. He should then light beacon lamps on poles in a temple, on the banks of a river and the highway in particular. There must be a lamp near the Tulasī plant also. Taking the materials of worship, he should go to a temple of his favourite deity. Then the intelligent devotee should perform the worship and then sing and dance.

19. After reciting the names (before the deity) of Viṣṇu, he should perform the Nīrājana rite (waving lamps before the deity) for Hari . When there is yet a period of Nāḍidvaya (48 minutes) left for dawning, the devotee should go to a water-reservoir (bathing place).

20. There, in accordance with the injunctions laid down, the person who has undertaken the Kārttikavrata should take his holy bath. After squeezing the water out of his clothes, he should apply the sacred mark (of Ūrdhvapuṇḍra ) on the forehead.

21. Thereafter, he should perform Sandhyā prayers in accordance with the Sūtra followed by him. After that, till sunrise, he should perform Japa of the Goddess Gāyatrī .

22. What has been mentioned before is the duty for the remaining period of the night. Now the duty for the day time is being described. When those rites are performed, all the Kārttika Vratas shall be fruitful.

23. Then towards the end of the morning Sandhyā prayer he should recite the Thousand Names of Viṣṇu and other texts. He should then go to the temple and begin the worship once again.

24. In the activities such as dance, singing songs etc. (before the deity), he should spend one Prahara (three hours). Then for half a Yāma , he shall listen to the Purāṇas devotedly.

25-26. After honouring the reader of the Purāṇas, worshipping the Tulasī plant and saying midday religious prayers, the devotee should take his food shunning leguminous grains.

Offerings to deities should be made. Vaiśvadeva rite should be performed and the guests duly fed. One who takes his food after all these rites consumes (as if) nectar.

27. Brāhmaṇas should be fed in accordance with one’s capacity everyday or on important Parvan days. Haviṣya (rice cooked with ghee ) should be eaten. Āmiṣa (meat and other forbidden foodstuffs) should be avoided.

28. In order to purify the mouth, he shall chew Tulasī leaves along with Tīrtha water. The remaining part of the day should be spent in doing worldly business (work for self-sustenance and livelihood).

29. In the evening he should again go to a temple of Viṣṇu. After saying Sandhyā prayers he should light lamps in accordance with his capacity.

30. After bowing down to Viṣṇu and performing the splendid Nīrājana rite for Hari, he should recite hymns etc. and keep awake for the first yāma (three hours).

31. When the first yāma is over, the wise devotee should go to sleep. He should maintain celibacy by approaching his wife only on stipulated nights.

32. If the wife desires, he should satisfy her sexual urge. Thereby he does not become a sinner. Doing thus everyday, he should spend the whole month in accordance with the injunction.

33-34. He who observes the great Vrata thus in the month of Kārttika, shall get rid of all sins. He goes to the world of Viṣṇu. There is no other Vrata except Kārttikavrata, that dispels diseases, destroys sins, gives good intellect and nature, is conducive to the acquisition of sons, wealth etc., that is the cause of salvation and that which Viṣṇu likes well. There is no other such Vrata on the earth.

[1]: [1] : The daily routine of a Hindu is regulated fairly strictly. Works like Āhnika-Prakāśa , Āhnika-Tattva elaborate the details. Also vide HD II, i, 643 ff.

[2]: [2] : VV 3-10 contain instruction regarding morning duties (evacuation of vowels etc.).

[3]: [3] : VV 11-15. Rules regarding cleansing of teeth.

[4]: [4] : VV 16-28 describe the duties up to the time of taking meals. They include the ritual of bath, Sandhyā prayer, singing and dancing before God, performance of Vaiśvadeva and feeding a Brahmin guest ( atithi ).

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 22989, revision 71235 (2016-06-14T02:54:03Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371646.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.