Kārttikamāsa-māhātmya · Chapter 6
Source।। ब्रह्मोवाच ।। ।। शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि कार्तिकस्य व्रतं महत् ।। यच्छुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुक्तो मोक्षमवाप्स्यसि ।। १ ।। कार्तिके मासि संप्राप्ते निषिद्धानि च वर्जयेत् ।। तैलाभ्यंगं परान्नं च तथा वै तैलभोजनम् ।। २ ।। फलानि बहुबीजानि धान्यानि द्विदलान्यपि ।। वर्जयेत्कार्तिके मासि नाऽत्र कार्या विचारणा ।। ३ ।। अलाबुं गृंजरं चैव वृंताकं बृहतीफलम् ।। अन्नं पर्युषितं वाऽपि भिस्सटं च मसूरिकम् ।। ४ ।। पुनर्भोजनं माध्वं च परान्नं कांस्यभोजनम् ।। नखं चर्म च छत्राकं कांजि दुर्गंधमेव च ।। ५ ।। गणान्नं गणिकान्नं च तथा वै ग्रामयाजिनः ।। शूद्रान्नं शद्रसंपर्कं सूतकान्नं तथैव च ।। ६ ।। श्राद्धान्नमृतुशांत्याश्च जातकं नामकं तथा ।। श्लेष्मातकफलं चैव वर्जयेत्कार्तिकव्रती ।। ७ ।। निषिद्धेषु च पत्रेषु भोजनं नैव कारयेत् ।। मधुपालाशकदलीजंबूप्लक्षमकूटिकाः ।। एतत्पत्रेषु भोक्तव्यं पुष्करे न कदाचन ।। ८ ।। कार्तिके मासि संप्राप्ते यः कुर्याद्वनभोजनम् ।। स याति परमं लोकं विष्णोर्देवस्य चक्रिणः ।। ९ ।। प्रातःस्नानं तु कर्तव्यं तथैव हरिपूजनम् ।। कथायाः श्रवणं चैव कार्तिके शस्यते मुने ।। 2.4.6.१० ।। गोपीचंदनदानं तु गोदानं श्रोत्रियाय च ।। कर्तव्यं कार्तिके मासि तेन मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ।। ११ ।। कदलीफलदानं तु दानं धात्रीफलस्य च ।। वस्त्रदानं तथा कुर्याच्छीतार्ताय द्विजन्मने ।। १२ ।। शाकादिदानं कुर्वीत चान्नदानं विशेषतः ।। शालिग्रामस्य दानं च कर्तव्यं तु द्विजन्मने ।। १३ ।। पौराणिकाय यो दद्यादामान्नं घृतपायसम् ।। स चैश्वर्यमवाप्नोति शतब्राह्मणभोजनात् ।। १४ ।। कमलैः पूजयेद्यस्तु कार्तिके कमलाप्रियम् ।। स तु पुण्यमवाप्नोति नाऽत्र कार्या विचारणा ।। १५ ।। कार्तिके तुलसीपत्रं यो भक्त्या विष्णवेऽर्पयेत् ।। संसाराच्च विनिर्मुक्तो याति विष्णोः परं पदम् ।। १६ ।। कार्तिके केतकीपुष्पैरर्चयेद्गरुडध्वजम् ।। पूजितो जन्मसाहस्रं नाऽत्र कार्या विचारणा ।। १७ ।। शंखदानं तु यः कुर्यात्तथा चक्रांकितस्य च ।। तस्य पापानि नश्यंति दानमात्रान्न संशयः ।। १८ ।। गीतापाठं तु यः कुर्यात्कार्तिके विष्णुवल्लभे ।। तस्य पुण्यफलं वक्तुं नाऽलं वर्षशतैरपि ।। १९ ।। श्रीमद्रागवतस्याऽपि श्रवणं यः समाचरेत् ।। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः परं निर्वाणमृच्छति ।। 2.4.6.२० ।। एकादश्यां निराहारमुपवासं करोति यः ।। पूर्वजन्मकृतात्पापान्मुच्यते नाऽत्र संशयः ।। २१ ।। शालिग्रामस्य नैवेद्यं कोटियज्ञफलं लभेत् ।। अन्यदेवस्य नैवेद्यं भुक्त्वा चांद्रायणं चरेत् ।। २२ ।। पूजाकाले तु देवस्य घण्टानादं करोति यः ।। हरेस्तृप्तिं परां याति मनुजो नाऽत्र संशयः ।। २३ ।। परान्नं वर्जयेद्यस्तु कार्तिके विष्णुतुष्टये ।। दामोदरस्य प्रीतिं स सम्यक्प्राप्नोति मानवः ।। २४ ।। अध्वगं तु परिश्रांतं काले च गृहमागतम् ।। योऽतिथिं पूजयेद्भक्त्या जन्मसाहस्रनाशनम् ।। २५ ।। निंदां कुर्वंति ये मूढा वैष्णवानां महात्मनाम् ।। पतंति पितृभिः सार्द्धं महारौरव संज्ञके ।। २६ ।। दृष्ट्वा भागवतान्विप्रान्सन्मुखो न च याति हि ।। न गृह्णाति हरिस्तस्य पूजां द्वादशवार्षिकीम् ।। २७ ।। निंदां भगवतः शृण्वंस्तत्परस्य जनस्य च ।। ततो नाऽपैति यः सोऽपि हरेः प्रियतमो नहि ।। २८ ।। प्रदक्षिणां तु यः कुर्यात्कार्तिके केशवस्य हि ।। पदेपदेऽश्वमेधस्य फलं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयः ।। २९ ।। दंडप्रणामं यः कुर्यात्कार्तिके केशवाऽग्रतः ।। राजसूयाऽश्वमेधानां फलं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयः ।। 2.4.6.३० ।। कुटुम्बभोजनं चैव कार्तिके भक्तिसंयुतः ।। कारयेद्विप्रशार्दूल तस्य पुण्यमनंतकम् ।। ३१ ।। परस्त्रीसंगमं यस्तु कार्तिके कुरुते नरः ।। तस्य पापस्य विश्रांतिर्यावद्वक्तुं न शक्यते ।। ३२ ।। तुलसीमृत्तिकापुंड्रं ललाटे यस्य दृश्यते ।। यमस्तं नेक्षितुं शक्तः किमु दूता भयंकराः ।। ३३ ।। शाकं वा लवणं वाऽपि यत्किंचिद्वा भविष्यति ।। तद्देयं कार्तिके मासि प्रीत्यर्थं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः ।। ३४ ।। इत्याद्या बहवो धर्माः कार्तिके विष्णुवल्लभाः ।। यथाशक्त्या प्रकुर्वीत धर्मं देवस्य तुष्टिदम् ।। ३५ ।। हरिसंतुष्टये कार्यस्त्यागो वा स्वेष्टवस्तुनः।। मासांते द्विजवर्याय दद्यात्तद्व्रतपूर्तये ।। ३६ ।। सर्वव्रतानि चैकत्र सत्यव्रतमथैकतः।। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन सत्यं भाषेत सर्वदा ।। ३७ ।। अन्यधर्मेष्वधिकृतिः कुलजातिविभागतः ।। अधिकारी कार्तिके तु सर्व एव जनो भवेत् ।। ३८ ।। गोग्रासः कार्तिके मासि विशेषाद्यैस्तु दीयते ।। तेषां पुण्यफलं वक्तुं न शक्नोति पितामहः ।। ३९ ।। विष्णुदेवालयं प्रातः संमार्जयति कार्तिके ।। तस्य वैकुंठभवने जायते सुदृढं गृहम् ।। 2.4.6.४० ।। दद्यात्कार्तिकमासे तु धर्मकाष्ठानि भूरिशः ।। न तत्पुण्यस्य नाशोस्ति कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ।।४१।। सुधादि लेपयेद्यस्तु कार्तिके विष्णुमंदिरे ।। चित्रादिकं लिखेद्वाऽपि मोदते विष्णुसन्निधौ ।।४२।। देवालये वा तीर्थे वा कृतो दुष्टैर्नृपैः करः ।। तं मोचयंति ये लोकास्तेषां धर्मः सनातनः।। ४३ ।। कार्तिके मासि यो विप्रो गभस्तीश्वरसन्निधौ ।। शतरुद्रीजपं कुर्यान्मंत्रसिद्धिः प्रजायते ।।४४।। वाराणस्यां तु यैः स्थित्वा त्रिवर्षं कार्तिकव्रतम् ।। सोपांगं सांगं यैर्मर्त्यैः कृतं भक्त्यैकतत्परैः ।।४५।। इह लोके फलं तेषां प्रत्यक्षं जायते किल ।। संपत्त्या चैव संतत्या यशोभिर्धर्मबुद्धिभिः ।।४६।। पलांडुं शृंगं मांसं च शय्यां सौवीरकं तथा ।। राजिकोन्मादिकं चाऽपि चिपिटान्नं च वर्जयेत् ।। ४७ ।। धात्रीफलं भानुवारे परदेशागमं तथा ।। तीर्थं विना सदैवेह वर्जयेत्कार्तिकव्रती ।। ४८ ।। देववेदद्विजातीनां गुरुगोव्रतिनां तथा ।। स्त्रीराजमहतां निंदां वर्जयेत्कार्तिकव्रती ।। ४९ ।। नरकस्य चतुर्दश्यां तैलाभ्यंगं च कारयेत् ।। अन्यत्र कार्तिके मासि तैलस्नानं विवर्जयेत् ।। नालिकां मूलकं चैव कूष्मांडं च कपित्थकम् ।। ।। 2.4.6.५० ।। रजस्वलांत्यज म्लेच्छ पतितऽव्रतिकैस्तथा ।। द्विजद्विड्वेदबाह्यैश्च न वदेत्सर्वदा व्रती।।५१।। एभिर्दृष्टं च काकैश्च सूतिकान्नं च यद्भवेत् ।। द्विःपाचितं च दग्धान्नं नैवाद्याद्वैष्णवव्रती ।। ५२ ।। क्रमात्कूष्मांडबृहतीतरुणीमूलकं तथा ।। श्रीफलं च कलिंगं च फलं धात्रीभवं तथा ।। ५३ ।। नारिकेलमलाबुं च पटोलं बृहतीफलम् ।। चर्मवृंताकचवलीशाकं तुलसिजं तथा ।। ५४ ।। शाकान्येतानि वर्ज्यानि क्रमात्प्रतिपदादिषु ।। एवमेव हि माघेऽपि कुर्य्याच्च नियमान्व्रती ।। ५५ ।। कार्तिकव्रतिनः पुण्यं यथोक्तव्रतकारिणः ।। न समर्थो भवेद्वक्तुं ब्रह्माऽपीह चतुर्मुखः ।। ५६ ।। इति श्रीस्कान्दे महापुराण एकाशीतिसाहस्र्यां संहितायां द्वितीये वैष्णवखण्डे कार्तिकमासमाहात्म्ये कार्तिकव्रतनिरूपणंनाम षष्ठोऽध्यायः ।।६।। ।।
|| brahmovāca || || śṛṇu nārada vakṣyāmi kārtikasya vrataṃ mahat || yacchutvā sarvapāpebhyo mukto mokṣamavāpsyasi || 1 || kārtike māsi saṃprāpte niṣiddhāni ca varjayet || tailābhyaṃgaṃ parānnaṃ ca tathā vai tailabhojanam || 2 || phalāni bahubījāni dhānyāni dvidalānyapi || varjayetkārtike māsi nā'tra kāryā vicāraṇā || 3 || alābuṃ gṛṃjaraṃ caiva vṛṃtākaṃ bṛhatīphalam || annaṃ paryuṣitaṃ vā'pi bhissaṭaṃ ca masūrikam || 4 || punarbhojanaṃ mādhvaṃ ca parānnaṃ kāṃsyabhojanam || nakhaṃ carma ca chatrākaṃ kāṃji durgaṃdhameva ca || 5 || gaṇānnaṃ gaṇikānnaṃ ca tathā vai grāmayājinaḥ || śūdrānnaṃ śadrasaṃparkaṃ sūtakānnaṃ tathaiva ca || 6 || śrāddhānnamṛtuśāṃtyāśca jātakaṃ nāmakaṃ tathā || śleṣmātakaphalaṃ caiva varjayetkārtikavratī || 7 || niṣiddheṣu ca patreṣu bhojanaṃ naiva kārayet || madhupālāśakadalījaṃbūplakṣamakūṭikāḥ || etatpatreṣu bhoktavyaṃ puṣkare na kadācana || 8 || kārtike māsi saṃprāpte yaḥ kuryādvanabhojanam || sa yāti paramaṃ lokaṃ viṣṇordevasya cakriṇaḥ || 9 || prātaḥsnānaṃ tu kartavyaṃ tathaiva haripūjanam || kathāyāḥ śravaṇaṃ caiva kārtike śasyate mune || 2.4.6.10 || gopīcaṃdanadānaṃ tu godānaṃ śrotriyāya ca || kartavyaṃ kārtike māsi tena mokṣamavāpnuyāt || 11 || kadalīphaladānaṃ tu dānaṃ dhātrīphalasya ca || vastradānaṃ tathā kuryācchītārtāya dvijanmane || 12 || śākādidānaṃ kurvīta cānnadānaṃ viśeṣataḥ || śāligrāmasya dānaṃ ca kartavyaṃ tu dvijanmane || 13 || paurāṇikāya yo dadyādāmānnaṃ ghṛtapāyasam || sa caiśvaryamavāpnoti śatabrāhmaṇabhojanāt || 14 || kamalaiḥ pūjayedyastu kārtike kamalāpriyam || sa tu puṇyamavāpnoti nā'tra kāryā vicāraṇā || 15 || kārtike tulasīpatraṃ yo bhaktyā viṣṇave'rpayet || saṃsārācca vinirmukto yāti viṣṇoḥ paraṃ padam || 16 || kārtike ketakīpuṣpairarcayedgaruḍadhvajam || pūjito janmasāhasraṃ nā'tra kāryā vicāraṇā || 17 || śaṃkhadānaṃ tu yaḥ kuryāttathā cakrāṃkitasya ca || tasya pāpāni naśyaṃti dānamātrānna saṃśayaḥ || 18 || gītāpāṭhaṃ tu yaḥ kuryātkārtike viṣṇuvallabhe || tasya puṇyaphalaṃ vaktuṃ nā'laṃ varṣaśatairapi || 19 || śrīmadrāgavatasyā'pi śravaṇaṃ yaḥ samācaret || sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ paraṃ nirvāṇamṛcchati || 2.4.6.20 || ekādaśyāṃ nirāhāramupavāsaṃ karoti yaḥ || pūrvajanmakṛtātpāpānmucyate nā'tra saṃśayaḥ || 21 || śāligrāmasya naivedyaṃ koṭiyajñaphalaṃ labhet || anyadevasya naivedyaṃ bhuktvā cāṃdrāyaṇaṃ caret || 22 || pūjākāle tu devasya ghaṇṭānādaṃ karoti yaḥ || harestṛptiṃ parāṃ yāti manujo nā'tra saṃśayaḥ || 23 || parānnaṃ varjayedyastu kārtike viṣṇutuṣṭaye || dāmodarasya prītiṃ sa samyakprāpnoti mānavaḥ || 24 || adhvagaṃ tu pariśrāṃtaṃ kāle ca gṛhamāgatam || yo'tithiṃ pūjayedbhaktyā janmasāhasranāśanam || 25 || niṃdāṃ kurvaṃti ye mūḍhā vaiṣṇavānāṃ mahātmanām || pataṃti pitṛbhiḥ sārddhaṃ mahāraurava saṃjñake || 26 || dṛṣṭvā bhāgavatānviprānsanmukho na ca yāti hi || na gṛhṇāti haristasya pūjāṃ dvādaśavārṣikīm || 27 || niṃdāṃ bhagavataḥ śṛṇvaṃstatparasya janasya ca || tato nā'paiti yaḥ so'pi hareḥ priyatamo nahi || 28 || pradakṣiṇāṃ tu yaḥ kuryātkārtike keśavasya hi || padepade'śvamedhasya phalaṃ prāpnotyasaṃśayaḥ || 29 || daṃḍapraṇāmaṃ yaḥ kuryātkārtike keśavā'grataḥ || rājasūyā'śvamedhānāṃ phalaṃ prāpnotyasaṃśayaḥ || 2.4.6.30 || kuṭumbabhojanaṃ caiva kārtike bhaktisaṃyutaḥ || kārayedvipraśārdūla tasya puṇyamanaṃtakam || 31 || parastrīsaṃgamaṃ yastu kārtike kurute naraḥ || tasya pāpasya viśrāṃtiryāvadvaktuṃ na śakyate || 32 || tulasīmṛttikāpuṃḍraṃ lalāṭe yasya dṛśyate || yamastaṃ nekṣituṃ śaktaḥ kimu dūtā bhayaṃkarāḥ || 33 || śākaṃ vā lavaṇaṃ vā'pi yatkiṃcidvā bhaviṣyati || taddeyaṃ kārtike māsi prītyarthaṃ śārṅgadhanvanaḥ || 34 || ityādyā bahavo dharmāḥ kārtike viṣṇuvallabhāḥ || yathāśaktyā prakurvīta dharmaṃ devasya tuṣṭidam || 35 || harisaṃtuṣṭaye kāryastyāgo vā sveṣṭavastunaḥ|| māsāṃte dvijavaryāya dadyāttadvratapūrtaye || 36 || sarvavratāni caikatra satyavratamathaikataḥ|| tasmātsarvaprayatnena satyaṃ bhāṣeta sarvadā || 37 || anyadharmeṣvadhikṛtiḥ kulajātivibhāgataḥ || adhikārī kārtike tu sarva eva jano bhavet || 38 || gogrāsaḥ kārtike māsi viśeṣādyaistu dīyate || teṣāṃ puṇyaphalaṃ vaktuṃ na śaknoti pitāmahaḥ || 39 || viṣṇudevālayaṃ prātaḥ saṃmārjayati kārtike || tasya vaikuṃṭhabhavane jāyate sudṛḍhaṃ gṛham || 2.4.6.40 || dadyātkārtikamāse tu dharmakāṣṭhāni bhūriśaḥ || na tatpuṇyasya nāśosti kalpakoṭiśatairapi ||41|| sudhādi lepayedyastu kārtike viṣṇumaṃdire || citrādikaṃ likhedvā'pi modate viṣṇusannidhau ||42|| devālaye vā tīrthe vā kṛto duṣṭairnṛpaiḥ karaḥ || taṃ mocayaṃti ye lokāsteṣāṃ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ|| 43 || kārtike māsi yo vipro gabhastīśvarasannidhau || śatarudrījapaṃ kuryānmaṃtrasiddhiḥ prajāyate ||44|| vārāṇasyāṃ tu yaiḥ sthitvā trivarṣaṃ kārtikavratam || sopāṃgaṃ sāṃgaṃ yairmartyaiḥ kṛtaṃ bhaktyaikatatparaiḥ ||45|| iha loke phalaṃ teṣāṃ pratyakṣaṃ jāyate kila || saṃpattyā caiva saṃtatyā yaśobhirdharmabuddhibhiḥ ||46|| palāṃḍuṃ śṛṃgaṃ māṃsaṃ ca śayyāṃ sauvīrakaṃ tathā || rājikonmādikaṃ cā'pi cipiṭānnaṃ ca varjayet || 47 || dhātrīphalaṃ bhānuvāre paradeśāgamaṃ tathā || tīrthaṃ vinā sadaiveha varjayetkārtikavratī || 48 || devavedadvijātīnāṃ gurugovratināṃ tathā || strīrājamahatāṃ niṃdāṃ varjayetkārtikavratī || 49 || narakasya caturdaśyāṃ tailābhyaṃgaṃ ca kārayet || anyatra kārtike māsi tailasnānaṃ vivarjayet || nālikāṃ mūlakaṃ caiva kūṣmāṃḍaṃ ca kapitthakam || || 2.4.6.50 || rajasvalāṃtyaja mleccha patita'vratikaistathā || dvijadviḍvedabāhyaiśca na vadetsarvadā vratī||51|| ebhirdṛṣṭaṃ ca kākaiśca sūtikānnaṃ ca yadbhavet || dviḥpācitaṃ ca dagdhānnaṃ naivādyādvaiṣṇavavratī || 52 || kramātkūṣmāṃḍabṛhatītaruṇīmūlakaṃ tathā || śrīphalaṃ ca kaliṃgaṃ ca phalaṃ dhātrībhavaṃ tathā || 53 || nārikelamalābuṃ ca paṭolaṃ bṛhatīphalam || carmavṛṃtākacavalīśākaṃ tulasijaṃ tathā || 54 || śākānyetāni varjyāni kramātpratipadādiṣu || evameva hi māghe'pi kuryyācca niyamānvratī || 55 || kārtikavratinaḥ puṇyaṃ yathoktavratakāriṇaḥ || na samartho bhavedvaktuṃ brahmā'pīha caturmukhaḥ || 56 || iti śrīskānde mahāpurāṇa ekāśītisāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ dvitīye vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍe kārtikamāsamāhātmye kārtikavratanirūpaṇaṃnāma ṣaṣṭho'dhyāyaḥ ||6|| ||
English translation
Brahma said :
1. Listen, O Nārada , I shall mention (the details about) the great Kārttikavrata, on hearing which you will be absolved of all sins and attain salvation.
2-1. At the advent of the Kārttika month one should avoid all prohibited things. Anointing the body with oil, consuming oil, partaking of other people’s food, fruits with many seeds, leguminous grains etc. should be avoided in the month of Kārttika. There is no doubt about this.
One who observes the Kārttikavrata shall avoid pot-gourd, turnip, brinjal, Solarium indicum linn (known as Ḍorle in Marathi ), stale cooked food, burnt rice or parched grain, Masūrī variety of pulse, taking food twice, liquor, taking food from other people, taking food in a bell-metal vessel, Unguis doratus , Masūra pulse, mushroom gruel, foul-smelling substances, group-food, food offered by courtesans, food offered by village sacrificer (offerer of sacrifices or conductor of ceremonies for every villager—even of the undeserving one), food offered by Śūdras or contaminated by Śūdras, food polluted on account of recent child-birth, food from Śrāddha , food offered during domestic festivals, viz. consummation of marriage, post-natal rites and naming ceremony, the Śleṣmāntaka fruit ( Cordia latifolia , called Bhokar in Marathi).
8. The devotee should not take food on forbidden leaves. In the holy Tīrtha Puṣkara the devotee should never take food on the (leaves of) following trees: Madhu (a sort of citron), trumpet tree, plantain tree, jujube tree, Plakṣa ( Ficus infcctoria ) and Makūṭikā(?)
9. In the month of Kārttika one who takes Vanabhojana (food beneath the Emblica officinalis tree in a garden) goes to the great world of the discus-bearing Lord Viṣṇu .
10. Bath should be taken early in the morning and Hari should be worshipped. O sage, listening to the story (of the Lord) in the month of Kārttika is praiseworthy.
11. Gopīcandana (soft white clay found near Dvārakā ) should be gifted. Cows should be given to Brāhmaṇas well-versed in the Vedas in the month of Kārttika. Thereby one attains salvation.
12-13. Gifts of plantain fruits, the fruits of Emblica officinalis , garments to a Brāhmaṇa distressed due to cold, gift of vegetables etc. and particularly of cooked food and the gifts of Śālagrāma (with a Cakra within) to a Brāhmaṇa—all these are to be made.
14. He who gives uncooked food along with ghee and milk-pudding to a Paurāṇika (i.e. one who reads the Purāṇas ) attains great riches as through feeding a hundred Brāhmaṇas.
15. One who worships the Lover of Kamalā (goddess of fortune) with lotus-flowers acquires merit. There is no doubt about it.
16. One who devoutly offers a Tulasī leaf to Viṣṇu in the month of Kārttika, becomes liberated from worldly existence and goes to the great region of Viṣṇu.
17. One who worships the Garuḍa -emblemed Lord with Ketakī flowers, is worshipped for a thousand births.
18. If a person makes a gift of a conch marked with discus, his sins perish merely by means of that gift. There is no doubt about this.
19. If a person regularly reads the Gītā in the month of Kārttika which Viṣṇu likes well, it is not possible to recount the fruit of his merit even in hundreds of years.
20. He who regularly listens to Śrīmad Bhāgavata , becomes liberated from all sins and attains the greatest bliss.
21. He who observes fast on the eleventh lunar day, abstaining from all types of food, is liberated from the sins committed in the previous birth. There is no doubt about it.
22. By talcing in the Naivedya of Śālagrāma (i.e. eatables offered to Śālagrāma), one shall attain the fruit of crores of Yajñas . If one takes in the Naivedya of any other deity he should perform the expiatory rite of Cāndrāyaṇa .
23. A man who rings the bell at the time of the worship of the Lord, gives greatest satisfaction to Had. There is no doubt about it.
24. One who abstains from (taking in) other people’s food in the month of Kārttika for the propitiation of Viṣṇu, secures the greatest satisfaction of Dāmodara .
25. If a person devoutly worships a guest who comes to his house at the proper time and who is tired due to continuous walking along the path, that holy rite is conducive to the destruction of thousands of births.
26. Those foolish persons who revile noble-souled Vaiṣṇavas , fall into the hell named Mahāraurava along with their manes.
27. If a person sees Brāhmaṇas devoted to the Lord but does not meet them eagerly (and does not honour them) by approaching them, Hari does not accept his worship for a period of twelve years.
28. After hearing someone who speaks ill of the Lord and of the people devoted to him, if a person does not go away from that place, he is also not a favourite of Lord Hari.
29. If a person circumambulates Keśava in Kārttika, he obtains the fruit of a horse-sacrifice for every step. There is no doubt about it.
30. If a person prostrates in front of Keśava like a long rod in the month of Kārttika, he secures the fruit of Rājasūyas and horse-sacrifices. There is no doubt about it.
31. O tiger among Brāhmaṇas, if a person feeds (his) family with great devotion, his merit is infinite.
32. If a man commits adultery in the month of Kārttika, it is impossible to say where (and when) his sins will come to an end.
33. If the sectarian mark made on the forehead with clay of Tulasī is seen in a person, even Yama dares not to look at him, what to speak of his Messengers!
34. A green leaf, or a bit of salt or whatever one has, should be gifted away in the month of Kārttika for the sake of the propitiation of the Lord having the Śārṅga bow.
35. These are the various pious activities. They are pleasing to Viṣṇu when performed in the month of Kārttika. One shall perform these rites which cause satisfaction to the Lord. One should do them in accordance with one’s capacity.
36. For the purpose of propitiating Hari one has to abandon certain objects one may like much. At the end of the month they must be given to an excellent Brāhmaṇa for the sake of the completion of the Vrata .
37. On one side there are all the Vratas (holy rites) and on the other side there is Satyavrata (the holy vow of truthfulness) alone. Therefore one should always endeavour by all means to speak the truth.
38. In regard to other holy rites, entitlement to perform them is subject to family and caste distinctions. But in regard to the holy rites of the Kārttika Vrata, all the people are equally entitled.
39. If the rite of Gogrāsa (offering a morsel of grass or food to a cow as an ancillary to an expiatory rite) is performed by people in the month of Kārttika, even Pitāmaha (God Brahmā ) is incapable of recounting the fruit of their merit.
40. If, in the month of Kārttika, anyone sweeps the temple of Viṣṇu in the morning, his abode in Vaikuṇṭha is firmly ensured.
41. If a person gifts away plenty of firewood and timber for the purposes of holy rites, his merit does not perish even in the course of hundreds of crores of Kalpas .
42. If a person plasters or whitewashes the temple of Viṣṇu in Kārttika or paints pictures on the walls, he rejoices in the presence of Viṣṇu.
43. If taxes are levied on temples or holy Tīrthas by vicious kings and if some people come forward and pay them off, their merit is eternal.
44. It', in the month of Kārttika a Brāhmaṇa performs the Japa of Śatarudrī (or repeats the Rudrī Mantra a hundred times) in the presence of Gabhastīśvara [1] , he achieves the Siddhi of Mantras .
45-47. At Vārāṇasī the devotees should stay for three years and perform Kārttikavrata along with the ancillary rites and observances. They should perform it with great devotion. They will enjoy the fruit thereof in this very world directly, such as affluence, progeny, fame, pious mind and activities.
They should avoid garlic, meat, beds, Śṛṅga (a kind of medicinal plant called Jīvaka), Sauvīraka (jujube fruit), Rājika (grains of Senapis ramosa ) and articles causing madness. They shall eschew beaten rice.
48. The devotee observing Kārttikavrata should avoid Dhātrīphala ( Emblica officinalis ) on Sundays. He should not go to alien lands except to the holy places (in them).
49. One who observes Kārttikavrata should avoid derogatory remarks about Devas , Vedas, Brāhmaṇas, preceptors, cows, those who observe Vratas, women, kings and great men.
50.. On the Naraka Caturdaśī day (fourteenth lunar day) the devotee may take oil bath. He should avoid oil bath on other days in the month of Kārttika. He should avoid radish, pumpkin, lotus stalk, the wood-apple.
51. The person who observes the Vrata shall not speak to a woman in her menses, to a Śūdra , a barbarian, a fallen fellow, a person who does not perform Vratas, those who hate Brāhmaṇas, and those who are excluded from the Vedas.
52. A person who performs this Vrata should not eat what is seen by these people or by crows, food polluted on account of recent childbirth, what is twice cooked and burned (parched) grain.
53-55a. Beginning with the first lunar day the devotee should avoid the following things in due order everyday: pumpkin, egg fruit, Taruṇī (?), radish, Bilva fruit, Kaliṅga [2] (?), Dhātrīphala ( Emblica officinalis ), coconut, pot-gourd, snake-gourd, brinjal, Khurja fruit, Cavalī(?) (probably a kind of pulse (cf Marathi Cavaḷī ), basil plant as cooked vegetable.
55b-56. In this manner in Māgha too the devotee should maintain the various pious observances.
Even the four-faced Lord Brahmā is not capable of recounting the merit of a person observing Kārttikavrata in the manner it has been laid down.
[1]: [1] : A holy shrine at Vārāṇasī.
[2]: [2] : Several plants such as Wrightia antidysenteria are given in the dictionary but the specific fruit implied here is not clear.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 22990, revision 71236 (2016-06-14T02:54:56Z). English is G. V. Tagare’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-skanda-purana/d/doc371647.html and the archival publication witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.