The Glory of Kartika and the Gift of the Lamp

Verse 1 (padma.4.3.1)

शौनक उवाच । कार्त्तिकस्य च माहात्म्यं ब्रूहि सूत ममाग्रतः । तद्व्रतस्य फलं किं वा दोषं किं तदकुर्वतः ।

śaunaka uvāca kārttikasya ca māhātmyaṁ brūhi sūta mamāgrataḥ tadvratasya phalaṁ kiṁ vā doṣaṁ kiṁ tadakurvataḥ

Shaunaka said: Tell me, O Suta, the glory of the month of Kartika. What is the fruit of that vow, and what fault comes to one who fails to observe it?

Verse 2 (padma.4.3.2)

सूत उवाच । पुरैकदा मुनिश्रेष्ठ व्यासं सत्यवतीसुतम् । जैमिनिः पृष्टवानेतदारेभे कथितं मुनिः ।

sūta uvāca puraikadā muniśreṣṭha vyāsaṁ satyavatīsutam jaiminiḥ pṛṣṭavānetadārebhe kathitaṁ muniḥ

Suta said: O best of sages, once long ago Jaimini asked this very thing of Vyasa, son of Satyavati; the sage began to tell it.

Verse 3 (padma.4.3.3)

व्यास उवाच । तिलतैलं मैथुनं यः शुभदे कार्त्तिके त्यजेत् । बहुजन्मकृतैःपापैर्मुक्तो याति हरेर्गृहम् ।

vyāsa uvāca tilatailaṁ maithunaṁ yaḥ śubhade kārttike tyajet bahujanmakṛtaiḥpāpairmukto yāti harergṛham

Vyasa said: Whoever gives up sesame oil and sexual union during the auspicious month of Kartika is freed from sins committed across many births and goes to the house of Hari.

Verse 4 (padma.4.3.4)

मत्स्यं च मैथुनं यो वै कार्त्तिके न परित्यजेत् । प्रतिजन्मनि संमूढः शूकरश्च भवेद्ध्रुवम् ।

matsyaṁ ca maithunaṁ yo vai kārttike na parityajet pratijanmani saṁmūḍhaḥ śūkaraśca bhaveddhruvam

Whoever does not give up fish and sexual union during Kartika will remain deluded in every birth, and will surely be born a hog.

Verse 5 (padma.4.3.5)

कार्त्तिके तुलसीपत्रैः पूजयेद्वै जनार्दनम् । पत्रेपत्रेऽश्वमेधस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः ।

kārttike tulasīpatraiḥ pūjayedvai janārdanam patrepatre'śvamedhasya phalaṁ prāpnoti mānavaḥ

In Kartika, whoever worships Janardana with tulasi leaves obtains, for each and every leaf, the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 6 (padma.4.3.6)

कार्त्तिके मुनिपुष्पैर्यः पूजयेन्मधुसूदनम् । देवानां दुर्लभं मोक्षं प्राप्नोति कृपया हरेः ।

kārttike munipuṣpairyaḥ pūjayenmadhusūdanam devānāṁ durlabhaṁ mokṣaṁ prāpnoti kṛpayā hareḥ

Whoever in Kartika worships Madhusudana with muni-flowers attains, by Hari's grace, the liberation that is hard even for the gods to reach.

Verse 7 (padma.4.3.7)

कार्त्तिके मुनिशाकं वै योऽश्नाति च नरोत्तमः । संवत्सरकृतं पापं शाकेनैकेन नश्यति ।

kārttike muniśākaṁ vai yo'śnāti ca narottamaḥ saṁvatsarakṛtaṁ pāpaṁ śākenaikena naśyati

That best of men who eats muni-shaka in Kartika — by that single herb, a whole year's sin is destroyed for him.

Verse 8 (padma.4.3.8)

फलं तस्य नरोऽश्नाति चोर्जे यो वै हरिप्रिये । प्रदत्त्वा तु हरेर्ब्रह्मन्वृजिनं कोटिजन्मजम् ।

phalaṁ tasya naro'śnāti corje yo vai haripriye pradattvā tu harerbrahmanvṛjinaṁ koṭijanmajam

O brahmin, the man who, in Urja — Kartika, the month dear to Hari — eats fruit only after offering it to Hari has the sin of ten million births destroyed.

Verse 9 (padma.4.3.9)

सुरसं सर्पिषायुक्तं दद्याद्यो हरयेपि च । सर्वपापैर्विनिर्मुक्तः स गच्छेद्धरिमंदिरम् ।

surasaṁ sarpiṣāyuktaṁ dadyādyo harayepi ca sarvapāpairvinirmuktaḥ sa gaccheddharimaṁdiram

Whoever offers Hari a savory dish mixed with ghee is freed from every sin and goes to the abode of Hari.

Verse 10 (padma.4.3.10)

कार्तिके यो नरो दद्यादेकपद्मं हरावपि । अंते विष्णुपदं गच्छेत्सर्वपापविवर्जितः ।

kārtike yo naro dadyādekapadmaṁ harāvapi aṁte viṣṇupadaṁ gacchetsarvapāpavivarjitaḥ

The man who offers Hari even a single lotus in Kartika goes, in the end, free of all sin, to the abode of Vishnu.

Verse 11 (padma.4.3.11)

प्रातःस्नानं नरो यो वै कार्तिके श्रीहरिप्रिये । करोतिसर्वतीर्थेषुयत्स्नात्वातत्फलंलभेत् ।

prātaḥsnānaṁ naro yo vai kārtike śrīharipriye karotisarvatīrtheṣuyatsnātvātatphalaṁlabhet

The man who bathes at dawn during Kartika, the month dear to Shri Hari, obtains the fruit of bathing at every sacred ford.

Verse 12 (padma.4.3.12)

कार्तिके यो नरो दद्यात्प्रदीपं नभसि द्विजः । विप्रहत्यादिभिः पापैर्मुक्तो गच्छेद्धरेर्गृहम् ।

kārtike yo naro dadyātpradīpaṁ nabhasi dvijaḥ viprahatyādibhiḥ pāpairmukto gaccheddharergṛham

O brahmin, the man who in Kartika raises a lamp toward the sky is freed from sins beginning with the killing of a brahmin, and goes to the house of Hari.

Verse 13 (padma.4.3.13)

मुहूर्तमपि यो दद्यात्कार्त्तिके प्रीतये हरेः । दीपं नभसि विप्रेन्द्र तस्मिंस्तुष्टः सदा हरिः ।

muhūrtamapi yo dadyātkārttike prītaye hareḥ dīpaṁ nabhasi viprendra tasmiṁstuṣṭaḥ sadā hariḥ

O foremost of brahmins, whoever offers a sky-lamp for even a single muhurta in Kartika for Hari's pleasure — with him Hari is ever satisfied.

Verse 14 (padma.4.3.14)

यो दद्याच्च गृहे दीपं कृष्णस्य सघृतं द्विजः । कार्तिके चाश्वमेधस्य फलं स्याद्वै दिनेदिने ।

yo dadyācca gṛhe dīpaṁ kṛṣṇasya saghṛtaṁ dvijaḥ kārtike cāśvamedhasya phalaṁ syādvai dinedine

O brahmin, whoever offers Krishna a ghee-lamp in his house day after day through Kartika gains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice every single day.

Verse 15 (padma.4.3.15)

प्रदीपस्य च माहात्म्यं विशेषमुच्यते मया । निशामय द्विजश्रेष्ठ सेतिहासं समाहितः ।

pradīpasya ca māhātmyaṁ viśeṣamucyate mayā niśāmaya dvijaśreṣṭha setihāsaṁ samāhitaḥ

I shall now tell in particular the glory of the lamp, together with its story; listen attentively, O best of brahmins.

Verse 16 (padma.4.3.16)

पूर्वं त्रेतायुगे विप्रो वैकुंठो नामतः शुचिः । यस्य संगप्रभावेण मुक्तो भवति पातकी ।

pūrvaṁ tretāyuge vipro vaikuṁṭho nāmataḥ śuciḥ yasya saṁgaprabhāveṇa mukto bhavati pātakī

Long ago, in the Treta age, there was a pure brahmin named Vaikuntha, by the power of whose company even a sinner became free.

Verse 17 (padma.4.3.17)

एकदा कार्तिके सोऽपि प्रदीपं पुरतो हरेः । दत्वा गृहं गतो विप्रो घृतपूर्णं द्विजर्षभः ।

ekadā kārtike so'pi pradīpaṁ purato hareḥ datvā gṛhaṁ gato vipro ghṛtapūrṇaṁ dvijarṣabhaḥ

Once, in Kartika, that foremost of brahmins offered a lamp filled with ghee before Hari, and then set off for home.

Verse 18 (padma.4.3.18)

सर्पिस्तत्स्वादितु चाखुरागतोऽपि प्रदीपतः । यावत्खादितुमारेभे बोधितोऽसौ प्रदीपकः ।

sarpistatsvāditu cākhurāgato'pi pradīpataḥ yāvatkhāditumārebhe bodhito'sau pradīpakaḥ

There a mouse came to taste that ghee; the moment it began to eat, its movements made the little lamp flare and burn brighter.

Verse 19 (padma.4.3.19)

मूषकोऽग्निभयात्तत्र वेगेनापि पलायितः । आखोश्च सकलं पापं विनष्टं कृपया हरेः ।

mūṣako'gnibhayāttatra vegenāpi palāyitaḥ ākhośca sakalaṁ pāpaṁ vinaṣṭaṁ kṛpayā hareḥ

In fear of the fire, the mouse fled swiftly from that place; and by Hari's grace all the sin of that mouse was destroyed.

Verse 20 (padma.4.3.20)

सर्पेण दंशितश्चाखुः प्राणत्यागं चकार ह । ततो यमाज्ञया दूताः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः ।

sarpeṇa daṁśitaścākhuḥ prāṇatyāgaṁ cakāra ha tato yamājñayā dūtāḥ pāśamudgarapāṇayaḥ

Bitten by a serpent, the mouse gave up its life. Then, by Yama's command, messengers with nooses and clubs in hand —

Verse 21 (padma.4.3.21)

आगतास्तं समानेतुं बबंधुश्चर्मरज्जुभिः । यावन्नेतुं मनश्चक्रुः शंखचक्रगदाधराः ।

āgatāstaṁ samānetuṁ babaṁdhuścarmarajjubhiḥ yāvannetuṁ manaścakruḥ śaṁkhacakragadādharāḥ

came to fetch it and bound it with leather cords. Just as they made ready to lead it away, the bearers of conch, discus, and mace —

Verse 22 (padma.4.3.22)

आगता गरुडारूढा विष्णुदूताश्चतुर्भुजाः । विमानं गगने चैव राजहंसयुतं शुभम् ।

āgatā garuḍārūḍhā viṣṇudūtāścaturbhujāḥ vimānaṁ gagane caiva rājahaṁsayutaṁ śubham

the four-armed messengers of Vishnu, mounted on Garuda, arrived, along with an auspicious celestial chariot in the sky, yoked with royal swans,

Verse 23 (padma.4.3.23)

निर्मितं कनकैः शुद्धैः कामगं कृपया हरेः । पाशं छित्वा ततो दूताः प्रोचुस्ते यमकिंकरान् ।

nirmitaṁ kanakaiḥ śuddhaiḥ kāmagaṁ kṛpayā hareḥ pāśaṁ chitvā tato dūtāḥ procuste yamakiṁkarān

wrought of pure gold and, by Hari's grace, able to travel at will. Then those messengers cut the noose and said to the servants of Yama —

Verse 24 (padma.4.3.24)

विष्णुभक्तोऽप्यसौ मूढा व्यर्थं तु बंधनं कृतम् । गच्छध्वं शमनप्रेष्या यदि वांछास्ति जीवितुम् ।

viṣṇubhakto'pyasau mūḍhā vyarthaṁ tu baṁdhanaṁ kṛtam gacchadhvaṁ śamanapreṣyā yadi vāṁchāsti jīvitum

'O fools, this one is a devotee of Vishnu — you have bound him in vain. If you wish to live, servants of Yama, turn back this instant!'

Verse 25 (padma.4.3.25)

श्रुत्वा प्रकंपितास्ते वै पृच्छंति विनयान्विताः । केन पुण्यप्रभावेण युष्माभिर्नीयते पुरम् ।

śrutvā prakaṁpitāste vai pṛcchaṁti vinayānvitāḥ kena puṇyaprabhāveṇa yuṣmābhirnīyate puram

Hearing this, they trembled with fear and asked, humbled: 'By the power of what merit are you taking him to your own city?

Verse 26 (padma.4.3.26)

असौ विष्णोर्महापापी यूयं तद्वक्तुमर्हथ । विष्णुदूता ऊचुः । पुरतो वासुदेवस्य प्रदीपबोधनं कृतम् ।

asau viṣṇormahāpāpī yūyaṁ tadvaktumarhatha viṣṇudūtā ūcuḥ purato vāsudevasya pradīpabodhanaṁ kṛtam

This is a great sinner against Vishnu — only you can tell us how this is so.' The messengers of Vishnu said: This one kept a lamp burning before Vasudeva —

Verse 27 (padma.4.3.27)

तेनैव कर्मणा दूता नयामो विष्णुमंदिरम् । अनिच्छयापि यः कुर्याद्विष्णोर्दीपस्य बोधनम् ।

tenaiva karmaṇā dūtā nayāmo viṣṇumaṁdiram anicchayāpi yaḥ kuryādviṣṇordīpasya bodhanam

by that very deed, O messengers, we are taking him to the abode of Vishnu. Whoever tends the lamp of Vishnu, even unwillingly,

Verse 28 (padma.4.3.28)

कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं त्यक्त्वा याति हरेर्गृहम् । भक्त्या प्रदीपं यो दद्यात्कार्तिके तु हरेर्दिनैः ।

koṭijanmārjitaṁ pāpaṁ tyaktvā yāti harergṛham bhaktyā pradīpaṁ yo dadyātkārtike tu harerdinaiḥ

casts off the sin gathered across ten million births and goes to the house of Hari. As for one who with devotion offers a lamp to Hari through the days of Kartika —

Verse 29 (padma.4.3.29)

तस्य पुण्यं समाख्यातुं न शक्तो हरिणा विना । घृतपूर्णप्रदीपं यो भक्त्या दद्याद्धरेर्गृहे ।

tasya puṇyaṁ samākhyātuṁ na śakto hariṇā vinā ghṛtapūrṇapradīpaṁ yo bhaktyā dadyāddharergṛhe

none but Hari himself can fully describe his merit. Whoever with devotion offers a ghee-filled lamp in the house of Hari —

Verse 30 (padma.4.3.30)

अश्वमेधसहस्रेण तस्य किं वा प्रयोजनम् । अश्वमेधप्रकर्ता यः स्वर्गं याति हरेर्दिने ।

aśvamedhasahasreṇa tasya kiṁ vā prayojanam aśvamedhaprakartā yaḥ svargaṁ yāti harerdine

what need has he even of a thousand Ashvamedha sacrifices? He who performs an Ashvamedha goes to heaven,

Verse 31 (padma.4.3.31)

कार्तिके दीपदाता च स गच्छेद्धरिमंदिरम् । व्यास उवाच । इति श्रुत्वा ततो दूता गतास्ते वै यथागताः ।

kārtike dīpadātā ca sa gaccheddharimaṁdiram vyāsa uvāca iti śrutvā tato dūtā gatāste vai yathāgatāḥ

but whoever gives a lamp in Kartika goes straight to the very abode of Hari. Vyasa said: Hearing this, those messengers of Yama went back the way they had come.

Verse 32 (padma.4.3.32)

विष्णुदूता रथे कृत्वा गतास्तं विष्णुमंदिरम् । विष्णुसान्निध्य एवास्य मन्वंतरशतं गतम् ।

viṣṇudūtā rathe kṛtvā gatāstaṁ viṣṇumaṁdiram viṣṇusānnidhya evāsya manvaṁtaraśataṁ gatam

The messengers of Vishnu set him upon their chariot and led him to the abode of Vishnu. There, in Vishnu's very presence, a hundred manvantaras passed for him.

Verse 33 (padma.4.3.33)

ततो मर्त्ये राजकन्या बभूव कृपया हरेः । पुत्रपौत्रसमायुक्ता चिरं भोगं चकार सा ।

tato martye rājakanyā babhūva kṛpayā hareḥ putrapautrasamāyuktā ciraṁ bhogaṁ cakāra sā

Then, by Hari's grace, that soul was born on earth as a king's daughter; blessed with sons and grandsons, she enjoyed happiness for a long age.

Verse 34 (padma.4.3.34)

इतः पुनर्गता सा तु गोलोकं हरिसेवया । सूत उवाच । भक्त्या शृणोति यो मर्त्यो दीपमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् ।

itaḥ punargatā sā tu golokaṁ harisevayā sūta uvāca bhaktyā śṛṇoti yo martyo dīpamāhātmyamuttamam

From there, through her service to Hari, she went once more to Goloka. Suta said: The mortal who with devotion hears this supreme glory of the lamp —

Verse 35 (padma.4.3.35)

सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः स याति विष्णुमंदिरम् ।

sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ sa yāti viṣṇumaṁdiram

is freed from every sin and attains the abode of Vishnu.