The Rite of Kartika Bathing

Verse 1 (padma.6.93.1)

नारद उवाच । नाडीद्वयावशिष्टायां रात्रौ गच्छेज्जलाशयम् । तिलगंधाक्षतैः पुष्पैर्दीपाद्यैः सहितः शुचिः

nārada uvāca nāḍīdvayāvaśiṣṭāyāṁ rātrau gacchejjalāśayam tilagaṁdhākṣataiḥ puṣpairdīpādyaiḥ sahitaḥ śuciḥ

Narada said: When two ghatikas of the night remain, one should go to a body of water, pure, carrying sesame seeds, sandal-paste, unbroken rice, flowers, and a lamp and the rest.

Verse 2 (padma.6.93.2)

मानुषे देवखाते च नद्यां नद्योश्च संगमे । क्रमाद्दशगुणं स्नानं तीर्थेऽनंतफलं स्मृतम्

mānuṣe devakhāte ca nadyāṁ nadyośca saṁgame kramāddaśaguṇaṁ snānaṁ tīrthe'naṁtaphalaṁ smṛtam

Bathing in a man-made reservoir, then in a divinely-dug pool, then in a river, and then at the confluence of rivers, each bestows tenfold greater merit than the last; and at a sacred ford, it is remembered as bestowing endless fruit.

Verse 3 (padma.6.93.3)

विष्णुं स्मृत्वा ततः कुर्यात्संकल्पं सवनस्य तु । तीर्थादिदेवतादिभ्यः क्रमादर्घादि दापयेत्

viṣṇuṁ smṛtvā tataḥ kuryātsaṁkalpaṁ savanasya tu tīrthādidevatādibhyaḥ kramādarghādi dāpayet

Having remembered Vishnu, one should then make the ritual resolve for the bathing. Then arghya and the other offerings should be given, in turn, to the deities of the sacred ford and the rest.

Verse 4 (padma.6.93.4)

ॐनमः कमलनाभाय नमस्ते जलशायिने । नमस्तेऽस्तु हृषीकेश गृहाणार्घं नमोऽस्तु ते

oṁnamaḥ kamalanābhāya namaste jalaśāyine namaste'stu hṛṣīkeśa gṛhāṇārghaṁ namo'stu te

'Om, salutation to the Lotus-Naveled One. Salutation to you, O Water-Reclining One. Salutation to you, O Hrishikesha; accept this offering, salutation to you.'

Verse 5 (padma.6.93.5)

वैकुंठे च प्रयागे च तथा बदरिकाश्रमे । यतो विष्णुर्विचक्रमे त्रेधा स निदधे पदम्

vaikuṁṭhe ca prayāge ca tathā badarikāśrame yato viṣṇurvicakrame tredhā sa nidadhe padam

'In Vaikuntha, in Prayaga, and in Badarikashrama — wherever Vishnu strode, he has placed his footstep in three places.'

Verse 6 (padma.6.93.6)

अतो देवा मामवंतु यतो विष्णुर्विचक्रमे । तैरेव सहितैः सर्वैर्मुनिदेवसमन्वितैः

ato devā māmavaṁtu yato viṣṇurvicakrame taireva sahitaiḥ sarvairmunidevasamanvitaiḥ

'Therefore, may the gods, present wherever Vishnu has strode, protect me — together with all of them, joined by sages and gods —'

Verse 7 (padma.6.93.7)

कार्तिकेऽहं करिष्यामि प्रातःस्नानं सुरोत्तम । प्रीत्यर्थं देवदेवेश दामोदर मया सह

kārtike'haṁ kariṣyāmi prātaḥsnānaṁ surottama prītyarthaṁ devadeveśa dāmodara mayā saha

'O foremost of gods, I shall perform the morning bath in Kartika. O God of gods, Damodara, be pleased, together with me.'

Verse 8 (padma.6.93.8)

ध्यात्वाहं त्वां च देवेश जलेऽस्मिन्स्नातुमुद्यतः । तव प्रसादात्पापं मे दामोदर विनश्यतु

dhyātvāhaṁ tvāṁ ca deveśa jale'sminsnātumudyataḥ tava prasādātpāpaṁ me dāmodara vinaśyatu

'O Lord of gods, meditating upon you, I am now ready to bathe in this water. O Damodara, by your grace, may my sin be destroyed.'

Verse 9 (padma.6.93.9)

नित्यनैमित्तिके कृष्णे कार्तिके पापनाशने । गृहाणार्घ्यं मया दत्तं राधया सहितो हरे

nityanaimittike kṛṣṇe kārtike pāpanāśane gṛhāṇārghyaṁ mayā dattaṁ rādhayā sahito hare

'O Krishna, in this ever-recurring, occasion-marking, sin-destroying month of Kartika, accept, O Hari, together with Radha, this offering I have given.'

Verse 10 (padma.6.93.10)

व्रतिना कार्तिके मासि स्नातस्य विधिवन्मम । गृहाणार्घ्यं मया दत्तं राधया सहितो हरे

vratinā kārtike māsi snātasya vidhivanmama gṛhāṇārghyaṁ mayā dattaṁ rādhayā sahito hare

'This offering, given by me who, as a vow-keeper in the month of Kartika, has duly bathed — accept it, O Hari, together with Radha.'

Verse 11 (padma.6.93.11)

स्मृत्वा भागीरथीं विष्णुं शिवं सूर्यं जले विशेत् । नाभिमात्रे जले तिष्ठन्व्रती स्नायाद्यथाविधि

smṛtvā bhāgīrathīṁ viṣṇuṁ śivaṁ sūryaṁ jale viśet nābhimātre jale tiṣṭhanvratī snāyādyathāvidhi

Having remembered the Bhagirathi (Ganga), Vishnu, Shiva, and the sun, one should enter the water. Standing in water up to the navel, the vow-keeper should bathe according to the prescribed rite.

Verse 12 (padma.6.93.12)

तिलामलकचूर्णेन गृही स्नानं समाचरेत् । वनस्थानां यतीनां च तुलसीमूलमृत्तिका

tilāmalakacūrṇena gṛhī snānaṁ samācaret vanasthānāṁ yatīnāṁ ca tulasīmūlamṛttikā

The householder should bathe using a powder of sesame and amla. For forest-dwellers and renunciants, the earth from around the root of the tulasi plant should be used.

Verse 13 (padma.6.93.13)

सप्तमी दर्श नवमी द्वितीया दशमीषु च । त्रयोदश्यां च न स्नायाद्धात्रीफल तिलैः सह

saptamī darśa navamī dvitīyā daśamīṣu ca trayodaśyāṁ ca na snāyāddhātrīphala tilaiḥ saha

On the seventh, the new-moon day, the ninth, the second, the tenth, and the thirteenth tithis, one should not bathe with amla fruit and sesame.

Verse 14 (padma.6.93.14)

आदौ कुर्यान्मलस्नानं मंत्रस्नानं ततः परम् । स्त्री शूद्राणां न वेदोक्तैर्मंत्रैस्तेषां पुराणजैः

ādau kuryānmalasnānaṁ maṁtrasnānaṁ tataḥ param strī śūdrāṇāṁ na vedoktairmaṁtraisteṣāṁ purāṇajaiḥ

First one should perform the ordinary cleansing bath, and after that the ritual bath with mantras. Women and shudras should not use Vedic mantras, but rather those found in the Puranas.

Verse 15 (padma.6.93.15)

स्नान मन्त्राः । त्रिधाभूद्देवकार्याय यः पुरा भक्तिभावतः । स विष्णुः सर्वपापघ्नः पुनातु कृपयात्र माम्

snāna mantrāḥ tridhābhūddevakāryāya yaḥ purā bhaktibhāvataḥ sa viṣṇuḥ sarvapāpaghnaḥ punātu kṛpayātra mām

The bathing mantras are as follows: 'May Vishnu, destroyer of all sin, who long ago, out of devotion, took three forms for the work of the gods, purify me here through his grace.'

Verse 16 (padma.6.93.16)

विष्णोराज्ञामनुप्राप्य कार्तिकव्रतकारणात् । रक्षंतु देवास्ते सर्वे मां पुनंतु सदैव ते

viṣṇorājñāmanuprāpya kārtikavratakāraṇāt rakṣaṁtu devāste sarve māṁ punaṁtu sadaiva te

'Having received the command of Vishnu, on account of the Kartika vow, may all those gods protect me; may they ever purify me.'

Verse 17 (padma.6.93.17)

वेदमंत्राः सबीजास्तु सरहस्याः सवीर्यकाः । कश्यपाद्याश्च मुनयो मां पुनंतु सदैव ते

vedamaṁtrāḥ sabījāstu sarahasyāḥ savīryakāḥ kaśyapādyāśca munayo māṁ punaṁtu sadaiva te

'May the Vedic mantras, together with their seed-syllables, their inner mysteries, and their power, and the sages headed by Kashyapa, ever purify me.'

Verse 18 (padma.6.93.18)

गंगाद्याः सरितः सर्वास्तीर्थानि जलदा नदाः । ससप्तसागराः सर्वे मां पुनंतु जलाशयाः

gaṁgādyāḥ saritaḥ sarvāstīrthāni jaladā nadāḥ sasaptasāgarāḥ sarve māṁ punaṁtu jalāśayāḥ

'May the Ganga and all other rivers, the sacred fords, the great water-giving streams, and all the bodies of water together with the seven oceans, purify me.'

Verse 19 (padma.6.93.19)

पतिव्रतास्त्वदित्याद्या यक्षाः सिद्धाः सपन्नगाः । ओषध्यः पर्वताश्चाशु मां पुनंतु त्रिलोकजाः

pativratāstvadityādyā yakṣāḥ siddhāḥ sapannagāḥ oṣadhyaḥ parvatāścāśu māṁ punaṁtu trilokajāḥ

'May the chaste goddesses headed by Aditi, the yakshas, siddhas, serpents, medicinal herbs, and mountains — all these born throughout the three worlds — swiftly purify me.'

Verse 20 (padma.6.93.20)

एभिः स्नात्वा व्रती मंत्रैर्हस्तन्यस्तपवित्रकः । देवर्षीन्मानवपितॄंस्तर्पयेच्च यथाविधि

ebhiḥ snātvā vratī maṁtrairhastanyastapavitrakaḥ devarṣīnmānavapitṝṁstarpayecca yathāvidhi

Having bathed with these mantras, and wearing a ring of kusha grass on the hand, the vow-keeper should duly offer libations to the gods, the sages, and the human ancestors.

Verse 21 (padma.6.93.21)

यावंतः कार्तिके मासि वर्तंते पितृतर्पणे । तिलास्तत्संख्यकाब्दानि पितरः स्वर्गवासिनः

yāvaṁtaḥ kārtike māsi vartaṁte pitṛtarpaṇe tilāstatsaṁkhyakābdāni pitaraḥ svargavāsinaḥ

For as many sesame seeds as are offered in the ancestor-libation in the month of Kartika, for that many years the ancestors dwell in heaven.

Verse 22 (padma.6.93.22)

ततो जलाद्विनिष्क्रम्य शुचिवस्त्रावृतो व्रती । प्रातःकालोदितं कर्म समाप्यार्चेद्धरिं पुनः

tato jalādviniṣkramya śucivastrāvṛto vratī prātaḥkāloditaṁ karma samāpyārceddhariṁ punaḥ

Then, coming out of the water and clad in pure garments, the vow-keeper, having completed the other prescribed morning rites, should again worship Hari.

Verse 23 (padma.6.93.23)

तीर्थादिदेवान्संस्मृत्य पुनरर्चां प्रदापयेत् । गंधपुष्पफलैर्युक्तो भक्तितत्परमानसः

tīrthādidevānsaṁsmṛtya punararcāṁ pradāpayet gaṁdhapuṣpaphalairyukto bhaktitatparamānasaḥ

Remembering the deities of the sacred fords and the rest, and, being provided with sandal-paste, flowers, and fruit, with a mind devoted to devotion, one should again perform worship.

Verse 24 (padma.6.93.24)

अर्घमंत्रः । व्रतिनः कार्तिके मासि स्नातस्य विधिवन्मम । गृहाणार्घ्यं मया दत्तं दनुजेंद्र निषूदन

arghamaṁtraḥ vratinaḥ kārtike māsi snātasya vidhivanmama gṛhāṇārghyaṁ mayā dattaṁ danujeṁdra niṣūdana

The mantra for the arghya: 'O slayer of the lords of the demons, accept this offering, given by me who, as a vow-keeper in the month of Kartika, has duly bathed.'

Verse 25 (padma.6.93.25)

ततश्च ब्राह्मणान्भक्त्या भोजयेद्वेदपारगान् । गंधपुष्पैः सतांबूलैः प्रणमेच्च पुनः पुनः

tataśca brāhmaṇānbhaktyā bhojayedvedapāragān gaṁdhapuṣpaiḥ satāṁbūlaiḥ praṇamecca punaḥ punaḥ

Then one should feed brahmins learned in the Vedas with devotion, honoring them with sandal-paste, flowers, and betel, and bowing to them again and again.

Verse 26 (padma.6.93.26)

तीर्थानि दक्षिणे पादे वेदाश्च मुखमाश्रिताः । सर्वांगे संस्थिता देवाः पूजिताः स्युर्द्विजार्चनात्

tīrthāni dakṣiṇe pāde vedāśca mukhamāśritāḥ sarvāṁge saṁsthitā devāḥ pūjitāḥ syurdvijārcanāt

The sacred fords reside in the right foot, the Vedas in the mouth, and the gods throughout every limb; therefore, by the worship of brahmins, all of these are thereby worshipped.

Verse 27 (padma.6.93.27)

अव्यक्तरूपिणो विष्णोः स्वरूपं ब्राह्मणा भुवि । नावमान्या नो विरोध्याः कदाचिच्छुभमिच्छता

avyaktarūpiṇo viṣṇoḥ svarūpaṁ brāhmaṇā bhuvi nāvamānyā no virodhyāḥ kadācicchubhamicchatā

Brahmins upon the earth are themselves the very form of the unmanifest Vishnu. One who desires well-being should never insult or oppose them.

Verse 28 (padma.6.93.28)

तां वै हरिप्रियां देवि तुलसीमर्चयेद्व्रती । प्रदक्षिणनमस्कारान्कुर्यादेकाग्रमानसः

tāṁ vai haripriyāṁ devi tulasīmarcayedvratī pradakṣiṇanamaskārānkuryādekāgramānasaḥ

O goddess, the vow-keeper should worship that tulasi, beloved of Hari. With a concentrated mind, one should perform circumambulation and offer salutations.

Verse 29 (padma.6.93.29)

देवैस्त्वं निर्मिता पूर्वमर्चितासि मुनीश्वरैः । नमो नमस्ते तुलसि पापं हर हरिप्रिये

devaistvaṁ nirmitā pūrvamarcitāsi munīśvaraiḥ namo namaste tulasi pāpaṁ hara haripriye

'O tulasi, in ancient times you were created by the gods, and worshipped by the great sages. Salutation to you again and again. O beloved of Hari, remove my sin.'

Verse 30 (padma.6.93.30)

ततो विष्णुकथां श्रुत्वा पौराणीं स्निग्धमानसः । तं ब्राह्मणं मुनिं विप्रं पूजयेद्भक्तिमान्व्रती

tato viṣṇukathāṁ śrutvā paurāṇīṁ snigdhamānasaḥ taṁ brāhmaṇaṁ muniṁ vipraṁ pūjayedbhaktimānvratī

Then, having listened with an affectionate mind to the Puranic tale of Vishnu, the devoted vow-keeper should honor that brahmin, sage, or learned one who narrated it.

Verse 31 (padma.6.93.31)

एवं पूर्णविधिं सम्यक्पूर्वोक्तं भक्तिमान्नरः । करोति यः स लभते नारायणसलोकताम्

evaṁ pūrṇavidhiṁ samyakpūrvoktaṁ bhaktimānnaraḥ karoti yaḥ sa labhate nārāyaṇasalokatām

Whatever devoted man duly performs this entire rite as described above obtains residence in the world of Narayana.

Verse 32 (padma.6.93.32)

रोगापहं पापविनाशकृत्परं सद्बुद्धिदं पुत्रधनादिसाधनम् । मुक्तेर्निदानं न हि कार्तिकव्रताद्विष्णुप्रियादन्यतमं हि भूतले

rogāpahaṁ pāpavināśakṛtparaṁ sadbuddhidaṁ putradhanādisādhanam mukternidānaṁ na hi kārtikavratādviṣṇupriyādanyatamaṁ hi bhūtale

This vow removes disease, is the supreme destroyer of sins, bestows right understanding, and is the means of obtaining sons, wealth, and the like. Upon this earth, there is no other cause of liberation equal to the Kartika vow, so dear to Vishnu.