The Dietary Rules of the Kartika Vow

Verse 1 (padma.6.94.1)

नारद उवाच । कार्तिकव्रतिनां पुंसां नियमा ये प्रकीर्तिताः । ताञ्छृणुष्व मया राजन्कथ्यमानान्समंततः

nārada uvāca kārtikavratināṁ puṁsāṁ niyamā ye prakīrtitāḥ tāñchṛṇuṣva mayā rājankathyamānānsamaṁtataḥ

Narada said: O king, listen as I fully relate the observances that have been prescribed for men who keep the Kartika vow.

Verse 2 (padma.6.94.2)

सर्वामिषाणि मांसानि क्षौद्रं सौवीरकं तथा । राजमाषादिकं चापि नैवाद्यात्कार्तिकव्रती

sarvāmiṣāṇi māṁsāni kṣaudraṁ sauvīrakaṁ tathā rājamāṣādikaṁ cāpi naivādyātkārtikavratī

The Kartika vow-keeper should never eat any kind of flesh, honey, sauvira (a fermented drink), black gram, and the like.

Verse 3 (padma.6.94.3)

द्विदलं तिलतैलं च तथान्नमश्रुदूषितम् । भावदुष्टं शब्ददुष्टं वर्जयेत्कार्तिकव्रती

dvidalaṁ tilatailaṁ ca tathānnamaśrudūṣitam bhāvaduṣṭaṁ śabdaduṣṭaṁ varjayetkārtikavratī

Pulses, sesame oil, food contaminated by tears, and food tainted in feeling or in ill-spoken word — the Kartika vow-keeper should avoid all of these.

Verse 4 (padma.6.94.4)

परान्नं च परद्रोहं परदारागमं तथा । तीर्थे प्रतिगृहं नापि गृह्णीयात्कार्तिकव्रती

parānnaṁ ca paradrohaṁ paradārāgamaṁ tathā tīrthe pratigṛhaṁ nāpi gṛhṇīyātkārtikavratī

Another's food, treachery toward another, and approaching another's wife — the Kartika vow-keeper should not do these. Nor should he accept gifts from others even at a sacred ford.

Verse 5 (padma.6.94.5)

देवदेवद्विजानां च गुरोश्च व्रतिनस्तथा । स्त्रीराजमहतां निंदां वर्जयेत्कार्तिके व्रती

devadevadvijānāṁ ca gurośca vratinastathā strīrājamahatāṁ niṁdāṁ varjayetkārtike vratī

In Kartika, the vow-keeper should avoid slandering the gods, brahmins, the guru, other vow-keepers, women, the king, and great persons.

Verse 6 (padma.6.94.6)

प्राण्यंगमामिषं चूर्णं फले जंबीरमामिषम् । धान्ये मसूरिका प्रोक्ता चान्नं पर्युषितं तथा

prāṇyaṁgamāmiṣaṁ cūrṇaṁ phale jaṁbīramāmiṣam dhānye masūrikā proktā cānnaṁ paryuṣitaṁ tathā

Any animal part is like flesh; stale powder, jambira fruit among fruits, lentils among grains, and stale food, too, are all declared to be like flesh in this regard.

Verse 7 (padma.6.94.7)

अजागोमहिषीक्षीरादन्यदुग्धादि चामिषम् । द्विजक्रीता रसाः सर्वे लवणं भूमिजं तथा

ajāgomahiṣīkṣīrādanyadugdhādi cāmiṣam dvijakrītā rasāḥ sarve lavaṇaṁ bhūmijaṁ tathā

Milk of any animal other than goat, cow, or buffalo is like flesh. All juices sold by a brahmin for profit are to be avoided, as is rock-salt dug from the earth.

Verse 8 (padma.6.94.8)

ताम्रपात्रस्थितं गव्यं जलं पल्वलसंस्थितम् । आत्मार्थं पाचितं चान्नमामिषं तत्स्मृतं बुधैः

tāmrapātrasthitaṁ gavyaṁ jalaṁ palvalasaṁsthitam ātmārthaṁ pācitaṁ cānnamāmiṣaṁ tatsmṛtaṁ budhaiḥ

Milk kept in a copper vessel, stagnant water lying in a pool, and food cooked solely for oneself — all of these, the wise have declared, are to be reckoned as flesh in this regard.

Verse 9 (padma.6.94.9)

ब्रह्मचर्यमधः सुप्तिः पत्रावल्यां च भोजनम् । चतुर्थकाले भुंजीत कुर्यादेवं सदा व्रती

brahmacaryamadhaḥ suptiḥ patrāvalyāṁ ca bhojanam caturthakāle bhuṁjīta kuryādevaṁ sadā vratī

The vow-keeper should observe celibacy, sleep on the ground, and eat from a leaf-plate; he should eat only in the fourth quarter of the day, and should ever conduct himself thus.

Verse 10 (padma.6.94.10)

नरकस्य चतुर्दश्यां तैलाभ्यंगं च कारयेत् । अन्यत्र कार्तिकस्नायि तैलाभ्यंगं न कारयेत्

narakasya caturdaśyāṁ tailābhyaṁgaṁ ca kārayet anyatra kārtikasnāyi tailābhyaṁgaṁ na kārayet

On the fourteenth day known as Naraka Chaturdashi, one should have an oil massage. On any other day, however, one who bathes in Kartika should not have an oil massage.

Verse 11 (padma.6.94.11)

पलांडुं लशुनं शिग्रु छत्राकं गृंजनं तथा । नालिकां मूलकं हिंगुं वर्जयेत्कार्तिकव्रती

palāṁḍuṁ laśunaṁ śigru chatrākaṁ gṛṁjanaṁ tathā nālikāṁ mūlakaṁ hiṁguṁ varjayetkārtikavratī

Onion, garlic, drumstick (moringa), mushrooms, carrot, lotus-stem, radish, and asafoetida — all of these the Kartika vow-keeper should avoid.

Verse 12 (padma.6.94.12)

अलाबुं चापि वृंताकं कूष्मांडं बृहतीफलम् । श्लेष्मातकं कपित्थं च वर्जयेद्वैष्णवव्रती

alābuṁ cāpi vṛṁtākaṁ kūṣmāṁḍaṁ bṛhatīphalam śleṣmātakaṁ kapitthaṁ ca varjayedvaiṣṇavavratī

Bottle gourd, eggplant, pumpkin, the large brinjal, lasoda, and wood-apple — the Vaishnava vow-keeper should avoid these too.

Verse 13 (padma.6.94.13)

रजस्वलांत्यज म्लेच्छ पतितव्रात्यकैः सह । द्विजातिवेदबाह्यैश्च न वदेत्कार्तिकव्रती

rajasvalāṁtyaja mleccha patitavrātyakaiḥ saha dvijātivedabāhyaiśca na vadetkārtikavratī

The Kartika vow-keeper should not converse with a woman in her courses, with outcastes, foreigners, the fallen, the uninitiated, or with those of the twice-born who are excluded from the Veda.

Verse 14 (padma.6.94.14)

श्वभिर्दृष्टं च काकैश्च सूतकान्नं च वर्जयेत् । द्विःपाचितं च दग्धान्नं वर्जयेत्कार्तिकव्रती

śvabhirdṛṣṭaṁ ca kākaiśca sūtakānnaṁ ca varjayet dviḥpācitaṁ ca dagdhānnaṁ varjayetkārtikavratī

Food that has been seen by dogs or crows, and food touched by ritual impurity from birth or death, should be avoided. The Kartika vow-keeper should also avoid food that has been twice cooked or burnt.

Verse 15 (padma.6.94.15)

तिलाभ्यंगं तथा शय्यां परान्नं कांस्यभोजनम् । कार्तिके वर्जयेद्यस्तु परिपूर्णव्रती भवेत् । एतानि वर्जयेन्नित्यं व्रती सर्वव्रतेष्वपि । कृच्छ्राद्यं चापि कुर्वीत स्वशक्त्या विष्णुतुष्टये

tilābhyaṁgaṁ tathā śayyāṁ parānnaṁ kāṁsyabhojanam kārtike varjayedyastu paripūrṇavratī bhavet etāni varjayennityaṁ vratī sarvavrateṣvapi kṛcchrādyaṁ cāpi kurvīta svaśaktyā viṣṇutuṣṭaye

Oil-massage with sesame oil, sleeping on a raised bed, another's food, and eating from a bronze vessel — whoever avoids all of these in Kartika becomes a fully complete vow-keeper. The vow-keeper should ever avoid these in all vows, and should also, according to his ability, perform penitential vows for the pleasure of Vishnu.

Verse 16 (padma.6.94.16)

क्रमात्कूष्मांड वृंताकं बृहती मूलकं तथा । श्रीफलं च कलिंगं च फलं धात्रीभवं तथा

kramātkūṣmāṁḍa vṛṁtākaṁ bṛhatī mūlakaṁ tathā śrīphalaṁ ca kaliṁgaṁ ca phalaṁ dhātrībhavaṁ tathā

In sequence, pumpkin, eggplant, the large brinjal, radish, bael fruit, watermelon, and amla fruit —

Verse 17 (padma.6.94.17)

नारिकेरं महालाबुं पटोलं बदरीफलम् । चर्म वैकतकं चापि बिसं वै कट्फलं तथा

nārikeraṁ mahālābuṁ paṭolaṁ badarīphalam carma vaikatakaṁ cāpi bisaṁ vai kaṭphalaṁ tathā

coconut, the large bottle gourd, pointed gourd, jujube fruit, hide, vaikataka, lotus-fiber, and box-myrtle —

Verse 18 (padma.6.94.18)

शाकान्येतानि वर्ज्यानि क्रमात्प्रतिपदादिषु । धात्रीफलं रवौ तद्वद्वर्जयेत्सर्वदा गृही

śākānyetāni varjyāni kramātpratipadādiṣu dhātrīphalaṁ ravau tadvadvarjayetsarvadā gṛhī

These vegetables are, in sequence, to be avoided on the first tithi and the days following. Likewise, the householder should always avoid amla fruit on Sunday.

Verse 19 (padma.6.94.19)

एभ्योऽपि वर्जयेत्किंचिद्यद्विष्णुप्रीतये नरः । तत्पुनर्ब्राह्मणे दत्त्वा भक्षयेत्सर्वदैव हि

ebhyo'pi varjayetkiṁcidyadviṣṇuprītaye naraḥ tatpunarbrāhmaṇe dattvā bhakṣayetsarvadaiva hi

Whatever among these a man renounces for the pleasure of Vishnu, having first given it to a brahmin, he may always partake of it thereafter as sanctified food.

Verse 20 (padma.6.94.20)

एवमेव हि माघेऽपि कुर्याद्वै नियमान्व्रती । हरिजागरणं तत्र विधिप्रोक्तं च कारयेत्

evameva hi māghe'pi kuryādvai niyamānvratī harijāgaraṇaṁ tatra vidhiproktaṁ ca kārayet

In just the same way, the vow-keeper should observe these rules in Magha as well. There, he should also perform the prescribed vigil for Hari.

Verse 21 (padma.6.94.21)

यथोक्तकारिणं दृष्ट्वा कार्तिकव्रतिनं नरम् । यमदूताः पलायंते गजाः सिंहार्दिता यथा

yathoktakāriṇaṁ dṛṣṭvā kārtikavratinaṁ naram yamadūtāḥ palāyaṁte gajāḥ siṁhārditā yathā

Just as elephants flee when harried by a lion, so the messengers of Yama flee upon seeing a man who keeps the Kartika vow as prescribed.

Verse 22 (padma.6.94.22)

वरं विष्णुव्रतं ह्येतदथ यज्ञशताधिकम् । यज्ञकृत्प्राप्नुयात्स्वर्गं वैकुंठं कार्तिकव्रती

varaṁ viṣṇuvrataṁ hyetadatha yajñaśatādhikam yajñakṛtprāpnuyātsvargaṁ vaikuṁṭhaṁ kārtikavratī

This vow to Vishnu is superior even to a hundred sacrifices. The performer of sacrifices attains heaven, but the Kartika vow-keeper attains Vaikuntha.

Verse 23 (padma.6.94.23)

भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदानीह यानि क्षेत्राणि भूतले । वसंति तानि तद्गेहे कार्तिक्रव्रतकारिणः

bhuktimuktipradānīha yāni kṣetrāṇi bhūtale vasaṁti tāni tadgehe kārtikravratakāriṇaḥ

Whatever sacred places upon this earth bestow enjoyment and liberation, all of them dwell right within the very home of one who performs the Kartika vow.

Verse 24 (padma.6.94.24)

दुःस्वप्न्नं दुष्कृतं किंचिन्मनोवाक्कायकर्मजम् । कार्त्तिकव्रतिनं दृष्ट्वा विलयं यांति तत्क्षणात्

duḥsvapnnaṁ duṣkṛtaṁ kiṁcinmanovākkāyakarmajam kārttikavratinaṁ dṛṣṭvā vilayaṁ yāṁti tatkṣaṇāt

Bad dreams and any misdeed committed through mind, speech, or body are destroyed instantly upon merely seeing a Kartika vow-keeper.

Verse 25 (padma.6.94.25)

कार्त्तिकव्रतिनः पुंसो विष्णुवाक्यप्रणोदिताः । रक्षां कुर्वंति शक्राद्या राज्ञो वै किंकरा यथा

kārttikavratinaḥ puṁso viṣṇuvākyapraṇoditāḥ rakṣāṁ kurvaṁti śakrādyā rājño vai kiṁkarā yathā

Impelled by the word of Vishnu, Indra and the other gods protect the man who keeps the Kartika vow, just as a king's servants protect at his command.

Verse 26 (padma.6.94.26)

विष्णुव्रतकरा नित्यं यत्र तिष्ठंति पूजिताः । ग्रहभूतपिशाचाद्या नैव तिष्ठंति तत्र वै

viṣṇuvratakarā nityaṁ yatra tiṣṭhaṁti pūjitāḥ grahabhūtapiśācādyā naiva tiṣṭhaṁti tatra vai

Wherever those who perform the vow to Vishnu ever dwell, honored, there malefic spirits, ghosts, demons, and the like never remain.

Verse 27 (padma.6.94.27)

कार्त्तिकव्रतिनः पुण्यं यथोक्तव्रतकारिणः । न समर्थो भवेद्वक्तुं ब्रह्मापीह चतुर्मुखः

kārttikavratinaḥ puṇyaṁ yathoktavratakāriṇaḥ na samartho bhavedvaktuṁ brahmāpīha caturmukhaḥ

Even the four-faced Brahma himself is unable fully to describe the merit of the Kartika vow-keeper who performs the vow as prescribed.

Verse 28 (padma.6.94.28)

विष्णुप्रियं सकलकल्मषनाशनं च सर्वत्र पुत्रधनधान्यसमृद्धिकारि । ऊर्जे व्रतं सनियमं कुरुते मनुष्यः किं तस्य तीर्थपरिशीलन सेवया च

viṣṇupriyaṁ sakalakalmaṣanāśanaṁ ca sarvatra putradhanadhānyasamṛddhikāri ūrje vrataṁ saniyamaṁ kurute manuṣyaḥ kiṁ tasya tīrthapariśīlana sevayā ca

This vow is dear to Vishnu, destroys all sin, and everywhere increases the abundance of sons, wealth, and grain. What further need has the man who performs this vow with due observance in the month of Urja (Kartika) for the practice and cultivation of pilgrimage?