The Glory of Kartika

Verse 1 (skanda.2.100.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । भूयः शृणुष्व विप्रेंद्र कार्तिकस्य च वैभवम् । दशमीदिनमारभ्य दशम्यां तु समापयेत्

brahmovāca bhūyaḥ śṛṇuṣva vipreṁdra kārtikasya ca vaibhavam daśamīdinamārabhya daśamyāṁ tu samāpayet

Brahma said: Hear further, O best of brahmins, the glory of Kartika. Beginning from the tenth day of Ashvina, one should conclude the vow on the tenth day of Kartika,

Verse 2 (skanda.2.100.2)

पौर्णमासीं समारभ्य पौर्णमास्यां समापयेत् । आश्विनस्य हरिदिनीं समारभ्य तु भक्तिमान्

paurṇamāsīṁ samārabhya paurṇamāsyāṁ samāpayet āśvinasya haridinīṁ samārabhya tu bhaktimān

or, beginning from the full moon, one should conclude on the full moon; or a devoted person may begin from Hari's day, the Ekadashi of Ashvina.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.100.3)

दामोदरं नमस्कृत्य कुर्यात्संकल्पमादितः । दामोदर नमस्तेऽस्तु सर्वपापविनाशन

dāmodaraṁ namaskṛtya kuryātsaṁkalpamāditaḥ dāmodara namaste'stu sarvapāpavināśana

Having bowed to Damodara, one should first make the resolve: 'Salutations to you, O Damodara, destroyer of all sins;

Verse 4 (skanda.2.100.4)

कार्तिकस्य व्रतं कर्तुमनुज्ञां दातुमर्हसि । निर्विघ्नं कुरु देवेश आमासं पुरुषोत्तम

kārtikasya vrataṁ kartumanujñāṁ dātumarhasi nirvighnaṁ kuru deveśa āmāsaṁ puruṣottama

grant me leave to perform the vow of Kartika; make this whole month free of obstacles, O lord of gods, O Purushottama.'

Verse 5 (skanda.2.100.5)

इति संप्रार्थ्य विधिना कार्तिकव्रतमाचरेत् । अनूरुं वदता प्रोक्तं भास्करेण श्रुतं मया । कलौ च स्वर्गगमनकारणं श्रूयतां हि तत्

iti saṁprārthya vidhinā kārtikavratamācaret anūruṁ vadatā proktaṁ bhāskareṇa śrutaṁ mayā kalau ca svargagamanakāraṇaṁ śrūyatāṁ hi tat

Having thus prayed according to rule, one should observe the Kartika vow. This was told by Bhaskara, the Sun, speaking to Aruna — as I have heard it. Hear now this cause of attaining heaven even in the Kali age.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.100.6)

सूर्य उवाच । द्वादशानां तु मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽतिपुण्यदः

sūrya uvāca dvādaśānāṁ tu māsānāṁ mārgaśīrṣo'tipuṇyadaḥ

Surya said: Among the twelve months, Margashirsha grants the greatest merit;

Verse 7 (skanda.2.100.7)

तस्मात्पुण्यफलः प्रोक्तो वैशाखो नर्मदातटे । ततो लक्षगुणः प्रोक्तः प्रयागे माघमासकः

tasmātpuṇyaphalaḥ prokto vaiśākho narmadātaṭe tato lakṣaguṇaḥ proktaḥ prayāge māghamāsakaḥ

greater in merit than that is said to be the month of Vaishakha on the bank of the Narmada; and a hundred-thousand-fold greater than that is said to be the month of Magha at Prayaga;

Verse 8 (skanda.2.100.8)

तस्मान्महाफलः प्रोक्तः कार्तिको जलमात्रके । एकतः सर्वदानानि व्रतानि नियमास्तथा

tasmānmahāphalaḥ proktaḥ kārtiko jalamātrake ekataḥ sarvadānāni vratāni niyamāstathā

and greater in fruit than even that is said to be Kartika, even with mere water for bathing. On one side, all gifts, vows, and observances;

Verse 9 (skanda.2.100.9)

एकतः कार्तिकस्नानं ब्रह्मणा तुलया धृतम् । संततिश्चैव संपत्तिः कलौ येषां प्रजायते

ekataḥ kārtikasnānaṁ brahmaṇā tulayā dhṛtam saṁtatiścaiva saṁpattiḥ kalau yeṣāṁ prajāyate

on the other, bathing in Kartika — Brahma himself has weighed these on a scale and found them equal. Those for whom offspring and prosperity arise in the Kali age,

Verse 10 (skanda.2.100.10)

अवश्यं तैः कृतं विद्धि कार्तिकस्नानमादरात् । स्नानं च दीपदानं च तुलसीवनपालनम्

avaśyaṁ taiḥ kṛtaṁ viddhi kārtikasnānamādarāt snānaṁ ca dīpadānaṁ ca tulasīvanapālanam

know that they have certainly performed the Kartika bath with reverence. Bathing, the gift of lamps, and the tending of a tulasi grove,

Verse 11 (skanda.2.100.11)

भूमिशय्या ब्रह्मचर्य्यं तथा द्विदलवर्जनम् । विष्णुसंकीर्तनं सत्यं पुराणश्रवणं तथा

bhūmiśayyā brahmacaryyaṁ tathā dvidalavarjanam viṣṇusaṁkīrtanaṁ satyaṁ purāṇaśravaṇaṁ tathā

sleeping on the ground, celibacy, avoidance of split-pulse foods, the chanting of Vishnu's praise, truthfulness, and the hearing of the Puranas —

Verse 12 (skanda.2.100.12)

कार्तिके मासि कुर्वंति जीवन्मुक्तास्त एव हि । न कार्तिकसमं धर्म्यमर्थ्यं नो कार्तिकात्परम्

kārtike māsi kurvaṁti jīvanmuktāsta eva hi na kārtikasamaṁ dharmyamarthyaṁ no kārtikātparam

those who perform these in the month of Kartika are indeed liberated while living. There is no means equal to Kartika for dharma or wealth, nor anything greater than Kartika;

Verse 13 (skanda.2.100.13)

न कार्तिकसमं काम्यं मोक्षदानं न कार्तिकात् । युधिष्ठिरेण धर्मार्थमर्थार्थं च ध्रुवेण च

na kārtikasamaṁ kāmyaṁ mokṣadānaṁ na kārtikāt yudhiṣṭhireṇa dharmārthamarthārthaṁ ca dhruveṇa ca

there is nothing equal to Kartika for granting desires, nor any bestower of liberation apart from Kartika. Yudhishthira observed it for the sake of dharma, Dhruva for the sake of prosperity,

Verse 14 (skanda.2.100.14)

श्रीकृष्णेन तु कामार्थं मोक्षार्थं नारदेन च । कृतमेतद्व्रतं तस्माच्छ्रेष्ठं कृष्णप्रियं च हि

śrīkṛṣṇena tu kāmārthaṁ mokṣārthaṁ nāradena ca kṛtametadvrataṁ tasmācchreṣṭhaṁ kṛṣṇapriyaṁ ca hi

Sri Krishna for the sake of desire, and Narada for the sake of liberation — this vow was observed by them; therefore it is supreme and truly dear to Krishna.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.100.15)

अरुण उवाच । ब्रूहि भास्कर सर्वात्मन्कदाऽऽरभ्य व्रतं कृतम् । सफलं जायते सम्यक्का च पूज्याऽत्र देवता

aruṇa uvāca brūhi bhāskara sarvātmankadā''rabhya vrataṁ kṛtam saphalaṁ jāyate samyakkā ca pūjyā'tra devatā

Aruna said: Tell me, O Bhaskara, O soul of all, from when begun does this vow become truly fruitful, and which deity is to be worshipped here?

Verse 16 (skanda.2.100.16)

भास्कर उवाच । अहं विष्णुश्च शर्वश्च देवी विघ्नेश्वरस्तथा । एकोऽहं पंचधा जातो नाट्ये सूत्रधरो यथा

bhāskara uvāca ahaṁ viṣṇuśca śarvaśca devī vighneśvarastathā eko'haṁ paṁcadhā jāto nāṭye sūtradharo yathā

Bhaskara said: I, and Vishnu, and Shiva, and the Goddess, and likewise Vighneshvara — I alone have become fivefold, just as a stage-director appears in many roles.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.100.17)

अस्माकं सर्व एवैते भेदा विद्धि खगेश्वर । तस्मात्सौरैश्च गाणेशैः शाक्तैः शैवैश्च वैष्णवैः

asmākaṁ sarva evaite bhedā viddhi khageśvara tasmātsauraiśca gāṇeśaiḥ śāktaiḥ śaivaiśca vaiṣṇavaiḥ

Know, O lord of birds, that all these are but distinctions of ourselves. Therefore by worshippers of the Sun, of Ganesha, by Shaktas, Shaivas, and Vaishnavas alike,

Verse 18 (skanda.2.100.18)

कर्तव्यं कार्तिकस्नानं सर्वपापापनुत्तये । सूर्यस्य प्रीतये कार्यं तुलासंस्थे दिवाकरे

kartavyaṁ kārtikasnānaṁ sarvapāpāpanuttaye sūryasya prītaye kāryaṁ tulāsaṁsthe divākare

the Kartika bath is to be performed, for the removal of all sins; it should be done, while the Sun stands in Libra, for the Sun's own pleasure.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.100.19)

इषपूर्णां समारभ्य यावत्कार्तिकपूर्णिमा । तावत्स्नानं विधातव्यं शिवसंतुष्टये नरैः

iṣapūrṇāṁ samārabhya yāvatkārtikapūrṇimā tāvatsnānaṁ vidhātavyaṁ śivasaṁtuṣṭaye naraiḥ

Beginning from the full moon of Ashvina up to the full moon of Kartika, bathing should be performed by men for the satisfaction of Shiva.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.100.20)

देवीपक्षं समारभ्य महारात्रिचतुर्दशी । तावत्स्नानं विधातव्यं देवी संप्रीयतामिति

devīpakṣaṁ samārabhya mahārātricaturdaśī tāvatsnānaṁ vidhātavyaṁ devī saṁprīyatāmiti

Beginning from the fortnight of the Goddess up to the fourteenth night of the Great Night, bathing should be performed with the thought that the Goddess may be pleased.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.100.21)

गणपक्षं समारभ्य कृष्णा या कार्तिके भवेत् । चतुर्थी तावदेव स्यात्स्नानं गणपतुष्टये

gaṇapakṣaṁ samārabhya kṛṣṇā yā kārtike bhavet caturthī tāvadeva syātsnānaṁ gaṇapatuṣṭaye

Beginning from the fortnight of Ganapati up to the fourth day of the dark half falling in Kartika, bathing should be done for Ganapati's satisfaction.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.100.22)

एकादशीं समारभ्य आश्विनस्याऽसितेतराम् । एकादश्यां कार्तिकस्य शुक्लायां परिपूर्यते । कृतं येन तु तस्य स्यात्परितुष्टो जनार्दनः

ekādaśīṁ samārabhya āśvinasyā'sitetarām ekādaśyāṁ kārtikasya śuklāyāṁ paripūryate kṛtaṁ yena tu tasya syātparituṣṭo janārdanaḥ

Beginning from the bright Ekadashi of Ashvina, it is completed on the bright Ekadashi of Kartika; whoever performs this, with him Lord Janardana becomes fully satisfied.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.100.23)

न कार्तिकसमो मासो न काशीसदृशी पुरी । न प्रयागसमं तीर्थं न देवः केशवात्परः

na kārtikasamo māso na kāśīsadṛśī purī na prayāgasamaṁ tīrthaṁ na devaḥ keśavātparaḥ

There is no month equal to Kartika, no city equal to Kashi, no tirtha equal to Prayaga, and no god greater than Keshava.

Verse 24 (skanda.2.100.24)

प्रसंगाद्वा बलात्कारैर्ज्ञात्वाज्ञात्वा कृतं भवेत् । स्नानं कार्तिकमासस्य न पश्येद्यमयातनाम्

prasaṁgādvā balātkārairjñātvājñātvā kṛtaṁ bhavet snānaṁ kārtikamāsasya na paśyedyamayātanām

Whether performed incidentally, under compulsion, knowingly, or unknowingly, the bath of the month of Kartika ensures that one need not see the torments of Yama.

Verse 25 (skanda.2.100.25)

स्नानार्थं चेन्न सामर्थ्यं दत्वान्यस्मै धनादिकम् । स्नातस्य तस्य हस्तस्य ग्रहणा पुण्यभाग्भवेत्

snānārthaṁ cenna sāmarthyaṁ datvānyasmai dhanādikam snātasya tasya hastasya grahaṇā puṇyabhāgbhavet

If one lacks the ability to bathe oneself, then, having given wealth or the like to another, one may become a sharer in the merit merely by grasping the hand of that person who has bathed.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.100.26)

अथवा कार्तिकस्नानं ये कुर्वंति द्विजातयः । तेषां प्रावरणं दत्त्वा स्नानजं फलमाप्नुयात्

athavā kārtikasnānaṁ ye kurvaṁti dvijātayaḥ teṣāṁ prāvaraṇaṁ dattvā snānajaṁ phalamāpnuyāt

Or, by giving a covering garment to those twice-born who perform the Kartika bath, one obtains the fruit born of that bathing.

Verse 27 (skanda.2.100.27)

राधादामोदरः पूज्यः कार्तिके तु विशेषतः । स्वर्णस्य वाथ रौप्यस्याऽप्यभावे शुल्बजामपि । मृज्जां वा चित्रजातां वाऽथ वा पिष्टविचित्रिताम्

rādhādāmodaraḥ pūjyaḥ kārtike tu viśeṣataḥ svarṇasya vātha raupyasyā'pyabhāve śulbajāmapi mṛjjāṁ vā citrajātāṁ vā'tha vā piṣṭavicitritām

Radha-Damodara is to be worshipped especially in Kartika — in an image of gold, or, failing that, of silver, or of copper, or of clay, or a painted image, or even one fashioned decoratively from flour paste.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.100.28)

दामोदरस्य राधायास्तुलस्यधोऽर्चयंति ये । मूर्तिं ते तु नरा ज्ञेया जीवन्मुक्ता न संशयः

dāmodarasya rādhāyāstulasyadho'rcayaṁti ye mūrtiṁ te tu narā jñeyā jīvanmuktā na saṁśayaḥ

Those who worship the image of Damodara and Radha beneath the tulasi should be regarded as liberated while living — of this there is no doubt.

Verse 29 (skanda.2.100.29)

अपि पापसहस्राढ्यः कार्तिकस्नानतो नरः । मुक्तोऽवश्यं स भवति नाऽत्र कार्या विचारणा

api pāpasahasrāḍhyaḥ kārtikasnānato naraḥ mukto'vaśyaṁ sa bhavati nā'tra kāryā vicāraṇā

Even a man laden with a thousand sins is certainly freed by the Kartika bath — there is no need to deliberate on this.

Verse 30 (skanda.2.100.30)

तुलस्यभावे कर्तव्या पूजा धात्रीतले खग । मुख्यपूजाविधानं तु कर्तव्यं सूर्यमंडले

tulasyabhāve kartavyā pūjā dhātrītale khaga mukhyapūjāvidhānaṁ tu kartavyaṁ sūryamaṁḍale

O lord of birds, in the absence of tulasi, worship should be performed beneath the Dhatri tree; but the principal rite of worship should be performed to the orb of the Sun.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.100.31)

अप्रत्यक्षाः सर्वदेवाः प्रत्यक्षो भगवानयम् । सर्वे देवाः कालवशाः कालकालो दिवाकरः

apratyakṣāḥ sarvadevāḥ pratyakṣo bhagavānayam sarve devāḥ kālavaśāḥ kālakālo divākaraḥ

All other gods are unseen; this Lord alone is directly visible. All the gods are subject to Time, but the Sun himself is the very Time of Time.

Verse 32 (skanda.2.100.32)

एतदाराधनेऽशक्तः प्रतिमां पूजयेन्नरः । प्रतिमातोऽधिकं पुण्यं ब्राह्मणस्य तु पूजने

etadārādhane'śaktaḥ pratimāṁ pūjayennaraḥ pratimāto'dhikaṁ puṇyaṁ brāhmaṇasya tu pūjane

One unable to worship in this manner should worship an image; but greater merit than the worship of an image lies in the worship of a brahmin.

Verse 33 (skanda.2.100.33)

दरिद्रो दानपात्रं स्याद्विद्यावांस्तु विशेषतः । विप्राभावे पूजनीया गावः कृष्णा मनोहराः

daridro dānapātraṁ syādvidyāvāṁstu viśeṣataḥ viprābhāve pūjanīyā gāvaḥ kṛṣṇā manoharāḥ

A poor brahmin too is a fit recipient of gifts, especially a learned one; and in the absence of a brahmin, beautiful black cows should be worshipped.

Verse 34 (skanda.2.100.34)

विष्णोर्मूर्तिर्जंगमतः स्थावरा तु प्रशस्यते । शूद्रस्थापितमूर्तीनां नमस्कारं करोति यः । पितृभिर्निरयं याति दशपूर्वैर्दशापरैः

viṣṇormūrtirjaṁgamataḥ sthāvarā tu praśasyate śūdrasthāpitamūrtīnāṁ namaskāraṁ karoti yaḥ pitṛbhirnirayaṁ yāti daśapūrvairdaśāparaiḥ

An installed, immovable image of Vishnu is praised above a portable one. Whoever bows to images installed by a shudra goes to hell together with his ancestors, ten generations before and ten after.

Verse 35 (skanda.2.100.35)

शूद्रार्चितस्य संस्पर्शाद्दहेदासप्तमं कुलम् । तस्माद्विचार्य्य विप्रैर्या स्थापिता तां समर्चयेत् । ततोऽपि या देवताभिः कृता सा भुक्तिमुक्तिदा

śūdrārcitasya saṁsparśāddahedāsaptamaṁ kulam tasmādvicāryya viprairyā sthāpitā tāṁ samarcayet tato'pi yā devatābhiḥ kṛtā sā bhuktimuktidā

By the mere touch of an image worshipped by a shudra, the merit of one's family is burnt down to the seventh generation. Therefore one should worship only that image which has been duly installed by brahmins; and better still is that installed by the gods themselves, for it bestows both enjoyment and liberation.

Verse 36 (skanda.2.100.36)

मूर्त्यभावे पूजनीयोऽश्वत्थो वाऽथ वटोऽथ वा । अश्वत्थरूपी विष्णुः स्याद्वटरूपी शिवो यतः

mūrtyabhāve pūjanīyo'śvattho vā'tha vaṭo'tha vā aśvattharūpī viṣṇuḥ syādvaṭarūpī śivo yataḥ

In the absence of an image, the ashvattha or the vata tree should be worshipped; for the ashvattha is itself the form of Vishnu, and the vata the form of Shiva.

Verse 37 (skanda.2.100.37)

कार्तिके तुलसीशाकं तांबूलं वा नराधमः । अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतो वाऽपि भुञ्जानो निरयं व्रजेत्

kārtike tulasīśākaṁ tāṁbūlaṁ vā narādhamaḥ ajñānājjñānato vā'pi bhuñjāno nirayaṁ vrajet

The vilest of men who, knowingly or unknowingly, eats tulasi as a vegetable or eats betel-leaf during Kartika, goes to hell.

Verse 38 (skanda.2.100.38)

शालिग्रामशिलाचक्रे नित्यं सन्निहितो हरिः । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन शालिग्रामं प्रपूजयेत्

śāligrāmaśilācakre nityaṁ sannihito hariḥ tasmātsarvaprayatnena śāligrāmaṁ prapūjayet

Hari himself is ever present in the disc-marked Shaligrama stone; therefore one should worship the Shaligrama with every effort.

Verse 39 (skanda.2.100.39)

रुद्रशापवशाद्गावो विष्ठाभक्षणतत्पराः । तथाऽपि ताः पूजनीया लोकद्वयफलप्रदाः

rudraśāpavaśādgāvo viṣṭhābhakṣaṇatatparāḥ tathā'pi tāḥ pūjanīyā lokadvayaphalapradāḥ

Owing to Rudra's curse, cows have become given to eating dung; nevertheless they are to be worshipped, for they bestow the fruits of both worlds.

Verse 40 (skanda.2.100.40)

ब्रह्मांऽशकसमुद्भूते पालाशे यस्तु भोजनम् । कुर्यात्कार्तिकमासेऽसौ विष्णुलोकं प्रयास्यति

brahmāṁ'śakasamudbhūte pālāśe yastu bhojanam kuryātkārtikamāse'sau viṣṇulokaṁ prayāsyati

He who eats his food served on the leaf of the palasha tree — which arose from a portion of Brahma — during Kartika, goes to the world of Vishnu.

Verse 41 (skanda.2.100.41)

अश्वत्थरूपी भगवान्वटरूपी सदाशिवः । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कार्तिकेऽश्वत्थमर्चयेत्

aśvattharūpī bhagavānvaṭarūpī sadāśivaḥ tasmātsarvaprayatnena kārtike'śvatthamarcayet

The Lord takes the form of the ashvattha, and Sadashiva the form of the vata; therefore, with every effort, one should worship the ashvattha in Kartika.

Verse 42 (skanda.2.100.42)

या नारी कार्तिके मासि लक्षं कुर्यात्प्रदक्षिणाः । राधादामोदरं पूज्य मन्दवारे च तत्तले

yā nārī kārtike māsi lakṣaṁ kuryātpradakṣiṇāḥ rādhādāmodaraṁ pūjya mandavāre ca tattale

The woman who, in the month of Kartika, having worshipped Radha-Damodara, performs a hundred thousand circumambulations at the foot of that tree on Saturday,

Verse 43 (skanda.2.100.43)

दम्पती भोजयेद्राधादामोदरस्वरूपिणौ । भोजयित्वा सपत्नीकान्पश्चाद्भुंजीत वाग्यतः

dampatī bhojayedrādhādāmodarasvarūpiṇau bhojayitvā sapatnīkānpaścādbhuṁjīta vāgyataḥ

should feed a married couple regarded as embodiments of Radha and Damodara; having fed them together with their wives, one should afterward eat in silence.

Verse 44 (skanda.2.100.44)

वन्ध्याऽपि लभते पुत्रमितरासां तु का कथा । सदा सन्निहितो विष्णुर्द्विपत्सु ब्राह्मणे यथा

vandhyā'pi labhate putramitarāsāṁ tu kā kathā sadā sannihito viṣṇurdvipatsu brāhmaṇe yathā

Even a barren woman obtains a son by this — what then to say of others? For Vishnu is ever present in two-footed beings, as in a brahmin,

Verse 45 (skanda.2.100.45)

बोधिद्रुमे पादपेषु शालिग्रामे शिलासु च । तस्मादश्वत्थमूले वै कर्तव्यं विष्णुपूजनम्

bodhidrume pādapeṣu śāligrāme śilāsu ca tasmādaśvatthamūle vai kartavyaṁ viṣṇupūjanam

in the bodhi tree among trees, and in the Shaligrama among stones; therefore the worship of Vishnu should be performed at the foot of the ashvattha tree.

Verse 46 (skanda.2.100.46)

अश्वत्थपूजा स्पर्शेन कर्त्तव्या शनिवासरे । अन्यवारेऽश्वत्थसंगाद्दरिद्रो जायते नरः

aśvatthapūjā sparśena karttavyā śanivāsare anyavāre'śvatthasaṁgāddaridro jāyate naraḥ

Worship of the ashvattha by touching it should be done only on Saturday; touching the ashvattha on other days makes a man poor.

Verse 47 (skanda.2.100.47)

स्नानं जागरणं दीपं तुलसीवनपालनम् । कार्तिके मासि कुर्वंति ते नरा विष्णुमूर्तयः

snānaṁ jāgaraṇaṁ dīpaṁ tulasīvanapālanam kārtike māsi kurvaṁti te narā viṣṇumūrtayaḥ

Bathing, night-vigil, the lamp-offering, and the tending of a tulasi grove — those men who perform all this in the month of Kartika themselves become embodiments of Vishnu.

Verse 48 (skanda.2.100.48)

संमार्जनं विष्णुगृहे स्वस्तिकादिनिवेदनम् । विष्णोः पूजां च ये कुर्युर्जीवन्मुक्तास्तु ते नराः

saṁmārjanaṁ viṣṇugṛhe svastikādinivedanam viṣṇoḥ pūjāṁ ca ye kuryurjīvanmuktāstu te narāḥ

Sweeping and cleansing Vishnu's temple, offering swastika-designs and the like, and performing the worship of Vishnu — those who do these are liberated while living.

Verse 49 (skanda.2.100.49)

स्नानकालं प्रवक्ष्यामि तीर्थादिषु च यत्फलम् । स्नानधर्माश्च ये केचित्तान्सर्वान्मे निबोधत

snānakālaṁ pravakṣyāmi tīrthādiṣu ca yatphalam snānadharmāśca ye kecittānsarvānme nibodhata

I shall now declare the proper time for bathing, and the fruit that comes from bathing at sacred fords, and whatever rules pertain to bathing — hear all of these from me.