A General Description of Karttika's Glories
BY: SUN STAFF
Oct 18, 2016 — CANADA (SUN) —
Hari-bhakti-vilasa
Sixteenth Vilasa, Volume One
By Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami
Text 32
atha samanya-karttika-mahatmyam
skande tatraiva
karttikasya tu masasya
koty-amsenapi narhati
sarva-tirtheshu yat snanam
sarva-daneshu yat phalam
In the Skanda Purana it is said: "The pious result obtained by bathing in all holy places and giving all charities is not equal to one ten-millionth part of the result obtained by following the vow of Karttika.
Text 33 - 34
ekatah sarva-tirthani
sarve yajnah sa-dakshinah
ekatah pushkare vasah
kurukshetre himacale
meru-tulya-suvarnani
sarva-danani caikatah
ekatah karttiko vatsa
sarvada kesava-priyah
"All holy places, yajnas, dakshinas, residence in Pushkara, Kurukshetra, and the Himalayas, and all giving in charity a pile of gold like Mount Meru, reside in Karttika, Lord Krishna's favorite month.
Text 35
yat kincit kriyate punyam
vishnum uddisya karttike
tad akshayam bhavet sarvam
satyoktam tava Narada
"The service one does to Lord Vishnu in the month of Krishna is all eternal. O Narada, I tell you the truth.
Text 36
karttikam khalu vai masam
sarva-maseshu cottamam
punyanam paramam punyam
pavananam ca pavanam
"Karttika is the best of months, the most pious of pious deeds, the most purifying of all that purify."
Text 37
kim ca
yatha nadinam viprendra
sailanam caiva narada
udadhinam ca viprarshe
kshayo naivopapadyate
It is further said: "O Narada, O king of brahmanas, O great sage, rivers, mountains, and oceans will all be destroyed, but the month of Karttika will never be destroyed.
Text 38
punyam karttika-mase tu
yat kincit kriyate mune
na tasyasti kshayo brahman
papasyapy evam eva ca
"O sage, in the month of Karttika neither pious deeds nor sins are ever destroyed."
Text 39
na karttika-samo maso
na kritena samam yugam
na veda-sadrisam sastram
na tirtham gangaya samam
"No month is like Karttika. No yuga is like Satya-yuga. No scripture is like the Vedas. No holy place is like the Ganga.
Text 40
karttikah pravaro maso
vaishnavanam priyah sada
karttikam sakalam yas tu
bhaktya seveta vaishnavah
pitrin uddharate sarvan
naraka-sthan maha-mune
"Karttika is the best of months. Karttika is always dear to the Vaishnavas. O great sage, a Vaishnava who with devotion serves Karttika delivers his ancestors from hell.
Text 41
padme ca
tatraiva dvadaseshv api maseshu
karttikah krishna-vallabhah
tasmin sampujito vishnur
alpakair apy upayanaih
dadati vaishnavam lokam-
ity evam niscitam maya
In the Padma Purana it is said: "Of the twelve months, Karttika is the most dear to Lord Krishna. To anyone who even slightly worships Lord Vishnu during its time, the month of Karttika gives residence in Lord Vishnu's transcendental abode.
Text 42
yatha damodaro bhakta-
vatsalo vidito janaih
tasyayam tadriso masah
sv-alpam apy uru-karakah
"As everyone knows, Lord Damodara loves His devotees. Lord Damodara's month, the month of Karttika, also loves the devotees. The month of Karttika thinks even the slightest devotional service is very big and important.
Text 43
durlabho manusho deho
dehinam kshana-bhangurah
tatrapi durlabhah kalah
karttiko hari-vallabhah
"Even though its lasts for only a brief moment, the human form of life is very rare and valuable. In the same way the brief month of Karttika is also very rare and valuable.
Text 44
dipenapi hi yatrasau
priyate harir isvarah
su-gitam ca dadaty eva
para-dipa-prabodhanat
"Lord Krishna is pleased by the offering of a single lamp during the month of Karttika. Lord Krishna glorifies anyone who lights a lamp for someone else to offer."
Text 45
atha tatra vrata-mahatmyam
skande tatraiva
vratanam iha sarvesham
eka-janmanugam phalam
karttike tu vratasyoktam
phalam janma-satanugam
In the Skanda Purana it is said: "Other vows bring the results of a lifetime of pious deeds. The vow of Karttika brings the result of a hundred lifetimes of pious deeds.
Text 46
akrura-tirthe viprendra
karttikyam samuposhya ca
snatva yat phalam apnoti
ta chrutva vaishnavam vratam
"O king of brahmanas, a person who simply hears the glories of the Karttika vow attains the result of fasting and bathing at sacred Akrura-tirtha.
Text 47
varanasyam kurukshetre
naimishe pushkare 'rbude
gatva yat phalam apnoti
vratam kritva tu karttike
"By following the Karttika vow one attains the result of going on pilgrimage to Varanasi, Kurukshetra, Naimisharanya, Pushkara, and Arbuda-tirtha.
Text 48
anishtva ca sada yajnair
na kritva pitribhih svadham
vratena karttike masi
vaishnavam tu padam vrajet
"A person who never performs yajnas or offers sraddha to the ancestors, but who does follow the vow of Karttika, will go to the abode of Lord Vishnu.
Text 49
pravrittanam ca bhakshyanam
karttike niyame krite
avasyam krishna-rupatvam
prapyate muktidam subham
"One who sometimes fasts during Karttika attains liberation. He attains a glorious spiritual form like Lord Krishna's.
Text 50
kim ca
brahmanah kshatriyo vaisyah
sudro va muni-sattama
viyonim na vrajaty eva
vratam kritva tu karttike
It is further said: "O best of sages, a brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya, or sudra who follows the Karttika vow will not take birth in a sinful family.
Text 51
kim ca
karttike muni-sardula
sva-saktya vaishnavam vratam
yah karoti yathoktam tu
muktis tasya kare sthita
It is further said: "O tiger of sages, liberation stands in the hand of anyone who follows the Karttika vow as I have described it to you.
Text 52
su-punye karttike masi
devarshi-pitri-sevite
kriyamane vrate nrinam
sv-alpe 'pi syan maha-phalam
"He attains a great result who even very slightly follows the very sacred Karttika vow, which is served by the demigods, sages, and pitas.
