Skandapurana 2.4.30

Nārada said:

This wondrous glory of Kārtika has been described by you;

if one lacks the capacity to perform it oneself, how may it be accomplished? // 1

Brahmā said:

If one lacks the capacity to perform it oneself, the fruit is obtained through an expedient:

giving wealth to a brahmin, one may receive the highest fruit; // 2

or one may have it performed by a disciple, a group of servants, women, or a trusted person;

receiving the fruit from that as well, a person becomes a sharer in the fruit. // 3

Nārada said:

Merits that were not given are also obtained by someone at some time;

I wish to hear about this; curiosity has arisen within me. // 4

Brahmā said:

Even unbestowed merits are acquired, and so are sins;

I shall explain the means by which that occurs; listen with a single mind, O twice-born one. // 5

Whatever good deed or bad deed is done on behalf of another,

in the Tretā age it pertains to his kingdom, but previously [in the Kṛta] it would pertain to the city; // 6

in the Dvāpara age [it falls] within the family, but in the Kali age solely upon the agent.

Action done through ignorance bears its fruit in childhood or in a dream; // 7

that which is done through ignorance in youth has its fruit in childhood;

action performed deliberately has its fruit until the end of life. // 8

By association with a sinner for six months, a man becomes a sinner;

or by association with sinners or the righteous for ten months. // 9

From dining in the same row, a twentieth portion of merit and sin [is incurred];

from two dwelling on a single seat, one is tainted by a thousandth part. // 2.4.30.10

Whoever eats someone's food consumes that person's sin;

from contact with a sinner during recitation and the like, a sixteenth part is lost. // 11

From praising another, from a vehicle, from eating from the same vessel,

and from sharing one bed and covering, a sixth part of merit and sin [is incurred]. // 12

A man takes all [the merit and sin] of his wife and of his biological son;

he takes half from a disciple, and likewise a fourth part of sin and merit. // 13

A woman obedient to her husband's command takes half her husband's virtue;

if one eats food cooked by her hand, she takes a tenth part of his sin. // 14

Whoever provides a year's food becomes a sharer in half that [receiver's] sin;

and the man who eats a year's food enjoys half [the giver's] merit. // 15

A sixth part of [the merit or] sin of the family priest, or indeed his merit,

the patron certainly experiences; and a tenth part of that [the patron's deeds], the family priest [experiences].

The instigator, the consenter, and whoever provides the equipment,

[receive] a sixth part of merits and sins, and an onlooker a tenth part.

He through whose hand work is caused to be done, [if one] does not give food to him,

excepting a hired servant and a pupil, that [worker] takes away a sixth part of the merit.

Through business dealing, likewise through affection, and through constant conversation and the like,

one receives a tenth part of merits and sins; of this there is no doubt.

By conjunction with the merit of association, the base twice-born Ekadanta,

having seen various hells, attained heaven at that very moment.

Nārada said:

Such is the vow of Kārtika, requiring little exertion and bearing great fruit.

Why do some people not perform it, O grandfather?

Brahmā said:

For the increase of his creation, the Creator indeed created righteousness and unrighteousness.

Those who abide only in righteousness attain an auspicious destination.

Abiding in unrighteousness, those men go to a downward state.

The fruit of meritorious action is heaven; the contrary is hell.

Only two guardians of the two were appointed by the Creator:

those two are Śatakratu and Yama, following merits and sins.

Violating the teacher's bed and the like are known on earth as the sons of Desire.

Parricide and the like are [the sons] of Anger; hear the sons of Greed:

stealing the property of brahmins and the like. These are the rulers of hell,

appointed by Yama. Pervaded by them, men do not perform

righteous deeds such as vows; those freed from them indeed perform [them].

[False] faith and [perverted] intellect constantly exist on earth as obstacles.

Overcome by these two, a man, being of very evil intellect,

does not perform listening [to the scriptures] of glorious Viṣṇu and the like, by which he goes indeed to blinding darkness.

What was told by Kṛṣṇa to Satyabhāmā, that I shall tell you.

Through teaching, through officiating at a sacrifice, or even through eating in the same row,

a man receives indirectly a fourth part of merits and sins.

From [sharing] the same seat, from [sharing] the same vehicle, and from contact with the bodily exhalation,

one inevitably becomes a sharer in a sixth part of merits and sins.

From touching, or from speaking, or even from praising another,

a human being constantly obtains a tenth part of merits and sins.

And from seeing, hearing, and likewise from mentally meditating [upon another],

a man would obtain a hundredth part of another's merits and sins.

He who commits censure, slander, and contempt of another,

incurs the sin committed by that [person] and gives away his own merit.

Whatever man performs service for one performing meritorious deeds,

if any person other than his wife, hired servant, or pupil,

and no wealth whatever is given to him corresponding to his service,

he too becomes a sharer in the fruit of that merit in proportion to the service.

Whoever, during serving [of food], skips over someone sitting in the same row,

he who is passed over receives a sixth part of that [offender's] merit.

Whoever touches or speaks to one performing ritual ablution, twilight prayers, and the like,

definitely must give to him a sixth part of the merit of that rite.

A man who asks another for wealth for the purpose of righteousness—

the giver of that wealth obtains the fruit arising from that meritorious rite.

Whoever performs a meritorious rite having seized another's wealth:

the performer of the rite incurs sin in that case; the fruit born of that belongs to the owner of the wealth.

A man who dies without repaying another's debt:

the creditor takes his merit in proportion to that wealth.

The giver of advice, the consenter, whoever provides the equipment,

and also the one who applies force, would obtain a sixth part of the merit and sin.

A king may take a sixth part of the merits and sins from his subjects;

a guru from a pupil, a husband from a wife, and likewise a father from a son.

A woman may obtain half of the merit of her own husband,

if she constantly conforms to his mind and brings him satisfaction.

When a doer of meritorious deeds performs gifts and the like through the hand of another,

Except through a hired servant or a son, the agent takes a sixth share.

The provider of livelihood extracts a sixth share of merit from the enjoyer of that livelihood,

if he does not cause service to be rendered either to himself or to another.

Thus indeed, even though not given, merit and sin accumulated by another always arrive.
In the Kali age, however, this rule does not apply; indeed, the agent alone experiences [the fruit of] merit and sin.

In the Kali age there is no firm knowledge; in the Kali age good deeds are done with pride;

in the Kali age spiritual practice accompanied by hypocrisy surely perishes—there is no doubt.

Formerly, one intent on austerity, though hypocritical, and a chaste wife, by virtue of purity,

and one serving the month of Kārttika through observing the worship of his parents, attained the highest state.

Nārada said:

O Lord, I wish to hear of the best vow among vows,

the injunction for the month-long fast, and its proper fruit.

Brahmā said:

Well asked, O sinless Nārada! I shall tell you all that was inquired of.
O best among the intelligent, listen with devotion as I speak.

Just as Viṣṇu is among the gods, and the sun among luminous bodies,

just as Meru is among mountain peaks, and Garuḍa among birds,

so also the month-long fast is the best of all vows.

Whatever merit is found in all vows, and in all sacred fords,

and whatever arises from all gifts and from sacrifices with abundant priestly fees,

one does not obtain such merit as is gained from fasting for a month.

Therefore, having received the command of the guru, one should undertake the month-long fast.

After performing the Atikṛcchra, the Pārāka, and then the Cāndrāyaṇa penances,

one should undertake the month-long fast, knowing the strength or weakness of one's body.

A forest hermit, an ascetic, or a widow, O sage,

should undertake the month-long fast by the command of a guru or a brahmin.

Having fasted on the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of Āśvina,

one should undertake this vow for thirty days.

In a temple of Acyuta, one should worship Hari with devotion at the three junctures of the day,

with food offerings, incense, lamps, and the like, and with various kinds of flowers.

One should worship the one whose emblem is Garuḍa in mind, deed, and speech.

A man devoted to his own duty, a married woman who has subdued her senses,

or a virtuous widow should properly worship Vāsudeva.

Looking at objects, enjoying scents, and the like are declared as tasting;

one should avoid staying in another's house and accepting morsels of food.

Anointing the limbs, anointing the head, betel, and unctions—

one observing the vow should avoid all these, and whatever else has been forbidden.

The observer of the vow must not touch anyone engaged in improper conduct, nor converse with such a one.

Dwelling in a shrine of God, a householder too may observe the vow.

A man, having observed the month-long fast according to the prescribed rule,

neither less nor more, thus completes the vow in thirty days.

Then, on the twelfth day, he should certainly worship the auspicious one whose emblem is Garuḍa.

Having fed excellent brahmins and presented gifts of clothes and the like,

he should give them priestly fees and, bowing down, ask for their forgiveness.

Having asked forgiveness of the brahmins, worshipped them, and sent them off,

having chosen thirteen brahmins at the conclusion of the month-long fast,

and fasting on the eleventh day, he should cause a Vaiṣṇava sacrifice to be performed.

Then, preceded by prostrations, he should feed the brahmins.

Having given betel, pairs of garments, food, clothing,

meditation bands, sacred threads, and beds complete with furnishings

to the foremost of brahmins, and having honoured them, he should send them away.

Thus the rule for the month-long fast has been duly proclaimed.

Hereafter I shall declare the rule for the ninth and following lunar days.

Listen, O Nārada, to that which was spoken to the seers by the Vālakhilyas.

Thus ends the thirtieth chapter, entitled "The Description of the Rule for the Month-Long Fast Following the Narration of the Attainment of the Fruits of Bestowed Merit and Sin," in the glorification of the month of Kārttika, in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, in the collection of eighty-one thousand verses.

Thus ends the chapter.

On the words "devoted to tapas" [the commentator notes]: Here is the well-known story from the Brāhma [Purāṇa]: In the Tretāyuga, there was a deceitful brahmin named Taponiṣṭha who endured the dualities of life. Once, as he was wandering for alms, a crane flying in the sky dropped feces into the middle of the food in his bowl. The crane was looked at by him, and then it fell from its path in the sky; with his gaze of wrath, that crane lost its life in an instant. Seeing that, he became wicked and proud of his own power. Once, as he was wandering for alms, he went to a dwelling of a certain devoted wife and said, "Give alms!" Seeing the ascetic, she, devoted to serving her husband and busy performing her daily duties, found no interval to give alms. Well-mannered and wishing what was pleasing to him, she fed her husband; with the end of her garment, she warded off small insects. That ascetic also stood motionless like a post out of wrath. Having fed him, seeing her own husband cleansed and reclining on the bed, she wiped his feet; massaging his feet, with a smiling face, she spoke agreeable, pleasing, beneficial, and affectionate words concerning their relationship. Then, when her own husband had fallen asleep, the chaste, virtuous woman took a vessel of food and went outside. Seeing the chaste woman who now wished to give alms, the ascetic, his eyes reddened with fury, made a roaring sound and would not take what was offered by her. Then that virtuous woman, her eyes cast down at her own feet, said to him: The devoted wife said: "I am not that lovely crane which was burned by you, O great ascetic! The desire of your mind shall not come to pass; take the food!" Brahmā said: Then, highly astonished, the brahmin dropped that alms-bowl, his hair bristling, and with joined palms spoke to the chaste woman: The ascetic said: "How, O mother, do you know of the crane falling today, struck down from the sky? Tell me the reason for that!" The devoted wife said: "O brahmin, this is not produced by mantras or the like, nor is it inborn in me; it is merely the general power of whoever has Acyuta in their heart. For those who perform rituals, Viṣṇu is in the sacred fire; for sons, Hari is the parents; for women, he indeed resides in their husbands; for students, in the preceptor. In the brahmin for all castes, Viṣṇu is declared by the wise; Hari is in statues for the small-minded, and in the heart for yogins. This Ancient Person is my visible deity—father, mother, preceptor, protector, kinsmen, friend, and son. Truly, O brahmin, all that exists, being composed of all things, is present for me on earth in my husband. Through service to him, I have this knowledge and both worlds. As a woman under her husband's control, I should not speak to another, O twice-born; you had no right even to speak this much at present. This has been spoken because of the context; therefore may Viṣṇu be pleased with me! If you now desire to hear of dharma, O ascetic, go to Vārāṇasī and ask a meat-seller, a hunter dwelling in a slaughterhouse; he will tell you of dharma." Having said just this, she went into the inner apartment. The ascetic too, having gone to Vārāṇasī, went to the hunter's house. Seeing that ascetic approaching, he ran towards him; coming forward, the hunter bowed humbly to that brahmin, then brought him to his own home, worshipped him according to the rules, and said: "You have now been sent to my house by that chaste woman." Brahmā said: Hearing his speech, the ascetic was extremely astonished and said: "How do you, the righteous hunter, know of the devoted wife?" The righteous hunter said: "This power of mine is not produced by mantras or the like, nor is it inborn; I bow to my parents, hence such power is mine. Incomparable, correct, threefold-temporal, and unfailing knowledge, as well as the secret of dharma, I know through service to my parents." Having said this, he spoke again to the ascetic who was desiring instruction: "The brahmin is the highest among the castes, praised by all castes; therefore, a twice-born is never to be instructed by the low-born. Hence, go, O brahmin, to the seer named Bindu; possessing knowledge and righteous conduct, he will impart knowledge to you." Hearing his words, bowing to him and taking leave, he went to the sacred ford of Pañcanada and addressed the lord among sages: The ascetic said: "O brahmin-seer, what was accumulated previously by me has been destroyed through wrath. Now tell me out of mercy that by which I may attain liberation." The seer Bindu said: "Kārtika is remembered as the foremost of all dharmas. Likewise, O ascetic, all sacred fords take away the sins of living beings; Prayāgarāja takes away the sins of all sacred fords when the sun is in Capricorn; and the sacred ford of Pañcanada takes away the sin of Prayāgarāja in Kārtika. Therefore, go to Pañcanada and observe the Kārtika vow." Having heard that, the ascetic went there, performed the vow according to the rules, and went to the world of Viṣṇu on an aerial chariot. .. 49 ..

[Modern commentary:] In the commentary on the ascetic Taponiṣṭha, there is mention of the seer Bindu, who advises the observance of the vow at the sacred ford of Pañcanada. In the Upaniṣads, in the context of the Praṇava (oṃkāra), there are ubiquitous mentions of bindu and nāda. The state of bindu is earlier, while that of nāda is later. There is mention of numerous bindus, such as the bindu of the mūlādhāra, the bindu of the eye, and the bindu of the mind. It appears that actions such as service to the husband and service to the parents are steps toward attaining the state of bindu. As long as sin exists, concentration like a bindu is not possible. After attaining the state of bindu, the attainment of nāda, of the flow (nada), is required.