Skandapurana 2.4.37

Now begins the fourth [section], the Kārtikamāsamāhātmya, in the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa (2.4):

1. Auspicious invocation; Śaunaka's question to Sūta to know the glory of the month of Kārtika; Sūta's speech to answer the question; praise of the Kārtika vow preceded by an introduction in the dialogue of Brahmā and Nārada; determination of performing the Kārtika vow in times of distress. 136 1

2. Brahmā speaks the duties of the Kārtika vow to Nārada; therein, on the topic of serving the guru, the history of Gautama's pupils Medhāvin, Kapila, and Sumati, and the vow duties; on the topic of gift of food, the story of the twice-born Satyaketu; on the topic of gift of cows, the history of the brahmin Sumati; on the topic of remembering the names [of God], narration of the history of Puṣkara; on the topic of the māhātmya of reciting the Gītā, narration of the history of Jaḍabrāhmaṇa; on the topic of the gift of stones, narration of the story of the brahmin woman. 137

3. Description of the glory of the vow preceded by the determination of the time for beginning and concluding the Kārtika vow. 141 1

4. Rules for bathing preceded by the determination of the time for bathing; determination of the time for bathing in well-sanctuaries and the like yielding progressively greater religious merit; determination of the fruit of bathing in the Kāverī when the sun is in Libra; māhātmya of the Pañcanadī tīrtha; characteristics of the best, middling, and lowest times for bathing, and praise of the husband; characteristics of persons entitled to the fruit of bathing in a tīrtha; characteristics of the fourfold bath. 143 0

5. Determination of daily duties starting from dawn; therein, rules for discharging urine and feces; rules for cleaning teeth and the like; duties such as bathing; determination of sacrificial food and non-sacrificial/meat food; determination of rites from purification of the mouth up to sleeping. 146 1

6. Determination of vows and gifts to be performed and not to be performed in Kārtika. 148

7. In the māhātmya of offering lamps in a temple of Viṣṇu, the story of the twice-born Kutsa; on the topic of the māhātmya of kindling another's lamp, narration of the history of the courtesan Indumatī; māhātmya of the sky-lamp offering; the story of the bird and the cat; right there, determination of the duties of the Kārtika vow through the dialogue of Candraśarman and King Sunanda; māhātmya of lamps; rules for the sky-lamp offering; narration of the release of a piśāca through the sky-lamp offering; offering lamps on five days; places for making Kārtika lamps; the history of the brahmin Harikara concerning the offering of lamps; the fruit of offering camphor lamps and the like. 149

8. On the occasion of stating the māhātmya of tulasī, the history of the brahmins Harimedhas and Sumedhas. 153 1

9. Rules for Vatsadvādaśī; observing omens through five lamps; description of the account of the single-limbed cowherdess obtaining wealth, grain, and happiness by the Vatsadvādaśī observance; rules for Yamatrayodaśī; the story of Hemanaka; rules for Narakacaturdaśī; rules for Dīpāvali; the meaning of the word kaumudī therein; performing the pārvaṇa-śrāddha and other rites; worship of Mahālakṣmī, Mahākālī, and Mahāsarasvatī in the evening; the chapter on the festival of awakening Lakṣmī; waving lamps (nīrājana) during the festival of lamps; children's games in Bali's kingdom and observing auspicious and inauspicious omens; driving Alakṣmī outside at midnight; narration of the Sukharātri observance. 154 2

10. Description of the Gambling Pratipad; determination of Bali's Kingdom Pratipad; determining the Pratipad lunar day; worship of the cowdung image in the courtyard; worship of Govardhana; witnessing the playful fight of oxen, buffaloes, and bulls; the rite of the Mārgapālī; rules for worshipping Bali at night; description of the cow games; observing omens from the staff. 158 2

11. Rules for the Yamadvitīyā observance. 160

12. The māhātmya of the Dhātrī tree; the procedure for worshipping the Dhātrī tree therein; the account of the origin of the Dhātrī tree; description of the dwelling of deities in the Dhātrī tree; the māhātmya of the Dhātrī tree's shade; the story of the vaiśya therein; the liberation of a mouse by listening to the story; the māhātmya of dining beneath the Dhātrī tree's shade; description of the destruction of sins by dining beneath the shades of Dhātrī trees; wearing a garland of Dhātrī berries; offering rows of lamps beneath the Dhātrī tree's shade; the fruit of a husband and wife dining beneath the Dhātrī tree's shade; the māhātmya of the Dhātrī fruit; the fruit of bathing with āmalaka and times when it is forbidden; the fruit of offering piṇḍas beneath the Dhātrī tree's shade; description of the specific limbs and body parts for wearing Dhātrī berries; the fruit of worshipping brahmins beneath the Dhātrī tree's shade; lunar days for worshipping the Dhātrī tree; rules for forest banquets (vanabhojana); the māhātmya of touching the Dhātrī tree; the māhātmya of a Dhātrī tree at home. 162

13. In the dialogue between Satyabhāmā and Kṛṣṇa, the description of Satyabhāmā attaining the status of Kṛṣṇa's wife by the merit of the Kārtika observance in her previous birth; when asked how Kārtika is foremost among all [months], Kṛṣṇa's determination of Kārtika's supremacy addressed to Satyabhāmā by means of the story of the demon Śaṅkha; the māhātmya of the sacred site of Prayāga. 166 1

14. When asked by Pṛthu how Tulasī was born and how she became dear to Hari, Nārada, in order to tell of her origin, first describes the occasion of the birth of Jalandhara from the fire of anger of Śiva, who was enraged by Indra's thunderbolt strike. 167

15. Then, description of Jalandhara's victory in conquering the quarters; description of the reason for Bṛhaspati's obtaining the name Jīva. 168 1

16. Viṣṇu, praised by the gods who were defeated in battle, manifests and engages in combat. 169 1

17. The sending of Rāhu to seize Pārvatī, the jewel among women, upon Nārada's advice in Jalandhara's court; description of the birth of the gaṇa Kīrtimukha from the space between the eyebrows of Śiva, who was enraged thereby. 169

18. Then, in the war between the gods and the asuras, description of the defeat of Rudra's army. 170

19. The fall of Vīrabhadra. 171 2

20. Then, the great battle between Jalandhara and Śiva. 172 2

21. Considering that Jalandhara will be slain by the breach of Vṛndā's fidelity to her husband, Viṣṇu displays an illusion to Vṛndā; then, the account of the mutual curses between Viṣṇu and Vṛndā; upon Vṛndā's casting off her body, Viṣṇu's rolling in the ashes of her body. 173 1

22. Then, having slain Jalandhara in battle, by the command of Śiva who was well pleased, the praise of the primal Śaktis by the gods to awaken Viṣṇu; then, the goddesses, being pleased, giving three seeds to the gods to awaken Viṣṇu. 174 1

23. From those seeds, the origin of Dhātrī, Mālatī, and Tulasī. 175 1

24. The release of Kalahā from her birth as a rākṣasī through the gift of the merit of Kārtika by Dharmadatta. 175 2

25. Because of Kalahā's words, the proclamation of the māhātmya of making gifts in the month of Kārtika; Kalahā's attainment of Vaikuṇṭha together with the aerial chariot brought by Viṣṇu's messengers; the granting of a boon to Dharmadatta by Viṣṇu's messenger: "In another birth you will become a renowned king named Daśaratha in the Solar dynasty, and likewise Lord Viṣṇu will incarnate himself as your son." 176 1

26. Narration of the māhātmya of devotion to Viṣṇu; on that occasion, description of the story of the Cola king and the twice-born Viṣṇudāsa. 177 1

27. The twice-born named Viṣṇudāsa, seeing an outcaste stealing his dry food, running after him to give him clarified butter; then, seeing the outcaste fallen unconscious, Viṣṇudāsa showing hospitality to that outcaste out of compassion; then, the Lord, assuming the form of an outcaste, showing favor to Viṣṇudāsa; by the Lord's grace, the arrival of an aerial chariot from heaven for the brahmin Viṣṇudāsa; as Viṣṇudāsa mounts it and departs, the Cola king entering fire; then, the Lord revealing his true form to him; and both the Cola king and the brahmin Viṣṇudāsa attaining liberation. 177 2

28. Jaya and Vijaya attaining the status of Viṣṇu's doorkeepers by bathing in the Gaṇḍakī in Kārtika. 178 2

29. Description of Dhaneśvara attaining birth as a yakṣa through the merit of associating with those observing the Kārtika vow. 179 2

30. Description of the attainment of unbestowed merit and sin; the story of the devoted wife; the rules for the observance of fasting for a month. 180 1

31. The procedure for Kūṣmāṇḍanavamī; narration of the procedure for the marriage of Tulasī. 182 2

32. Rules for the Bhīṣmapañcaka observance. 183 21

33. The māhātmya of Prabodhinyekādaśī; rules for Dvādaśī. 185

34. Rules for concluding the Kārtika observance (udyāpana). 187 1

35. The māhātmya of Vaikuṇṭhacaturdaśī; the māhātmya of the Tripura festival. 188 1

36. The māhātmya of the lunar days of the final three sacred pools; description of the procedure and fruit of listening to the Purāṇa. 190 2

Now, in connection with the māhātmya of the month of Kārtika, the rules of what is to be done and what is not to be done by those observing vows in the month of Kārtika are stated. 1

Therein, the rules of what is to be done:

1. Daily ritual ablution while the stars are visible. 2. Worship of Rādhā and Dāmodara. 3. Remembering the names of Viṣṇu, Hari, and Śiva. 4. Subduing the senses. 5. Restraint of the mind. 6. Compassion toward all beings. 7. Meditation on Īśvara. 8. Worship of Īśvara. 9. Speaking the truth. 10. Eating sacrificial food (haviṣyānna). 11. The vow of eating only at night (nakta). 12. The vow of alternate-day fasting (dhāraṇā-pāraṇā). 13. The vow of silence. 14. The vow of celibacy (brahmacarya). 15. Association with the good. 16. Worship of the emblic myrobalan (dhātrī) tree. 17. Worship of Viṣṇu in the shade of a dhātrī tree. 18. Daily listening to sacred stories. 19. Gift of land. 20. Service to mother and father. 21. Service to the guru. 22. Daily darśana of the deity. 23. Singing in the deity's temple. 24. Daily offering of lamps in the temple. 25. Offering lamps at crossroads. 26. Offering a lamp to a brahmin. 27. Offering a lamp in a cowshed. 28. Worship of tulasī. 29. Worship of the holy fig (aśvattha) tree. 30. Worship of deities, brahmins, and cows. 31. Circumambulation of the deity. 32. One hundred thousand circumambulations of tulasī. 33. Circumambulation of an aśvattha tree. 34. Feeding brahmins. 35. Gift of food. 36. Gift of a cow, a bull, a buffalo-cow, and an elephant. 37. Gift of gold, metals, and jewels. 38. Protection of the helpless. One should strictly practice these observances in the month of Kārtika.

Now the observances of things to be avoided:

1. Desiring another's property. 2. Acting on another's behalf [without right]. 3. Slandering others. 4. [Sleeping in] another's bed. 5. Another's food. 6. Stale food. 7. Onions. 8. Association with sinners. 9. Intercourse with another man. 10. Approaching another's wife. 11. Malice toward others. 12. Intolerance of another's superiority. 13. Proclaiming another's faults. 14. Thinking of harm to others. 15. Untrue chatter. 16. Approaching a forbidden woman. 17. Inedible food. 18. What is forbidden by the scriptures. 19. Meat dishes. 20. Bad scriptures. 21. Lack of faith in scripture. 22. Theft. 23. Falsehood. 24. Association with the wicked. 25. Wicked speech. 26. Meat. 27. Milk from a cow whose calf has died. 28. Food seen by a menstruating woman. 29. Water brought by an outcaste. 30. Cow-milk mixed with jaggery. 31. Kidney beans (rājamāṣa). 32. Eating and drinking from a bronze vessel. 33. Pulses. 34. Eggplant. 35. Radish. 36. [Application of] oil. 37. Contaminated food. 38. Citron (jambīra). 39. Sexual indulgence by day. 40. Daily sexual indulgence. 41. Selling liquids/sap. One must strictly avoid these in the month of Kārtika.

Thus ends the determination of what is to be done and what is to be avoided in the month of Kārtika.

Thus ends the fourth [part], the Kārtikamāsamāhātmyam, in the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa. (2.4)