Skandapurana 2.4

English (machine translation) 2.4

Language: English

2.4.0.p1

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2.4.38

In the Padmapurāṇa, Kārtikamāsamāhātmya 6.88–6.124

2.4.39

Purāṇic references on the month of Kārtika and a note on Ūrjā

2.4.1.3

Having bowed to Nārāyaṇa, and to Nara, the best of men,

2.4.1.4

and also to the goddess Sarasvatī, one should then utter 'Success!' 1

2.4.1.6

O Sūta, you have told us the holy māhātmya of Āśvina;

2.4.1.7

we wish to hear further another thing: the grandeur of Kārtika. 2

2.4.1.8

In the Kali [age], for men of defiled minds and sinful deeds,

2.4.1.9

plunged in the ocean of transmigration, what is the effortless refuge? 3

2.4.1.10

Which duty of all duties is superior, accomplishing liberation

2.4.1.11

and bestowing liberation on men even in this world? Tell this, O lord! 4

2.4.1.13

That which you have asked me, the sage Nārada,

2.4.1.14

the son of Brahmā, asked Brahmā, the teacher of the world; 5

2.4.1.15

and likewise Satyabhāmā [asked] holy Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the universe.

2.4.1.16

[So too Satyabhāmā,] eager to hear, questioned [Śrī Kṛṣṇa] about the glory of Kārtika.

2.4.1.17

And what was spoken by the Vālakhilya seers in the assembly of seers,

2.4.1.18

in the exceedingly charming form of a dialogue between the venerable Sūrya and Aruṇa;

2.4.1.19

and the glory of Kārtika [told] on Mount Kailāsa by Śaṃkara,

2.4.1.20

described before the Six-Faced One [Skanda], accompanied by diverse narratives;

2.4.1.21

and the greatness told by Nārada to Pṛthu

2.4.1.22

concerning Kārtika, O leaders of brahmins, after having heard it from the mouth of Brahmā long ago:

2.4.1.23

Once, Nārada the yogin went to Satyaloka

2.4.1.24

and asked the Grandfather of all the worlds with utmost humility:

2.4.1.26

Of the terrible firewood of sin, dry and wet in great abundance,

2.4.1.27

what fire burns it up, O Brahmā? You ought to tell that.

2.4.1.28

Nothing within the cosmic egg, among the three worlds,

2.4.1.29

is unknown to you, O Lord of the gods, certainly of three kinds.

2.4.1.30

Tell [me] the best month among months, the highest among gods,

2.4.1.31

and especially the sacred fords, O Grandfather.

2.4.1.33

Among months, Kārtika is best; among gods, Madhusūdana;

2.4.1.34

the sacred ford named Nārāyaṇa—indeed, this triad is rare to attain in the Kali age.

2.4.1.36

O Lord, I am your servant, I am your devotee, O beloved of Hari!

2.4.1.37

Speak to me of the Vaiṣṇava dharmas; you are omniscient, O Grandfather.

2.4.1.38

First, O Lord, you ought to tell me the māhātmya of Kārtika,

2.4.1.39

the māhātmya of offering lamps, and the observances of those who undertake vows,

2.4.1.40

and the māhātmya of gopīcandana, and likewise of Tulasī, O Lord,

2.4.1.41

and the māhātmya of the Dhātrī tree, and the rite of ritual ablutions and the like;

2.4.1.42

when the commencement of the vow is to be made, and the rule for concluding the observance;

2.4.1.43

whatever Vaiṣṇava duty there is, you ought to tell all of that,

2.4.1.44

by which, through your grace, I may go to the painless state.

2.4.1.46

Hearing these words of his son, Brahmā was filled with joy;

2.4.1.47

remembering Rādhā-Dāmodara, he spoke to his son:

2.4.1.49

Well asked by you, O son, for the sake of uplifting the world!

2.4.1.50

Without a doubt, I shall speak of the glory of Kārtika.

2.4.1.51

On one side, all sacred fords and all sacrifices with their sacrificial fees;

2.4.1.52

yet they do not equal a sixteenth part of the month of Kārtika.

2.4.1.53

On one side, residence at Puṣkara, Kurukṣetra, and the Himālayas;

2.4.1.54

on the other, O son, Kārtika is deemed to surpass all merit.

2.4.1.55

Gold equal [in size] to Mount Meru and all donations on one side;

2.4.1.56

on the other, O dear one, Kārtika, which is always dear to Keśava.

2.4.1.57

Whatever merit is performed dedicated to Viṣṇu in Kārtika,

2.4.1.58

I see no end to it; this has been declared by me to you, O Nārada.

2.4.1.59

Having obtained the human state, difficult to attain, which is a stairway to heaven,

2.4.1.60

one should compose oneself in such a way that one does not fall again.

2.4.1.61

He who, having attained the human state difficult to obtain, does not practice

2.4.1.62

the duty enjoined in Kārtika, O best among upholders of dharma, is a slayer of mother and father.

2.4.1.63

The month of Kārtika indeed is the best among all months,

2.4.1.64

the supreme merit among merits, the purifier of purifiers.

2.4.1.65

In this month the thirty-three gods are present, O sage;

2.4.1.66

here ritual ablutions, gifts, feedings, and vows [are performed].

2.4.1.67

A cow made of sesame seeds, gold, silver, land, clothing,

2.4.1.68

and gifts of cattle, they perform with wholehearted feeling, O Nārada.

2.4.1.69

Those gifts given, the gods accept according to rule.

2.4.1.70

Whatever is given, O leader of brahmins, and austerity likewise performed,

2.4.1.71

that has been declared imperishable in fruit by the mighty Viṣṇu.

2.4.1.72

And the release from sins is praised in the month of Kārtika;

2.4.1.73

therefore, O leader of brahmins, [charity] is diligently given in the month of Kārtika.

2.4.1.74

Whatever is given in Kārtika dedicated to Viṣṇu by men,

2.4.1.75

that indeed obtains imperishable [reward], especially the gift of food.

2.4.1.76

Just as with rivers, O leader of brahmins, and with mountains, O Nārada,

2.4.1.77

and with oceans, O brahmin-seer, no destruction is ever possible,

2.4.1.78

whatever gift is given in the month of Kārtika, O sage,

2.4.1.79

has no diminution, O brahmin; sin departs in a thousand ways.

2.4.1.80

Seeing Kārtika arrived, whoever avoids food given by others

2.4.1.81

effortlessly obtains the fruit of an Atikṛcchra penance day by day.

2.4.1.82

There is no month equal to Kārtika; there is no yuga equal to Kṛta;

2.4.1.83

there is no scripture like the Veda; there is no sacred ford equal to the Gaṅgā;

2.4.1.84

there is no gift like [the gift of] food; there is no happiness like [that with] a wife.

2.4.1.85

Wealth acquired by lawful means is rare for those who give gifts;

2.4.1.86

and giving it at a sacred ford is rare for mortals by nature.

2.4.1.87

In Kārtika, O tiger among sages, worship of the Śāligrāma stone

2.4.1.88

and remembrance of Vāsudeva should be performed by one who fears sin.

2.4.1.89

Whoever spends such a Kārtika having done nothing at all,

2.4.1.90

undoubtedly attains the destruction of merit previously acquired. // 2.4.1.40

2.4.1.92

How should the supreme Kārtika observance be performed by one who is incapable?

2.4.1.93

Tell me that, O Grandfather, whereby he may obtain its fruit. // 41

2.4.1.95

When a mortal is incapable, he should then observe the vow in this manner:

2.4.1.96

giving wealth to another, he should have the Kārtika observance performed [by him]. // 42

2.4.1.97

He should accept merit from him preceded by the solemn resolve of giving.

2.4.1.98

If he is incapable even of giving wealth, O best of divine seers, // 43

2.4.1.99

then the drinking of the water of a sacred ford should be performed by him.

2.4.1.100

The mortal who is incapable even of that should joyfully and regularly

2.4.1.101

remember Hari by name according to fixed rule; // 44

2.4.1.102

then the unbroken fruit arising from the Kārtika observance is [gained] by him. // 45

2.4.1.103

He should keep the night-vigil of Hari in a temple of Viṣṇu or of Śiva;

2.4.1.104

in the absence of an abode of Śiva or Viṣṇu, even in temples of all deities. // 46

2.4.1.105

Or if he is situated in an impenetrable forest or has fallen into distress,

2.4.1.106

he should perform it at the foot of an Aśvattha tree or in groves of tulasī. // 47

2.4.1.107

A human who sings compositions of Viṣṇu's names in the presence of Viṣṇu

2.4.1.108

obtains the fruit of giving a thousand cows. // 48

2.4.1.109

And a man who plays musical instruments obtains the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice;

2.4.1.110

a dancer obtains the fruit arising from bathing in all sacred fords. // 49

2.4.1.111

The man who gives wealth to these obtains all this merit;

2.4.1.112

or from hearing or from seeing, one may obtain a sixth part of the fruit. // 2.4.1.50

2.4.1.113

Even when fallen into distress, if a man cannot find water anywhere,

2.4.1.114

or if he is afflicted by illness, he should perform sprinkling [purification] with the name of Viṣṇu. // 51

2.4.1.115

One established in the vow who is incapable of performing the concluding rite

2.4.1.116

should feed brahmins afterwards for the sake of the complete fulfillment of the vow. // 52

2.4.1.117

Incapable of offering a lamp, he should kindle another's lamp,

2.4.1.118

or carefully protect it from the wind and other [disturbances]. // 53

2.4.1.119

In the absence of worship of Śrī Viṣṇu, worship of tulasī and the dhātrī tree [should be performed];

2.4.1.120

in the absence of all [these], the observer of the vow should perform [worship] of brahmins and cows;

2.4.1.121

in the absence even of that, the chanting of Viṣṇu's name in the mind. // 54

2.4.1.123

O Brahmā, tell in detail the religious duties arising in Kārtika. // 55

Thus ends the first chapter, named Description of the Praise of the Kārtika Observance, in the Praise of the Month of Kārtika in the second, Vaiṣṇava Section of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa in the compilation of eighty-one thousand [verses]. // 1

2.4.2.p1

Brahmā said:

2.4.2.p2

Now I shall declare the duties of the month of Kārtika, O Nārada.

2.4.2.p3

Whoever, seeing that Kārtika has arrived, refrains from another's food,

2.4.2.p4

attains liberation; of this there is no doubt.

2.4.2.p5

Worship of the guru is considered supreme above all duties.

2.4.2.p6

By serving the guru, one attains everything, O best of seers.

2.4.2.p7

When the guru is pleased, all the gods along with Indra are pleased;

2.4.2.p8

and when the guru is angry, all the gods along with Indra are angry.

2.4.2.p9

When the month of Kārtika has arrived, though performing abundant rites,

2.4.2.p10

if one does not perform service to the guru, one finds only hells.

2.4.2.p11

Whatever one is commanded by the guru, one should carry out.

2.4.2.p12

O brahmin, when ordered by the guru, one should not transgress his word.

2.4.2.p13

If sorrow and the like befall, one should take refuge in the guru.

2.4.2.p14

In place of both mother and father, a wise man should remember the guru alone;

2.4.2.p15

what is not obtained through the guru is indeed not found anywhere else.

2.4.2.p16

Through the guru's grace one attains everything; of this there is no doubt.

2.4.2.p17

Medhāvī, Kapila, and Sumati of great austerity,

2.4.2.p18

attained immortality through the proper service of their guru Gautama. / Therefore, with all effort, devoted to Viṣṇu in Kārtika,

2.4.2.p19

one should perform service to the guru; therefrom one will attain liberation.

2.4.2.p20

The best among twice-born who bestows Vaiṣṇava duty upon men,

2.4.2.p21

attains the merit of giving the earth along with the oceans.

2.4.2.p22

A cow fashioned of sesame, gold, silver, land, and clothing—

2.4.2.p23

they shall make gifts of cows with wholehearted devotion, O you of good vows.

2.4.2.p24

The gift of a maiden is superior to all gifts. / A thousand cows is equal to a hundred oxen;

2.4.2.p25

a carriage is equal to ten oxen; a horse is equal to ten carriages;

2.4.2.p26

the gift of an elephant is superior to thousands of gifts of horses;

2.4.2.p27

and the gift of gold is equal to thousands of gifts of elephants;

2.4.2.p28

and the gift of knowledge is equal to thousands of gifts of gold.

2.4.2.p29

The gift of land is superior to the gift of knowledge by a crore times;

2.4.2.p30

and the gift of a cow is superior to a thousand gifts of land;

2.4.2.p31

and the gift of food is indeed superior to thousands of gifts of cows.

2.4.2.p32

This [world] is declared to be founded on food; therefore it must be given in Kārtika.

2.4.2.p33

Merely by avoiding another's food, one obtains the fruit of a Cāndrāyaṇa fast;

2.4.2.p34

day by day a man obtains the fruit of an Atikṛcchra penance.

2.4.2.p35

In Kārtika one should avoid meat, and fermented foods in particular;

2.4.2.p36

by eating meat even once, one attains the womb of a rākṣasa.

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Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit

Skandapurana 2.4

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