Skandapurana 2.4.7
English (machine translation) 2.4.7
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2.4.7.1
Nārada said:
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O Lord, I have fulfilled my duty by taking refuge at your feet;
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There is nothing more to be heard by me here, O best of gods. (1)
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Even so, O Lord, something residing in my heart must be asked;
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Having drunk the nectar of your words, I find no satiety at all. (2)
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I wish to hear from you, O master, the greatness of the gift of lamps,
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And by whom it was given in ancient times; tell me that, O four-faced one. (3)
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Brahmā said:
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Having bathed in the morning and become pure, one should diligently give a lamp;
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By that, sins are destroyed, like darkness at the rising of the sun. (4)
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Whatever sin has been committed from birth, whether by a woman or by a man,
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All that goes to destruction from the gift of a lamp in Kārtika. (5)
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Here I will narrate to you an ancient legend,
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Which destroys all sins upon hearing, and bestows the fruit of the gift of a lamp. (6)
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Formerly in the Draviḍa country there was a brahmin named Buddha;
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His wife was wicked, devoted to improper conduct, O sage. (7)
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Through the fault of association with her, his life was exhausted and he met death.
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Even when her husband had died, that wife, especially in improper conduct, (8)
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Remained engaged; nor indeed did she feel shame from public reproach.
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Bereft of sons and kinsmen, she constantly ate food obtained by begging, (9)
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Not eating even a little cooked food [from sacrificial rituals], eating stale food,
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Ever devoted to food cooked by others, devoid of pilgrimages to sacred fords and the like; (10)
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And hearing sacred stories was never heard by her, O twice-born.
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Once, a certain brahmin intent on pilgrimages to sacred fords, (11)
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A learned man named Kutsa, came to her house.
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Having seen her engaged in improper conduct, that best of brahmin seers,
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With his eyes red with anger, addressed that unchaste woman: (12)
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Kutsa said:
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I shall speak now, O foolish woman; pay heed to my words! (13)
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This body, a cause of misery, filled with pus and blood,
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and consisting of the five gross elements—why do you nourish it, O female messenger?
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The body comes to destruction, certainly, like a water bubble.
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Relying on this impermanent body, you think it permanent in your heart.
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Therefore, O foolish woman, abandon by discernment the delusion residing within!
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Remember God, the highest of all, and listen [to his tales] with devotion!
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When the month of Kārtika arrives, perform ritual ablutions, charitable giving, and so forth.
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Likewise, offer a lamp to please Dāmodara.
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Offer a hundred thousand wicks and so forth, as well as a hundred thousand lotuses and so forth,
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circumambulation of God, and homage likewise.
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Observe fasting and the breaking of the fast with devotion in Kārtika.
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This vow is for widows, and likewise for women whose husbands are alive.
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It pacifies all sins and destroys all afflictions.
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Even then, in the month of Kārtika, let an excellent lamp be offered.
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A lamp is certainly pleasing to Hari in the month of Kārtika.
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Even one who has committed a great sin is liberated by the gift of a lamp.
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Formerly there was an eminent twice-born named Harikara.
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Addicted to unrighteous sense-objects, the twice-born was constantly devoted to a courtesan.
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He caused the destruction of his father's wealth; he was an axe to the cutting down of his lineage.
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Once, O widow, through association with wicked men,
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his father's great wealth was lost by him in gambling; then he became sorrowful.
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Once, through the association with holy men, on the occasion of a pilgrimage to sacred fords,
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the twice-born, who had committed great sins, came to Ayodhyā, O child.
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Arriving in the month of Kārtika at the house of a prosperous twice-born,
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he quickly offered a lamp before Hari under the pretext of gambling.
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Then in the course of time the brahmin died and attained liberation.
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Even though he had committed great sins, he went to fearless Hari.
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Therefore, in the month of Kārtika, do offer a lamp,
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and make other gifts as well, endowed with devotion!
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Having thus instructed her, the twice-born Kutsa then went to another house.
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Hearing Kutsa's words, she too was filled with repentance,
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and resolved: 'I will certainly perform the vow in the month of Kārtika.'
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At the hour of sunrise in Kārtika, [she performed] ritual ablution in the water;
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she performed the offering of lamps and the vow for one whole month.
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Then, in the course of time, her lifespan ended and she met her death.
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By the māhātmya of the gift of a lamp, even though she had committed great sins,
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that woman went on the path to heaven, and in time attained liberation.
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Therefore, O Nārada, who can describe the māhātmya of the gift of a lamp?
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Offering a lamp in Kārtika yields the fruit of great religious merit.
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A person who is devoted to the Kārtika vow and gives lamps and the like,
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hearing this narrative of the gift of a lamp, will indeed attain liberation.
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Who can declare the māhātmya of the gift of a lamp in this world?
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Hear, O Nārada, the māhātmya of trimming or rekindling another's lamp!
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Even in one's own lack of capacity, if one tends another's [lamp],
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whoever should do so obtains that [fruit] as well; here there is no doubt.
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He who gives a wick, oil, or a vessel for a lamp,
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or provides assistance to those offering an excellent lamp,
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he attains liberation; here there is no doubt.
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Who indeed could describe the māhātmya of offering a lamp in Kārtika?
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Even in one's own lack of capacity, one should rekindle another's lamp.
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He too obtains that fruit; here there is no doubt.
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There was a courtesan named Indumatī; in her house, a female mouse
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attained very rare liberation by rekindling another's lamp.
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Therefore, with every effort, one should rekindle another's lamp.
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By that, one attains liberation just like the female mouse; there is no doubt.
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Such is the fruit of rekindling another's lamp, O sage!
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By whom can the māhātmya of the direct gift of a lamp be described?
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Nārada said:
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The māhātmya of the gift of a lamp in Kārtika has been heard by me,
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and the māhātmya of rekindling another's lamp has also indeed been heard.
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Now I wish to hear the grandeur of the sky-lamp.
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Brahmā said:
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Hear, O son, with a concentrated mind, the māhātmya of the sky-lamp,
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by merely hearing which the mind is inclined toward offering a lamp.
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When the month of Kārtika arrives, devoted to the morning ritual ablution,
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I shall proclaim the religious merit of him who offers a sky-lamp.
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Having become the sovereign of all worlds, endowed with all prosperity,
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having enjoyed happiness in this world, at the end he attains liberation.
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Preceded by the rites of ritual ablution and gifts, upon the roof of Hari's temple
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a sky-lamp must be offered for one month during Kārtika.
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And on the bright full-moon day of Kārtika, one should formally conclude it according to rule.
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He who offers a lamp in the sky according to rule in Kārtika
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has no return, even after hundreds of crores of kalpas.
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In this regard, I shall narrate to you an ancient tale,
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by merely hearing which one obtains the fruit of a sky-lamp.
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Formerly there was a hunter named Niṣṭhura, a thorn to the world,
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dwelling on the bank of the Yamunā, like another Death at the time of destruction.
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Roaming in the forest, he made his living by killing all kinds of game.
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Bearing a bow, he constantly harassed travelers by acting as a thief.
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Once in the month of Kārtika, O sage, he went quickly to a certain village for theft.
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In that city of Vidarbha, a king named Sukṛti,
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wise, at the instruction of a brahmin named Candraśarman in Kārtika,
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placed a sky-lamp upon the roof of Hari's temple.
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Having offered the lamp with great devotion, he listened to the sacred story at night.
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At that very time, [the hunter] arrived there in order to steal.
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He stood for a moment beholding the sky-lamp offered by the king.
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Just then, by the turn of fate, a swift vulture,
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approaching swiftly, seized the oil-vessel along with the lamp.
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Holding it in its beak, it flew up to the top of a tree.
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Having drunk the oil there and placed the lamp down, that king of birds,
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perched upon the top of the tree, remained there for a moment.
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Just then, by the turn of fate, in order to seize that excellent bird,
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a cat climbed the tree occupied by the bird.
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Seeing the lamp in front of its face, [the cat] paused for a moment.
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The māhātmya of the sky-lamp, narrated by Candraśarman
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to the king named Sukṛti, the two of them heard for a moment.
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There, due to their natural restlessness, both the bird and the cat [moved];
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the cat seized the bird perched inside the branches.
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Impelled by fate, both then fell from the tree onto a stone.
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With broken limbs, both bird and cat died there upon the ground.
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Endowed with divine bodies and mounted upon an aerial vehicle, they went to heaven.
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Seeing all that, the hunter, who had come to steal,
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turned away from his wicked disposition toward the sage narrating the story.
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Addressing Candraśarman, he spoke these words:
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“O Candraśarman, I who had come to steal saw
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the charming sky-lamp offered by King Sukṛti.
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Just then, by the turn of fate, a bird seized the vessel,
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and having drunk the oil, placing that lovely vessel with the lamp
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on the top of the tree, it stayed there for a moment.
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A cat also came there to seize that excellent bird.
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Impelled by fate, both rested on the branches.
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Indeed, they listened for a moment to the story being narrated from your mouth.
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Afterwards, through the fault of restlessness, the cat seized the bird.
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Both fell from the tree and met their death in an instant.
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Both, endowed with divine forms and mounted upon an aerial vehicle, went to heaven.
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Having seen that wonder, I have come to ask you:
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Who were that cat and bird in a previous life? Tell me that, O twice-born!
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Born into an animal womb, by what action were they liberated?”
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Hearing the hunter's words, Candraśarman then said:
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“Listen, O hunter! I shall clearly tell you their story.
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Even the cat was formerly a sinner born in the Śrīvatsa lineage.
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Named Devaśarman, he was an embezzler of property belonging to the gods.
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He obtained the office of priest for Ahobala-Nṛsiṃha.
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The oil, wealth, and other offerings received in that temple,
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he stole, and with that alone he supported his family.
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Having spent his lifespan in this very manner, he then met his death.
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Because of that sin, [he went] to Kālasūtra, Mahāraurava, and Raurava,
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and having reached Nirucchvāsa and the forest of sword-leaves in succession,
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he was hacked to pieces by the dreadful, gigantic messengers of Yama.
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Having experienced all of them, he became a brahmarākṣasa.
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Then, due to his evil deeds, he was born as a dog and then as a caṇḍāla.
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Having thus undergone a hundred births, he became a cat upon the earth.
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Now, by destiny, having heard the māhātmya of the sky-lamp,
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freed entirely from all sin, he went to the temple of Hari.
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This vulture, however, was previously a brahmin in Mithilā, a master of the Vedas,
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celebrated by the name of Śaryāti in the world, a great lord.
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He engaged in union with a female servant, and likewise union with a courtesan.
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By that great fault, he then met his death.
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Having remained in the most dreadful Kumbhīpāka for four yugas,
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he then became a vulture on earth due to the residue of his karma.
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Impelled by fate, the vulture came to drink the oil.
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And having offered a sky-lamp, and heard the narrative of Hari,
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his sins entirely eradicated, he went to the abode of Hari.
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All this has been recounted. Hunter, go happily at will."
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Hearing his words, the hunter also went to his own abode,
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and performed the observance of the sky-lamp according to the rules, O sage.
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Having spent the remainder of his life, he then went to the abode of Hari.
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King Sunanda too was overcome with wonder.
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He performed [the observance] properly for a month, according to the path described by Candraśarman.
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Having bathed in the morning and become pure in the month of Kārtika, the king,
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having thoroughly worshiped Janārdana with tender tulasī leaves,
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would offer a sky-lamp at night with this mantra, O king:
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"To Dāmodara, the universe, and the one who assumes the form of the universe,
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having bowed, I will offer the sky-lamp dear to Hari.
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Make it free of obstacles, O Lord of gods, until the month concludes.
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By this observance, O Lord of gods, may devotion toward you increase!"
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With this mantra, the king indeed performed the offering of the lamp.
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And again in the brāhma-muhūrta, he offered the sky-lamp.
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Worship of Viṣṇu was performed in the morning, and he took his morning bath.
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Having performed the rite of dedication and concluded the lamp in the sky,
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and having fed the brahmins, he dedicated the observance to Viṣṇu.
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Through the power of that merit, that king, O best of sages,
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enjoyed delightful pleasures here [on earth] for a hundred thousand autumns,
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along with his wife, good sons, grandsons, and kin.
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Then, at the end, O best of the twice-born, having mounted a magnificent aerial chariot
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together with his wives, he went on the path to liberation, O sage.
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Four-armed, clad in yellow garments, bearing the conch, discus, and mace,
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in the realm of Viṣṇu, spoken of like Viṣṇu at all times by the immortals,
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that high-minded king sported at his pleasure.
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Therefore, having attained human birth, which is difficult to obtain, in the month of Kārtika,
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the sky-lamp, dear to Hari, should be offered according to the prescribed rules.
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- Skandapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit