How the Duties of Karttika Should Be Performed
BY: SUN STAFF
Oct 20, 2021 — CANADA (SUN) —
Hari-bhakti-vilasa
Sixteenth Vilasa, Volume One
By Srila Gopal Bhatta Goswami
How the Duties of Karttika Should Be Performed When Karttika Begins
Text 168
atha karttika-kritya-vidhih
tatropakrama-kalah
sri-krishna-satya-samvadiya-karttika-mahatmye
asvinasya tu masasya
ya suklaikadasi bhavet
karttikasya vrataniha
tasyam kuryad atandritah
In the Karttika-mahatmya, Lord Krishna tells Satyabhama: "One should diligently follow the vow of Karttika, which begins on the sukla-ekadasi of the month of Asvina.
Text 169
nityam jagaranayantye
yame ratreh samutthitah
sucir bhutva prabodhyatha
stotrair nirajayet prabhum
"In this vow one should rise at the end of night, waken the Deity with prayers, and then offer arati.
Text 170
nisamya vaishnavan dharman
vaishnavaih saha harshitah
kritva gitadikam pratar
devam nirajayet prabhum
"In the company of the Vaishnavas in the morning one should happily hear about the religion of devotional service to Lord Vishnu, sing songs glorifying Lord Vishnu, and offer arati to Lord Vishnu.
Text 171
nady-adau ca tato gatva-
camya sankalpam acaret
prabhum prarthyatha tasmai ca
dadyad arghyam yatha-vidhi
"Then one should go to a river or other source of water, perform acamana, recite the sankalpa mantra, recite the prarthana' mantra, and then properly offer arghya to the Lord.
Text 172
tatra sankalpa-mantrah
karttike 'ham karishyami
pratah snanam janardana
prity-artham tava devesa
damodara maya saha
The Sankalpa mantra: "O Lord Damodara, O Lord who rescues the devotees from sufferings, O master of the demigods, to please You and Goddess Radha, I shall bathe every morning during the month of Karttika."
Text 173
atha prarthana-mantrah
tava dhyanena devesa
jale 'smin snatum udyatah
tvat-prasadac ce me papam
damodara vinasyatu
The Prarthana mantra: "O master of the demigods, rapt in meditation on You, I am about to take my bath. O Lord Damodara, by Your grace may all my sins be destroyed."
Text 174
atha arghya-mantrah
vratinah karttike masi
snatasya vidhivan mama
damodara grihanarghyam
danujendra-nisudana
The Arghya mantra: "O Lord Damodara, O killer of the kings of the demons, please accept this arghya that I, who have bathed and who follow this vow, properly offer to You.
Text 175
nitye naimittike kritsne
karttike papa-soshane
grihanarghyam maya dattam
radhaya sahito hare
"O Lord Krishna accompanied by Goddess Radha, please accept this arghya I offer to You. May the regular and occasional duties I perform during this month of Karttika dry up all my sins."
Text 176
tilair alipya deham svam
namoccarana-purvakam
snatva sa-vidhina sandhyam
upasya griham avrajet
Then one should anoint his body with oil, chant the Lord's holy names, bathe, properly chant the gayatri mantra, and then return home.
Text 177
upalipyatha devagre
nirmaya svastikam prabhum
tulasi-malati-padma-
gastya-pushpadinarcayet
Then, after anointing and making a svastika, one should worship the Deity with Tulasi and with malati, lotus, agastya, and other flowers.
Text 178
nityam vaishnava-sangatya
seveta bhagavat-katham
sarpishahar-nisam dipam
tila-tailena carcayet
In the company of the Vaishnavas one should regularly serve the words glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Day and night a lamp of ghee or sesame oil should be used to worship the Lord.
Text 179
viseshatas ca naivedyany
arpayed arcayet tatha
pranamams ca yatha-saktya
eka-bhaktadika-vratam
One should place offerings of food before the Lord, worship the Lord, and bow down before Him. In this way as far as one is able one should follow this vow of being devoted to the Lord alone.
Text 180
tatha ca padme tatraiva
pratar utthaya saucadi
kritva gatva jalasaye
kritva ca vidhivat snanam
tato damodararcanam
In the Padma Purana it is said: "Early in the morning one should rise, go to a body of water, properly bathe, and then worship Lord Damodara.
Text 181
kim ca
maunena bhojanam karyam
karttike vrata-dharina
ghritena dipa-danam syat
tila-tailena va punah
It is further said: "One who follows the Karttika vow should take his meals in silence. He should offer a lamp of ghee or sesame oil.
Text 182
dinam ca krishna-kathaya
vaishnavanam ca sangamaih
niyatam karttike masi
sankalpa-vrata-palanam
"To keep the vow he made with the sankalpa mantra he should pass his days talking of Lord Krishna in the company of the devotees.
Text 183-184
asvine sukla-pakshasya
prarambhe hari-vasare
athava paurnamasitah
sankrantau va tulagame
dipa-danam akhandam ca
dadyad vai vishnu-sannidhau
devalaye tulasyam va
akase va tad uttamam
"Beginning in the month of Asvina, either on the sukla-ekadasi, or on the full moon day, or on the tula-sankranti day, he should offer a lamp to Lord Vishnu in the temple, or he should offer the lamp to Tulasi-devi, or to the sky."
Text 185
kim ca
rajatam kanakam dipan
mani-muktaphaladikam
damodarasya prity-artham
pradadyat karttike narah
It is further said: "During the month of Karttika a person should offer silver, gold, lamps, jewels, pearls, and other valuables to please Lord Damodara."
Text 186
skande ca sri-rukmangada-mohini-samvade
na grihe karttike kuryad
viseshena tu karttikam
tirthe tu karttikim kuryat
sarva-yatnena bhavini. iti
In the Skanda Purana, Sri Rukmangada tells Sri Mohini: "O goddess, one should not follow the Karttika vow at home. One should go to a holy place and follow it there very carefully."