इत्थं निशम्य भुवनाधिपतेस्तदानीं प्राक्पुण्यजन्मभव वैभव जातहर्षा । विश्वेश्वरं त्रिभुवनैकनिदानभूतं कृष्णंप्रणम्य वचनं निजगाद सत्या
Hearing thus from the lord of the worlds, at that moment, Satyā, filled with joy at her former meritorious birth and glory, bowed to Krishna, the source of the three worlds, and spoke these words.
इति श्रीपाद्मेमहापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायां कार्त्तिकमाहात्म्ये श्रीकृष्णसत्यभामासंवादे सत्यापूर्वजन्मवर्णनंनामैकोननवतितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Mahapurana, in the section of fifty-five thousand verses, in the greatness of Kartika, in the dialogue between Shri Krishna and Satyabhama, this is the eighty-ninth chapter, named 'The Description of Satyā's Former Birth.'
सत्योवाच- सर्वेऽपि कालावयवास्तवकालस्वरूपिणः । समानास्तु कथं नाथ मासानां कार्तिको वरः
Satyā said: All divisions of time are forms of you, O Lord; how then is Kartika the best among months?
एकादशी तिथीनां च मासानां कार्त्तिकः प्रियः । कथं ते देवदेवेश कारणं किं च कथ्यताम्
Among lunar days, Ekadashi is dear, and among months, Kartika is beloved; O Lord of gods, tell me the reason for this.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- साधु पृष्टं त्वया सत्ये शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसा । पृथोर्वैन्यस्य संवादं देवर्षेर्नारदस्य च
Shri Krishna said: Well asked by you, Satyā; listen with focused mind to the conversation between Prithu, son of Vena, and the divine sage Narada.
एवमेव पुरा पृष्टो नारदः पृथुना प्रिये । उवाच कार्त्तिकाधिक्ये कारणं सर्वविन्मुनिः
Just so, in ancient times, Narada was questioned by Prithu, O beloved, and the sage, knower of all, spoke of the cause for Kartika's greatness.
नारद उवाच- शंखनामाभवत्पूर्वमसुरः सागरात्मजः । त्रिलोकीमथने शक्तो महाबलपराक्रमः
Nārada said: Formerly, there was an Asura named Śaṅkha, son of the ocean, who was powerful and mighty, able to churn the three worlds.
जित्वा देवान्निराकृत्य स्वर्गलोकान्महासुरः । इंद्रादिलोकपालानामधिकारांस्तथाहरत्
Having conquered the gods and driven them out, the great Asura seized the realms of heaven and took away the authority of Indra and the other guardians of the worlds.
तद्भयादथ ते देवाः सुवर्णाद्रिगुहां गताः । न्यवसन्बहुवर्षाणि सावरोधाः सवासवाः
Out of fear of him, the gods, along with their wives and Indra, entered the cave of Mount Suvarṇa and dwelled there for many years.
सुवर्णाद्रि गुहादुर्गसंस्थितास्त्रिदशा यदा । तद्वश्या न बभूवुस्ते तदा दैत्यो व्यचारयत्
When the gods, residing in the inaccessible cave of Mount Suvarṇa, were under his control, the Daitya roamed about freely.
हृताधिकारास्त्रिदशा मया यद्यपि निर्जिताः । भवंति बलयुक्तास्ते करणीयं ममात्र किम्
Though I have deprived the gods of their authority and conquered them, they still possess strength; what should I do now?
अद्य ज्ञातं मया देवा वेदमंत्रबलान्विताः । तान्हरिष्ये ततः सर्वे बलहीना भवंति हि
Today I have understood that the gods are endowed with the power of Vedic mantras; I will take those from them, and then they will all become powerless.
इति मत्वा ततो दैत्यो विष्णुमालक्ष्य निद्रितम् । सत्यलोकाज्जहाराशु वेदानां च गणं प्रभुः
Thinking thus, the Daitya, seeing Viṣṇu asleep, swiftly took the collection of Vedas from Satyaloka.
नीतास्तु तेन ते वेदास्तद्भयात्ते निराक्रमन् । तोये निविविशुस्तेऽत्र यज्ञमंत्रसमन्विताः
Those Vedas, taken by him, fled out of fear and entered the waters, accompanied by sacrificial mantras.
तान्मार्गमाणः शंखोऽपि समुद्रांतर्गतो भ्रमन् । न ददर्श ततो दैत्यः क्वचिदेकत्र संस्थितान्
Śaṅkha, searching for them and wandering within the ocean, did not find them gathered anywhere.
अथ ब्रह्मा सुरैः सार्द्धं विष्णुं शरणमन्वयात् । पूजोपकरणं गृह्य वैकुंठभवनं गतः
Then Brahmā, together with the gods, sought refuge in Viṣṇu, taking offerings and going to the abode of Vaikuṇṭha.
तत्र तस्य प्रबोधाय गीतवाद्यादिकाः क्रियाः । चक्रुर्देवा गंधपुष्पधूपदीपान्मुहुर्मुहुः
There, to awaken him, the gods performed acts such as singing and playing instruments, offering fragrance, flowers, incense, and lamps again and again.
अथ प्रबुद्धो भगवांस्तद्भक्तिपरितोषितः । ददृशे तैः सुरैस्तत्र सहस्रार्कसमद्युतिः
Then the Blessed Lord, pleased by their devotion, awoke and appeared before them with a radiance equal to a thousand suns.
उपचारैः षोडशभिः संपूज्य त्रिदशास्तदा । दंडवत्पतिता भूमौ तानुवाचाथ केशवः
The gods worshipped him with sixteen offerings, and, having fallen prostrate on the ground, Keśava spoke to them.
विष्णुरुवाच- वरदोऽहं सुरगणा गीतवाद्यादि मंगलैः । मनोऽभिलषितान्कामान्सर्वानेव ददामि वः
Viṣṇu said: I am the granter of boons, O hosts of gods. With auspicious singing and music, I will grant you all the desires of your hearts.
इषस्य शुक्लैकादश्या यावदुद्बोधिनी भवेत् । निशातुर्यांशशेषेण गीतवाद्यादि मंगलैः
From the bright eleventh day of the lunar month until the awakening night, those who perform auspicious singing and music as you have done—
कुर्वंति मनुजा नित्यं भवद्भिर्यद्यथाकृतम् । ते मत्प्रियकरा नित्यं मत्सांनिध्यं व्रजंति हि
—those people, doing as you have done, always become dear to me and attain my presence.
पाद्यार्घाचमनीयाद्यैर्भवद्भिर्यद्यथाकृतम् । तदद्भुतगुणं यस्माज्जातंवः सुखकारणम्
By offerings of water for the feet, arghya, and for sipping, as you have done, wondrous merit arises for you, bringing happiness.
वेदाः शंखहृताः सर्वे तिष्ठंत्युदकसंस्थिताः । तानानयाम्यहं देवा हत्वा सागरनंदनम्
All the Vedas, taken by Śaṅkha, now remain in the waters; I will bring them back, O gods, after slaying the son of the ocean.
अद्यप्रभृति वेदास्तु मंत्रबीजमखान्विताः । प्रत्यब्दं कार्तिके मासि विश्रमंत्वप्सु सर्वदा
From today onward, the Vedas, endowed with mantras and sacrificial formulas, shall always rest in water every year in the month of Kārtika.
अद्यप्रभृत्यहमपि भवामि जलमध्यगः । भवंतोऽपि मया सार्द्धमायांतु समुनीश्वराः
From today onward, I too shall dwell in the water; you all, together with the great sages, should also come with me.
कालेऽस्मिन्नेव कुर्वंति प्रातःस्नानं द्विजोत्तमाः । ते सर्वयज्ञावभृथैः सुस्नाताः स्युर्न संशयः
At this very time, the best of twice-born men perform the morning bath; they are certainly purified as if by all the concluding ablutions of sacrifices.
ये कार्तिके व्रतं सम्यङ्नित्यं कुर्वंति मानवाः । ते देहांते त्वया शक्र प्राप्या मद्भवनं सदा
Those men who properly observe the vow in Kārtika every day, O Śakra, at the end of their bodies, surely attain my abode.
विघ्नेभ्यो रक्षणं तेषां यया कार्यं ममाज्ञया । देया त्वया च वरुण पुत्रपौत्रादि संततिः
By my command, you must protect them from obstacles; and you, Varuṇa, must grant them descendants—sons, grandsons, and so on.
धनवृद्धिर्धनाध्यक्ष त्वया कार्या ममाज्ञया । ममरूपधराः साक्षाज्जीवन्मुक्ताश्च ते नराः
By my command, O Lord of Wealth, you must ensure their increase in riches; those men, bearing my form, are truly liberated while living.