यमाक्षरकृतां मालां स्फुटं शौरिः प्रमार्जति । श्रीचंदनं सकर्पूरमगुरुं च सकुंकुमम्
The garland made of syllables, which Śauri carefully cleans, along with sandalwood, camphor, aguru, and saffron—
केतकी दीपदानं च सर्वदा केशवप्रियम् । कार्तिके केतकीपुष्पं दत्तं येन कलौ युगे
Ketakī flowers and the offering of lamps are always dear to Keśava; whoever gives ketakī flowers in Kārtika during the Kali age—
दीपदानं महासेन कुलानां तारयेच्छतम् । सरोरुहाणि तुलसी केतकी मुनिपुष्पकम्
The offering of lamps saves a hundred families; lotuses, tulasī, ketakī, and muni flowers—
कार्तिके च दिनान्येव दीपदानं तु पंचमम् । केतकीमालया येन कार्तिके पुष्पमंडपम्
And especially on the fifth day in Kārtika, the offering of lamps; whoever, with a ketakī garland, arranges a pavilion of flowers in Kārtika—
केशवस्य कृतं वत्स वसतिर्दिवि तस्य च । केतकीपुष्पकेनैव पूजितो गरुडध्वजः
For him, O dear one, a dwelling in heaven is established by Keśava, who is worshipped with ketakī flowers, the Lord Garuḍa-bannered.
समाः सहस्रं सुप्रीतो जायते मधुसूदनः । अर्चयित्वा हृषीकेशं कुसुमैः केतकीभवैः
Madhusūdana becomes exceedingly pleased for a thousand years with one who worships Hṛṣīkeśa with ketakī flowers.
पुण्यं तद्भवनं याति केशवस्य शिवं गुह । दमनकेनापि देवेशं संप्राप्ते मधुमाधवे
That house becomes holy, O Guha, where Keśava is worshipped—even with damanaka flowers—when the spring season arrives.
समभ्यर्च्य मुनिश्रेष्ठ अर्चनाल्लभते फलम् । अगस्तिकुसुमैर्देवं योऽर्चयेत जनार्दनम्
Having worshipped, O best of sages, one attains the fruit of worship; whoever worships Janārdana with agastya flowers—
दर्शनात्तस्य भो विप्र नरकाग्निः प्रणश्यति । न तत्करोति विप्रर्षे तपसा तोषितो हरिः
By seeing him, O brāhmaṇa, the fire of hell is destroyed; even penance does not accomplish what Hari, pleased, grants.
यत्करोति महासेन मुनिपुष्पैरलंकृतः । विहाय सर्वपुष्पाणि मुनिपुष्पेण केशवम्
Whatever is done by Mahāsena, adorned with muni flowers, abandoning all other flowers, to Keśava with muni flowers—
कार्तिके योऽर्चयेद्भक्त्या वाजिमेधफलं लभेत् । मुनिपुष्पकृतां मालां यो ददाति जनार्दने
Whoever worships with devotion in the month of Kartika attains the fruit of a horse sacrifice; whoever offers to Janardana a garland made by a sage.
देवेंद्रोऽपि मुनिश्रेष्ठ कुरुते तस्य सत्कथाम् । गवामयुतदानेन यत्फलं प्राप्यते गुह
Even the king of the gods, O best of sages, recounts his glorious deeds; the fruit gained by giving ten thousand cows, O Guha.
मुनिपुष्पेण चैकेन कार्तिके लभते फलम् । कौस्तुभेन यथा प्रीतो यथा च वनमालया
With a single flower from a sage, one attains the fruit in Kartika, just as he is pleased by the Kaustubha gem and by the forest garland.
तुलसीदलेन संप्रीतः कार्तिके च तथा हरिः । सिऊ!त उवाच। प्रश्रयावनतं दृष्ट्वा कुमारं भक्तितत्परम्
Hari is pleased in Kartika with a single tulasi leaf as with the others. Siūta said: Seeing the boy, humble and devoted, absorbed in devotion.
पुनः प्रोवाच भगवान्महादेवो वृषध्वजः । ईश्वर उवाच। शृणु दीपस्य माहात्म्यं कार्तिके शिखिवाहन
Again the blessed Mahadeva, the bull-bannered Lord, spoke. Ishvara said: Hear the greatness of the lamp in Kartika, O Peacock-rider.
पितरश्चैव वांच्छंति सदा पितृगणैर्वृताः । भविष्यति कुलेऽस्माकं पितृभक्तः सुपुत्रकः
The ancestors, always surrounded by groups of forefathers, desire: 'May there be in our lineage a son devoted to the ancestors.'
कार्तिके दीपदानेन यस्तोषयति केशवम् । घृतेन दीपको यस्य तिलतैलेन वा पुनः
Whoever pleases Kesava by offering a lamp in Kartika, whether the lamp is fueled by ghee or by sesame oil.
ज्वलते यस्य सेनानीरश्वमेधेन तस्य किम् । तेनेष्टं क्रतुभिः सर्वैः कृतं तीर्थावगाहनम्
Whose lamp burns, O Commander, what need is there for a horse sacrifice? By him all sacrifices are performed, and bathing at holy places.
दीपदानं कृतं येन कार्तिके केशवाग्रतः । कृष्णपक्षे विशेषेण पुत्र पंचदिनानि च
Whoever gives a lamp before Kesava in Kartika, especially in the dark fortnight, O son, for five days.
पुण्यानि तेषु यो दत्ते दीपं सोऽक्षयमाप्नुयात् । एकादश्यां परैर्दत्तं दीपं प्रज्वाल्य मूषिका
Whoever gives a lamp on those days attains imperishable merit; even if a lamp is lit by others on Ekadashi, by a mouse.
मानुष्यं दुर्ल्लभं प्राप्य परां गतिमवाप सा । लुब्धकोऽपि चतुर्दश्यां पूजयित्वा महेश्वरम्
Having attained the rare human birth, she reached the highest state; even a hunter, worshipping Maheshvara on the fourteenth day.
निर्भक्षः परमं प्राप्य विष्णुलोकं जगाम सः । श्वपाकस्याश्रयाद्वैश्या दीपं कृत्वा परैः कृतम्
Having abstained, he attained the highest, and went to the world of Vishnu; a woman, taking refuge with a dog-eater, made a lamp which was done by others.
शुद्धा लीलावती भूत्वा जगाम स्वर्गमक्षयम् । गोपः कश्चिदमावस्यां पूजां दृष्ट्वा तु शार्ङ्गिणः
Becoming pure and named Lilavati, she went to the eternal heaven; a certain cowherd, seeing the worship of the wielder of the Sharnga bow on Amavasya.
मुहुर्मुहुर्जयेत्युक्त्वा राजराजेश्वरोऽभवत् । तस्माद्दीपाः प्रदातव्या रात्रावस्तमते रवौ
Repeatedly saying 'Victory!' he became the king of kings; therefore, lamps should be given at night until the sun rises.
गृहेषु सर्वगोष्ठेषु सर्वेष्वायतनेषु च । देवालयेषु देवानां श्मशानेषु सरस्सु च
In homes, in all cow-pens, in all temples, in shrines of the gods, in cremation grounds, and in lakes.
घृतादिना शुभार्थाय यावत्पंचदिनानि च । पापिनः पितरो ये च लुप्तपिंडोदकक्रियाः । तेपि यांति परां मुक्तिं दीपदानस्य पुण्यतः
With ghee and other substances for auspiciousness, for five days; sinful ancestors whose rites of food and water are lost, they too attain supreme liberation by the merit of lamp-giving.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्सहस्रसंहितायामुत्तरखंडे कार्त्तिकमाहात्म्ये दीप गंध धात्री माहात्म्यवर्णनो नाम एकविंशत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Mahapurana, in the section of fifty-five thousand verses, in the Uttarakanda, in the Kartika Mahatmya, the chapter called 'The Description of the Greatness of Lamp, Fragrance, and Dhātrī,' the one hundred and twenty-first chapter.
कार्तिकेय उवाच। दीपावलिफलं नाथ विशेषाद्ब्रूहि सांप्रतम् । किमर्थं क्रियते सा तु तस्याः का देवता भवेत्
Kartikeya said: O Lord, tell me now especially the fruit of Dipavali; for what purpose is it performed, and who is its presiding deity?
किं च तत्र भवेद्देयं किं न देयं वद प्रभो । प्रहर्षः कोऽत्र निर्दिष्टः क्रीडा कात्र प्रकीर्तिता
Also, tell me, O Lord, what should be given there and what should not be given; what joy is prescribed here, and what play is mentioned in this context?
सूत उवाच। इति स्कंदवचः श्रुत्वा भगवान्कामशोषणः । साधूक्त्वा कार्तिकं विप्राः प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत्
Sūta said: Having heard these words of Skanda, the venerable Kāmaśoṣaṇa, smiling and saying 'Well spoken, O brāhmaṇas,' spoke as follows.