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.
श्रीशिव उवाच। कार्तिकस्यासिते पक्षे त्रयोदश्यां तु पावके । यमदीपं बहिर्दद्यादपमृत्युर्विनश्यति
Śrī Śiva said: On the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of Kārtika, one should place a lamp for Yama outside; by this, untimely death is destroyed.
मृत्युना पाशहस्तेन कालेन भार्यया सह । त्रयोदशीदीपदानात्सूर्यजः प्रीयतामिति
By offering a lamp on the thirteenth day, may the son of the Sun be pleased with the one who, along with his wife, is bound by the noose-bearing Death and Time.
कार्तिके कृष्णपक्षे च चतुर्दश्यां विधूदये । अवश्यमेव कर्त्तव्यं स्नानं च पापभीरुभिः
In Kārtika, on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, at moonrise, bathing must certainly be performed by those who fear sin.
पूर्वविद्धा चतुर्दश्या कार्तिकस्य सितेतरे । पक्षे प्रत्यूषसमये स्नानं कुर्यादतंद्रितः
If the fourteenth falls earlier, whether in the bright or dark half of Kārtika, one should bathe at dawn without negligence.
तैले लक्ष्मीर्जले गंगा दीपावल्यां चतुर्दशीम् । प्राप्तः स्नानं हि यः कुर्याद्यमलोकं न पश्यति
On the fourteenth, during the festival of lamps, Lakṣmī is in oil, Gaṅgā is in water; whoever bathes then does not see the realm of Yama.
अपामार्गस्तथा तुंबी प्रपुन्नाटं च वाह्वलम् । भ्रामयेत्स्नानमध्ये तु नरकस्य क्षयाय वै
Apāmārga, as well as gourd, prapunnāṭa, and vāhvala—one should whirl these during the bath for the destruction of hell.
सीतालोष्टसमायुक्त सकंटक दलान्वित । हर पापमपामार्ग भ्राम्यमाणः पुनः पुनः
With a clod of earth and thorns, together with apāmārga leaves, O apāmārga, being whirled again and again, remove sin.
अपामार्गं प्रपुन्नाटं भ्रामयेच्छिरसोपरि । ततश्च तर्पणं कार्यं यमराजस्य नामभिः
One should whirl apāmārga and prapunnāṭa above the head; then, one should perform libation with the names of Yamarāja.
यमाय धर्मराजाय मृत्यवे चांतकाय च । वैवस्ताय कालाय सर्वभूतक्षयाय च
To Yama, to Dharmarāja, to Mṛtyu, to Antaka, to Vaivasvata, to Kāla, and to the destroyer of all beings—
औदुंबराय दध्नाय नीलाय परमेष्ठिने । वृकोदराय चित्राय चित्रगुप्ताय वै नमः
To Audumbarā, to Dadhna, to Nīla, to Parameṣṭhin, to Vṛkodara, to Citrā, and to Citragupta—obeisance.
नरकाय प्रदातव्यो दीपः संपूज्य देवताः । ततः प्रदोषसमये दीपान्दद्यान्मनोहरान्
A lamp should be given to Naraka, after worshipping the deities; then, at twilight, one should offer beautiful lamps.
ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादीनां भवनेषु विशेषतः । कूटागारेषु चैत्येषु सभासु च नदीषु च
Especially in the houses of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and others; also in towers, temples, assembly halls, and at rivers.
प्राकारोद्यानवापीषु प्रतोली निष्कुटेषु च । मंदुरासु विविक्तासु हस्तिशालासु चैव हि
At walls, gardens, wells, gateways, thresholds, in stables, secluded places, and even in elephant sheds.
एवं प्रभातसमये ह्यमावास्यां तु पावकं । स्नात्वा देवान्पितॄन्भक्त्या संपूज्याथ प्रणम्य च
Thus, at dawn on the new moon, having bathed in fire, one should worship and bow to the gods and ancestors with devotion.
कृत्वा तु पार्वणं श्राद्धं दधिक्षीरघृतादिभिः । भोज्यैर्नानाविधैर्विप्रान्भोजयित्वा क्षमापयेत्
Having performed the fortnightly śrāddha with curd, milk, ghee, and other foods, one should feed the brāhmaṇas with various dishes and then ask their forgiveness.
ततोपराह्णसमये पोषयेन्नागरान्प्रिय । तेषां गोष्ठीं च मानं च कृत्वा संभाषणं नृपः
After that, at midday, one should nourish the townspeople, O dear one; the king should also honor their gatherings and converse with them.
वक्तृणां वत्सरं यावत्प्रीतिरुत्पद्यते गुह । अप्रबुद्धे हरौ पूर्वं स्त्रीभिर्लक्ष्मीः प्रबोधयेत्
As long as the reciters' affection arises during the year, before Hari awakens, Lakshmi should be awakened by women.
प्रबोधसमये लक्ष्मीं बोधयित्वा तु सुस्त्रिया । पुमान्वै वत्सरं यावल्लक्ष्मीस्तं नैव मुंचति
At the time of awakening, having awakened Lakshmi with a virtuous woman, Lakshmi does not leave that man for the entire year.
अभयं प्राप्य विप्रेभ्यो विष्णुभीता सुरद्विषः । सुप्तं क्षीरोदधौ ज्ञात्वा लक्ष्मीं पद्माश्रितां तथा
Having obtained safety from the Brahmins, the enemies of the gods, fearful of Vishnu, knowing that Lakshmi is asleep in the Milk Ocean and is also sheltered by the lotus,
त्वं ज्योतिः श्री रविश्चंद्रो विद्युत्सौवर्णतारकः । सर्वेषां ज्योतिषां ज्योतिर्दीपज्योतिः स्थिता तु या
You are light, you are Śrī, you are the sun, the moon, lightning, gold, and stars; you are the light of all lights, the lamp's flame that abides.