भर्त्सनां तु यथाकामं कुर्य्याच्चाहं सुनिंदिता । किंचिन्न वदसि स्वामिन्नेनो यन्मे न विद्यते
I would rebuke as I wished, and though I was harshly criticized, I said nothing, O master, for I have no fault.
सूत उवाच। ननाम चरणे तस्य गतान्यनगरं प्रति । तत्र प्रविष्टा सा योषिद्दृष्ट्वा पुण्यजनान्बहून्
Sūta said: She bowed at his feet and departed toward another city; there, upon entering, that woman saw many virtuous people.
ऊर्जे स्नानपरान्प्रातर्नर्मदायां च वैष्णवान् । तत्र नद्यां स्त्रियश्चापि राधादामोदरं द्विज
She saw, O brāhmaṇa, many Vaiṣṇavas bathing in the Narmadā at dawn during the month of Ūrja, and women as well, worshipping Rādhā and Dāmodara.
सपर्यां च कृतां चैव शंखनादैर्महोत्सवैः । गंधपुष्पैर्धूपदीपैर्वस्त्रैर्नानाविधैः फलैः
She saw worship being performed with great festivals, with the sound of conches, with scents, flowers, incense, lamps, garments, and various kinds of fruits.
मुखवासैर्भक्तियुक्ता दृष्ट्वा सा विनयान्विता । पप्रच्छ ब्रूत यूयं मे किमेतत्क्रियते स्त्रियः
Seeing them, filled with devotion and sweet fragrance in their mouths, she, humble, asked: 'Please tell me, what is it that you women are doing here?'
स्त्रिय ऊचुः - सर्वमासोत्तमे चोर्जे राधादामोदरौ शुभौ । पूजां कृत्वा वयं मातः सर्वपापहरां शुभाम्
The women said: 'In the auspicious month of Ūrja, we worship Rādhā and Dāmodara, O mother, performing a holy worship that removes all sins.'
कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं नष्टं प्राप्तं निकेतनम् । सपर्य्यामामिषं त्यक्त्वा कृत्वा सा च हरेर्द्दिने
Sins accumulated over millions of births are destroyed and the home is purified, when one performs this worship on the day of Hari, having renounced animal offerings.
निधनत्वं पौर्णमास्यां गता सा निर्मला द्विज । किंकराश्चागतास्तूर्णं यमस्य निलयं प्रति
On the full moon, O brāhmaṇa, she died, pure; then Yama's servants quickly arrived at her abode.
नेतुं तां क्रोधसंयुक्ता बबंधुश्चर्मरज्जुभिः । तदागता विष्णुदूता विमानं स्वर्णनिर्मितम्
To take her, they, filled with anger, bound her with leather straps; then the messengers of Viṣṇu arrived, with an airplane made of gold.
शंखचक्रगदापद्मधारिणो वनमालिनः । निजघ्नुश्चक्रधाराभिर्यमदूताः पलायिताः
Wearing garlands and bearing conch, discus, mace, and lotus, they struck the servants of Yama with streams from their discus, and the Yama-dūtas fled.
राजहंसयुते विप्र विमाने स्वर्णनिर्मिते । आरूढा सा गता तैस्तु वेष्टिता विष्णुमंदिरम्
O brāhmaṇa, she ascended the golden airplane, yoked with royal swans, and, surrounded by them, went to Viṣṇu's abode.
तत्र तस्थौ चिरं भोगं कृत्वा सा वै यथेप्सितम् । या कुर्यात्कार्त्तिके विप्र राधादामोदरार्चनम्
There she remained for a long time, enjoying pleasures as she wished; O brāhmaṇa, whoever worships Rādhā and Dāmodara in Kārtika attains the same.
याति पूजा त्यक्तपापाद्गोलोकाख्यं मनोहरम् । य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या या च नारी समाहिता । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं तस्य तस्या विनश्यति
Having abandoned sin, she attains the enchanting Goloka through this worship; whoever listens to this with devotion, or any woman who does so with concentration, their sins of millions of births are destroyed.
शौनक उवाच। कथयस्व मुने सूत सर्वमासोत्तमस्य च । कार्तिकस्य विधिं सम्यङ्नियमान्वक्तुमर्हसि
Śaunaka said: 'O sage Sūta, please tell the complete procedure for the most excellent month, Kārtika, and you should properly explain the rules.'
सूत उवाच। आश्विनस्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ पौर्णमास्यां समाहितः । कार्तिकस्य व्रतं कुर्याद्यावदुद्बोधिनी भवेत्
Sūta said: 'O best of brāhmaṇas, beginning from the full moon of Āśvina, one should observe the vow of Kārtika with concentration, until the day of Udbodhinī.'
दिवा विप्र नरः कुर्यान्मलमूत्रमुदङ्मुखः । भवेन्मौनी च सर्वज्ञ रात्रौ चेद्दक्षिणामुखः
During the day, O brāhmaṇa, a man should face north when passing urine or stool, and remain silent and self-controlled; at night, he should face south.
पथ्यंभसि च गोष्ठेषु श्मशाने वल्मिके द्विज । कुर्यादुत्सर्जनं नैव व्रती मूत्रपुरीषयोः
In water fit for use, in cow pens, in cremation grounds, or in anthills, O brāhmaṇa, one observing the vow should never pass urine or stool.
अत्युत्तमेषु स्थानेषु मलमूत्रं न कारयेत् । शुद्धां मृदं गृहीत्वाथ वामं प्रक्षालयेत्करम्
In the most excellent places, one should not pass urine or stool; taking clean earth, one should wash the left hand.
अद्भिर्मृदापि शुद्ध्यर्थं पूर्वं विंशतिसंख्यया । एका लिंगे गुदे पंच तथा वामकरे दश
For the sake of purification, one should first use water and clay twenty times: once on the linga, five times on the anus, and ten times on the left hand.
उभयोर्दश दातव्या पादयोश्च त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः । मुखशुद्धिं ततः कुर्य्यात्संकल्पं स्नपनस्य च
Ten times should be given to both hands, and three times each to the feet; then one should cleanse the mouth and make the resolve for bathing.
हृदि दामोदरं ध्यात्वा इमं मंत्रं ततो वदेत् । कार्तिकेहं करिष्यामि प्रातःस्नानं जनार्द्दन
Meditating on Damodara in the heart, one should then recite this mantra: 'In Kartika, I shall perform the morning bath, O Janardana.'
दामोदरस्य प्रीत्यर्थं राधया पापनाशनं । नमः पंकजनाभाय श्रीकृष्णजलशायिने
For the pleasure of Damodara, together with Radha, the destroyer of sins, I bow to the lotus-naveled one, to Sri Krishna who lies upon the waters.
नमस्ते राधया सार्द्धं गृहाणार्घं प्रसीद मे । स्नानं कुर्य्यात्ततो विप्र तिलकं तु यथाविधि
Salutations to you together with Radha; accept this offering, be gracious to me. Then, O brahmin, one should bathe and apply the tilaka as prescribed.
ऊर्ध्वपुंड्रविहीनस्तु किंचित्कर्मकरोति यः । निष्फलं कर्म तत्सर्वं सत्यमेतन्मयोच्यते
Whoever performs any act without the vertical tilaka, all that action is fruitless—this is the truth I declare.
यच्छरीरं मनुष्याणामूर्ध्वपुंड्रं विना कृतम् । तद्दर्शनं न कर्तव्यं दृष्ट्वा सूर्यं निरीक्षयेत्
Whatever body of a person is without the vertical tilaka, one should not look upon it; having seen it, one should gaze at the sun.
ऊर्ध्वपुंड्रं मृदा शुभ्रं ललाटे यस्य दृश्यते । चांडालोऽपि विशुद्धात्मा पूज्य एव न संशयः । अच्छिद्रमूर्ध्वपुंड्रं तु ये कुर्वंति नराधमाः
Even if a chandala bears a pure white vertical tilaka on his forehead, he is of purified soul and worthy of worship—there is no doubt. But those base men who make a broken tilaka—
तेषां ललाटे सततं शुनःपादो न संशयः । प्रातःकालोदितं कर्म्म समाप्य हरिवल्लभाम्
On their foreheads always is the mark of the dog-eater, without doubt. Having completed the morning duties, one should worship Hari's beloved.
पूजयेद्भक्तितो विप्र तुलसीं पापनाशिनीम् । पौराणीं तु कथां श्रुत्वा श्रीहरेः स्थिरमानसः
With devotion, O brahmin, one should worship the sin-destroying tulasi. After hearing the ancient stories, one should fix the mind steadily on Sri Hari.
ततो विप्रं व्रती भक्त्या पूजयेत्तं यथाविधि । परासनं परान्नं च परशय्यां परांगनाम्
Then, with devotion, one should worship the brahmin observer of vows as prescribed; one should always avoid another's seat, food, bed, and wife.
सर्वदा वर्जयेद्विप्र कार्त्तिके च विशेषतः । सौवीरकं तथा माषानामिषं च तथा मधु
One should always avoid these, O brahmin, and especially in Kartika: sauvira, masha beans, meat, and likewise honey.