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.
राजमाषादिकं नित्यं वर्जयेत्कार्तिके व्रती । जंबीरमामिषं चूर्णमन्नं पर्य्युषितं द्विज
One observing the Kartika vow should always avoid rajamasha and the like, jambira, meat, powders, and food that is stale, O twice-born.
धान्ये मसूरिका प्रोक्ता गवां दुग्धमनामिषम् । लवणं भूमिजं विप्र प्राण्यङ्गमामिषं खलु
Among grains, masurika is mentioned; milk of cows is not meat; salt from the earth, O brahmin, and animal flesh are indeed to be avoided.
द्विजक्रीता रसाः सर्वे जलं चाल्पसरः स्थितम् । ब्रह्मचर्यं तुर्यकाले पत्रावल्यां च भोजनम्
All juices bought from brahmins, and water kept in a small vessel; celibacy at the fourth period, and eating on leaf plates.
कुर्याद्वै द्विजशार्दूल तैलाभ्यंगं च वर्जयेत् । छत्राकं नालिकं हिंगुं पलांडुं पूतिकादलम्
One should do these, O best of brahmins, and avoid oil-massage; mushrooms, reed-shoots, asafoetida, onions, and putrid leaves.
लशुनं मूलकं शिग्रुं तथैव तुंबिकाफलम् । कपित्थं चैव वृंताकं कूष्मांडं कांस्यभोजनम्
Garlic, radish, drumstick, as well as gourd fruit, wood-apple, eggplant, pumpkin, and eating from bronze vessels.
द्विपाचितं सूतिकान्नं मत्स्यं शय्यां रजस्वलाम् । द्विस्त्रिश्चान्नं स्त्रियः संगं वर्जयेत्कार्तिकव्रती
Food cooked twice, food of a woman in childbirth, fish, a bed, a menstruating woman, food touched twice, and association with women—these should be avoided by one observing the Kartika vow.
धात्रीफलं गृही विप्र रवौ तत्सर्वदा त्यजेत् । कूष्मांडे धनहानिः स्यात्बृहत्यां न स्मरेद्धरिम्
O Brahmin, one should always avoid the fruit of the myrobalan tree during the day; eating gourd causes loss of wealth, and with brāhmi one should not remember Hari.
पटोले तु न वृद्धिः स्याद्बलहानिश्च मूलके । कलंकी जायते बिल्वे तिर्यग्योनिश्च निंबुके
With pointed gourd there is no increase, with radish there is loss of strength; in bael fruit blemish arises, and with lime one is born in animal wombs.
ताले शरीरनाशः स्यान्नारिकेले च मूर्खता । तुंबी गोमांसतुल्या स्याद्गोवधं स्यात्कलिंदके
With palm fruit, there is destruction of the body; with coconut, stupidity results; bottle gourd is like eating cow's flesh, and with water-melon, it is as if one kills a cow.
शिंबी पापकरा प्रोक्ता पूतिका ब्रह्मघातिका । वार्ताक्यां सुतनाशः स्याच्चिररोगी च माषके
The cluster bean is said to cause sin, and the putikā bean is as grave as killing a Brahmin; with eggplant, there is loss of offspring, and with black gram, one becomes chronically ill.
मांसे च बहुपापं स्याद्वर्जयेत्प्रतिपदादिषु । यत्किंचिद्वर्जयेद्योऽन्नं श्रीहरे प्रीतये द्विज
Eating meat brings much sin and should be avoided on the first day and similar occasions; O Brahmin, whatever food one avoids for the pleasure of Śrī Hari—
तत्पुनर्भूसुरे दत्वा व्रतांते तस्य भोजनम् । कार्तिकव्रतिनं विप्र यथोक्तकारिणं नरम्
—that, when given to a Brahmin at the end of the vow, becomes his meal; O Brahmin, the man who observes the Kārtika vow as prescribed—
यमदूताः पलायंते सिंहं दृष्ट्वा यथा गजाः । श्रेष्ठं विष्णुव्रतं विप्र तत्तुल्या न शतं मखाः
—for him, the messengers of Yama flee as elephants do on seeing a lion; O Brahmin, the vow of Viṣṇu is supreme— a hundred sacrifices are not its equal.
कृत्वा क्रतुं व्रजेत्स्वर्गं वैकुंठं कार्तिकव्रती । यत्किंचिद्दुष्कृतं विप्र मनोवाक्कायकर्मजम्
Having performed a sacrifice, one attains heaven; but the observer of the Kārtika vow attains Vaikuṇṭha; O Brahmin, whatever sin is committed by mind, speech, or body—
दृष्ट्वा तु विलयं याति कार्तिकव्रतिनं क्षणात् । कार्त्तिकव्रतिनः पुण्यं ब्रह्मा चैव चतुर्मुखः
—on seeing the observer of the Kārtika vow, it is destroyed instantly; even Brahmā, the four-faced, cannot describe the merit of the Kārtika vow.
न समर्थो भवेद्वक्तुं यथोक्तव्रतकारिणः । यत्कृत्वा कलुषं सर्वं व्रजेद्विप्र दशो दिशः
He is not able to speak of the merit of one who observes the prescribed vow; O Brahmin, having performed it, all sin departs in every direction.
क्व गच्छामि क्व तिष्ठामि कार्त्तिकव्रतिनो भयात् । पौर्णमास्यां यथाशक्ति चान्नवस्त्रादिकं द्विज
"Where shall I go, where shall I stay, out of fear of the Kārtika vow?" On the full moon, according to one's ability, O Brahmin, one should give food, clothing, and the like.
दद्याद्वै श्रीहरेः प्रीत्यै ब्राह्मणानपि भोजयेत् । रात्रौ जागरणं कुर्यान्नृत्यगीतादिभिर्व्रती । य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या तस्य पापं प्रणश्यति
One should give for the pleasure of Śrī Hari and also feed Brahmins; at night, the observer of the vow should keep vigil with dance, song, and the like; whoever hears this with devotion, his sin is destroyed.
शौनकउवाच। माहात्म्यं ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञ शृण्वतां पापनाशनम् । सर्वप्राणिहितार्थाय तुलस्या अनुकंपया
Śaunaka said: O all-knowing one, tell the greatness that destroys sin for those who listen, for the welfare of all beings, out of compassion for Tulasī.
सूत उवाच। तुलस्याः परिसरे यस्य काननं तिष्ठति द्विज । गृहस्य तीर्थरूपत्वान्नायांति यमकिंकराः
Sūta said: O Brahmin, in whose house there is a grove of Tulasī, because the house is like a sacred place, the servants of Yama do not approach there.