मासानां प्रवरो मासो देवानामुत्तमोत्तमः
Among months, one is the foremost; among the gods, the most excellent.
तीर्थं नारायणाख्यं हि त्रितयं दुर्लभं कलौ
The three sacred places named Nārāyaṇa are indeed rare in the Kali age.
वैष्णवान्ब्रूहि मे धर्मान्सर्वज्ञोऽसि पितामह
Tell me the Vaiṣṇava duties, for you are all-knowing, O Grandfather.
आदौ कार्तिकमाहात्म्यं वक्तुमर्हसि मे प्रभो
First, you should tell me, O Lord, the greatness of the month of Kārtika.
गोपीचंदनमाहात्म्यं तुलस्याश्च तथा विभो व्रतारंभः कदा कार्यं उद्यापनविधिं तथा
Also, O mighty one, the greatness of Gopī-candana and of Tulasī, when to begin the vow, and the method of concluding it.
यत्किंचिद्वैष्णवं धर्मं तत्सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि
Whatever Vaiṣṇava duty there is, you should tell me all of it.
राधादामोदरं स्मृत्वा प्रोवाच तनुजं प्रति
Remembering Rādhā and Dāmodara, he spoke to his son.
कथयामि न संदेहः कार्तिकस्य च वैभवम् ।। 2.4.1.
I will tell you, without doubt, the glory of Kārtika.
एकतः सर्वतीर्थानि सर्वे यज्ञाः सदक्षिणाः कार्तिकस्य तु मासस्य कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम्
Even if all sacred places and all sacrifices with proper gifts are on one side, they do not equal even a sixteenth part of the month of Kārtika.
एकतः पुष्करे वासः कुरुक्षेत्रे हिमालये
Even if one resides at Puṣkara, Kurukṣetra, or in the Himalayas on one side,
स्वर्णानि मेरुतुल्यानि सर्वदानानि चैकतः
Even if one gives away gold equal to Mount Meru and all other gifts together,
यत्किंचित्क्रियते पुण्यं विष्णुमुद्दिश्य कार्तिके
any small act of merit performed in the month of Kārtika, dedicated to Viṣṇu,
सोपानभूतं स्वर्गस्य मानुष्यं प्राप्य दुर्लभम्
having attained the rare human birth, which serves as a stairway to heaven,
दुष्प्राप्यं प्राप्य मानुष्यं कार्तिकोक्तं चरेन्न यः
one who, having attained this difficult-to-obtain human life, does not practice what is prescribed for Kārtika,
कार्तिकः खलु वै मासः सर्वमासेषु चोत्तमः
Kārtika is indeed the month, the best among all months.
अस्मिन्मासे त्रयस्त्रिंशद्देवाः सन्निहिता मुने
In this month, O sage, all thirty-three gods are present.
तिलधेनुं हिरण्यं च रजतं भूमिवाससी
Sesame, cows, gold, silver, land, and garments—
तानि दानानि दत्तानि गृह्णंति विधिवत्सुराः 2.4.1.
these gifts, when given according to the prescribed method, are received by the gods.
तदक्षय्यफलं प्रोक्तं विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना पापानां मोक्षणं चैव कार्तिके मासि शस्यते
Such gifts are said by the mighty Viṣṇu to yield inexhaustible fruit; and in the month of Kārtika, liberation from sins is praised.
तस्माद्यत्नेन विप्रेंद्र कार्तिके मासि दीयते
Therefore, O best of Brāhmaṇas, one should strive to give in the month of Kārtika.
तदक्षयं हि लभते अन्नदानं विशेषतः
Indeed, such giving becomes inexhaustible, especially the gift of food.
उदधीनां च विप्रर्षे क्षयो नैवोपपद्यते
O sage among Brāhmaṇas, just as the oceans do not diminish, so too is there no decrease here.
न तस्यास्ति क्षयो विप्र पापं याति सहस्रधा
For him, O Brāhmaṇa, there is no loss; his sin departs a thousandfold.
दिनेदिनेऽतिकृच्छ्रस्य फलं प्राप्नोत्ययत्नतः
Day by day, without effort, he attains the fruit of the most difficult penances.
न वेदसदृशं शास्त्रं न तीर्थं गंगया समम्
There is no scripture equal to the Veda, nor any pilgrimage equal to the Ganges.
न्यायेनोपार्जितं द्रव्यं दुर्लभं दानकारिणाम्
Wealth acquired justly is rare among those who give gifts.
कार्तिके मुनिशार्दूल शालिग्रामशिलार्चनम्
O tiger among sages, worship of the Śālig rāma stone in Kārtika—
एतादृशं कार्तिकं च अकृतेनैव यो नयेत् 2.4.1.
one who passes through such a Kārtika month without performing these acts—
येन तत्फलमाप्नोति तन्मे वद पितामह
O Grandsire, tell me by what means one attains that result.
अन्यस्मै द्रविणं दत्त्वा कारयेत्कार्तिकव्रतम्
By giving wealth to another, one should have the Kārtika vow performed.