* तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन कार्तिके विष्णुतत्परः
Therefore, with all effort, one should be devoted to Viṣṇu in the month of Kārtika.
नरेभ्यो वैष्णवं धर्मं यो ददाति द्विजोत्तमः 2.4.2.
The best of twice-born who gives Vaiṣṇava dharma to men—
तिलधेनुं हिरण्यं च रजतं भूमिवाससी
Sesame, cows, gold, silver, land, and garments—
सर्वेषामेव दानानां कन्यादानं विशिष्यते
Among all gifts, the gift of a maiden is considered superior.
दशानडुत्समं यानं दशयानसमो हयः
A vehicle equal to ten bullocks, a horse equal to ten vehicles—
गजदानसहस्राणां स्वर्णदानं च तत्समम्
A gift of gold is equal to a thousand gifts of elephants.
विद्यादानात्कोटिगुणं भूमिदानं विशिष्यते
The gift of land surpasses the gift of knowledge by ten million times.
गोप्रदानसहस्रेभ्यो ह्यन्नदानं विशिष्यते
The gift of food surpasses even a thousand gifts of cows.
परान्नवर्जनादेव लभेच्चांद्रायणं फलम्
By merely avoiding another’s food, one obtains the fruit of the Cāndrāyaṇa vow.
कार्तिके वर्जयेन्मांसं सन्धानं च विशेषतः
In the month of Kārtika, one should especially avoid meat and sexual union.
प्रवृत्तानां तु भक्ष्याणां कार्तिके नियमे कृते
Of foods that are permitted, when observing the vow in Kārtika—
ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महीं दत्त्वा ग्रहणे सूर्यचंद्रयोः 2.4.2.
By giving land to Brāhmaṇas at the conjunction of the sun and moon—
भोजनं द्विजदंपत्योः पूजनं च विलेपनैः
One should offer food to a Brāhmaṇa couple, and honor them with ointments.
तूलिकाश्च प्रदातव्याः प्रच्छादनपटैः सह
Cushions should also be given, along with covering cloths.
कार्तिके क्षितिशायी च हन्यात्पापं युगार्जितम्
In the month of Kārtika, one who lies upon the ground destroys sin accumulated over an age.
दामोदराग्रे देवर्षे गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
In the presence of Dāmodara, O sage among the gods, one attains the merit equal to gifting a thousand cows.
न भवेत्कार्तिके यस्य हरेत्पुण्यं दशाब्दिकम्
In Kārtika, for one who does not observe it, even ten years of merit is taken away.
कार्तिके मुनिशार्दूल लक्षकोटिगुणं भवेत्
In Kārtika, O best of sages, the merit becomes a hundred million times greater.
अवन्ती माधवे मासि हन्यात्पापं युगार्जितम्
In Avantī, during the month of Mādhava, one destroys sin accumulated over an age.
ये कुर्वंति नरा नित्यं प्रीत्यर्थं हरिपूजनम्
Those men who daily worship Hari with devotion for the sake of pleasing him—
क्षीरादिस्नपनं विष्णोः क्रियते पितृकारणात्
Bathing Viṣṇu with milk and other substances is performed for the sake of the ancestors.
कार्तिके नार्चितो यैस्तु कृष्णस्तु कमलेक्षणः 2.4.2.
In Kārtika, those by whom Kṛṣṇa, the lotus-eyed one, is not worshipped—
अहो मुष्टा विनष्टास्ते पतिताः कलिकन्दरे
Alas, those fists are ruined; they have fallen into the pit of Kali.
पद्मेनैकेन देवेशं योऽर्चयेत्कमलापतिम् पुष्करार्चनयोगेन श्वेतो मुक्तिमवाप ह
He who worships the Lord of Lakṣmī with a single lotus, by the act of worship with a lotus, the white one attained liberation.
* अपराधसहस्राणि तथा सप्तशतानि च
A thousand offenses, and also seven hundred more—
तुलसीपत्रलक्षेण कार्तिके योऽर्चयेद्धरिम्
He who worships Hari in Kārtika with a hundred thousand Tulasī leaves—
मुखे शिरसि देहे तु कृष्णोत्तीर्णां तु यो वहेत् सर्वरोगैस्तथा पापैर्मुक्तो भवति मानवः
Whoever bears Kṛṣṇa's crossing (image or name) on his mouth, head, or body becomes freed from all diseases and sins.
शंखोदकं हरेर्भक्तिर्निर्माल्यं पादयोर्जलम्
The water from Viṣṇu's conch, devotion to Hari, the flowers removed from worship, and the water from his feet—
कार्तिके मासि विप्रेन्द्र प्रातःस्नानपरायणः
In the month of Kārtika, O best of Brāhmaṇas, one devoted to bathing early in the morning—
सर्वेषामेव दानानामन्नदानं विशिष्यते
Of all gifts, the gift of food is considered the best.