निंदां भगवतः शृण्वंस्तत्परस्य जनस्य च
Hearing slander of the Lord or of His devoted people—
प्रदक्षिणां तु यः कुर्यात्कार्तिके केशवस्य हि
Whoever circumambulates Keśava in the month of Kārtika—
दंडप्रणामं यः कुर्यात्कार्तिके केशवाऽग्रतः 2.4.6.
Whoever offers prostration by lying flat before Keśava during Kārtika—
कुटुम्बभोजनं चैव कार्तिके भक्तिसंयुतः
And whoever, filled with devotion, feeds his family during Kārtika—
परस्त्रीसंगमं यस्तु कार्तिके कुरुते नरः
But the man who engages in union with another’s wife during Kārtika—
तुलसीमृत्तिकापुंड्रं ललाटे यस्य दृश्यते
He whose forehead bears the mark of tulasī, clay, or the sacred sign—
शाकं वा लवणं वाऽपि यत्किंचिद्वा भविष्यति
Whether it be vegetables, salt, or anything else—
इत्याद्या बहवो धर्माः कार्तिके विष्णुवल्लभाः
Thus, there are many such duties in Kārtika, dear to Viṣṇu—
हरिसंतुष्टये कार्यस्त्यागो वा स्वेष्टवस्तुनः
For the satisfaction of Hari, even the renunciation of one’s cherished possessions is to be performed—
सर्वव्रतानि चैकत्र सत्यव्रतमथैकतः
All vows together, or the single vow of truthfulness—
अन्यधर्मेष्वधिकृतिः कुलजातिविभागतः
The eligibility for other duties is determined by family and caste distinctions—
गोग्रासः कार्तिके मासि विशेषाद्यैस्तु दीयते
Especially in the month of Kārtika, the giving of food to cows is prescribed—
विष्णुदेवालयं प्रातः संमार्जयति कार्तिके 2.4.6.
Whoever, in Kārtika, sweeps the temple of Viṣṇu in the morning—
दद्यात्कार्तिकमासे तु धर्मकाष्ठानि भूरिशः
One should give, in the month of Kārtika, abundant firewood for religious purposes—
सुधादि लेपयेद्यस्तु कार्तिके विष्णुमंदिरे
Whoever, in Kārtika, anoints the temple of Viṣṇu with substances like sandal paste—
देवालये वा तीर्थे वा कृतो दुष्टैर्नृपैः करः
If a tax is imposed by wicked kings in a temple or at a sacred place—
कार्तिके मासि यो विप्रो गभस्तीश्वरसन्निधौ
In the month of Kārtika, the brāhmaṇa who, in the presence of the lord of rays (the Sun),—
वाराणस्यां तु यैः स्थित्वा त्रिवर्षं कार्तिकव्रतम्
Those who, having stayed in Vārāṇasī, observe the Kārtika vow for three years—
इह लोके फलं तेषां प्रत्यक्षं जायते किल
For them, the fruit is said to manifest visibly in this very world—
पलांडुं शृंगं मांसं च शय्यां सौवीरकं तथा
Onion, garlic, meat, bed, and also wine—
धात्रीफलं भानुवारे परदेशागमं तथा
The fruit of the myrobalan tree on Sunday, and likewise food brought from a foreign land,
देववेदद्विजातीनां गुरुगोव्रतिनां तथा
Food belonging to the gods, Vedic scholars, and those observing vows to the teacher and the cow,
नरकस्य चतुर्दश्यां तैलाभ्यंगं च कारयेत् नालिकां मूलकं चैव कूष्मांडं च कपित्थकम् 2.4.6.
On the fourteenth day, one should apply oil to the body; also, reed, radish, gourd, and wood-apple,
रजस्वलांत्यज म्लेच्छ पतितऽव्रतिकैस्तथा
Food from women in menstruation, outcastes, foreigners, the fallen, and those not observing vows,
एभिर्दृष्टं च काकैश्च सूतिकान्नं च यद्भवेत्
Food seen by these, or by crows, and food from a woman who has just given birth,
क्रमात्कूष्मांडबृहतीतरुणीमूलकं तथा
In order: gourd, brhati, young radish root as well,
नारिकेलमलाबुं च पटोलं बृहतीफलम्
Coconut, bottle gourd, patola, and the fruit of brhati,
शाकान्येतानि वर्ज्यानि क्रमात्प्रतिपदादिषु
These vegetables are to be avoided in order, starting from the first day of the lunar fortnight,
कार्तिकव्रतिनः पुण्यं यथोक्तव्रतकारिणः
Those observing the Kartika vow, who perform the prescribed practices, gain merit,
श्रोतव्यं नेह भूयो मे विद्यते देवसत्तम
There is nothing further to be heard from me here, O best of gods,