Kartik Maas
Every question on the site tagged Kartik Maas, each answered from a timestamped source rather than a summary written from memory.
Computed for New Delhi. Sunrise decides which tithi a day belongs to, so these can differ elsewhere.
The sacred lunar month of Kartik, associated with Vishnu and Tulsi worship.
46 notes from our sourcesNotes from our sources
Diwali-night deepdan for the Kuldevi and the major mahashaktis: when to do it and what it gives
The speaker says that in the holy month of Kartik, and especially in the Mahanisha Kaal of Diwali or else in the evening (Pradosha) time, one should offer a Deepdaan to the major devi-devatas together with one's own Kuldevi, kul devatas and Kul Shakti, in a coconut-shell lamp with a 108-strand wick. He says this earns great punya, destroys many misfortunes, protects from Akala Mrityu, and frees the household from its many troubles and from dukh-daridra (sorrow and poverty). He says the kul shaktis become nourished and satisfied by it and bring welfare in every way, and he asks that this vidhi be done every year on Diwali evening or night.
The seven practices of the Kartik month
The speaker says seven things are to be done through the whole Kartik month, as far as one is able: a pre-dawn bath, japa of the guru-given mantra, seva of Tulsi, Deepdaan, sattvic vaishnav food, daan, and helping a person in need. He says merely doing these seven subdues many of the obstacles arising in life, and by the grace of Vishnu, Narayana, one moves on to the path of progress. Each practice is taken up in its own note on this page.
Pre-dawn bath in the Kartik month
The speaker says bathing before sunrise, while the stars are still out, is the most important observance of the whole Kartik month. Done in flowing water, that is in a river, this bath is said to give imperishable (akshaya) Punya. If a river cannot be reached, one bathes at home while remembering the names of the sacred rivers.
Japa of the guru-given mantra in the Kartik month
The speaker says that after the bath, one should light a lamp before the deities in the puja room and sit before it; if one has received a mantra in Diksha from a guru, that mantra should be recited as far as one is able, even if japa is not kept up in other months. The aim, he says, is to complete a sava lakh (125,000) Anushthana of that mantra across the month, with the japa done early in the morning right after the bath.
Tulsi seva in the Kartik month
The speaker says that seva of Bhagwati Tulsi is the third major practice of the Kartik month: throughout the month, water is offered to Tulsi in the morning and a lamp is lit before her in the evening. He calls this essential in this month.
Deepdaan in the Kartik month: where the lamps are lit
The speaker says Deepdaan in the Kartik month is offered not only to the deities but near every revered thing that matters in one's life: the grain store, the place where wealth is kept, the okhal-musal and silbatta, the water store, both sides of the main door, and beside a Tulsi, shami, bilva or mango tree. The oil may be sesame, mustard or ghee, whatever one can manage; what matters is that the lamp is lit.
Food in the Kartik month: sattvic and vaishnav
The speaker says that during Kartik month one should eat purely sattvic food, giving up garlic and onion entirely and avoiding meat altogether, so that the fruit of the month's other observances is fully received.
Daan in the Kartik month
The speaker says he is not asking for charity every day; instead, one may pick a single day of the week to always give on, with annadaan or helping someone with whatever they specifically need counted as the best forms of it.
Helping a person in need: the sins it destroys that japa cannot
The speaker says helping someone in need during Kartik month yields merit capable of destroying many sins, and that the blessings gained from serving any living being can dissolve sins that puja, paath and japa alone cannot; he adds that some outcomes of one's Prarabdha can only be worked off this way, through serving and satisfying another being.
Kalka Yogini and the shabari sadhanas are very sharp, and not everyone stays balanced when those energies land — five lakh of the Panchakshari first.
He says that for the Kalka Yogini or the other shabari sadhanas he does not apply much pressure, and does not discuss them much, because those things are very sharp. He does not know whether the listener has done at least some foundational sadhanas or not. If he keeps discussing only that, then a great many will indeed do those sadhanas, but when the energies become present and their effect falls, not everyone is able to stay balanced. So he says it is better if those who go into all that have done at least five lakh of the Panchakshari.
Which Nanda tithis did Sati keep in Ashwin and Kartik?
In the month of Ashwin — the time of the Sharad Durga Puja around October — the Nanda tithis that fall are Pratipada, Shashthi and Ekadashi. On these she performed the pujan of Har, that is Shiva, with devotion using gud, bhat and lavan. Thereafter, in the month of Kartik, on the Chaturdashi, with kheer and apoop.
In which months is such placating done?
Shravan, Ashadh, and third comes Sharad, the speaker says. It will not be done in Kartik — in Kartik the matter of placating is not able to occur. All these times are put to good use, and in all these times these things run in this manner.
What does offering lamps to Shiva give?
If a lamp of ghee or of til oil is offered in the name of Shiv ji, one becomes free of all kinds of papa and all kamanas are fulfilled.
Which nights of Kartik matter for tantric anushthans?
He says the five-day maharatri for tantric anushthans, which they know by the name of the ati ugra ratris, falls in Kartik, and the festival of Diwali is among them. Preparation for all of it has to begin now.
The appeal for deep daan through the month of Kartik stands again this year, made late because of the pressure of anushthan work.
He says a special request for deep daan in the month of Kartik was placed before listeners last year and stands again this year. He apologises for raising it late — there is not much time left, and he should have said it earlier but could not because of the pressure of anushthan work.
Deep daan begins at Sharad Purnima and runs every day, not on Diwali alone, with at least five lamps lit in the house each evening.
From Pratipada, he says — though he would say from Sharad Purnima itself — deep daan is to be begun. It is to be done every single day, not only on Diwali. At least five lamps should certainly be lit in the house in the evening.
What is an akash deep and what is it said to do?
He says an akash deep does not mean a flying lantern. It means a bamboo of at least ten to twelve feet, or a tree, in the courtyard of the house, with a lantern burning on top of it. He says the sadgati of the pitrs comes about through it and their very special kripa is obtained, and that its mahatmya in Kartik is divine.
Trayodashi today, Vaikuntha Chaturdashi tomorrow, and then Kartik Purnima, Dev Deepawali and Tripura Purnima.
The time now coming is that of the Purnima and of Dev Deepawali, whose mahatmya you should certainly know. Today is the Trayodashi; tomorrow is Vaikuntha Chaturdashi; and after that comes Kartik Purnima, Dev Deepawali, Tripura Purnima.
What if sutak has fallen?
If sutak has fallen, do it after the sutak is complete — although, the speaker adds, it stays proper to do it only in Kartik.
Is arghya ever given to the setting sun?
Asked whether arghya is also given to the setting sun, the speaker says it is at the Shashthi of the Shukla Paksha of Kartik month — the Surya Shashthi we celebrate, in which the pujan of Bhagavati Chhathi Maiya takes place — that alone is arghya given to the setting sun.
When should the yam deep daan be done — evening or after the meal?
He says plainly: do it in the same way as your parents or the elders of your family have been doing. Still, you should do the yam deep daan continuously at the evening time from Dhanteras up to the Dwitiya tithi — you should do it on all five days.
What was Kuber ji's previous birth?
Kuber ji's old name was Gunanidhi. As discussed in the Shiv Mahapuran, he tore his own gamchha, made a wick of it for a lamp and increased its light in a Shiv temple so that he could steal — but by the very prataap of that, in the next birth he became a king, and in the birth after that he attained the very post of Kuber.
What should I eat while doing the five-day anushthan?
There is no tension about it, he says. Eat sattvik food. Do not eat garlic and onion for the five days. Start observing brahmacharya — and in Kartik the more brahmacharya you keep the better. Apart from that, in the morning eat as sattvik or as little food as you can, and if you get a little time from your office or whatever work you have, sleep a little too, so that your sleep is completed, since japa is to be done at night.
Should I borrow money to do deep daan?
One is not to do deep daan by taking a loan, he says. Do as much deep daan as you have the capacity for; help me become Kuber. Not the Kuber of here — we have to become the Kuber of above. On this same pretext you people will do it, and your welfare will happen, and along with it my own welfare will be complete too.
What is the Shri Sukta prayoga for destroying daridrata?
If you wear the yajnopavit, then certainly do the Shri Sukta — there is no easier means of the attainment of wealth than that, he says. It is said that if sixteen recitations each of the Shri Sukta and the Purush Sukta are done daily, continuously for sixteen days, and especially in the month of Kartik, then the daridrata of birth after birth is finished. And if the samputit path of the Shri Sukta is done — samputit with the Daridra Dahan mantra, which is the mantra of the Durga Saptashati — sixteen recitations for sixteen days, then the daridrata of hundreds upon hundreds of births is removed. But you must be entitled.
Does deepdaan of any kind pacify the grahas?
Asked whether the shanti of grahas happens from deepdaan of any kind, the speaker says the shanti of grahas certainly happens. A deep, a deepdaan of any devata, is such a thing that — as is said in the Kartik Mahatmya and the like, which he asks listeners to read — if a person is not capable of doing a yajna and so on, then merely by doing deepdaan, by doing only that much, he obtains the fruit that is obtained for a yajna. Deepdaan is certainly capable of pacifying all the grahas.
Kartik Purnima darshan of Kartikeya at Krauncha mountain
The speaker says Kartik Maas, Narayana's most famous month, is named after Kartikeya, because Narayana too has always loved him deeply. On Kartik Poornima all the tirthas, all the devas and devis, rishis, munis and siddhas go to Krauncha mountain for darshan of Kumar. If Krittikas nakshatra falls on Kartik Purnima, the tithi becomes so meritorious that taking darshan of Kumar Kartikeya that day burns all sins to ash and fulfils every wish.
Which months and days are best for bathing in Saubhagya Kund?
One should certainly bathe in this kund; having come here, do not go without bathing. In Saubhagya Kund especially, bathing in the month of Magh, in the month of Vaishakh, in the month of Kartik and at Sankranti carries very great importance. Whatever kamana you take a sankalp for and bathe, that kamana is certainly fulfilled.
Can an akhand deepak be lit near Tulsi ji, especially in Kartik?
Asked whether an akhand deepak may be lit near Tulsi ji, especially in Kartik, the speaker says that whenever you light an akhand deepak near Tulsi ji, at that time install the Shaligram shila there as well, or do it after installing the Shri vigraha of Bhagavan Shri Narayan. If you light the akhand jyot outside and rain falls, there will be difficulty, so whenever you take a decision, take it with thought.
In south India the birth festival of Hanuman ji is kept on the Kartik Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi
He says that in the month of Kartik, before the Chaturdashi — in south India on the Kartik Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi tithi — the birth festival of Bhagavan Shri Hanuman ji is celebrated, and he will give this thing at that time.
How should the Shri Narayana Kavach be done?
He tells Virendra Prajapati ji that if you are a param Vaishnava — that is, if you do not eat garlic and onion, do not eat carrot and radish — then you are capable of obtaining the full effect of the Narayana Kavach, because the particular effect of diet is described not by him but by the Vaishnava acharyas. A param Vaishnava obtains the full effect of the Narayana Kavach: that is the very first thing. The vidhan of purashcharan you should do in the month of Kartik — beginning in Kartik, or from the day of the Shraadh Purnima, you should begin the anushthan of the Shri Narayana Kavach. Along with the Narayana Kavach you should also do puja of the ayudhas of Bhagavan Narayan; and however many forms are spoken of in the Narayana Kavach, when the ahuti for their protection is given, that is when you do havan, the ahuti will be of those same forms. And at the least, 24000 is held for it — that is, 24000 japa has to be done, which is not impossible; you should do it over at least a year, two years, three years.
Eleven days again from the Tara Chaturdashi, then sava lakh in Navratri
A listener says he has done the eleven-day sadhana of Maa Bhavani by his method and is doing one mala daily. Do this, he answers: beginning from the Chaturdashi, from this Tara Chaturdashi, do at least an eleven-day sadhana again. In Navratri do a sava lakh japa in nine days. Then from Sharadiya Purnima, on the day it falls, again do its japa of a sava lakh. In Diwali, when your month of Kartik comes, again do a sava lakh. Do this much and you will get great joy.
Why is Kartik maas especially useful for people who have little time?
Because in this month, the speaker says, one may labour very little and obtain much. For the sadhak class the subject is different — one who fears labour is no sadhak — but for those who say their time is short and want the fruit to exceed the effort, Kartik Maas is most excellent.
Is Kartik a month only for Vaishnavas?
The speaker says that although it is supremely holy for Vaishnavas, there is no shortage in it for Shaktas either. It is not that a Shakta may sit unconcerned, saying the Durga Puja is over, the bali has been offered, all the work is done, and now let the Krishna bhaktas and Narayan bhaktas do their bhajan in Kartik. It is for all of us, and such distinctions are not to be kept.
What is the very first thing to do in Kartik maas?
Deepdaan is the most necessary, and before even that, the morning bath. Bathe up to an hour or an hour and a half before sunrise — if the sun is to rise at 5:00, bathing by 4:00 is held most excellent. Bathing in a sarovar or a river carries wonderful mahatmya; at home, still the water in a bucket and invoke all the tirthas into it, not under a shower.
What is the value of going to a tirtha during Kartik?
He says that if possible, going to some tirtha even for a single day in Kartik and bathing in the tirtha's water brings many punyas; and if it is Ganga ji, then most excellent of all. In the kshetra of Bhagwan Badri Narayan, of Badri Vishal, and at Prayagraj, all the devatas dwell perpetually, but in Kartik it is said that the Lord himself is present there in the form of Tirtharaj.
What are the essentials of Kartik that must not be missed?
The speaker says to keep in mind that the first thing is the morning bath and the second is deepdaan, and these must absolutely not be missed; besides these, do whatever japa and havan you can. He notes that the five-night, that is five-day, festival of Diwali is coming, in which Bhagwati Kalika and Chandika along with many forms of Bhagwati manifest, and which is the prakatya kaal of Bhagwati Kamala.
Where in the house should the Kartik lamp be lit?
If your house is large, or two or three storeys with a first and second floor, arrange for the lighting of a lamp at the topmost place — at the peak of the house — which is most excellent. For those with no roof access there is the tradition, throughout Kartik maas, of arranging a deep malika upon a bamboo, or lighting a lantern raised a little high, which is called an akash deep.
Why is bathing at dawn in Kartik held to carry such punya?
The speaker gives the katha that a rakshasa named Shankhasura stole the Vedas and carried them into the sea; when Bhagwan Narayan slew him, all the mantras of the Vedas were absorbed here and there into the water. In this very month of Kartik all the rishis gathered up the various mantras and pages of the Veda, and whoever obtained which mantra was afterwards called the rishi of that mantra — this was Bhagwan Narayan's blessing.
What follows from the Vedas being present in the water of Kartik?
Because of this, the presence of all the Veda mantras in water has been accepted during Kartik; and the Veda is the Lord himself, the Veda is Narayan himself, so Narayan is present in the form of water. Hence bathing in water, and that before sunrise, is held most excellent and greatly meritorious in Kartik. It is also held that by the coolness of the night-time moon, amrit comes to be present in the water, so many kinds of doshas are pacified.
How should the japa in the river be arranged?
Since Papankusha Ekadashi has passed, do it from tomorrow onward, for whatever time you can manage — five days, seven days, eleven days, or from the Krishna Paksha Ekadashi to the Devotthan Ekadashi of the Shukla Paksha. If you are near Ganga ji or any dev nadi, go there and do japa at dawn, at the time of sunrise. Do it at a clean place so mosquitoes do not bite, and it must be done standing navel-deep in the water.
In which months are Sabar mantras awakened and strengthened?
The speaker says that when we come into siddhis, the Sabar mantra cannot be ignored. For those who do Sabar sadhana and keep Sabar mantras perfected, aradhana and sadhana should be done in the month of Shravan, the month of Navratri, the month of Kartik and the month of Margashirsh, especially for the awakening of mantras and for strengthening the mantras that have been awakened.
Does one's ishta worship change with the month?
Whatever the month, the speaker says, your own shakti must remain the same. If you do the seva of Narayani, of Jagadamba, then in every month it is her puja that will happen. Along with it, do the pujan of that month's devatas as far as your capacity allows. In Shravan the Rudrabhishek and Shiva ji's puja and daily abhishek certainly happen, but Bhagwati's puja will also happen alongside — she is principal and cannot be left.
Is the amla deepdaan done in Kartik?
The speaker says it may absolutely be done for the sake of dharma-raksha, and that deepdaan should be done as much as possible. If the amla deepdaan is done now, it is most excellent — every day, at evening, do a deepdaan of five amlas each time. He says this too is arranged every year and videos are put out, and they will all be sent again.
What if there is no river or sarovar nearby for the Kartik bath?
Asked whether bathing with Gangajal poured into a tub will also bring the benefit of punya when a sarovar or river is not nearby, the speaker answers that it certainly will — and that even if you do not put Gangajal in and bathe while remembering her, the benefit will still come. Of Chhinnamastika he says that one may pray by awakening the name, and that much can be done.
Tulsi vidhans belong to Kartik and Surya vidhans to Margashirsh.
For the special vidhi vidhan he would have to look at what has been stated for the twelve months, he says, and he does not think he will be able to discuss it further just now, because his whole mind is on Mahadev. He will speak separately of Suryanarayan and Ma Bhagavati Tulsi in the month of Kartik and in the month of Margashirsh — because the month of Margashirsh is dedicated to Bhagwan Suryanarayan and the month of Kartik to Ma Bhagavati Tulsi, so it would be more proper to give all these vidhi vidhans then.
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