Shloka 38

Kārtika-Māhātmya

The Greatness of Kārtika

Devanagari script

आजन्मकृतपापात्तु मुच्यते नात्रसंशयः । व्रतोपवासनियमैः कार्तिको यस्य गच्छति ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

ājanmakṛtapāpāttu mucyate nātrasaṃśayaḥ | vratopavāsaniyamaiḥ kārtiko yasya gacchati || 38 ||

Translation

Ohne Zweifel wird man von den seit der Geburt angesammelten Sünden befreit, wenn man seinen Monat Kārtika mit Gelübden (vrata), Fasten und disziplinierten religiösen Regeln verbringt.

Word by Word

• आ: up to
• आ: अव्ययार्थ (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग-सदृश अव्यय; ‘up to’ अर्थे

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (compound-member)

• कृतपापात्: from sins committed
• कृतपापात्: अपादान (Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत-पाप (प्रातिपदिक; कृत (कृ+क्त) + पाप)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/पञ्चमी), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘कृतं पापम्’)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: क्रिया (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• व्रतोपवासनियमैः: by vows, fasting, and disciplines
• व्रतोपवासनियमैः: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत-उपवास-नियम (प्रातिपदिक; व्रत + उपवास + नियम)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—द्वन्द्व (copulative)

• कार्तिकः: Kārtika (month)
• कार्तिकः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• यस्य: whose/for whom
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (relative pronoun)

• गच्छति: comes/occurs
• गच्छति: क्रिया (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (in instruction on Kartika observances)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kārtika-vrata (month-long observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It declares the purifying power of Kārtika: disciplined observance of vrata, upavāsa, and niyama during this month is said to free a person from sins accumulated throughout life.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By emphasizing sustained vow-based discipline in Kārtika, it points to devotion expressed through regulated practice—faith shown through consistent observance, restraint, and worshipful living rather than mere words.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily reflects Kalpa-style ritual discipline (vrata/niyama and fasting rules) rather than technical Vedanga sciences like Vyakarana or Jyotisha.