Shloka 1

Kārttika-vrata Discipline: Purity Rules, Morning Bath Saṅkalpa, Tilaka Injunctions, and Food Prohibitions

Devanagari script

शौनक उवाच । कथयस्व मुने सूत सर्वमासोत्तमस्य च । कार्तिकस्य विधिं सम्यङ्नियमान्वक्तुमर्हसि

Transliteration

śaunaka uvāca | kathayasva mune sūta sarvamāsottamasya ca | kārtikasya vidhiṃ samyaṅniyamānvaktumarhasi

Translation

Śaunaka sprach: O Sūta, o Weiser, berichte vollständig von der rechten Vorschrift und den strengen Gelübde-Observanzen des Kārttika, des besten aller Monate.

Word by Word

• śaunakaḥ: Śaunaka
• śaunakaḥ: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaunaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच्-धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• kathayasva: tell, narrate
• kathayasva: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kathaya (नामधातु; कथय)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• sūta: O Sūta
• sūta: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• sarva-māsa-uttamasya: of the best of all months
• sarva-māsa-uttamasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + māsa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘सर्वेषां मासानाम् उत्तमः’); पुंलिङ्ग (m.)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.) (मास-शब्दः पुंलिङ्गः), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम् (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• kārtikasya: of Kārtika (month)
• kārtikasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम् (singular)

• vidhim: rule, procedure
• vidhim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• samyaṅ: properly, correctly
• samyaṅ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyañc (सम्यञ्च्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• niyamān: observances, restraints
• niyamān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• vaktum: to speak/tell
• vaktum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच्-धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तः (infinitive); क्रियार्थक-अव्ययभावः

• arhasi: you are fit/ought
• arhasi: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह्-धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

Speaker

Śaunaka

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: सर्वमासोत्तमस्य = सर्व-मास-उत्तमस्य (समास); सम्यङ्नियमान् = सम्यक् + नियमान्; वक्तुमर्हसि = वक्तुम् + अर्हसि.

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Sūta
• Kārttika (month)

FAQs

What is being requested in this verse?

Śaunaka asks Sūta to explain the proper procedure (vidhi) and observances (niyamas) for the month of Kārttika, praised as the best of months.

Why is Kārttika called “the best of all months” here?

The verse reflects the Purāṇic valuation of Kārttika as a uniquely meritorious period for vows, worship, and disciplined practice—hence “sarva-māsa-uttama.”

What ethical or practical lesson does this dialogue frame?

It models humility and right inquiry: spiritual merit is pursued through correct knowledge of prescribed practices and sincere discipline, learned from an authoritative teacher.