Shloka 37

Kārtika-Māhātmya

The Greatness of Kārtika

Devanagari script

कर्तव्यं भक्तिभावेन सर्वदानाधिकं स्मृतम् । कार्तिकीं च तिथिं कृत्वा विष्णोर्नाभिसरोरुहे ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

kartavyaṃ bhaktibhāvena sarvadānādhikaṃ smṛtam | kārtikīṃ ca tithiṃ kṛtvā viṣṇornābhisaroruhe || 37 ||

Translation

It should be performed with the feeling of devotion (bhakti); it is remembered as superior to all gifts. Observing the Kārtikī lunar day (tithi), one should worship Viṣṇu, from whose navel the lotus arises.

Word by Word

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: विधेय/कर्तव्यता (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘should be done’

• भक्तिभावेन: with devotion
• भक्तिभावेन: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति-भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—तत्पुरुष

• सर्वदानाधिकम्: superior to all gifts
• सर्वदानाधिकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-दान-अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण (qualifier)

• स्मृतम्: is considered/remembered
• स्मृतम्: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त → स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘is remembered/considered’

• कार्तिकीम्: Kārtikā (of Kārtika)
• कार्तिकीम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्तिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विशेषण तिथिम् इत्यस्य

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तिथिम्: lunar day
• तिथिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• कृत्वा: having observed/made
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त), ‘having done/made’

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• नाभिसरोरुहे: in the lotus of (His) navel
• नाभिसरोरुहे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि-सरोरुह (प्रातिपदिक; नाभि + सरोरुह)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नाभौ सरोरुहम्)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-Bhaga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kārtikī observance (within Kārtika-vrata context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It elevates Kārtika observance performed with bhakti as spiritually greater than even extensive charity, emphasizing inner devotion as the decisive factor.

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

It explicitly states that the act becomes supremely efficacious when done with bhaktibhāva, directing the practitioner to worship Viṣṇu (the navel-lotus Lord) as the heart of the vow.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights calendrical ritual practice through tithi-observance (lunar day timing), aligning vrata performance with sacred timekeeping used in traditional jyotiṣa-based panchāṅga observances.