Shloka 71
Kārtika-Māhātmya
The Greatness of Kārtika
तैलत्यागे घृतं दद्याद्धृतत्यागे पयस्तथा । धान्यानां नियमे शालींस्तत्तद्धान्यमथापि वा ॥ ७१ ॥
tailatyāge ghṛtaṃ dadyāddhṛtatyāge payastathā | dhānyānāṃ niyame śālīṃstattaddhānyamathāpi vā || 71 ||
When one undertakes a vow of abstaining from oil, one should give ghee (ghṛta) in charity; when abstaining from ghee, one should likewise give milk. And when observing restrictions regarding grains, one should give fine rice (śāli), or else that very grain appropriate to the vow.
Narada (teaching in a vrata/dāna context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: none
FAQs
It links self-restraint (tyāga) with generosity (dāna), teaching that a vow is completed not only by renunciation but by offering a corresponding pure substitute for the welfare of others.
By prescribing disciplined living and charitable giving, it supports bhakti as a lived practice—purifying daily habits and dedicating one’s resources in a spirit of offering, which strengthens devotional steadiness.
Ritual application (kalpa-style vrata procedure) is emphasized: matching a dietary restriction with an appropriate dāna item (ghee, milk, rice/grain) as a practical rule for vow-observance.