Shloka 59

Kārtika-Māhātmya

The Greatness of Kārtika

Devanagari script

कार्तिके तु कृतादीक्षा नृणां जन्मनिकृंतनी । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन दीक्षां कुर्वीत कार्तिके ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

kārtike tu kṛtādīkṣā nṛṇāṃ janmanikṛṃtanī | tasmātsarvaprayatnena dīkṣāṃ kurvīta kārtike || 59 ||

Translation

ಕಾರ್ತಿಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಿದ ದೀಕ್ಷೆ ಮನುಷ್ಯರ ಪುನರ್ಜನ್ಮಬಂಧನವನ್ನು ಕತ್ತರಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಸರ್ವಪ್ರಯತ್ನದಿಂದ ಕಾರ್ತಿಕದಲ್ಲೇ ದೀಕ್ಷೆಯನ್ನು ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• कार्तिके: in Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• कृत-दीक्षा: undertaken initiation/vow
• कृत-दीक्षा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘कृता दीक्षा’ (a performed/undertaken initiation/vow)

• नृणाम्: of men; of people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• जन्म-निकृन्तनी: that which cuts off (re)birth
• जन्म-निकृन्तनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + निकृन्तनी (कृन्त् धातु, णी-प्रत्ययान्त स्त्रीप्रातिपदिक; ‘cutter’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘जन्म (पुनर्जन्म) निकृन्तयति’ इति उपपद-तत्पुरुष; दीक्षा इति विशेषण

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रयोगः; पञ्चमी-एकवचन रूपेण अव्ययवत् ‘therefore/from that reason’

• सर्व-प्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्व-प्रयत्नेन: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; तृतीया-एकवचन रूपेण क्रियाविशेषण—‘सर्वेण प्रयत्नेन’ (with all effort)

• दीक्षाम्: initiation; vow-observance
• दीक्षाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कुर्वीत: should do; should undertake
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कार्तिके: in Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kartika-vrata (via Kartika-dīkṣā)

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhakti","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"From the hopeful promise that Kartika-dīkṣā cuts rebirth to an urgent exhortation: therefore, undertake initiation with full effort."}

FAQs

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

It declares Kārtika as uniquely potent: taking dīkṣā (a consecrated commitment to sādhana/vrata) in this month severs the causes of repeated birth, emphasizing Kārtika’s exceptional merit in purification and liberation-oriented practice.

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

By urging dīkṣā specifically in Kārtika—traditionally dedicated to Hari/Vishnu—the verse frames devotion as disciplined commitment: bhakti is strengthened when one formally undertakes vows, worship, and regulated practice in a sacred time.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Jyotiṣa-based sacred calendrics: selecting Kārtika as an auspicious period for initiating vows/rites, showing how timing (māsa) guides effective vrata and dīkṣā observance.