Shloka 18

Kārtika-Māhātmya

The Greatness of Kārtika

Devanagari script

न कार्तिकसमो मासो न कृतेन समं युगम् । न धर्मस्तु दया तुल्यो न ज्योतिश्चक्षुषा समम् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

na kārtikasamo māso na kṛtena samaṃ yugam | na dharmastu dayā tulyo na jyotiścakṣuṣā samam || 18 ||

Translation

ບໍ່ມີເດືອນໃດເທົ່າກັບເດືອນກາຣຕິກະ; ບໍ່ມີຍຸກໃດເທົ່າກັບກຣິຕະຍຸກ. ບໍ່ມີທຳໃດເທົ່າກັບຄວາມເມດຕາ; ແລະບໍ່ມີແສງໃດເທົ່າກັບດວງຕາ.

Word by Word

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• कार्तिकसमः: equal to Kārtika
• कार्तिकसमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्तिक + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कार्तिक-सम (तत्पुरुषः; ‘कार्तिकस्य समः’), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मासः’ इति विशेषण

• मासः: month
• मासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• कृतेन: with/in the Kṛta (age)
• कृतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कृतयुग’ अर्थे (कृतेन = कृतयुगेन)

• समम्: equal
• समम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘युगम्’ इति विशेषण

• युगम्: age/epoch
• युगम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• धर्मः: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• दया: compassion
• दया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तुल्यः: equal/comparable
• तुल्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘धर्मः’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषण

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चक्षुषा: with the eye/vision
• चक्षुषा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समम्: equal
• समम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘ज्योतिः’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Kartika Mahatmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kārtika-vrata (implicit, via month supremacy)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kartika
• Krta Yuga
• Daya
• Dharma

FAQs

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

It ranks sacred time and sacred conduct: Kārtika is praised as the foremost month for religious merit, Kṛta Yuga as the ideal age, compassion as the highest dharma, and the eye as the greatest ‘light’ for embodied beings—urging devotees to use auspicious time for compassionate, dharmic living.

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

By elevating Kārtika (a prime season for vows, worship, and charity) and compassion, the verse frames bhakti as time-bound disciplined practice (vrata, pūjā, dāna) infused with dayā—devotion expressed through kindness and restraint, not mere ritual.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly reflects Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astronomy/astrology) through the importance of calendrical sacred time (the month of Kārtika) and emphasizes ethical application—choosing proper times for vrata, dāna, and worship in line with dharma.