सर्वेषु चैव मासेषु कार्त्तिके च विशेषतः । दापयेत्परया भक्त्या द्विजे स्वाध्यायतत्परे
sarveṣu caiva māseṣu kārttike ca viśeṣataḥ | dāpayetparayā bhaktyā dvije svādhyāyatatpare
सर्व महिन्यांत—विशेषतः कार्तिक महिन्यात—परम भक्तीने स्वाध्यायपरायण द्विजास दान द्यावे।
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual, within the Yudhiṣṭhira–Mārkaṇḍeya dialogue in this adhyāya)
Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: Kārttika setting with lamps; a brāhmaṇa recites Veda (svādhyāya) while a devotee offers gifts reverently near a riverbank shrine.
Devotional charity, especially in Kārttika, becomes highly meritorious when offered to a worthy recipient devoted to sacred learning.
The teaching occurs within the Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā/Revā sacred geography), framing Kārttika practices as part of the river-region’s māhātmya.
Dāna (charitable giving), with emphasis on giving in Kārttika to a Brāhmaṇa engaged in svādhyāya.