Shloka 23
Kārtika-Māhātmya
The Greatness of Kārtika
कार्तिकः प्रवरो मासो विष्णोश्चापि प्रियः सदा । अव्रतो हि क्षिपेद्यस्तु मासं दामोदरप्रियम् ॥ २३ ॥
kārtikaḥ pravaro māso viṣṇoścāpi priyaḥ sadā | avrato hi kṣipedyastu māsaṃ dāmodarapriyam || 23 ||
Bulan Kārtika ialah yang paling utama antara bulan-bulan dan sentiasa dikasihi oleh Viṣṇu. Namun sesiapa yang membiarkan bulan ini—yang amat disayangi Dāmodara—berlalu tanpa memegang vrata (nazar/ikrar suci), sesungguhnya dia mensia-siakan bulan itu.
Narada (teaching within the Kārtika-māhātmya context of Uttara-bhāga)
Vrata: Kārtika-vrata (Dāmodara-māsa observance)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It declares Kārtika as the श्रेष्ठ (foremost) month for Viṣṇu-bhakti and warns that neglecting Kārtika-vrata means losing a uniquely sacred opportunity for merit and devotion.
Bhakti here is expressed through time-bound devotion: honoring what is dear to Viṣṇu—especially the Dāmodara-priya Kārtika month—by taking vrata/niyama and engaging in dedicated worship rather than letting the month pass casually.
It emphasizes ritual discipline and calendrical observance (kāla-niyama): recognizing Kārtika as a sacred period and applying vrata-practice accordingly—an applied dharma framework rather than a technical śikṣā/vyākaraṇa discussion.