Shloka 61

Kārtika-Māhātmya

The Greatness of Kārtika

Devanagari script

न गृहे कार्तिकं कुर्याद्विशेषेण तु कार्तिकीम् । तीर्थे हि कार्तिकीं कुर्वन्नरो याति हरेः पदम् ॥ ६१ ॥

Transliteration

na gṛhe kārtikaṃ kuryādviśeṣeṇa tu kārtikīm | tīrthe hi kārtikīṃ kurvannaro yāti hareḥ padam || 61 ||

Translation

Janganlah melakukan vrata Kārtika di rumah, lebih-lebih lagi amalan Kārtikī. Sesiapa yang menunaikan Kārtikī di tīrtha akan sampai ke kediaman Hari.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (निषेध/negative particle)

• gṛhe: in the house
• gṛhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी, Locative), Ekavacana (Singular)

• kārtikam: the Kārtika observance (vow)
• kārtikam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया, Accusative), Ekavacana (Singular)

• kuryāt: should do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ lakāra (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd/प्रथम), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• viśeṣeṇa: especially
• viśeṣeṇa: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया, Instrumental), Ekavacana (Singular); अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘विशेषेण’ = especially

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa/virodha-avyaya (अवधारण/contrast particle)

• kārtikīm: the Kārtikī (observance)
• kārtikīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtikī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया, Accusative), Ekavacana (Singular)

• tīrthe: at a sacred ford/place of pilgrimage
• tīrthe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी, Locative), Ekavacana (Singular)

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात), hetu/avadhāraṇa (emphasis/for)

• kārtikīm: the Kārtikī (observance)
• kārtikīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtikī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया, Accusative), Ekavacana (Singular)

• kurvan: doing; performing
• kurvan: Kartā (कर्ता/Agent; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Vartamāna-kṛdanta (Present active participle/वर्तमान कृदन्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Kartā (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• yāti: goes; attains
• yāti: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (या धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present/लट्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• hareḥ: of Hari (Vishnu)
• hareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/Genitive), Ekavacana

• padam: abode; state; feet
• padam: Karma (कर्म/Object; goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/Accusative), Ekavacana

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kārtika-vrata / Kārtikī observance

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It states that the Kārtikī observance gains its highest spiritual potency when performed at a tīrtha, culminating in attaining Hari’s abode (mokṣa-oriented fruit).

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

By linking the Kārtikī vrata directly to “Hareḥ padam,” it frames the vow as a bhakti-centered discipline where sacred-place worship and observance are presented as a direct means to Viṣṇu’s grace and liberation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It emphasizes ritual application (kalpa/ācāra): choosing the proper deśa (tīrtha) and kāla (Kārtika) for vrata performance to maximize prescribed spiritual results.