Kārtika-Māhātmya
The Greatness of Kārtika
इदं मया धर्मरहस्ययुक्तं विरंचये श्रीपतिना यथोक्तम् । प्रकाशितं तुभ्यमनन्यवाच्यं फलप्रदं माधवतुष्टिहेतुम् ॥ ८६ ॥
idaṃ mayā dharmarahasyayuktaṃ viraṃcaye śrīpatinā yathoktam | prakāśitaṃ tubhyamananyavācyaṃ phalapradaṃ mādhavatuṣṭihetum || 86 ||
హే విరంచ (బ్రహ్మా)! శ్రీపతి (విష్ణువు) చెప్పినట్లే ధర్మరహస్యంతో కూడిన ఈ ఉపదేశాన్ని నేను నీకు ప్రకటించాను. ఇది అందరికీ చెప్పదగినది కాదు; ఇది ఫలప్రదమై మాధవుని తృప్తికి కారణమగును.
A sage/narrator addressing Viraṅca (Brahmā), conveying Vishnu’s instruction (Śrīpati-yathoktam).
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
It frames the teaching as a dharma-rahasya (inner secret of dharma) received from Viṣṇu and emphasizes that its proper transmission and practice yields spiritual fruit and directly pleases Mādhava.
By stating that the teaching is “Mādhava-tuṣṭi-hetu,” it defines dharma’s highest success as what satisfies Viṣṇu—i.e., devotion expressed through faithful adherence to Viṣṇu-sanctioned instruction.
The verse highlights the discipline of authorized transmission (upadeśa-paramparā) and confidentiality of esoteric dharma (rahasya); it is more about right teaching-method and eligibility than a specific Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.