Shloka 23

Kārtika-Māhātmya

The Greatness of Kārtika

Devanagari script

कार्तिकः प्रवरो मासो विष्णोश्चापि प्रियः सदा । अव्रतो हि क्षिपेद्यस्तु मासं दामोदरप्रियम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

kārtikaḥ pravaro māso viṣṇoścāpi priyaḥ sadā | avrato hi kṣipedyastu māsaṃ dāmodarapriyam || 23 ||

Translation

Ang Kārtika ang pinakadakilang buwan at laging mahal kay Viṣṇu. Ngunit sinumang palampasin ang buwang ito—na minamahal ni Dāmodara—nang walang pagtupad ng mga panata (vrata), tunay na sinasayang niya ito.

Word by Word

• kārtikaḥ: Kārtika (month)
• kārtikaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• pravaraḥ: excellent; best
• pravaraḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• māsaḥ: month
• māsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also; even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि (also/even)

• priyaḥ: dear; beloved
• priyaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• avrataḥ: one without observance (non-votary)
• avrataḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular); नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-निषेध (one without vow/observance)

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक (indeed/for)

• kṣipet: would cast away; should waste/throw away
• kṣipet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣip (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/optative sense in injunctional style), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular: ‘should cast/throw away’)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Relative pronoun, nominative singular)

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• māsam: the month
• māsam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• dāmodara-priyam: dear to Dāmodara (Vishnu)
• dāmodara-priyam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāmodara (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘dear to Dāmodara’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular; qualifying ‘māsam’)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Kārtika-māhātmya context of Uttara-bhāga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kārtika-vrata (Dāmodara-māsa observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Damodara

FAQs

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

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.

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

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.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

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.