Shloka 51

Kārtika-Māhātmya

The Greatness of Kārtika

Devanagari script

विना सांख्येन योगेन स याति परमं पदम् । कार्तिके मंडलं दृष्ट्वा शौकरेः सूकरं शुभे ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

vinā sāṃkhyena yogena sa yāti paramaṃ padam | kārtike maṃḍalaṃ dṛṣṭvā śaukareḥ sūkaraṃ śubhe || 51 ||

Translation

Hỡi người nữ cát tường, dù không có Sāṅkhya và Yoga, người ta vẫn đạt đến cảnh giới tối thượng nhờ chiêm ngưỡng trong tháng Kārtika mạn-đà-la linh thiêng và Thánh Tướng Heo Rừng (Varāha) của Śaukara.

Word by Word

• vinā: without
• vinā: Apadana (अपादान/Separation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like: without)

• sāṃkhyena: by Sāṃkhya (knowledge)
• sāṃkhyena: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāṃkhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• yogena: by Yoga
• yogena: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• yāti: goes/attains
• yāti: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present indicative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• padam: state/abode
• padam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kārtike: in Kārtika (month)
• kārtike: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (मासे)

• maṃḍalam: the maṇḍala
• maṃḍalam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• śaukareḥ: of Śaukari (boar-related; of the boar)
• śaukareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaukara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• sūkaram: boar
• sūkaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• śubhe: O auspicious one
• śubhe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrating; verse addressed to a female interlocutor as 'śubhe')

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Kārttika-vrata (implied by kārtike)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Characters & Entities

• Varaha
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It emphasizes the extraordinary salvific power of Kārtika observances: mere darśana (devotional beholding) of the sacred maṇḍala and Varāha can grant the supreme goal, even without advanced philosophical Sāṅkhya or yogic practice.

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

Bhakti is presented as accessible and potent—devotional sight and reverence toward Viṣṇu’s Varāha form in the auspicious Kārtika period is declared sufficient to lead one to the highest abode.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied through the use of a maṇḍala and the timing in Kārtika—pointing to vrata-based worship rules and auspicious calendrical observance.