Kartik is the best of months
“As Satya Yuga is the best of ages,
as the Vedas are the best among scriptures ,
as Ganga is best of rivers,
so Kartik is the best of months, the most dear to Lord Krishna.”
(Skanda Purana)
There is no possibility to glorify sufficiently Kartika Masa. We’d had to say so many things.
Kartika is another name for Srimati Radharani and it’s Her months, which comes before Margasirsa, which is Krishna’s month.
brhat-sama tatha samnam
gayatri chandasam aham
masanam marga-sirso ’ham
rtunam kusumakarah
“Of the hymns in the Sama Veda I am the Brhat-sama, and of poetry I am the Gayatri. Of months I am Margasirsa (November-December), and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.”
The benefits of performing devotional activities in Kartika are multiplied. Therefore in Kartika one should minimize bodily activities and maximize spiritual activities, like chanting and reading.
Offering a lamp to Krishna during Kartika is very important.
Sastra says:
If one offers a lamp during the month of Kartika, his sins of many thousands and millions of births perish in half an eye blink.
Even if there is no mantras, no pious deeds, and no purity, everything becomes perfect when a person offers a lamp during the month of Kartika.
A person who during the month of Kartika offers a lamp to Lord Keshava has already performed all yajnas (sacrifice for the pleasure of the Lord) and bathing in al the holy rivers.
The ancestors say: when someone in our family pleases Lord Keshava by offering Him a lamp during the month of Kartika, then by the mercy of the Lord who holds the Sudarshan-Chakra in His hand, we will all attain liberation.
To one who either at home or in a temple offers a lamp during the month of Kartika, Lord Vasudeva gives a great result.
A person who offer a lamp to Lord Krishna during the month of Damodara (Kartika) becomes very glorious and fortune.
By offering a ghee lamp during the month of Kartika one burns away a collection of sins as big as Mount Meru or Mount Mandara. Of this there is no doubt.
No sins exist anywhere in the three worlds that will not be purified by offering a lamp to Lord Keshava during Kartika.
(Source: Skanda Purana)
A person who offers a lamp to Lord Damodara during Kartika attains the eternal spiritual world where there is no suffering.
One who offers a steady ghee lamp to Lord Hari during the month of Kartika enjoys pastimes in Lord Hari’s splendid spiritual world.
(Source: Padma Purana)
Of all gifts the gilt of a ghee lamp during the month of Kartika is the best. No gilt is its equal.
(Source: Narada Purana, in a conversation of Sri Mohini-devi and Sri Rukmangada)
Innumerable pastimes happens in Kartika. I’ll mentions only a few.
Govardhana-puja
All the Vrajavasis worshiped Giriraja Govardhana and performed Annakuta Mahotsava. Seeing this, Indra became very angry, created torrential rain, and Krsna cut his pride. In this month, Indra came and worshiped Krsna after his pride was cut, all the demigods performed kirtana, and Krsna received the name Govinda.
Saradiya rasa-lila
The first full moon of the autumn season marks the celebration of Krsna’s dancing with the gopis.
On this day the deities of Vrndavana are nicely decorated in white and Krsna lila dramas are enacted.
Because the moon is very auspicious, the Vrajavasis leave pots of sweet rice exposed to the full moon for the whole night, to turn the sweet rice into ambrosial amrta.
In this month, Krsna killed some demons like Sankasura.
Aristasura was also killed in this month and so Radha Kunda and Syama Kunda were manifest. This holy day is called Bahulastami.
In this month Akrura came to Vraja took Krsna and Balarama to Mathura. Krsna also killed Kamsa in this month.
In this month Krsna and Balarama performed the upanaya sanskara (sacred thread ceremony).
Sri Narada Rsi received the benediction from Krsna that those who will hear His sweet lila-katha in the places of His pastimes, especially during this Kartika month, will surely attain krsna-prema very soon.
Therefore during Kartika we should meditate on Radha Krishna and leave behind all material encumbrances.
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