The Significance of the Month of Kartika

The Significance of the Month of Kartika
(Kartika Month: From Sharad Poornima to Kartika Poornima)
Sutaji said to the great sages: The sin-destroying month of Kartika is
said to be endowed with divine influence. It is ever so dear to Lord
Vishnu and is the bestower of both worldly pleasures and moksha.
The five rituals associated with the vrata of Kartika are ?remaining
awake at night in the proximity of (idol of) Lord Vishnu, taking a
bath before sunrise, being engaged in the service of the Tulsi plant,
offering lighted lamps and bringing the vrata to its due ceremonial
conclusion.
One who observes the Kartika-vrata by meticulously following these
five rituals earns full merits of the same. The merits earned from
this vrata are said to bring worldly pleasures as well as Moksha.
O excellent amongst sages, Shaunakji! Once having been asked by
Kartikeyaji, Lord Mahadeva described the supreme significance of the
Kartika-vrata, Son ?Kartikeya! One who takes a bath before sunrise in
the pious month of Kartika is absolved of all sins. If one abstains
from having food earned by others during Kartika, one earns the
benefits of observing Kricchavrata on a daily basis. During Kartika
one should abstain from consumption of honey, eating in bronze
utensils and indulging in sex.
By sleeping on the ground during Kartika, one is entitled to the same
religious merits as are obtainable by donating a piece of land to
Brahmins during solar and lunar eclipses.
In the month of Kartika, one should worship a Brahmin-couple after
serving them food. One should also offer blankets, shawls, mattresses,
a variety of ornaments and clothes according to one?s capacity. It has
also been ordained by the scriptures to offer shoes and umbrellas in
charity.
A person eating on a pattal during Kartika will not face misery for
the length of time equivalent to the rule of fourteen Indras. He earns
the religious merits earned by all pilgrimages, and all his wishes are
fulfilled. (Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda: Chapter 120)
In the month of Kartika the practice of giving sesame seeds in
charity, bathing in a river, serving holy men, and having food on
Palash leaves leads to salvation. One who observes Mauna Vrata in the
month of Kartika, takes food on Palash leaves, takes a bath with water
mixed with sesame-seeds, practises the virtue of forgiveness and
sleeps on the ground, is absolved of all sins accumulated over
innumerable previous births.
In this samsara, especially in Kaliyuga, only those people are blessed
who are constantly engaged in the worship of Sri Hari for the final
deliverance of their manes. By virtue of their devotion to Lord Sri
Hari, they get their dead ancestors liberated from hell. If one bathes
Lord Vishnu with milk, etc. for the sake of one?s manes, the virtues
attained therefrom propel the manes to heaven, where they can dwell
with the gods for ten million Kalpas.
One who retains the Tulsi leaves in the mouth, on the head and body as
the Lord?s blessings (Prasad), remains free from the afflictions of
Kaliyuga. Worship of Tulsi in the Kartika month is a bestower of great
virtues. The religious merits obtained from bathing at Prayag, death
in Kashi and study of the scriptures are available simply through the
worship of the Tulsi plant.
Anyone plucking Amla tree leaves during Kartika and Tulsi leaves on
the 12th lunar day falls into the worst of hells. One who takes food
under the shade of an Amla tree in Kartika is relieved of all
food-related doshas (doshas accrued due to consumption of food that is
impure or left by others) accumulated over the whole year.