Kartik Masam blog
Hinduism is not a religion, it is a way of life. In Hindu culture everything that we do is scientific. There is a reason behind everything that is done in a certain way. Over a period of time many of these rituals have been passed on to the next generation wrapped in some fancy explanation. As the tradition goes down from one generation to the other it suffers deterioration in its authenticity. Hence we refer to various Puranas to understand the significance of each ritual.
Ganga out of all the holy rivers, Vedas out of all the Shastras, Satya Yuga out of all the yugas and Kartik Masam out of all twelve months holds immense importance and significance in Hindu culture. If stories and legends have to be believed, each of them holds true as to why Karthik Masam is so important. Various communities have their own legends and their own explanations as to why Kartik Purnima is to be revered so much. Hence, saying that any particular story is the only reason behind Kartik month to be so auspicious would not be fair.
In most of the Hindu families there used to be a common practice of keeping a fast at least a day in a week to offer gratitude to the respective deity that particular day. However, with slow evaporation of our traditional values we can hardly notice people keeping fast these days. However it is believed that anyone who follows the rules of Urja-vrat and devotes himself to the selfless service of Lord Krishna for the entire month of Karthika receives the divine blessings of the lord in abundance, the effects of which never fades.
Diwali, Dhanteras, Karthigai Deepam/Karthik Purnima, chhath, govardhan puja, bhai duj and many more festivals fall in karthik masam. These festivals increase the importance of this month all the more. It is believed that one should accept the least and offer the most during. According to our Puranas, during the month of Karthik our Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva exist together. Both devotees of Lord shiva and Vishnu worship their deities with great reverence and offer prayer and offerings selflessly. One who does not perform any ritual in this holy month is regarded as a fool. So anyone and everyone should willfully partake in the rituals of Karthika month according to his or her capacity. As per our holy Puranas one must wake up in the Brahma muhurtham and take shower with cold water daily. During this month one must chant the names of the god and offer them lighted lamps in the evening. One must follow brahmacharya during this month which includes eating only Satvik food and avoiding intimacy with partners. One must observe fasting and offer food and and clothes and other needful things to poor people according to their capacity. This is the month of harvest. We can harvest the fruits of our sadhana effortlessly during karthika masam. One should not waste even a moment of this divine month and try to make the most out of it. One should devote himself/ herself to the selfless service of the lords. If one is able to make lord happy with their service, lord not only blesses the devotee but also his ancestors bear the fruits of his devotion.
According to the Padma Purana anyone and everyone should keep fast and do charity according to one’s financial capacity in the name of selfless service to the lord during this month. Karthik month is dearest to Lord Shri Krishna. Bathing in holy rivers, offering clothes, food and needful to the needy, Deepdaan and keeping urja-vrat or karthik vrat holds utmost significance during the month of Karthika. One can get the maximum blessing of Lord hari in kartik month. Even a little devotion can fetch utter blessings of the lord in karthika masam. By adhering to the rules and rituals of karthik vrat, one also brings peace and comfort to the souls of their ancestors. They say that if one observes karthik vrat, the doors of heaven opens up for their ancestors. The fruits of the blessing received upon following karthik vrat with utmost devotion alone is above all the sacrifices, pilgrimage, offerings or good deeds done over the ages. The blessings received in kartik month never fades.
Karthik month is the month of festivals. Diwali, dhanteras, govardhan, chhath puja and so many festivals occur during this month. Shrimati Radha Rani is the presiding deity of the kartik month. One should try to make small and big sacrifices like waking up early, sleeping on the floor than on the bed, lighting deepam, offering food, chanting mantras and japas and more. Listening to the story and shlokas from Shrimad Bhagavat Geeta has immense significance. Taking part in hari chanting and singing or playing hari bhajans also makes the lord very happy. One who reads Shrimad Bhagavat Geeta during kartik months gets the benefit of donating 100 cows. Every moment of karthika masam is very important which one should never let go waste. This is the month of devotion , sacrifice and selfless love towards God.
Padma Purana mentions the surprising significance of lighting the lamp during kartik month. One who offers deepam to Lord hari, gets freed from all his sins. Even if the sins of a person are as big as mount Sumeru, deep daan during karthik month can nullify all his sins. If one offers deep mala in temples during karthik month, upon death, Vishnudoots themselves come to escort the person. In fact, relighting the lamps which someone else has lighted and got turned off, can impress the lord.
According to Skanda purana, Lord Brahma tells Narad Maharishi one should follow Karthik vrat and listen to the narrations of Lord Sri Hari. By offering a ghee lamp to Lord Sri Krishna and Shri Radha rani in the month of Kartik will be freed from all kinds of sins and the person will go to the Abode of Lord Hari. One should daily light a lamp to Tulasi Devi and pray for eternal residence in Vrindavan and eternal service of the Lotus feet of Radha and Krishna. One must follow brahmacharya. If somebody performs even a little worship of Lord Sri Hari in this month gets the maximum benefit. One should do cows seva. One should sleep less and never do any kind of anger ego or eat anything non vegetarian or alcohol.
What is the point of lighting a lamp this month? it is not just about lighting a lamp, it is the beginning of what we refer to as the kaivalya padha. Karthika masam is significant because now it is moving into what is called kaivalya padha that means this was all the time of ploughing and cultivating, now its the time for harvest. In this month the lighting of lamps is the indicator of enlightenment awareness consciousness and ultimate liberation. This is symbolised by the lamps that we light. In Karthika masam they say that we must double the lamp that we light because one thing is that the day has become shorter, the other thing is that we are multiplying the light in our life.
Karthik purnima is celebrated on the full moon day of the Shukla paksha of Karthika month. It is also known as Tripuri Purnima. It is believed that Lord Vishnu incarnated in the form of Matsya (Fish) on the day of Karthik Purnima. Another legend tells that Lord Shiva defeated a demon called Tripurasura on Karthika Pournami, hence the name Tripuri Purnima. It is also known as deva deepawali as all the Devatas celebrate this day in heaven by lightning several deepams. In South India this festival is celebrated as Karthigai Deepam. Across India there is an immense significance of taking bath in holy rivers and lighting lamps on karthigai deepam or Karthik Purnima.
Karthigai deepam or karthik purnima is the day when every family, however rich or poor, lights a lamp in front of their houses to participate in the celebration of such divinity. Let’s take a vow to light a lamp for ourselves, for the ones we love and for the ones we don’t love.
