The all-auspicious month of kartika

Just as the human form of life is very rare, short and uncertain too,In the same way, the month of Kärtika is short and  rare ,as it  comes only once in a year.

The month of Kärtika is the month of our, gauòéya vaiñëavas’, dearest Çrématé Rädhärané, Kärtikokirtidesvari, who is the queen of this month.

Because Rädhärané bound Kåñëa with the string of Her girdle on the full moon night of this month, the month of Kärtika is considered to be the most auspicious month of the year, and is very dear to the vaiñëavas, particularly to the gauòéya vaiñëavas.

Many Scriptures like Padma Puräëa, Skanda Puräëa and others have extensively glorified this month.

 dvädaçäsv api mäseñu kärtikaù kåñëa-vallabhaù
tasmin sampüjito viñëur alpakair apy upäyanaiù
dadäti vaiñëavaà lokam ity evaà niçcitaà mayä
yathä dämodaro bhakta vatsala vidita janaiù: tasyäyaà tädåço mäsaù svalpam apy urukärakaù
durlabho mänuño deho dehinäà kñaëa bhaìguraù; tatrapi durlabha kätari kärtiko hari vallabhaù
dipenäpi hi yaträsau préyate harir éçvarah; sugatià ca dadäty eva para dépa prabodhanät
(Padama Puräëa- Conversation between the Sages- Sanaka and Çré Närada)

“Of the twelve months of the year, the month of Kärtika is the most dear to Lord Kåñëa. When a vaiñëava performs even a small worship in this month, Lord gets pleased with him and grants him a place in His-loka undoubtedly. Just as Çré Kåñëa is famous as bhakta vatsala, the benefactor of His devotees, similarly the month of Kärtika is  benefactor to a person who performs even a little worship . Then what to speak of using/ offering Him many opulent ingredients/articles .  If one offers even a little lamp in this month, or  kindles even other person’s extinguished lamp, the Supreme Lord Hari gets pleased and bestows a good destination on the worshipper.”

It is Çrématé Rädhärané’s Grace   which makes month of Kärtika glorious and She is indeed the presiding goddess of this month, ürjeçvaré.  ürja is another name for the month of Kärtika, and its goodness is known as ürjeçvaré.

Spiritual Gains in the All-Auspicious month of Kärtika

1.Recipient of Lord’s Mercy::

The Lord is always Merciful. But in the month of Kärtika, He becomes all together more Merciful in a very special way.

 2.Auspiciousness in life ::

Yajïa (sacrifice), däna (charity) and tapaù (penances) purifies even manéñiëäm (those who are already advanced, knowledgeable), and should not be given up at any point of time.

 yajïa-däna-tapaù-karma
na tyäjyaà käryam eva tat
yajïo dänaà tapaç caiva
pävanäni manéñiëäm
(Bg 18.5)

The highest yajïa is Näma Yajïa. There are various types of däna (charity)- of food, grains, rice, money etc. but the highest form of charity is the charity of Spiritual Knowledge, and of them, the knowledge of Kåñëa Bhakti is higher than the knowledge of Viñëu Bhakti, andeven in Kåñëa Bhakti, the knowledge of Maïjaré Bhäva is the highest. Thus, these sacrifices, charity and penances are very auspicious and purify even the already purified souls at all times. (Anything which takes one closer to the Lord is auspicious). And when these Auspicious activities are done in Auspicious time, they become even more Auspicious, and doing them  at the most Auspicious Place-  increases  their Auspiciousness further. In other words, when yajïa, däna and tapaù are done in the Auspicious month of Kärtika, particularly at Braja Dhām, it is very very Auspicious.

3.Becoming Personified-Térthä ::

It is stated in Scriptures that if a person renders devotional service in Dhäma during the month of Kärtika, all térthas (Holy Places) enter into him and he becomes ‘Walking Tértha’- Personification of Holy Places.

4.Benefits of taking dips in all Holy Places ::

One who takes bath in Brahma Mühurta (1.5 hrs before sunrise) in the month of Kärtika gets all the benefits which one can get by taking bath in all the Holy Places.

5.Pleasing Forefathers::

It is known that even if one engages in Viñëu Bhakti, all forefathers become very happy and dance in ecstasy, that a vaiñëava is born in their family who would redeem them. So, when one engages in the highest form of devotion- maïjaré bhäva, particularly in the month of Kärtika, they get highly pleased.

The Month of Niyama Sevä (regulated service)

During the month of Kärtika-

• Stay in Dhäma and hear Hari Kaöhä from Pure Souls. There is no duty higher than this. In fact, one’s only duty is to understand that he has no duty other than serving Rädhä Kåñëa. If one fails to do vraja-väsa, still one should try to meet advanced devotees, associate with them and hear from them.
• Increase one’s daily sädhanä- reading of Scriptures, hearing, chanting etc. It is also said that one who does not increase his bhakti in Kärtika, all his japa, tapa etc. become fruitless.
• Take bath in brahma muhurta.
• Do Äraté daily, serve Deities by stringing garlands, tulasé chayana (plucking tulasé leaves), making eatables etc. for Them and offer ghee lamps daily.
• Engage oneself more and more in serving Guru and Vaiñëavas, serving food, grains, rice, gifts, money, taking devotees to Dhäma etc.
• Can do Dämodara-Añöakam and other Añöakams.
• Do kirtana with family members daily.
• Control lusty desires, observe complete celibacy.
• There are many saints who eat once in a day. One can do that. Even if one cannot, one should take Prasadam in Rädhä conscious way.
• Ekädaçés of Kärtika are very very auspicious. Three ekädaçés are there in the month ,one should try to keep all nirjala. If one fails to observe all ekädaçés nirjala, one should atleast observe last ekädaçé nirjala.
• Dvädaçé Palan- after last Ekädaçé of Kärtika, one should try to do Äraté of Rädhä Kåñëa in the morning, offer bhoga to the Deities, serve prasadam to vaiñëavas and then honour.

 

Kärtika at KARM-

At KARM, devotees welcome and celebrate Kärtika with great enthusiasm. They offer ghee lamps, serve devotees throughout the month. Many do Vraja-väsa, others make visits to Vraja- Çré Rädhäkuëòa frequently. Devotees get blessed with Dhäma Darçaëa with Çré Gurudeva.

There are many- devotees as well as non-devotees- who consider the month of Kärtika to be Auspicious- visit Dhäma, offer ghee lamps, observe fasting etc. but only those, who really know the importance of this month Kärtika and render devotional activities consciously, gain tremendous benefits for eternity.