Karttika: The Month of Love and Devotion

By Dharmana Chandramouli
After going through the intense summer and a humid monsoon, we in India perceiving one of the most beautiful seasons of the year. According to the Vedic calendar, Sarat falls during the months of Asvin and Karttika, of which Karttika carries special significance. Everyone loves certain foods, drinks, clothes, and music, and Lord Krishna also has no exception. Krishna loves butter, yellow clothing, peacock feathers, cows, flutes, and the land of Vrindavan. Similarly, of all months, He loves Karttika the best.


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A Month of Love and Devotion 

Devotional service can be performed at any time, in any place, yet devotees know well that devotional service performed during Karttika is especially pleasing to the Lord. Therefore they perform additional austerities and devotional practices during this month. Although the Vedic scriptures describe in detail material benefits one may derive by performing devotional service during Karttika, pure devotees of Lord Krishna have no interest in these. rather, they are interested only in pleasing the Lord. They daily sing the Damodarastakam prayers and offer heartfelt love and devotion as they circle ghee lamps before the Lord. Throughout the month they are so immersed in the childhood pastimes of Krishna as Damodara that you can hear them constantly sing about them.


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Glories of the Month of Karttika

[From Gopala Bhatta Gosvami’s Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Sixteenth Vilasa, Volume One]

In The Skanda Purana it is said: “The pious result obtained by bathing in all holy places and giving all charities is not equal to one ten-millionth part of the result obtained by following the vow of Karttika.”

In the Padma Purana it is said: “Of the twelve months, Karttika is the most dear to Lord Krishna. To anyone who even slightly worships Lord visnu during its time, the month of Karttika gives residence in Lord visnu’s transcendental abode.”

“Lord Krishna is pleased by the offering of a single lamp during the month of Karttika. Lord Krishna glorifies anyone who lights a lamp for someone else to offer.”

“O tiger of sages, a person who during the month of Karttika hears the topics of Lord Hari becomes free from the sufferings of hundreds and millions of births.”

“They who during the month of Karttika bathe, keep an all-night vigil, offer lamps, and protect a Tulasi forest attain spiritual forms like Lord Vishnu's.”

HAPPY KARTTIKA :)

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