Kartika Masa Vishesha Aacharana Krama
November 8, 2021
Kartika Masa Aacharana (Until December 4, 2021)
With the blessings of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam and Jagadguru Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam, special observances are being taken up during the Kartika Masa (as per the Chandramana Panchanga).
All Astikas are requested to adhere to the below recommended observances during the entire Kartika Masa, and become a recipient of the Grace of Bhagavan and the Jagadgurus.
Significance of Kartika Masa
In our Sanatana Sampradaya, every masa has its own significance. Among these, Kartika masa is acclaimed for engaging in Dharmic deeds.
कार्तिके मासि यो दद्यात् घृतदीपं शिवाग्रतः ।
संपूज्यमानं वा पश्येत् विधिना परमेश्वरम् ॥kārtike māsi yo dadyāt ghṛtadīpaṃ śivāgrataḥ ;
saṃpūjyamānaṃ vā paśyet vidhinā parameśvaram .पूजयेत् यः शिवं रुद्रं शर्वं भवमजं सकृत् ।
स याति शिवसायुज्यं पुनरावृत्तिवर्जितम् ॥pūjayet yaḥ śivaṃ rudraṃ śarvaṃ bhavamajaṃ sakṛt ;
sa yāti śivasāyujyaṃ punarāvṛttivarjitam .पूजितं वा महादेवं पूज्यमानमथापि वा ।
दृष्ट्वा प्रयाति वै मर्त्यो ब्रह्मलोकं न संशयः ॥pūjitaṃ vā mahādevaṃ pūjyamānamathāpi vā ;
dṛṣṭvā prayāti vai martyo brahmalokaṃ na saṃśayaḥ .कार्तिक्यां शुक्लपक्षस्य या सा पुण्या चतुर्दशी ।
तस्यां संपूज्य देवेशं देवदेवमुमापतिम् ।
जप्त्वाऽथर्वशिरो यस्तु ब्रह्महत्यां व्यपोहति ॥kārtikyāṃ śuklapakṣasya yā sā puṇyā caturdaśī ;
tasyāṃ saṃpūjya deveśaṃ devadevamumāpatim ;
japtvā’tharvaśiro yastu brahmahatyāṃ vyapohati .
The Kartika Masa Mahatmya in the Shiva Mahapurana states that man will become free of various kinds of afflictions and become prosperous by offering worship to Lord Shiva in the Kartika masa.
कार्तिके देवयजनं सर्वभोगप्रदं भवेत् ।
व्याधीनां हरणं चैव भवेद्भूतग्रहक्षयः ॥kārtike devayajanaṃ sarvabhogapradaṃ bhavet ;
vyādhīnāṃ haraṇaṃ caiva bhavedbhūtagrahakṣayaḥ .
As Dharmic practices attain great significance during the Kartika Masa, it has been our tradition to engage in many such practices during this month including Tirtha Snana, charity, worship of devatas such as Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Lord Surya etc., Annadana, lighting lamps in temples, undertaking Tirtha Yatras, Ekadashi Upavasa, Tulasi Puja, special Puja to Lord Shiva on Mondays, Deepotsava on the Poornima day at a Shiva temple etc.
कार्तिके मासि यः कुर्यात् स्नानं दानं च पूजनं |
विप्राणां भोजनं चैव वर्धते वटबीजवत् ||kārtike māsi yaḥ kuryāt snānaṃ dānaṃ ca pūjanaṃ |
viprāṇāṃ bhojanaṃ caiva vardhate vaṭabījavat ||
Signifying the importance of removing the darkness of ignorance by the light of knowledge, it has also been a practice to light lamps in front of our homes for the entire month that starts immediately after the Deepavali festival.
Along with worship of Lord Shiva, worship of Lord Vishnu is also advocated in the Kartika masa indicating that the same Divine Consciousness sports as both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The Ksheeraabdhi Dvadashi, renowned for worship of Lord Vishnu and doing Tulasi Puja and the Poornima day commemorating the victory of Lord Shiva over Tripurasura, occur during the Shukla Paksha of Kartika Masa.
Devotees are requested to adhere to Dharmic observances during this Kartika Masa, chant the various Stotras and attain Shreyas.
V R Gowrishankar
Text and Audio
Text and audio for the stotras is available from the link below. Currently text is published only in the Kannada script. Devanagari, Telugu and other scripts will shortly be published.