Kartik Masa Mahatmay

As per the Skanda Purana, this month is especially dear to Lord Krishna and is considered to be the holiest of all months. During this month, devotees offer lamp to Lord Damodara and recite the beautiful prayer called Damodarashtaka, which was spoken by Satyavrata muni which attracts the Supreme Lord Himself. In Hari Bhakti Vilasa, Srila Sanatana Goswami quotes from various puranas, the glories of observing Deepotsava festival in Kartik month. The following are some of the glories of offering a lamp to Lord Krishna, during the month of Kartik. When one offers a lamp during the month of Karttika, his sins in many thousands and millions of births perish in half an eyeblink. By offering a lamp during the month of Karttika one attains a pious result ten million times greater than the result obtained by bathing at Kuruksetra during a solar eclipse or by bathing in the river Narmada during a lunar eclipse. For a person who thus offers a lamp burning with ghee or sesame oil, what is the use of performing an asvasmedha-yajna? Even if there are no mantras, no pious deeds, and no purity, everything becomes perfect when a person offers a lamp during the month of Karttika. A person who during the month of Karttika offers a lamp to Lord Kesava has already performed all yajnas and bathing in all holy rivers. The ancestors say: When someone in our family pleases Lord Kesava by offering to Him a lamp during the month of Karttika, then, by the mercy of the Lord who holds the Sudarsana-cakra in His hand, we will all attain liberation. By offering a lamp during the month of Karttika one burns away a collection of sins as big as Mount Meru or Mount Mandara. Of this there is no doubt. To one who either at home or in a temple offers Him a lamp during the month of Karttika, Lord Vasudeva gives a great result. A person who, after taking birth in the world of human beings, offers a lamp to Lord Krishna during the month of Karttika becomes very glorious and fortunate. A person who offers a lamp during the month of Karttika attains a result that cannot be obtained with even a hundred yajnas or a hundred pilgrimages. Even a person addicted to all sins and averse to all pious deeds who somehow offers a lamp during Karttika becomes purified. Of this there is no doubt. A person who offers a lamp to Lord Krishna during Karttika attains the eternal spiritual world where there is no suffering. A person who offers a lamp in a temple of Lord Vishnu during the month of Karttika attains eternal wealth, good children, fame, and glory. In the Padma Purana it is said: One who offers a steady lamp to Lord Hari during the month of Karttika enjoys pastimes in Lord Hari's splendid spiritual world.