Significance of Karthika Masam

Karthika masam  is the eighth lunar month of Indian Astrology. It comes around November of Gregorian calender. Karthika masam is considered very sacred and there are many reasons for it.

Importance of Karthika masam

• Lord Vishnu goes to sleep on Ashadha suddha ekadashi and wakes-up on Karthika suddha ekadashi
• Lord Shiva kílled Tripurasuras on Karthika pournami and protected the world
• In this month Ganga (Godess of river Ganges) enters in to all rivers, canals, ponds and wells and makes them as pious as Ganga.
• Ayyappa deeksha is also taken in Karthika masam and is continued up to Makara Sankranthi (Jan 15th)

Significance of each day in Karthika Masam: 

Padyami:1st day of Karthika Masam.Should go to Lord Siva or Lord Vishnu temple to pray them to give strength to do the puja for the whole month. This is the Day we start lighting Akasa Deepam. The Lamp you light either at the entrance of your house or at Siva or Vishnu temple 

Vidiya: 2nd day of karthika masam. Brother should go to his sister's house on this auspicious day and eat the food cooked by her and bestow her with blessings and gifts

Thadiya: 3rd day of the month. Good Day to do Thrilochana Guri Vratham.. Those who are unable to do the Vrath can do Kumkuma archana or Puja to Maa Parvathi on this day

Chavithi: 4th Day is Chavithi. It is said to be Nagula Chavithi in Andhra. On this day its good to worship Lord Subramanya swamy (Murugan)

Panchami: 5th day is Panchami, also known as Jnana Panchami. Need to do archana for Lord Subramanya swamy.

Shasti: 6th Day is Shasti. Should not eat your favorite items today

Saptami: 7th Day is Sapthami: Pray to Lord Surya (Sun God) and donate tie wheat in a red color cloth and donate

Ashtami: 8th Day is Ashtami, also known as Gopala ashtami, Need to do puja to Go matha (Holy Cow)

 

Navami: 9th Day is Navami, good to start Vishnu Thri rathra vratham, which need to be done for 3 days. Its good to do puja for Lord Vishnu in the evening and Night time.

 

Dasami: 10th Day is Dasami, pray to Lord Vishnu today

Ekadasi: 11th Day is Ekadasi, Do fasting (Upavasam) and break the fast on Dwadasi.

 

Dwadasi: 12th Day is Dwadasi, known as Khseerabdi Dwadasi . Lord Vishnu will wake up from his yoga nidra on this day. Do Puja to Lord vishnu. Good to do Puja under Gooseberry tree or Tulsi plant.

 

Trayodasi: 13th Day is Trayodasi, Good day to skip dinner. Auspicious to donate Saligrama Sila

Chathurdasi: 14th Day is Chathurdasi, good to donate Iron and Sesame today, Not to eat your favorite food

Pournami: 15th Day is Pournami. Need to do Nadi Snanam (Taking Bath in River). Do puja to Lord Varuna. Auspicious to light diya at Lord Siva or Vishnu temple. It brings a lot of good even if you see the deepa at the temple

 

Bahula Padyami: 16th Day is Bahula Padyami. Not to eat stocked food and curd

Vidiya: 17th Day is Vidiya. Good day to do Vana Bhojanam. It is said that offering prayers to Lord Vishnu under Gooseberry tree and then having food there with relatives and friends will bring great benefits.

Thadiya: 18th Day is Thadiya. Good to donate Thulasi Mala to Bramhin

Chavithi: 19th Day is Chavithi. Need to do pooja to Lord Vinayaka with Garika ( a type of grass, favorite for Ganapathi)

Panchami: 20th day is Panchami. Need to feed the animals, ants, birds etc

 

Shasti: 21st day is Shasti. Need to do Puja to Grama Devatha. Good to donate what ever you can depending on your status.

Saptami: 22nd Day is Sapthami. Need to do puja to Lord shiva with white Calotropis Gigantea (Jilledu in telugu, Erukku in tamil)

Ashtami: 23rd Day is Ashtami. Need to do puja for Kala bhirava with Vada ( Garelu in telugu)

Navami: 24th day is Navami. Good to donate water, red color saree, blouse piece, bangles etc

Dasami: 25th day is Dasami: Good to donate food , need to do upavasam (fasting)

Ekadasi: 26th day is Ekadasi: Doing Deeparadhana (lighting the Lamp), Listening to Puranas will give great benefits today

Dwadasi: 27th Day is Dwadasi: Good to donate food for the needy

Thrayodasi: 28th Day is Thrayodasi. Need to do puja to Navagraha. Good to do Fasting on the name of Navagraha

Chaturdasi: 29th Day is Chathurdasi. Today is known as Masa Siva rathri, Need to pray lord siva and doing fasting in day time is good.

Amavasya: 30th Day is Amavasya. Need to donate food on the name of pithru devathalu (the deceased). Good to do fasting. Last day of lighting Akasa Deepam. Need to light the lamp at temple and offer coconut to Lord.

 

Karthika puranam

The most important aspect of Karthika masam is hearing Karthika puranam. It is called as Karthika vratham. It normally includes the following rules:

• Waking up early in Brahmi muhartham (4.00A.M)
• Taking bath in rivers or ponds remembering Ganga
• Shiva puja / Damodara (Vishnu) puja
• Lighting Akasha deepam on sun-set
• Understanding Karthika puranam

Link for Karthika puranam in Telugu:

 http://www.teluguone.com/bhakti/Karthika-masam-Spl-Page/Karthika-puranam.html

Link for Karthika puranam in English:

http://astrologyforu.com/puranas/skanda-puranam/kartika-puranam/

Dos and Don'ts in Karthika Masam:

• Must take shower (including hair) daily.
• Must light deepam every evening and do pooja.
• Read one chapter in karthika puranam book everyday.It is even good to hear the story if someone is reading it loud.
• Prepare prasadam on Mondays, karthika poornima, koti somavaram and remaining days you can even keep some fruit as prasadam
• One should not eat Onion, garlic and non-veg food for the whole month.
• Should not use seasame oil for anything except for lighting diyas
• Should not eat urad dal
• Must take meal only once per day for the 30 days. We can eat breakfast at nights or at least, we must follow this on auspicious days like Mondays,karthika poornima, koti somavaram etc.

Below is the elaborate description of different worships done in Karthika masam. All of these are not compulsory but if done will give enormous spiritual wealth.

Tithi	Tithi devta and Puja	Phalam (Benefit)
Karthika suddha Padyami	Lord Shiva	Tejas (Glory)
Karthika suddha Vidiya	Lord Vishnu	Santhi (Peace of mind)
Karthika suddha Tadiya	Shakti	Aishwarya prapthi (Wealth)
Karthika suddha Chavithi	Naga devathas / Lord Subrahmanyeswara	Ayush and Arogya prapthi (Longevity and Health)
Karthika suddha Panchami	Lord Subrahmanyeswara	Karya siddhi (Success in work)
Karthika suddha Shasthi	Lord Subrahmanyeswara	Santhana prapthi (Children)
Karthika suddha Sapthami	Lord Surya (Sun)	Tejas and Arogya (Glory and Health)
Karthika suddha Ashtami	Godess Durga	Sankata nivarana (Relief from Miseries)
Karthika suddha Navami	Pithru devathas	Kutumba soukhyam (Happy family)
Karthika suddha Dasami	Lord Ganesh / Gajendra moksha parayana for Lord Vishnu	Relief from Obstacles
Karthika suddha Ekadashi	Lord Shiva	Karya siddhi (Success in work)
Karthika suddha Dwadashi	Lord Vishnu	Dhana dhanya vriddhi (Wealth and Good life)
Karthika suddha Trayodashi	Lord Vishnu	Tejas (Glory)
Karthika suddha Chaturdashi	Lord Kala Bhairava	Akala mruthyu haranam (Relief from sudden Deaths)
Karthika suddha Pournami	Lord Shiva / Lord Krishna	Moksha
Karthika bahula Pdyami	Lord Agni (Fire)	Tejas (Glory)
Karthika bahula Vidiya	Ashwani devathas (Two Doctors of Gods)	Arogya (Health)
Karthika bahula Tadiya	Gauri (Parvathi)	Soubhagya (Good for Husband and Children)
Karthika bahula Chavithi	Lord Ganesh	Kutumba saukhyam (Gives happy family life)
Karthika bahula Panchami	Lord Subrahmanyeswara	Vijaya (Victory)
Karthika bahula Shasthi	Lord Subrahmanyeswara	Santhana vriddhi (Children)
Karthika bahula Sapthami	Lord Surya	Ayush and Arogya (Longevity and Health)
Karthika bahula Ashtami	Ashta Lakshmi	Santhi (Peace)
Karthika bahula Navami	Godess Durga	Karya siddhi (Success everywhere)
Karthika bahula Dasami	Ashta dikpalakas (Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirruthi, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, Eeshana[Shiva])	Keerthi (Fame)
Karthika bahula Ekadashi	Kubera	Dhana prapthi (Money)
Karthika bahula Dwadashi	Lord Vishnu	Yoga prapthi (Eternal unity)
Karthika bahula Trayodashi	Lord Yama	Vyadhi nivarana (Relief from severe diseases)
Karthika bahula Chaturdashi	Mruthyunjaya (A form of Lord Shiva)	Arogya (Relief from diseases and Healthy body and mind)
Karthika bahula Amavasya	Pithru devathas	Mano dhairyam (Mental stability)