Kartik Month Story Chapter 3, Kartik Month Story Chapter 3 in English
Satyabhama said: Oh Lord! You are omnipresent in all times and all times are equal before You, then why is this Kartik month the best among all months? Why do you call Ekadashi your favorite among all the dates and Kartik month among all the months? Give the reason for this.
Shri Krishna said: O Bhamini! You have asked a very good question. I'll give you the answer, listen carefully.
Similarly, once King Prithu, son of Maharaja Ben, had asked a question to Devarshi Narad in response to a question and while answering...
..Narad ji told him the glory of Kartik month and said: Oh King! Once upon a time, a demon named Shankha had become very powerful and tyrannical. His atrocities created panic in all three worlds. That Shankhasura conquered the gods residing in heaven and snatched away the rights of Indradi gods and Lokpalas.
Fearing him, all the gods along with their family members hid in the caves of Mount Sumeru for many days. After that, they became relaxed and started living in the caves of Mount Sumeru.
On the other hand, when Shankhasura came to know that the gods were happily residing in the caves of Mount Sumeru, he thought that there must be some divine power due to which these powerless gods are still strong.
After thinking, he came to the conclusion that the gods are becoming stronger due to the power of Veda mantras. If the Vedas are taken away from them, they will become powerless. Thinking this, Shankhasur quickly took away the Vedas from Brahmaji's Satyalok. While being taken by him, they escaped from his clutches out of fear and drowned in the water. Shankhasura entered the ocean in search of Veda mantras and Beej mantras but he neither found Veda mantras nor Beej mantras.
When Shankhasur returned disappointed from the ocean, at that time Brahmaji along with all the gods took the worship material and took shelter of Sri Vishnu and to wake up the Lord from deep sleep, he started singing and playing songs and started worshiping him again and again with incense, fragrance etc. . When incense, lamp, naivedya etc. were offered, Sri Hari Vishnu woke up from his sleep and was very happy to see Brahmaji along with the gods worshiping Him.
..and started saying: I am very happy with this kirtan and invocation of you people. You ask for your desired boon, I will definitely grant it. Those people who will wake up and worship me in Brahmamuhurta from Ashwin Shukla Ekadashi to Devotthan Ekadashi, they will get happiness like you because of being happy with me. The materials like padya, ardhya, achaman and water etc. that you have brought for me will be of infinite qualities and will benefit you. The entire Vedas lost by Shankhasura are located in water. I will kill Sagar's son Shankhasura and bring those Vedas immediately. From today onwards, I will take rest in water every year in the month of Kartik along with Mantra-Beej and Vedas.
Now I take the form of a fish and go into the water. All you gods also come with me in the water along with the sages. In this month of Kartik, all the best people who take bath in the morning, take bath thoroughly by bathing in the ashes of Yagya.
Hey Devendra! Keep giving all kinds of money, sons, daughters etc. to those observing fast in the month of Kartik and protect them from all the objections. Oh rich man Kuber! According to my orders, you should increase their wealth because a person who behaves like this becomes free from life by taking my form. The person who observes this good fast from birth till death is worshipable by you too.
You people have woken me up on the Ekadashi date of Kartik Shukla Paksha, hence this date is very precious and honorable for me.
O gods! By observing both these fasts regularly, people attain my company. The results obtained by observing these fasts are not obtained from any other fast. Therefore, to remain happy and healthy, every person should follow the above mentioned rules while listening to the story of Kartik Mahatmya and Ekadashi.
