कार्तिक पूर्णिमा और देव दीपावली: पूजा विधि और कथा

There was an asura named Tarakasura, whom Kartikeya, the son of Shiva, defeated in battle. He had three sons, Tarakaksha, Kamalaksha and Vidyunmali, who together are called Tripurasura. To avenge their father they performed hard austerities and pleased Brahma. They wanted the boon of immortality, but Brahma told them that whatever is born must die and asked for another boon. So they asked for three cities that move through the sky, and that these cities come into one line only once in a thousand years; whoever could pierce all three with a single arrow at that moment would be the cause of their death. Brahma said, so be it.

The demon-architect Maya built three cities for them, one of gold, one of silver and one of iron. Because of these three puras they were called Tripurasura. The boon made them drunk with power. They drove the gods out of heaven, stopped the sacrifices and tormented the sages. The story says that for a time dharma lived even in their cities, but pride in their strength consumed it. The gods, finding no other way, took refuge in Shiva.

Shiva heard their plea. The gods made him a wonderful chariot: the earth became the chariot, the sun and moon its wheels, Brahma the charioteer, Mount Meru the bow and Vishnu himself the arrow. When the three cities came into line in the sky, for that one moment, Shiva loosed the arrow and all three puras were burnt at once. From that day Shiva is called Tripurari, the enemy of the three cities. This victory is held to have taken place on Kartik Shukla Purnima.

The meaning is also read this way: the three cities are the three bonds of body, mind and ego, which look beautiful and strong like gold, silver and iron. Only when the three come into one line does the moment arrive inside the seeker when a single glance can pierce them all. This is the tradition's reading, not part of the narration.

After the victory the gods lit lamps on the ghats of the Ganga at Kashi and celebrated. It is from this memory that Kartik Purnima is called Dev Deepawali. As the Deepawali of the new moon belongs to people, this full moon is held to belong to the gods. Even today the ghats of Varanasi are lined with lakhs of lamps on this night, and all over the country people set lamps on the Ganga, the Yamuna, a lake or the courtyard of the home.

The Vaishnava tradition also takes this full moon as the day of the Matsya avatar of Vishnu. In the story, at the time of the great flood, Vishnu took the form of a fish to guard the Vedas and the seeds of life, and carried Manu's boat safely across. Regions differ about the date of this avatar, so take it here as one view of the tradition. For this reason the Satyanarayan puja and the worship of Vishnu are held especially fitting on this day.

The whole month of Kartik is also called Damodar masa. In it devotees keep the discipline of a morning bath, service of tulsi, lamp-giving and remembrance of Vishnu. The full moon is the completion of that discipline, so whoever has bathed and given lamps all month closes it on this day. Those who could not keep the whole month can still complete their devotion through the rite of this one day.

Preparation: the day before the full moon, clean the house and wash the place of worship. Gather the materials: Ganga water, panchamrit, yellow cloth, sandal paste, turmeric, roli, akshat, flowers, tulsi leaves, bel leaves, incense, fruit, panjiri or sweets, lamps of ghee or sesame oil, clay diyas and wicks. For the deep-daan keep as many lamps as you can afford, at least eleven or twenty-one.

Morning bath: rise before sunrise and bathe in a sacred river. Go to the Ganga, the Yamuna or any river or lake of your region. Where that is not possible, bathe at home with a little Ganga water mixed into the bath water and remember the rivers. After the bath offer water to the rising sun. For those who have bathed by rule through all of Kartik, this is the last bath of the month.

Sankalp: after the bath, in clean clothes, take water, akshat and a flower in the hand and make the vow that they are keeping the Kartik Purnima fast and puja with faith. According to your strength decide on a fast with no food, with fruit only, or with sattvic food through the day. The fast is not compulsory for everyone; the elderly, the ill and women who are pregnant should keep a simpler rule suited to their condition.

Worship of Shiva: at the place of worship set a Shivling or a picture of Shiva. Perform the abhishek with water, milk, panchamrit and then Ganga water, offer bel leaves, white flowers and sandal paste, and show incense and a lamp. Chant 'Om Namah Shivaya' for a mala or as much as you can, and remember Shiva as Tripurari. Tulsi is not offered to Shiva.

Worship of Vishnu and Satyanarayan: then on a yellow cloth set an image or picture of Vishnu or Satyanarayan. Bathe it with panchamrit, apply sandal, and offer yellow flowers and tulsi leaves. Chant 'Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya'. Hearing or holding the Satyanarayan katha at home on this day is held in the tradition to be most auspicious; after the katha share the prasad of panjiri or halwa. The katha is in this library.

Tulsi: pour water on the tulsi plant, light a lamp and walk around it. Service of tulsi counts for much in Kartik. The Tulsi Vivah can be held on any day up to this full moon; those who have not yet held it may do so on this day. Follow the rules for plucking leaves, and pluck the leaves you need for the puja beforehand.

Deep-daan: the time for giving lamps in the tradition is pradosh, the hours after sunset. The timing is in the box above. Fill the diya with ghee or sesame oil and set the wick. Light the first lamp before Shiva, then beside Vishnu and the tulsi, then at the door of the house, in the courtyard, on the roof and under a peepal or other sacred tree. Those who live near a river or lake set lamps on leaves and float them on the water; take care that the water is not polluted, so keep to clay lamps and natural materials only.

Moon sighting and arghya: at night, when the full moon is seen, offer it water or milk as arghya and look at it for a while with a quiet mind. For the Moon the chant is 'Om Somaya Namah'. It is said that the light of this full moon holds steadiness, which makes it a good time to calm the mind.

Daan: in the tradition charity given on this day is held to bear many times its fruit. According to your means give grain, clothes, blankets, sesame, ghee, jaggery, lamps and dakshina. Give to brahmins, to the needy and to a gaushala. Feed the cow fodder and jaggery. The best gift is one given quietly and without show.

Closing: at night do the aarti and give prasad to the whole family. Next day break the fast with sattvic food. Those who took a vow for the whole month give thanks for its completion and ask forgiveness for any lapse.

Do's and don'ts: keep the day sattvic, avoid anger, quarrels and harsh words, and keep away from meat, liquor and tamasic food. Sleeping in the day, hurting anyone and hurrying through the puja are not thought well of. What matters most is the feeling; even if materials are few and the puja short, a lamp and a remembrance offered with faith are held to be complete.

According to tradition the Kartik Purnima bath, lamp-giving and charity are held to wear down sin and add to merit. It is said that whoever remembers both Shiva and Vishnu on this day receives the grace of both, for Kartik Purnima is also sung as the day of the meeting of Hari and Har. These are beliefs about the fruit, not a promise of results; the most solid gain of the day is that a whole family sits together through a lovely day of puja, lamps and giving.