This Khand covers the pages 610-1001 (390 pages) of the book. Importance of Badaree Naath; Gangaa; Tulasee, Shaaligraam, Prayaag Teerth, various kinds of Daan (charities); about Shani Dev; various Vrat; Ekaadashee of all months; worship of Yam Raaj and Dwaadashee Vrat; Vishnu Sahastranaam; story of devotee Pundareek; importance of Vishnu and various flowers to use in His worship; Shankhaasur, Kaarttik and Maagh Snaan and Vrat; Narasinh Chaturdashee; Geetaa; Bhaagvat Kathaa; Avataar stories - Matsya, Koorm, Narasinh, Vaaman, Parashuraam, Raam, and Krishn.

Kaarttik Maas Snaan

(p 756) King Prithu said - "Muni, You told me the importance of Kaarttik and Maagh Snaan, now tell me the method of Snaan and Udyaapan for them." Naarad Jee said - "Raajan, You are born from the part of Vishnu, that is why nothing is unknown to you, still I tell you. One should take Vrat on Aashwin Shukla Ekaadashee for Kaarttik Snaan. Vratee should get up 3 hours before dawn. Excrete, clean one's mouth and take bath. Then go to Vishnu or Shiv Temple and worship them with Bhakti. Sing Bhagavaan's devotional songs. Once I asked Bhagavaan - "Where do you live?" Bhagavaan said - "Neither I live in Vaikunth, nor I live in the hearts of Yogee. I live only where my Bhakt sing my praise. If people worship my Bhakt, I get so much pleased with them that I am not so much pleased even if they worship me. After worshipping, he should ask for forgiveness for any mistake in worship. Women and Shoodra should not take bath with Ved Mantra, they may use Puraan Mantra. Worship Braahman, Vishnu, Tulasee. Whatever fruit is got by taking bath in Prayaag, dying in Kaashee and studying Ved, the same is got by worshipping Tulasee. After that listen to Vishnu's Pauraanik stories."

Naarad Jee said - "Vratee should do Ann Daan, feed cows, talking to Vaishnav, ignite others lamps or raising the wick of their own or other's lamps in this month. He should not eat Urad, honey, Daal (pulses), sesame oil, onion, garlic, Heeng (asofoetida), carrot, lotus roots, raddish, leaves, Laukee (white gourd), and eggplant. He should not eat twice-heated food also. Vratee should follow Brahmcharya, sleep on floor, take food on leaves, and eat food once in the last part of the day. He should not massage oil, sleep on the bed, eat other's food, and eat food in Kaansaa pots. A Grihasth must not eat Aamalaa on all Sundays.

Rules for Maagh Snaan are also the same. This Vrat should be considered higher than Ashwamedh Yagya, because who does Ashwamedh yagya he goes to Swarg Lok, but who does this Kaarttik Snaan, he goes to Vaikunth Lok.

Udyaapan Method

Its Udyaapan (conclusion) should be done on Shukla Chaturdashee. Make a Mandap over Tulasee, decorate it with leaves etc, establish four gatekeepers (Punyasheel, Susheel, Jaya, and Vijaya) on its four gates and worship them. Establish a Kalash at the root of Tulasee, keep a coconut over it, and worship Lakshmee and Naraayan there. Bhagavaan got up on Dwaadashee, Devtaa saw Him on Trayodashee, and all worshipped Him on Chaturdashee, that is why He is worshipped on the same day. One should keep fast on that day, do Jaagaran and read Vishnu related stories. Next day, on Poornimaa, one should invite either 30 or one Braahman couple and feed them. Daan, Jap, Hom done on that day is eternal. After feeding them he should worship Tulasee and Vishnu again. This method is applicable for both Kaarttik and Maagh."

Naarad Jee said - "In Kaarttik Vrat Udyaapan, Vishnu is worshipped at the root of Tulasee. Tulasee is specially dear to Him. In whichever house Tulasee plants are there, Yam Doot do not go there. Narmadaa Darshan, Gangaa Snaan and living near Tulasee plants are same with regard of their fruits. Who worships either Vishnu or Shiv with Tulasee flowers (Manjaree), he never takes birth. Who dies with Tulasee flower or soil on his body, Yam Raaj cannot even look at him. Who worships with Aamalaa leaves and fruit, he gets the fruit of offering various golden flowers. In Kaarttik Maas, when Soorya is in Tulaa Raashi (Libra Sign), all Devtaa and Teerth live in Aamalaa tree. Who plucks Tulasee leaf on Dwaadashee and Aamalaa leaf in Kaarttik Maas, he falls in severe Narak. As it is difficult to describe the glory of Vishnu, in the same way it is difficult to describe the glory of Aamalaa and Tulasee."

Kaarttik Vrat-Upliftment of a Raakshas Woman

Prithu asked - "Muni, Please tell some story as who did this Vrat?" Naarad Jee said - "In earlier times, there lived a religious Braahman named Dharmdatt in Karaveer Pur on Sahya Parvat. He always worshipped Vishnu. He did Jaap of Dwaadash-letter Mantra  (12-letter Mantra - see it under "Some Special Mantra"). One day he went to a temple for Jaagaran approximately 3 hours before dawn, that he found a Raakshas woman coming toward him. He got frightened and attacked her with his worship plate. Since he hit her, with water mixed with Tulasee, that is why her all sins were destroyed and she remembered her previous life's bad Karm. She bowed to the Braahman and asked him the way of her upliftment. Braahman got very surprised to see her speak like that, so he asked her to tell him about her bad Karm, from where she had come, what was her name etc.

She said - "My name is Kalahaa. In my previous life, a Braahman named Bhikshu lived in Sauraashtra city. I was his wife. I had a terrible nature, I never spoke good words to him, never offered good food to him. He used to be very sad because of me. At last he married to another woman, and I committed suicide by taking poison. Yam Doot took me to Yam Lok, there Chitragupt said that "she has not done any good Karm. She never gave any good food to her husband, so she should be born as a bat and eat her own excrete. She always quarreled with her husband so she should be born as she-pig eating excrete. She ate food from the cooking pot, so she should be born as she-cat and should eat her own children. She has committed suicide making her husband as a reason, so she should be born in Pret Yoni (species). She should be sent to Maru Pradesh, and there she should live for many years to come.

I am the same sinner Kalahaa. I have been living this life for 500 years. I am always hungry and sad. One day I entered in a Vaishya's body and came to the Sangam of Krishnaa and Venee Rivers in southern area. As I stood on the banks of the Sangam, that Shiv and Vishnu's Paarshad came there and chased me away. Now please tell me how can I be free from my sins?"

Braahman got pity on that woman and said - "Sins are destroyed only by Teerth, Daan, and Vrat, but since now you are in Pret body, you have no right to do them. I will get no peace unless I uplift you. I have done Kaarttik Snaan since birth, I give you half of that Punya to you and you get good Gati by the grace of that." After saying this Dharmdatt poured water mixed with Tulasee on her pronouncing the 12-letter Mantra, and she turned into a Devee form woman. She bowed to Braahman and thanked him. At the same time a Vimaan (airplane) came and Vishnu's Susheel and Punyasheel named Paarshad picked that woman and made her sit in the Vimaan. The Braahman bowed to Paarshad, Paarshad said - "You have doubled your Punya by giving your Punya to her. You will also go to Vaikunth Dhaam along with your two wives after you have died."

Kaarttik Maas-Story of King Chol and Vishnu Daas

Naarad Jee said - "Hearing Paarshad, Braahman got very surprised. He said - "Often all worship Vishnu through Yagya, Daan, Vrat, Teerth etc, but which is the best means to attain Him?" Paarshad said - "We tell you an ancient history regarding this. There has been a Chakravartee king named Chol in Kaanchee Puree. Whichever countries he ruled, all of them were known as Chol. He did innumerable Yagya. Once he went to "Anantshayan" named Teerth where Vishnu was sleeping. He worshipped Him with golden flowers studded with gems. As he sat down after the worship he saw a Braahman, who lived in his city only, coming there. He was carrying Tulasee leaves and water in his hands. He read Vishnu Sookt and bathed Bhagavaan with water and worshipped Him with Tulasee leaves and flowers. Braahman's Tulasee leaves and flowers covered the King's gem studded flowers.

Seeing this the King got angry and said to him - "I worshipped Bhagavaan with golden flowers, and your Tualsee leaves covered my flowers. Why did you do that? You are a fool who does not know Vishnu's Bhakti." Braahman said - "Raajan, You don't know Vishnu's Bhakti. You are proud only because of your wealth. Tell me how many Vaishnav Vrat you have done." The King said - "If you are saying this in the pride of your Vishnu Bhakti, then tell me how much Bhakti you have? You are a poor man. You never did any Daan or Yagya or built any temple. Let me see, who gets Darshan of Bhagavaan first, you or me?"

Then King Chol went to his palace and started Vaishnav Yagya with the help of Mudgal Rishi. He distributed lots of grains, Dakshinaa etc. While Vishnu Daas stayed in Vishnu temple and did Kaarttik and Maagh Vrat, watering Tulasee plants, Ekaadashee Vrat, 12-letter Mantra Jap, etc. Thus both started worshipping Vishnu in their own ways. One day Vishnu Daas cooked food but somebody stole it, still he did not cook again, because if he did that, he could not get time for evening worship. Next day also after cooking his food as he went to offer Naivedya, somebody stole it again.

Vishnu Daas thought, "Who is this who steals my food. I have taken Sanyaas, I cannot leave this place. If I cook again, I have to miss my evening worship. I cannot eat only just any food, because I do not take food until I offer everything to Him, and if I keep fast like this everyday, then how will I live until the end of my Vrat. Today I will protect my food." He cooked his food and watched it. A very weak Chaandaal came and took away that food, that the Braahman shouted - "Wait, Take this Ghee also, do not eat dry food." Hearing this that Chaandaal ran away fast, but because of weakness fell down. Vishnu Daas approached him, fanned him and found that he was not a Chaandaal but Vishnu Himself. He felt moved inside and could not even pray Him. Vishnu embraced Vishnu Daas and took him to Vaikunth Dhaam.

Seeing Vishnu Daas going to Vaikunth, the King said to Mudgal Rishi - "For whoever I did this Yagya, the same Vishnu Daas is going to Vaikunth first. I took Deekshaa to do this Havan, satisfied Braahman, still Bhagavaan did not get pleased with me, and appeared before him only because of Bhakti. That is why it seems that Bhagavaan does not get pleased with Yagya, Havan, Daan etc, Bhakti is main means to please Him." Both Paarshad said - "Saying this the King crowned his sister's son - because he had taken Yagya Deekshaa from the childhood, that is why he had no son. Even now in that country, only sister's son are the descendents, and they all follow king Chol's behavior. Then he went to Yagya Shaalaa and spoke standing in front of Yagya Kund, "Hey Bhagavaan, Please give me your Bhakti." and he jumped into the fire.

Mudgal Muni got very angry seeing this so he uprooted his Shikhaa - since then Mudgal Muni's descendents are still without Shikhaa till today. As the King jumped into the fire, Vishnu Bhagavaan appeared and took him to Vaikunth Dhaam with Him. Among both of them, the King Chol became Punyasheel named Paarshad, and Vishnu Daas became Susheel named Paarshad. We are the same. Hari has given us His own form and appointed His own Paarshad. That is why Hey Braahman, You also follow Vishnu's Vrat. Always take bath in the morning on Makar (January), Mesh (April), and Tulaa (October) Sankraanti. Keep Ekaadashee fast and protect Tulasee plants. Do not eat Masoor (Lentils), Kaanjee (ground mustard mixed water), and eggplant. You are blessed because you have followed this and whose one part Punya uplifted this Kalahaa woman fallen in Pret Yoni." Naarad Jee said - "After saying this those Paarshad went to Vaikunth, and that Braahman also went to Vaikunth with his two wives after his death."

Kaarttik Maas Contd... Next Page.