24 Wonderful Results of Offering a Lamp During Kartik Month

One of the most important spiritual activities during the holy month of Kartik is offering a lamp (either a ghee lamp or a sesame oil lamp) to Lord Damodara. The scriptures describe the glories of offering a lamp to Lord Keshava during Kartik month.

In Sri Hari Bhakti Vilasa, Sixteenth Vilasa, Srila Sanatana Goswami refers to different scriptures, including the Skanda Purana, Padma Purana, and Narada Purana, to list the results one obtains by offering a lamp with love and devotion to Lord Damodara.

24 Spiritual Benefits of Offering a Lamp to Lord Damodara During Kartik Month

1. Sins of millions of births are destroyed

The Skanda Purana says that if one offers a ghee lamp to Lord Damodara during the auspicious month of Kartik, the sins accumulated over millions of births perish in half an eyeblink. (Text 99)

2. One becomes free from taking birth again

Offering a lamp is very pleasing to Lord Krishna. If one offers a lamp with love and affection, one will not take birth again in this world. (Text 100)

3. One obtains results millions of times greater than those of sacred baths

If one offers a lamp to Lord Damodara during the holy month of Kartik, one attains a pious result ten million times greater than the result obtained by bathing at Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse or in the Narmada River during a lunar eclipse. (Text 101)

4. There is no need to perform an Ashvamedha-yajna

If one offers a lamp burning with ghee or sesame oil to Lord Damodara, what need is there to perform an Ashvamedha-yajna? (Text 102)

5. Even an impure person becomes purified

Offering a lamp to Lord Damodara is so glorious that even a person who is impure, has not performed pious deeds, and has not chanted mantras can become perfect by offering the lamp. (Text 103)

This happens because offering the lamp burns away sins, and the person soon becomes righteous.

6. One is considered to have performed all yajnas and bathed in all sacred rivers

If a person offers a lamp to Lord Damodara, it should be understood that the person has already performed all yajnas and bathed in all the sacred rivers. (Text 104)

7. Pious deeds performed in other worlds are of little benefit without offering a lamp

The pious deeds performed in Svargaloka, Martyaloka, and Rasatalaloka do not bring the same benefit if one does not offer a lamp to Lord Keshava during Kartik month. (Text 105)

8. A devoted son is born in the family

When devotional verses and songs are sung during Kartik month and heard by the pitṛs (ancestors), a son devoted to his father is born in that family. (Text 106)

9. The ancestors attain liberation by the Lord’s mercy

The ancestors explain that when someone in their family offers a lamp during Kartik month to the Lord who holds the Sudarshana Chakra, they attain liberation by the mercy of the Lord. (Text 107)

10. Sins as great as Mount Meru or Mount Mandara are destroyed

Just by offering a lamp to Lord Damodara during Kartik month, one can burn away sins as great as Mount Meru or Mount Mandara. (Text 108)

11. One receives great spiritual benefits by offering a lamp at home or in a temple

Anyone who offers a lamp to Lord Damodara during Kartik month, whether at home or in a temple, receives great spiritual benefits. (Text 109)

12. One becomes fortunate and glorious

Human life is precious and rare. Therefore, anyone who offers a lamp to Lord Krishna in this human form of life becomes fortunate and attains glory. (Text 110)

13. The result surpasses that of hundreds of yajnas and pilgrimages

The result obtained by offering a lamp to Lord Damodara during Kartik month is so glorious that it cannot be obtained by performing hundreds of yajnas or visiting hundreds of pilgrimage places. (Text 111)

14. Even a sinful person becomes purified

Even a sinful person who is unwilling to perform pious deeds and is addicted to sinful activities can become purified if, by some means, the person offers a lamp to Lord Damodara. The merciful Lord burns away the person’s sins and grants enlightenment, enabling the person to stop committing sins and begin leading a pious life. (Text 112)

15. All sins can be purified by offering a lamp

No sins exist anywhere in the three worlds that cannot be purified by offering a lamp to Lord Damodara with love and devotion. (Text 113)

16. One attains the spiritual world

Those who offer a lamp to Lord Damodara during the holy month of Kartik attain the spiritual world, which is filled with happiness and where there is no suffering. (Text 114)

17. Countless ancestors and descendants receive spiritual benefits

Lord Brahma says to Sage Narada, “I will now describe the pious results one obtains by offering a lamp during Dvadashi in the holy month of Kartik.”

If a person offers a lamp, unlimited ancestors and descendants, who cannot be counted, get an opportunity to enjoy the company of the demigods. Thereafter, by the mercy of Lord Krishna, who holds the Sudarshana Chakra in His hand, they attain liberation. (Texts 115–117)

18. The offering purifies seven generations of one’s family

Offering a lamp is so glorious that even if a person lights a lamp in the temple of Lord Keshava while playing dice, this act purifies seven generations of the person’s family. The merciful Lord overlooks the person’s irreligious activity, considers the act of lighting the lamp a pious deed, and grants the person great results. (Text 118)

19. One receives wealth, fame, glory, and good children

One who offers a lamp to Lord Damodara during Kartik month is blessed with eternal wealth, fame, glory, and good children. (Text 119)

20. Offering a lamp naturally brings piety

Just as fire is inherently present in wood and can be ignited through friction, piety is inherently present in the act of offering a lamp to the Lord during Kartik month. (Text 120)

21. Lord Krishna gives Himself to the devotee

Lord Brahma addresses Sage Narada as the king of the brahmanas and says:

“If someone offers a lamp to Lord Damodara during the holy month of Kartik, particularly on the full-moon day, Lord Krishna becomes extremely pleased with that person. He considers the offering so glorious that He cannot repay the devotee and therefore gives Himself to the devotee in exchange for that glorious lamp.” (Text 121)

22. Offering a lamp is an important practice for a Vaishnava

The text states that a person who does not offer a lamp to Lord Keshava during Kartik month should not be considered a Vaishnava, or a devotee of Lord Vishnu. (Text 122)

23. Offering a lamp is the best of all gifts

The Narada Purana contains a conversation between Sri Mohini Devi and Sri Rukmangada in which it is stated:

“Of all gifts, the gift of offering a lamp to Lord Damodara during Kartik month is the best. No other gift can equal it.” (Text 123)

24. One enjoys pastimes with Lord Hari in the spiritual world

The Padma Purana states that one who offers a lamp to the Supreme Lord Hari during the auspicious month of Kartik enjoys pastimes with Lord Hari in His splendid spiritual world. (Text 124)

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