Kartik Month of Prayer and Giving

Kartik, or the month of Damodar, is considered the best of months and is most auspicious for spiritual advancement. In the Skanda Purana it is stated:

“As Satya-yuga is the best of yugas, as the Vedas are the best of scriptures, as Ganga is the best of rivers, so Kartik is the best of months, the most dear to Lord Sri Krishna.”

Also in the Skanda Purana it is stated:

“A person who offers a ghee lamp to Lord Krishna during Kartik burns away a collection of sins as big as Mt. Meru or Mt. Mandara, will not take birth again in this world and attains to the eternal spiritual realm where there is no suffering. Even if there are no mantras, no piety, and no purity, everything becomes perfect by such an offering.”

The Padma Purana describes the month of Kartik as Krishna’s favorite month. Devotional activities performed during this holy month are rewarded with greater spiritual results than usual so devotees often take vows to increase their spiritual practices or to simplify their material needs for the entire month. It is a way that they can remember Krishna more and increase their service to Him.

This Kartik we ask all ISKCON devotees and well-wishers to make a special effort to pray to Lord Damodar for His mercy and blessings to complete the TOVP by our anticipated goal of 2022 with this prayer composed by Kalakantha das (ACBSP):

Oh Radha Madhav, Asta-sakhis, Sri Mahaprabhu,

Oh Panca-tattva, great acharyas! If it pleases You,

Build Your temple, born of Srila Prabhupada’s heart.

Oh Lord Nrsimhadev, please help me. Let me do my part.

During this month we also ask all devotees to increase their giving spirit along the lines of the above prayer to ensure on a practical level that the completion of the TOVP is achieved unhindered and without any obstacles. If you have not given yet, please take advantage of this auspicious time to do so. Please give again if you already have or upgrade your completed pledge to a higher level. Restart your pledge if you’ve stopped for some reason, or start your pledge if you haven’t yet begun. Or make an extra-large pledge payment using the General Donation option or even complete your pledge if possible. No time is better than now to do the above.

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