Kartik Holiest month
Kartik is the holiest month of all the months. It usually overlaps with the months October & November in the English calendar. Kartik Maas, also known as Damodar Maas, is described in the scriptures as the best among months for performing austerities. Kartik or the festival of offering lamps to Lord Krishna, glorifies Lord Krishna’s pastime of being bound with ropes by Mother Yashoda. Observing vrata in the month of Kartik is glorified in the Puranas."durlabho bhakti-yogo me mama vasya-vidhayakah
karttike mathurayam ca vratenanena labhyate"
“Pure devotional service to Me which, because it places Me under My devotee’s dominion, is very difficult to attain, is easily attained by following this vow in Mathura during Kartika.”
Vaishnava Calendar
Festivals and Observances
Calculation of date and time is for Balasore, Odisha, India 086E55 21N29 +5.30.
The date of festivals and observances and the parana time (time to break the fast) may be different in other places.
Changes, errors and typos reserved.
|
22 Oct 2026 |
Ekādaśī 14:49, G, Sunrise-Set 05:41-17:13, Śatabhiṣā 20:47 +ŚUDDHA EKĀDAŚĪ VRATA: FASTING FOR Pāśānkuṣā EKĀDAŚĪ +Fasting and special rules for 4th month of Cāturmāsya-vrata begins today for those observing from Ekādaśī +Beginning of Ūrjā-vrata, Kārtika-vrata, Dāmodara-vrata and Niyama-sevā for those observing from Ekādaśī |
|
23 Oct 2026 |
Dvādaśī 14:36, G, Sunrise-Set 05:41-17:12, Pūrvabhādra 21:01 +Break fast 08:24 - 09:28 IST (UTC + 5:30) +Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī ~ Disappearance +Śrīla Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī ~ Disappearance +Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī ~ Disappearance |
|
24 Oct 2026 |
Trayodaśī 13:37, G, Sunrise-Set 05:42-17:11, Uttarabhādra 20:30 |
|
25 Oct 2026 |
Caturdaśī 11:57, G, Sunrise-Set 05:42-17:11, Revatī 19:20 |
|
26 Oct 2026 |
Pūrṇimā 09:42, G, Sunrise-Set 05:42-17:10, Aśvinī 17:39 +Śrī Kṛṣṇa Saradiya rāsa-yātrā +Śrī Murāri Gupta ~ Disappearance +Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja ~ Disappearance +Beginning of Ūrjā-vrata, Kārtika-vrata, Dāmodara-vrata and Niyama-sevā for those observing from Pūrṇimā +Fasting and special rules for 4th month of Cāturmāsya-vrata begins today for those observing from Pūrṇimā +For one month fast from sesame seeds, mustard seeds, sesame oil, mustard oil, eggplants, tomatoes, loki, parmal, urad dahl and honey. No shaving for brahmacārīs and sannyāsis. +Beginning of Ūrjā-vrata, Kārtika-vrata, Dāmodara-vrata and Niyama-sevā for those observing from Pūrṇimā |
Śrī Śrī Dāmodarāṣṭakam
This song is sung during the Month of Kartik, also known as the month of Damodara. As quoted in the Sri Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa, "In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as Damodarastaka, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Lord Damodara. (Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.16.198).”
Śrī Govinda Dāmodara Stotraṁ
by Śrī Bilvamaṅgalācārya
The Govinda-Damodhara Stotram is the ecstatic outpouring of pure unalloyed Bhakti to Lord Krishna. Bilvamangala Thakura pictures in his prayer all the devotees of Lord Krishna, sharing his ecstasy. Intoxicated by Krishnas names, they do not talk of anything else under all circumstances, despite any situation they are in.
