Kartik (Damodar) is the best, the purest of purifiers, and most glorious of all months.

Kartik (Damodar) is the best, the purest of purifiers, and most glorious of all months. Kartik month is particularly dear to Lord Sri Krishna. This month is full of bhakta vatsalya. Any vrata, even the smallest, will yield huge results. ‪The effect of performing a Kartik Vrata lasts for one hundred lifetimes.
Everybody should follow following practices in Kartik (Damodar) month:

1. Daily offer a ghee lamp to Shri Narayana.
2. One should always remember Lord Hari. Devotees should try to do more Harinam Chanting. Do extra rounds and more kirtana.
3. Hear Shrimad Bhagavatam. All other duties should be given up in favor of hearing the scriptures from sadhus during this month. It is most beneficial to recite and read Gajendra Moksha Lila-stava from 8th canto of Shrimad Bhagavatam, which teaches complete surrender/dependence of Supreme lord.
4.Daily offer lamp to Tulsi devi and pray. Do 4 parikrama (circumbulation) of Tulasi.
5. Make nice offerings for Lord Narayana.
6. Associate more with devotees.
7. Practice brahmacharya – celibacy.
8. Perform austerities.

Following are excerpts from some scriptures (Puranas) describing the glory of the pious Kartik month ~
“If somebody performs even a little worship of Lord Shri Hari in this month, He offers that devotee His own abode.”
“If somebody burns a lamp in the temple of Lord Shri Hari even for a short time (in the month of Kartik), then whatever sins, he has acquired for millions of kalpas (one kalpa equals 1000 yugas) are all destroyed.”
“A person, who for the entire month of Kartik eats only once a day, becomes very famous, powerful and heroic.”
“A person who happily reads the Bhagavad Gita in the month of Kartik does not return to the world of birth and death.”
Om Namo Narayana ~ Jai Shri Vishnu ~ Hari Om Tat Sat Namah Shivaya!