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Sri Damodarashtakam

Eight verses in Praise of Lord Krishna in His form as Damodara

The auspicious Month of Kartik, more popular as the Month of Damodara, is here onceagain heralding the spiritually enlivening Festival of Lights (October 29 to November28, 2012).

Mother Yasoda bound little mischievous Krishna with ropes to the grinding mortar forhaving stolen butter and thus He came to be known as Damodara. The significance isthat the Lord of the Universe can be bound only by the rope of pure love!

During this month of Damodara, devotees get the opportunity to personally offer Arati toLord Damodara with ghee lamps and sing the very enchanting Damodarashtakam, toreceive the special mercy of the Lord.

Originally from the Padma Purana, Sri Damodarashtakam is recited during aconversation between Narada Muni and Saunaka Rishi. A benediction accompaniesthese verses. It is said that anyone who recites or even hears this prayer, especially inthe month of Kartik, will attract the eternal shelter of devotional service at the lotus feetof Sri Damodara. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 16.1.198)

"In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayerknown as Damodarashtaka, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and whichattracts Lord Damodara."(Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.16.198)

Verse 1

namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupamlasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanamyasoda-bhiyolukalad-dhavamanam

paramrstam atyantato drutya gopya

To the Supreme Lord, whose form embodies eternity, knowledge, and bliss, whoseearrings swing to and fro, who shines beautifully in Gokula, who quickly ran from thegrinding mortar in fear of mother Yashoda, and who was caught from behind by her,who ran faster than Heto that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble

obeisances.

Satyavrata Muni begins with the offering of obeisances (namami) as an auspiciousinvocation, mangalacarana. He invokes the mercy of Lord Damodara to empower him tooffer this prayer by the word ishvara, the supreme controller.

Verse 2

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rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantamkarambhoja-yugmena satanka-netrammuhuh svasa-kampa-tri-rekhanka-kantha-sthita-graivam damodaram bhakti-baddham

[Upon seeing His mothers stick,] He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again withHis two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful, and His quick breathing shook the strand ofpearls on His neck, which bore three lines like a conchshells. To that Supreme Lord, SriDamodara, whose belly is bound with the ropes of His mothers pure love, I offer myhumble obeisances.

Verse 3

itidrk-sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde

sva-ghosam nimajjantam akhyapayantamtadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvampunah prematas tam satavrtti vande

With these superexcellent childhood pastimes Lord Krishna drowned the residents ofGokula in pools of ecstasy. In this way He declared to those absorbed in knowledge ofHis majesty and opulence: I am conquered only by My pure loving devotees. Withgreat love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara hundreds and hundreds oftimes.

Verse 4

varam deva moksam na moksavadhim vana canyam vrne ham varesad apihaidam te vapur natha gopala-balamsada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih

O Lord, though You can award all kinds of benedictions, I pray to You neither for theboon of impersonal liberation, nor for the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikuntha,nor for any other such boon. O Lord, I simply wish that this form of Yours as BalaGopala in Vrindavana may ever be manifest in my heart, for what use do I have for anyother boon besides this?

Verse 5

idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair-vrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais ca gopyamuhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam memanasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih

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O Lord, again and again mother Yashoda kisses Your lotus face, which is framed bylocks of soft black hair tinged with red and beautified by Your lips colored red like thebimba fruit. May this vision of Your lotus face be ever manifest in my heart. Thousandsand thousands of other benedictions are of no use to me.

Verse 6

namo deva damodarananta visnoprasida prabho duhkha-jalabdhi-magnamkrpa-drsti-vrstyati-dinam batanu-grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah

O Supreme Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. O Damodara! OAnanta! O Vishnu! O master! O Lord, be pleased upon me. Shower me with Yourmerciful glances and deliver this poor ignorant fool immersed in an ocean of worldlysorrows, and become visible to my eyes.

Verse 7

kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yad-vattvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau catatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayacchana mokse graho me sti damodareha

O Lord Damodara, as a baby tied to a grinding mortar, You delivered Kuveras two sonsfrom the curse of Narada and made them into great devotees. In the same way, pleasegive me pure loving devotion for You. I long for this alone and have no desire for anykind of liberation.

Verse 8

namas te stu damne sphurad dipti-dhamnetvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamnenamo radhikayai tvadiya priyayainamo nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam

O Lord Damodara, obeisances unto the brilliantly effulgent rope binding Your belly!Obeisances unto Your belly, the abode of the entire universe! Obeisances unto Yourdearmost beloved, Srimati Radharani! And obeisances unto You, O Lord, who displayunlimited pastimes!