MONTH OF KARTIK or DAMODARA

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees,

Yesterday Oct 9 ( Full Moon ) marked the

beginning of Damodara month. During this month it is all auspicious to

recite the SRI DAMODARASTAKA prayers to Lord Damodara or Baby KRSNA

every evening. The Vrata may begin on the purnima or samkranti when the

sun enters the house of Libra.

Please light a candle or lamp in front of Lord

Damodara in the evening each day and repeat the following Sri

DAMODARASTAKA for the entire month.

1. To the supreme Lord, whose form is the

embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge and bliss, whose shark-shaped

earrings are swinging to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the

divine realm of Gokula who ( due to the offence of breaking the pot of

yogurt and stealing the butter) is running and caught by mother Yosoda:

To that supreme Lord Sri DAMODARA I offer my most humble obeisances.

 

2. Seeing the stick in HIS mothers hand HE is

crying and rubbing HIS eyes again and again with HIS lotus hands. HIS

eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around HIS neck,

which is marked with three lines like a conc shell , is shaking due to

HIS crying. Unto THIS supreme Lord DAMODARA , whose belly is not bound by

ropes but by HIS mother's pure love, I offer my most humble obeisances.

 

3. By such childhood pastimes as this HE is

drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstacy, and is revealing

to those Devotees who are absorbed in the knowledge of HIS supreme

majesty and opulence that HE is only conquered by devotees whose pure

love is imbued with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and

reverence. With great love, unto to THAT Lord DAMODARA, I offer my

obeisances hundreds of times again and again.

 

4. O Lord, although you are able to give all

kind of benedictions, I do not pray to you for the boon of impersonal

liberation, nor the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikunta, nor

any other boon. O Lord I simply wish that this form of yours as Bala

Gopala is Vrindhavana may ever be manifest in my heart. What is the use

of any other boon beside this?

 

5. O Lord, Your lotus face, which is encircled by

locks of soft black hair tinged with red, is kissed again and again by

mother Yosoda, and your lips are reddish like Bimba fruit. May this

beautiful vision of your lotus face be ever manifest in my heart.

Thousands and thousands of other benedictions are of no use to me.

 

6. O Supreme Godhead, I offer my obeisances unto

you. O DAMODARA ! O ANANTA ! OVishnu ! O Master ! O my Lord, please be

merciful to me. By showering your glance of mercy upon me , please

deliver me, who is immersed in the ocean of worldly sorrow, and become

visible to my eyes.

 

7. O Lord DAMODARA, just like the two sons of

Kuvera- Manigriva and Nalakuvara- were delivered from the curse of Sri

Narada Muni and made into great devotees by you, in your form as baby

KRSNA tied with rope to a wooden grinding motar, in the same way please

give me your prema bhakti. I only long for this and have no desire for

any kind of liberation.

 

8. O Lord DAMODARA, I first of all offer my

obeisances to the brilliantly effulgent rope which binds your belly. I

then offer my obeisances to your belly, which is the abode of the entire

universe.

 

SOURCE: Padma Purana by Maha Muni Vyasa: Spoken in a conversation by

Satyavrata Muni with Sri Narada and Sri Saunaka Rishi.

 

I hope this enhance your KRSNA

consciousness. Your Servant, Ashokamrita.

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

Does anyone have a compilation of the glories of the karthika month

and the benefits of offering a lamp to Lord Krishna in this month ?

 

Thanks in advance!

y/s,

Vivek.

samdas (AT) juno (DOT) com [samdas (AT) juno (DOT) com] Sent:

Friday, October 10, 2003 9:42 PMachintyaSubject:

MONTH OF KARTIK or DAMODARADear Devotees, Yesterday

Oct 9 ( Full Moon ) marked thebeginning of Damodara month. During this month it

is all auspicious torecite the SRI DAMODARASTAKA prayers to Lord Damodara or

Baby KRSNAevery evening. The Vrata may begin on the purnima or samkranti when

thesun enters the house of Libra. Please light a

candle or lamp in front of LordDamodara in the evening each day and repeat the

following SriDAMODARASTAKA for the entire month.