Offering lamp to Damodar

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> Dear Maharajas, Prabhus and matajis,

>

> Please accept my humble obeisancess. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and

> His wonderful ISKCON.

>

> I am very sad to note that I humbly ask a question to all those members of

> Deity Worship Forum, Krishna Katha, free forum and many others of such a

> big and international society (ISKCON) but could not get a clear answer.

> It's only H.H Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Swami gave me a reply and ask me to

> download a text which I couldnot.

>

> My humble question was: Whay do we offer a lamp to Damodar? What is its

> significance and why only a lamp?

>

> Your servant,

>

> Srinjaya Dasa

 

 

Dear Srinjaya Prabhu,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Though I have no qualifications I venture to offer some thoughts to your

question based on my meager realizations.

 

In the sixteenth vilasa of the Hari-bhakti-vilasa the glories of Kartika are

explained. In this most auspicious of months also called Urja or Damodhara

the benefit of any worship performed is multiplied thousands of times. The

deity of this month is Krsna, Kesava or Damodhara who are to be especially

worshiped during this month with extra vows.

 

The offering of a lamp is not the only service that should be offered during

Kartika. Other services include rising early, bathing, attending mangala

artika, offering bhoga and argya and chanting prayers like the visnu

sahasranama and Damodhara-astaka. The lamp is the most important of the

items offered during the artika ceromony and is very dear to the Lord and so

at least the lamp should be offered daily to Krsna during the Kartika month.

Hari-bhakti-vilsa says that one who does not offer Damodara a lamp during

kartika is a sinner.

 

Further thoughts on the relationship between Damodara and Kartika can be had

from Srila Prabhupada's purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 10.9.1-2. There he

quotes the commentary of Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura who quoting from

the Vaisnava-tosani of Srila Sanatana Goswami states that the Damodhara lila

of mother Yasoda's binding Makanchor to a wooden grinding mortar with ropes

took place on Diwali day during the month of Kartika. Srila Prabhupada

observes "Even today in India, this festival is generally celebrated very

gorgeously in the month of Kartika by fireworks and lights..."

 

By daily offering lamps to Damodhara during Kartika and by daily singing the

Damodarastakam (as we are instructed to do in the Padma Purana and

Hari-bhakti-vilasa) we are awakened to the truth that Krsna is interested

only in Bhakti and nothing else.

 

Your servant,

Sri Prahlada das