The auspicious Month of Kartika, also known as

the Month of Damodara is the holiest month in the

Vedic lunar calendar. This month is particularly
dear to Lord Krishna. During this month devotees
get the opportunity to personally offer Arati to
Him with ghee lamps and sing the very enchanting
‘Damodarastakam’ to receive the special mercy of
the Lord.

2 I Damodara 2017
 Glories of Kartika
“Charity, yajna, japa, and austerity performed
in the month of Kartika bring a result, O best of
brahmanas, that will never be destroyed.”
Hari Bhakti Vilasa

“One who during the month of Kartika gives a

small gift to Lord Visnu attains a result that will
never be destroyed.”
Skanda Purana

“O Narada, I have personally seen that a person

who happily reads Bhagavad-Gita during the
month of Kartika does not return to the world of
birth and death.”
Hari Bhakti Vilasa

“Of the twelve months, Kartika is the most dear to

Lord Krsna. To anyone who even slightly worships
Lord Visnu during its time, the month of Kartika
gives residence in Lord Visnu’s transcendental
abode.”
Padma Purana

Damodara 2017 I 3
 Damodara Lila
Once Mother Yashoda was churning
butter while singing the wonderful
childhood pastimes of her son Krishna.
At that time Krishna appeared there and
was hungry.

Mother Yashoda took Krishna on her lap and started feeding

Him. While Krishna was sucking the milk, mother Yashoda
enjoyed the beauty of Her child. Suddenly, the milk which
was on the stove began to boil over.

Mother Yashoda put Krishna aside and went to the stove.

Krishna became very angry and taking a piece of stone,
He broke the butter pot. He began to eat the butter in a
secluded place.

Soon Mother Yashoda returned and saw the broken pot.

She smiled as she thought, “The child is very clever. After
breaking the pot He has left this place, fearing punishment.”
She looked all over and found Krishna sitting on a big wooden
grinding mortar, feeding butter to the monkeys.

She saw Krishna looking this way and that way in fear. He saw
her and immediately began to flee. Mother Yashoda chased
Him, trying to capture the Supreme Personality of Godhead
who was playing just like a little child for His great devotee
Yashoda. He let her finally catch Him.

4 I Damodara 2017
In order to punish her naughty child, Mother
Yashoda began to bind Krishna with some
ropes to a wooden grinding mortar.

But she found that the rope she was using

was too short—by two inches. She gathered
more ropes and added to it, but still she
found the same shortage. Mother Yashoda
was astonished!

In attempting to bind her son, she became tired. Then Lord

Krishna appreciated the hard labor of His mother and He
agreed to be bound by love.

Being, bound up to the wooden mortar, Krishna could see a

pair of Arjuna trees before Him. In their previous lives, the
trees were born as the sons of Kuvera and were cursed due
to their intoxication, by the great sage Narada, in order to
receive the highest benediction of seeing Lord Krishna.
Although Krishna was bound up to the wooden mortar, He
began to proceed toward the twin trees in order to fulfill
the prophecy of His great devotee Narada. He proceeded
through the passage between the two trees. With great
strength He pulled the rope tied to the mortar. The two
trees fell down with a great sound. Out of the fallen trees
came the two purified personalities who bowed down to
Krishna to offer their prayers.

After His extra-ordinary pastime Krishna was freed by Nanda

Maharaja and taken onto the laps of the elder gopis. The
Supreme Lord Krishna, being completely controlled by the
gopis, smiled and danced in their hands.

Damodara 2017 I 5
Celebrating Damodara
As stated in the Vedic scriptures, any vrata observed within
one’s capacity, in this best of months will yield a million
times results.The effect of performing such vrata will last
for one hundred life times and relieve one from suffering.

Here are some simple observances you can follow:

Wake up early in the morning and take bath.

The Padma Purana says: “One who bathes early in the
morning during the month of Karthika attains the merit
of bathing in all places of pilgrimage.”

Chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra a fixed number of

times

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

6 I Damodara 2017
Observe fasting vows during this month.
Observe ekadashis. Gaudiya Vaishnavas fast from
urad dhal for the whole month of Kartika.

Hear and Read transcendental narrations

Read the 9th and 10th chapter of the book Krishna,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, authored by His
Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,
which speaks about the pastime of Damodara in detail.

Cook varieties of vegetarian sattvik food stuffs and

offer to Lord Damodara.

Perform Damodara-arati. You can sing the Damodara-

ashtaka and offer a ghee lamp to Lord Damodara.

Serve Tulsi devi You can offer a ghee lamp to Tulsi

You may also invite your neighbours, relatives and

friends to participate in this sacred Damodara-arati
and give them an opportunity to offer ghee lamps to
Lord Damodara and accept the prasadam of the Lord.

Please get in touch with ISKCON Bahrain if you require

any information or assistance in this regard!

Damodara 2017 I 7
 Sri Damodarashtaka
namāmīśvaraṁ sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaṁ
lasat-kuṇḍalaṁ gokule bhrājamānam
yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād dhāvamānaṁ
parāmṛṣṭam atyantato drutya gopyā
To the supreme controller who possesses an eternal form of
blissful knowledge, whose glistening earrings swing to and fro,
who manifested Himself in Gokula, who stole the butter that
the gopīs kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and
who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother
Yaśodā but was ultimately caught—to that Supreme Lord, Śrī
Dāmodara, I offer my humble obeisances. (1)
rudantaṁ muhur netra-yugmaṁ mṛjantaṁ
karāmbhoja-yugmena sātaṅka-netram
muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-trirekhāṅka-kaṇṭha
sthita-graiva-dāmodaraṁ bhakti-baddham
Upon seeing His mother’s whipping stick, He cried and rubbed
His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes
were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yaśodā
bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl
necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Śrī Dāmodara, who is
bound with His devotee’s love, I offer my humble obeisances. (2)
itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣaṁ nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeśita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvaṁ
punaḥ prematas taṁ śatāvṛtti vande
Those superexcellent pastimes of Lord Krsna’s babyhood
drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the
devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of

8 I Damodara 2017
Nārāyaṇa in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: “I am conquered
and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion.” To the Supreme Lord
Dāmodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times. (3)
varaṁ deva mokṣaṁ na mokṣāvadhiṁ vā
na cānyaṁ vṛṇe ‘haṁ vareśād apīha
idaṁ te vapur nātha gopāla-bālaṁ
sadā me manasy āvirāstāṁ kim anyaiḥ
O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions,
I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha,
nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood
pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. O Lord, I do not
even want to know Your feature of Paramātmā. I simply wish that
Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart. (4)
idaṁ te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair
vṛtaṁ kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
muhuś cumbitaṁ bimba-raktā-dharaṁ me
manasy āvirāstām alaṁ lakṣa-lābhaiḥ
O Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled
by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruit
due to Mother Yaśodā’s kisses. What more can I describe than
this? Millions of opulences are of no use to me, but may this
vision constantly remain in my mind. (5)

Damodara 2017 I 9
 namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyātidīnaṁ batānugṛhāṇeśa
mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ
O unlimited Visnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am
drowning in an ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man.
Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me
with Your nectarean vision. (6)
kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat
tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
tathā prema-bhaktiṁ svakāṁ me prayaccha
na mokṣe graho me ‘sti dāmodareha
O Lord Dāmodara, in Your form as a baby Mother Yaśodā bound
You to a grinding stone with a rope for tying cows. You then freed
the sons of Kuvera, Manigrīva and Nalakūvara, who were cursed
to stand as trees, and You gave them the chance to become Your
devotees. Please bless me in this same way. I have no desire for
liberation into Your effulgence. (7)
namas te ‘stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne
tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne
namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai
namo ‘nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam
O Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahmā, who
was born from Your abdomen, which was bound with a rope by
Mother Yaśodā. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer
my obeisances to Your most beloved Śrīmatī Rādhārānī and to Your
unlimited pastimes. (8)
>>>>>>>>>>>>
Damodarashtakam (found in the Padma Purana of Krishna
Dwaipayana Vyasa, is spoken by Satyavrata Muni in a conversation
with Narada and Shaunaka.) is especially auspicious to sing while
offering a ghee lamp to Lord Damodara in the Kartika month.

10 I Damodara 2017
 Chanting Hare Krishna
maha-mantra

Chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the most auspicious

activity to perform in this age of Kali as is stated in all Vedic
scriptures.It is a spiritual sound vibration, which provides
nourishment for the inner-self. It allows us to associate with
Krishna directly because Krishna is not different from His name.
That God’s names are transcendentally powerful is celebrated
by all religious traditions (example, “Hallowed be Thy Name”).
It is best to chant a fixed number of rounds everyday on a string
of 108 beads.
Before we start to chant on the beads we chant the following
prayer to Lord Chaitanya and his associaties to help avoid
offenses whilst chanting.
(Jaya) Sri-Krishna-Caitanya , Prabhu Nityananda Sri-Advaita
Gadadhara , Srivas Adi-Gaura-Bhakta-Vrinda
Then one can chant on the beads:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
“Oh Lord Krishna, Oh energy of the Lord,
please engage me in Your devotional service.”

Get in touch with ISKCON Bahrain

for your beads today!

Damodara 2017 I 11
 Celebrate with Us

The Indian Religious & Social Group

Celebrate the most auspicious month of Damodara with

ISKCON Bahrain!
You can join us in our temple to offer a ghee lamp to Damodara
Bhagavan everyday at 5am and 7pm.
“You can also invite Damodara Bhagavan to your house by
allowing us to conduct a Damodara Satsang Programme in your
house, comprising of a small class on Bhagavad Gita, Kirtan and
Damodara Arati of 1 hour duration on a date and time convenient
for you and receive the blessings of Sri Damodara Bhagavan”.

Get in touch with us for all your spiritual needs!

Iskcon Bahrain, Flat No.6 (1st Floor),

Bldng 82, Road 2801, Sugaya Avenue, Manama 328,
Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel: +973 17 23 44 86
International Society for Krsna Consciousness
Founder Acarya His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
www.iskcon.org www. mayapur.com www.krishna.com