Sri Damodarastakam

Kirtan, Sree Bhakti Saurabh Acharya Maharaj

Satyavrata Muni has sung in adoration the glories of Lord Damodar (Krishna with corded belly) in eight verses which we recite daily during the Kartik-vrata. (Found in Padma Purana, author: Sri Krishna Dvaipayan Veda Vyasa Muni)

  • namāmīśvaraṁ sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaṁ
    lasat-kuṇḍalam gokule bhrājamānam
    yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād-dhāvamānaṁ
    parāṁṛṣṭam atyantato drutya gopyā

    I lie prostrate in obeisance to the Lotus Feet of Supreme Lord ‘Damodar’ [Damodar—Krishna with corded belly], Who is Eternal-Omniscient-Ever Blissful, Whose earring is constantly swinging, Who is the glowing Beauty of Gokul, Who after stealing cream, out of fear of being apprehended by mother ‘Yasoda’, leaped from mortar and fled. Mother Yasoda seeing this followed the child very speedily and caught hold of His back.

    rudantaṁ muhur netra-yugmaṁ mṛjantam
    karāmbhoja-yugmena sātaṅka-netram
    muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-tri-rekhāṅka-kaṇṭha-
    sthita-graivaṁ dāmodaraṁ bhakti-baddham

    Apprehending of being beaten by mother, child Krishna is crying and rubbing His two eyes again and again, Who is looking with panic, Whose neck is adorned with three charming thin lines created by repeated breathing and shivering and due to that Whose golden necklace is oscillating, Whose belly is fastened by mother Yasoda with rope, I sing the wonderful glories of Sri Damodar, Who is bound by pure devotion.

    itīdṛk-sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
    sva-ghoṣaṁ nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
    tadīyeśita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvaṁ
    punaḥ prematās taṁ śatāvṛtti vande

    I, again, in loving devotion sing in adoration of the Lotus Feet of Supreme Lord Damodar by hundreds of hymns because Sri Damodar has immersed all residents of Gokul in the holy charming pond of boyhood pastimes and He has proclaimed to the devotees performing reverential worship that He can be only conquered by sweet devotion of Vraja-dham, emanating from intimate delightful relation.

    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 beloved God (devoted to childhood sweet pastimes)! Although you are competent to bestow all kinds of boons, I do not want from you chaturtha varga—fourth pursuit-salvation, even beyond salvation I do not want condensed bliss of Vaikuntha. I do not ask for any other boon. O Lord! I only want eternal appearance of your sweet childhood Form ‘Gopal’ in my heart and nothing else.

    idaṁ te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair-
    vṛtaṁ kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
    muhuś cumbitaṁ bimba-raktādharaṁ me
    manasy āvirāstām alaṁ lakṣa-lābhaiḥ

    O Lord! May your beautiful lotus face enclosed by dark blue and pleasant crimson colour hairs and your red lips similar to ‘bimba’ fruit (red colour fruit) kissed repeatedly by mother Yasoda, appear in my heart. I do not need to get millions of other attainments.

    namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
    prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
    kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnaṁ batānu-
    gṛhāṇeśa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ

    O God! O Damodar! O Unlimited! O Overlord! I bow down in obeisance to your Lotus Feet. Kindly be gracious to me as I am submerged in the ocean of series of sufferings due to my aversion to you. Please rescue me—a wretched soul, from the aforesaid severe suffering by showering your compassionate glance and appear before me with your natural sweet Form.

    kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yad-vat
    tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
    tathā prema-bhaktiṁ svakāṁ me prayaccha
    na mokṣe graho me `sti dāmodareha

    O Damodar! You accepted mother’s tie of affection—your fastening with the mortar and made the pastimes of liberating deserving persona Nalakuver and Manigriv, sons of Sri Kuver and bestow bhakti upon them. In a like manner, kindly give me the same Prembhakti. I do not aspire for salvation like Nalakuver and Manigriv. (I want only pure devotion to you to engage me completely in your service.)

    namas te `stu dāmne sphurad dīpti-dhāmne
    tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne
    namo rādhikāyai tvadīya priyāyai
    namo `nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam

    O Damodar! I bow with devoutness to the blooming bright fastening cord of your belly. After that I also make my humble obeisance to your belly as receptacle of the whole universe (Brahmanda). I make prostrated obeisances to your dearest consort Srimati Radhika and also to you—Supreme Lord, endowed with the opulence of making infinite pastimes.

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