Damodara Vrata Booklet

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amo da ra VratDamodara Vrata

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada(Founder-Acharya o f t h e I n t er n at i o n al S o ci et y f o r K r i sh n a C on sci o u sness)

Dedicated to


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Importance of Damodara-vrata

In the P ad ma P u ra na t he re i s a s ta te me nt t ha t o ne s ho ul d p er fo rm

t h e c e re m on i es f or th e L o rd ac c or di n g t o o n e' s f i na n ci a l p o si t i on .

E v e r y o n e s h o u l d o b s e r v e t h e d i f f e r e n t c e r e m o n i e s a n d

c el e br at i on s o f t he L or d b y a l l m ea ns . O ne o f t he m os t i mp or ta nt o f

th e s e c e re mo n ial fu n c tion s is c alle d U rj a- vrata.

U rj a- vra ta ( al so k no wn a s D am od ara -vrata) is o bs er ve d i n t he

m o nt h o f K a rt h ik a ( O ct o be r -N ov e mb e r) ; e s pe c i al l y i n V ri n da va n a ,

t he re i s a s pe ci f ic p ro g ra m me f or te mp le w ors hi p o f t he L or d i n H is

D am od ar a f or m. I n Sa ns kr i t, dama means rope and udara means

b el l y. D am od ar a r efe rs t o K ri sh na 's b ei ng bo un d w i th a r op e b y H is

mother, Yashoda.

I t i s s ai d t ha t j us t a s L ord Da mo da ra i s v er y d ea r to Hi s d evo te es , s o

the month known as Da moda ra or Ka rthi ka i s al so very dea r t o

them. Devotees observe vows a nd underta ke a usteri ti es i n t he

m o nt h o f K ar t hi ka t o p l ea s e t h e S u pr em e L o rd .

The Padma Purana re cords t he foll owi ng sta tement of Sut a

Gosvami: If anyone fasts and observes the Damodara-vrata

accordi ng to the rules a nd re gula tions, the Yama duta s (t he

m es se ng e rs o f Ya ma ra ja ) r un a wa y f ro m h im . T he p er fo rm an ce o f

Damodara-vrata i s b et te r t ha n p er fo rm in g o ne h un dr ed gr ea t

s a cr i f ic e s a s p re s cr i be d i n t h e Ve d ic s c r ip t ur es .

Karthika is the best of the months and is very dear to Lord Sri

K ri s hn a . S r i ma t i R a dh a ra n i i s t h e p re s i di n g D e it y o f t h is m o nt h . A ny

vrata o b se r v ed i n t h is m o nt h wi l l y i el d mo re r es u lt s a n d t h e e f fe c t

of performing such vrata w il l l as t fo r o ne h und red l ife t im es . I t i s

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s a id t ha t t he p io us r es ul t s o bt ai ne d by b at hi n g i n a ll t h e h ol y p la ce s

a nd g iv i ng va r io us c ha r it i es i s n ot e qu al t o e ve n on e t e n- mi l li on th

p a r t o f t h e r e su l t o b ta i ne d b y f ol l o wi n g t he v ow o f K a r th i ka .

A ny o ne w h o w o rs h ip s L o rd V is h nu i n t h i s m o nt h g e ts a r e si d en c e i nVa i ku n th a . O n e w h o h ea r s t h e n a rr at i o n re l a te d t o L o rd H a r i i n t h is

m on th b e co me s f re e f ro m t he s uf fe r in gs o f h un dr ed s a nd m i l li o ns

of births.

T h e p ro c ed u re t o o b se r ve D a mo d ar a-vrata i s g i v en b e l o w:

Wa ke u p e ar ly i n t he m or ni ng a nd t ake b at h. The Padma

P u ra na s a ys : On e w ho b at he s e ar l y i n th e m or ni ng d ur i ng t he

m on th o f Ka r th ik a a tt a in s t he m er i t o f b at hi ng i n a l l p la ce s o f

pilgrimage.

C h a n t a t l e a s t o n e mala of Ha re K ri s hna maha-mantra.

You can optionally o b s er v e a f as t in g v o w d u ri n g t h is m o nt h .

G a ud i ya Va i s hn av as f as t f r om u ra d d ha l fo r t h e w h ol e m o nt h o f

K ar t hi ka . I n th e S ka n da P ur a na, Lo rd Br ah ma i nfo rm s N ar ad a

M aha ri sh i: O ne s ho ul d fo ll ow Ka rt hi ka fa st a nd l iste n t o

narrations of Lord Sri Hari.

Read the 9th and 10th chapter of the book Krishna, the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, a u th o re d b y H i s D i vi n e G ra c e

A . C . B ha kt ive da nta S wa mi P ra bh up ad a, w h ic h s pe ak s a bo ut

t he p as ti m e o f Da m od ara i n de ta i l. A s um ma r y o f th e p as t im e i s

als o giv e n in th is b o o klet.

How to observe Damodara- vrata

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Cook varieties of vegetarian food stuffs and offer to Lord

Damodara. T h er e a re c e rt a in i n gr ed i en t s w h ic h a re p ro h ib i t ed

a nd c an no t b e o ffe re d t o t he L ord. Fo r m ore d eta il s v is it o ur

w ebs it e:

Perform Damodara-arati. You can sing the Damodara-ashtaka

a nd of fe r a g he e l am p t o L ord Da mo da ra . T he Damodara-

ashtaka s o ng i s a va i l ab l e i n t h is b o ok l e t. Yo u c a n a l s o do w nl o ad

au d io fo r th e s o n g fro m

. In the P ad ma P u ra na it is sa id: Anyone who offers a

g he e l a mp t o L or d D am od ar a i n th e m on th of Ka r th ik a w il l bef re ed fro m a ll ki nd s o f s ins a nd he g oe s t o t he a bo de o f L ord

H a ri . T h e g l o ri e s o f o f fe r i ng gh e e l a m p i s e l a bo ra t el y d e sc r i be d

i n t h e n ex t s e ct i on .

You can also o f fe r a g h ee l a m p t o Tu l as i de v i an d p ray fo r e te rn al

s er vi c e a t t he l o tu s fe et o f R ad ha a nd K ri sh na .

You m ay a ls o inv it e y our ne ig hb ours , re la ti ve s a nd f ri en ds t o

pa rt ic ipa te i n t hi s sa cre d Da mo da ra -arati a nd gi ve t hem an

o p po r tu n it y t o o ff er g h ee l a m ps t o L o rd Da m od a ra a n d a c c ep t t h e

prasadam o f t he L o rd .

www.iskconbangalore.org/offering-food-to-krishna

www.iskconbangalore.org/damodara-

ashtaka

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Deepotsava Celebrations at ISKCON

D e e pot s av a i s ce l e bra t ed i n a l l IS KCONc e nt er s i n t h e m on t h o f Ka r th i ka . D e vo t ee s

o ffe r g h ee l a mp s t o L or d D a mo d ara a n d si n g

the Damodarashtaka . V is it y ou r n ea re st

IS KCON ce nte r t o pa r t ici pa te i n t he f es t i va l .

L is t o f H ar e K ri sh na c en te rs i s a va il ab le i n www.iskconbangalore.org/center-list


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G l or i es o f o ff er i ng g he e la m p i n K ar t h ik a m o nt h

T h e f ol l ow in g re fe re nc e s a re f ro m th e Skand a Pu ra na (a

conversation between Lord Brahma and Sage Narada)

I f o n e o f fe rs a g h ee l a m p t o D a mo d ar a i n t h e m o nt h o f K ar t hi k a,

h i s s i ns o f m a ny t h ou s an d s a n d m i l li o ns o f b i r th s p e ri s h.

E ve n if n o m an t ra s a r e c h an te d , no p i ou s d e ed s p e rf or m e d a n d

n o p u r it y o b se r ve d , e ve r yt h in g b e c o me s p e rf ec t w h en a p e rs o n

o ffe rs a lam p d u rin g th e m o n th o f Karth ika.

O ffe ri ng a l am p to Lo rd Ke sh ava i n th e m on th of Ka rt hi ka i se q u ivale n t to p e rfo rmin g all yajnas an d b ath in g in all h o ly riv e rs .

W he n s om eo ne p le as es L or d Ke sh ava b y o ffe ri ng Hi m a l am p

d u ri n g th e m o nt h of K ar t h ik a , t h en b y t h e m e rc y o f t he L o rd , t he

an c e s to rs in th e fam ily w ill all attain lib e ratio n .

To on e w ho, ei t he r a t h om e o r i n a t em pl e, o ffe rs a l a mp du ri ng

t h is m o nt h , L o rd Va s ud e va g i v es a g r ea t r es u lt .

A p e rs o n w ho o f fe rs a l a m p to L o rd K r is h na d u ri n g t he m o nt h o f

D a mo d ar a b e co m es v e ry g l or i o us a n d f or t un a te .

No sins exist anywhere in the three worlds that will not be

p u rified b y o ffe rin g a lam p to L o rd K e s hava d u ring K arth ika.

A p e rs o n wh o o ffe rs a l a m p to L or d D am o da ra d u ri n g Ka r t hi ka

attain s th e e te rn al s p iritual w o rld w h e re th e re is n o s u ffe rin g.

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Damodara lila

O nc e w he n m ot he r Ya sho da w as

fe ed in g h er lo v e ly s o n Kris h n a, s h e

not iced tha t the mi lk on the stove

w as o ve rf l ow in g. S o s he p ut K ri sh na

d o wn a n d w en t t o a tt e n d t o t hi s .

Left alone by His mother, Krishna

became very angry and broke the

p o t o f b u t t e r k e p t t h e r e f o r

churning. He took butt er out of i t,a nd wi t h fa l se t ea rs i n H is e ye s, He

b e g a n t o e a t t h e b u t t e r i n a

secluded place.

M o t he r Ya s ho d a s o ug h t K ri s hn a a l l ov er. S h e f ou n d h e r s o n s i tt i ng

o n a b ig w oo de n g ri nd in g mo rt a r ke pt u ps i de d ow n. O n se ei n g Hi s

m o th e r wi t h a s t i ck i n h er h a nd , Kr i sh n a g o t d o wn f ro m t h e g r i nd i ngm o rtar an d be gan to fle e in fe ar. Mo th e r Yas h o d a c h as e d H im to all

c or ne rs , t ry in g t o c apt ure t he S up re me Pe rs on al it y o f G od he ad ,

w h o is n e v er ap p ro ac h e d e v e n b y th e m e d itatio n o f gre at y o gis.

T h e S up re me L or d w as p la yi n g j us t l i ke a l i tt l e c hi l d f or s uc h a g re at

d evo te e a s M ot he r Ya sho da . F in al ly, M ot he r Ya sho da c aug ht

K ri s hn a. K ri sh na w as a l mo st o n t he p oi nt o f c ry i ng . H is e ye s b ec a merestless from fear.

S e ei n g t h a t H e r s o n w a s f ea r f ul , M o th e r Ya s ho d a t h re w a wa y t h e

s ti c k. To p un is h Hi m , s he t ho ug ht t o bi nd H im w it h ro pe s. S he d id

n ot k no w th at i t i s a ct ua ll y i mp os si bl e fo r he r to b in d th e S up re me

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L o rd . W h en s he t r i ed t o bi n d Hi m ,

she found that the rope was

always short by two inches. She

gat hered more ropes from theh ou se a nd jo in ed th em , b ut s ti ll

she found the same shortage. In

attempting to bind her son, she

b ec a me t i re d. T he n L or d K ri sh na

ap p re c iate d th e h ard labo u r o f H is

mother, and being compassionate

u p on h er, H e a g re e d t o be b o un d

up by t he ro pe s.

K ri s hn a , pl ay i ng a s a h u ma n c hi l d i n t h e h o us e o f m ot h er Ya s ho d a,

w as p e rfo rm in g H is o w n s e lec te d p astim e s .

O f c o urs e, n o o n e c an c o n tro l th e S u p re m e P e rs o n ality o f G o dh e ad .

But He agrees to be controlled by His pure devotees. SrilaV is va na t ha C ha k ra va r ti Th ak ura s ay s t ha t t he i nc i de nt o f Kr i sh na ' s

b re ak i ng th e p ot o f y og ur t a nd be in g b ou nd by m ot he r Ya s ho da

took place on the Dipavali Day. This pastime is elaborately

d es cr i be d in t he n i nt h c ha pt er o f t he t ent h ca nt o of Srimad

Bhagavatam.


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C o mpo s e d b y S a t ya v ra t a Mu n i a n d r ec o rd e d i n P ad m a P u ra n a b y V ya s a - de v a

I n t h e m o n th o f K ar t hi ka , o n e s h ou l d w o rs h ip L o rd D a mo d ar a a n d

da i l y rec i te t he pray e r k now n a s Damodarashtaka .

( S ri H a ri - bh a kt i -v i la s a 2 . 1 6. 1 9 8)


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S r i D a mo d ara s ht ak a

nammvara sac-cid-nanda-rpa

lasat-kuala gokule bhrjamnam

ya od-bhi yolk hald dhvamna

parma m a ty an ta to d ru ty a g opy

r u da nta m uh u r n e tr a -y u gm a m j a nt a

kar mbhoj a- yugme na s t aka-netram

muhu vsa-kampa-trirekhka-kaha-

sthita-graiva-dmodara b h ak t i -b a d dh a m

itdk s va -l l b h ir na nd a -kue

sva-ghoa ni majj antam k hypayant am

tadyeita-j e u b h ak ta i r j i ta t va

puna prematas ta atvtti vande

To the supreme controller who possesses an eternal form of blissful

k n ow l ed ge , w h os e g l is te n in g e a rr i ng s s w in g t o a n d f ro , w h o

m an i fe s te d H im se l f in G o ku l a, w h o s to l e t h e b u tt e r th a t t h e g o p s

ke p t h a ng i ng f ro m t h e r af te rs o f t h ei r s to re ro o ms a n d w h o t h en

q u i ck l y j u m ped u p an d ra n i n retreat i n fea r of M ot h er Ya od b u twa s u l t im a tel y ca u gh t t o t h at Su p rem e L ord, r D m oda ra, I of fer

m y h u m b l e o b e i s a n c e s . (1)

U p on s eei ng H is m ot her's wh i p pi n g s t ick , He cri ed a n d ru b b ed H is

e ye s a ga i n a n d a ga i n w i th H is t w o l o tu s h a nd s . H i s e ye s w e re fe a rf u l

a n d H i s b reat h i ng qu i ck , a n d a s M ot her Ya od b ou n d H i s b el l y wi t h

r op es , He s hi ve re d i n f ri gh t a nd H is p ea rl ne ck la ce s ho ok . To th is

Su p rem e L ord, r D m od ara , wh o i s b ou nd wi t h H i s d evot ee's l ove,

I of f er m yh u m b l eob ei s a n ces . (2)

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T h os e s u pe re xc e ll e nt p a st i m es o f Lo r d K a 's b a b yhood d rown ed

t he i nh ab ita nt s o f Go ku la i n po ol s o f ec st asy. To t he d ev ote es w ho

a re a tt ra ct ed o n ly t o H is m aj es ti c a sp ec t o f N ry a a in Vaiku h a,

th e L o rd h e rein revea l s: "I a m con q u ered a n d overwhel m ed b y p u rel o vi n g d e vo t io n ." To t h e S u pr e me L o rd D mo d ar a, my o b ei s an c es

h u n dred s a n d h un d red s of t i mes . (3)

O L o rd , a l t ho u gh Yo u a r e a b l e t o g i ve a l l k i n ds o f be n ed i ct i o ns , I d o

n o t p ray to Yo u for lib e ratio n , no r e tern al life in Vaiku h a, n o r any

o th er b oo n. M y o nl y p raye r i s t ha t Yo ur c hi ld ho od p as ti me s m ay

c o n stantly ap p e ar in my m in d. O L or d, I d o no t e ve n wa nt t o k no w

Yo ur fe at ur e o f Pa ra m tm . I s im pl y w is h t ha t Yo ur c hi ld ho od

p a s t i m e s m a y e v e r b e e n a c t e d i n m y h e a r t . (4)

O L o rd , t he c h ee k s o f Yo u r bl a ck i sh l o tu s f ac e , w hi c h is e n ci rc l ed b y

l o ck s o f c u rl i ng h a ir, h av e b e co m e r e dd e ne d l i ke b i mb a f r ui t d u e t oMother Yaod's kisses. What more can I desc ribe than this?

M il li on s o f o pu le nc es are of no use to me, but may this vision

c o ns ta nt l y r em a i n i n my m i nd . ( 5 )

vara de va mo k a na mo kvadhi v

n a c ny a v e ' ha v ar e d a p ha

ida t e v a pu r n t ha g op l a- b la

s ad m e m an as y vi r st kim anyai

ida t e muk hmbhoj am at yant a-n l air

v ta k un ta l a i s ni gd ha -r ak ta i c a g op y

muhu cumbita bimba-rakt-dhara me

m an a sy vi r st m a la laka-lbhai

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Damodara Vrata Booklet

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