Shri Damodarashtaka

(Sung every morning during the month of Kartika (October-November)

(found in the Padma Purana of Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa, spoken by Satyavrata Muni in a conversation
with Narada Muni and Saunaka Rsi.)
“In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Damodara and daily recite the prayer known as
Damodarastaka, which has been spoken by the sage Satyavrata and which attracts Lord Damodara.” (Sri
Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.16.198)
(1)
namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam
lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
yasoda-bhiyolukhalad dhavamanam
paramrstam atyantato drutya gopya

(2)
rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam
karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram
muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha-
sthita-graivam damodaram bhakti-baddham

(3)
itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghosam nimajjantam akhyapayantam
tadiyesita-jnesu bhaktair jitatvam
punah prematas tam satavrtti vande

(4)
varam deva moksam na moksavadhim va
na canyam vrne ‘ham varesad apiha
idam te vapur natha gopala-balam
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih

(5)
idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair
vrtam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais ca gopya
muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me
manasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih

(6)
namo deva damodarananta visno
prasida prabho duhkha-jalabdhi-magnam
krpa-drsti-vrstyati-dinam batanu
grhanesa mam ajnam edhy aksi-drsyah

(7)
kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat
tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca
tatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha
na mokse graho me ’sti damodareha

(8)
namas te ’stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne
tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne
namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai
namo ‘nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam
 Translation

(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 offense of breaking the pot of yogurt that His mother was churning into butter and
then stealing the butter that was kept hanging from a swing] is quickly running from the wooden grinding
mortar in fear of mother Yasoda, but who has been caught from behind by her who ran after Him with
greater speed - to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

(2) [Seeing the whipping stick in His mother's hand,] He is crying and rubbing His eyes again and again
with His two lotus hands. His eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which
is marked with three lines like a conchshell, is shaking because of His quick breathing due to crying. To
this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mother's pure love, I
offer my humble obeisances.

(3) By such childhood pastimes as this He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy, and
is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in 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 I again offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara
hundreds and hundreds of times.

(4) 0 Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for the boon of
impersonal liberation, nor the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon [which may
be obtained by executing the nine processes of bhakti]. O Lord, I simply wish that this form of Yours as
Bala Gopala in Vrndavana may ever be manifest in my heart, for what is the use to me of any other boon
besides this?

(5) 0 Lord, Your lotus face, which is encircled by locks of soft black hair tinged with red, is kissed again
and again by Mother Yasoda, and Your lips are reddish like the 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) 0 Supreme Godhead, I offer my obeisances unto You. O Damodara! O Ananta! O Visnu! O master! O
my Lord, be pleased upon me. By showering Your glance of mercy upon me, deliver this poor ignorant
fool who is immersed in an ocean of worldly sorrows, and become visible to my eyes.

(7) 0 Lord Damodara, just as the two sons of Kuvera - Manigriva and Nalakuvara - were delivered from
the curse of Narada and made into great devotees by You in Your form as a baby tied with rope to a
wooden grinding mortar, in the same way, please give to me Your own prema-bhakti. I only long for this
and have no desire for any kind of liberation.

(8) 0 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. I humbly bow
down to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani, and I offer all obeisances to You, the Supreme Lord, who
displays unlimited pastimes.
 (1)

sri-krishna-caitanya prabhu doya koro more

toma bina ke doyalu jagat -samsare

(2)
patita-pavana-hetu tava avatara
mo sama patita prabhu na paibe ara

(3)
ha ha prabhu nityananda, premananda sukhi
kripabalokana koro ami boro duhkhi

(4)
doya koro sita-pati adwaita gosai
tava kripa -bale pai caitanya -nitai

(5)
ha ha swarup, sanatana, rupa, raghunatha
bhatta-juga, sri-jiva ha prabhu lokanatha

(6)
doya koro sri-acarya prabhu srinivasa
ramacandra-sanga mage narottama -dasa

(1) My dear Lord Caitanya, please be merciful to me, because who can be more merciful than Your
Lordship within these three worlds?
(2) Your incarnation is just to reclaim the conditioned, fallen souls, but I assure You that You will
not find a greater fallen soul than me. Therefore, my claim is first.

(3) My dear Lord Nityananda, You are always joyful in spiritual bliss. Since You always appear
very happy, I have come to You because I am most unhappy. If You kindly put Your glance over
me, then I may also become happy.

(4) My dear Advaita Prabhu, husband of Sita, You are so kind. Please be merciful to me. If You
are kind to me, naturally Lord Caitanya and Nityananda will also be kind to me.

(5) O Svarupa Damodara, personal secretary of Lord Caitanya, O six Gosvamis ó Sri Rupa
Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Sri
Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami! O Lokanatha Gosvami, my beloved spiritual
master! Narottama dasa also prays for your mercy.

(6) O Srinivasa Acarya, successor to the six Gosvamis! Please be merciful to me. Narottama dasa
always desires the company of Ramacandra Cakravarti.