Prayers to Lord Damodar

Lord Damodar

The Prayers to Lord Damodar is a popular Vaishnava bhajan (devotional folk song) that celebrates the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna as Damodar (the Lord when He was tied with a cord [daama] around His waist [udara], denoting a divine pastime in which Krishna's mother Yashoda bound her naughty son as punishment for breaking her butter pot in anger). The Sanskrit prayer Damodarashtakam appears in the Padma Purana (one of the eighteen Puranas) by Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa. The song is often sung by devotees during the month of Kartik, and is very popular amongst the Vaishnavas of ISKCON. This English translation was written by True Peace around 1990 at New Vrindaban, West Virginia. The musical arrangement by the former New Vrindaban Director of Music—Henry Doktorski (Hrishikesh dasa)—is very much like the version which was sung at New Vrindaban from 1990 to 1994.

Doktorski explained: "I enjoy singing the Prayers to Lord Damodar during the month of Kartik, and also at other times of the year. This is my arrangement of the tune with accordion accompaniment."

To listen to an MP3 file of Prayers to Lord Damodar, Click Here.

To read the Sanskrit and literal English translation, Click Here.

To read a summary of the pastime of Lord Damodar from Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 10, Chapter 9) as told by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in Krishna Book, Click Here.

Prayers to Lord Damodar
English lyrics by True Peace

Damodara

        (1) Omnipotent, eternal, omniscient in bliss,
        In Gokula manifest, with opulence kissed,
        Yashoda’s sweet butter thief, fearful to subdue—
        My Lord Supreme, Damodar, obeisance to You.

        (2) Wide-eyed, You were terrified, tearful, breathing quick,
        With ropes bound by Yashoda, for her whipping stick—
        Bound by your devotee’s love, Your mercy is true,
        My Lord Supreme, Damodar, obeisance to You.

        (3) Pastimes full of ecstasy with Krishna thus show
        Lord Narayan’s devotees an intimate glow.
        What love in Your devotee, sweet Lord, you endue!
        My Lord Supreme, Damodar, obeisance to You.

        (4) O Lord, my great champion, no gift is more fair
        Than Your childhood’s sweet pastimes remembered in prayer.
        Not even the Supersoul complete from the start
        Is sweeter than Your childhood replete in my heart.

        (5) All mystical darkness in Your sweet lotus face
        Rose blushed by the kisses of Yashoda’s embrace—
        To hold You and love You, Lord, what treasure could find,
        Your mystical presence, now, always in my mind?

        (6) Unlimited Shri Vishnu! O Master! O Lord!
        I’m drowning in sorrow here. Let me be restored.
        Show mercy upon me, Lord! Uplift and protect
        Your unworthy servitor with nectar’s confect.

        (7) Bound to a great grinding stone caught between two trees
        The little Lord Damodar crawling on His knees
        Freed both of Kuvera’s sons to be devotees.
        O sweet little Damodar, please likewise bless me.

        (8) O Lord, as the universe was made by Brahma,
        Sprung up from Your abdomen, bound by Yashoda,
        So let me obeisances to You my sweet Lord
        Bind me to Your services, forever adored.

Damodara

Paintings of Krishna, Mother Yashoda, and sons of Kuvera by ISKCON artists.


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