So this month is Damodar month, as I explained before. And this month is glorified particularly among all the different months.

So one can do many different types of activities like fasting and vratas and going to tirthas, chanting mantras, etc. during this month and you get great results from that. But one of the simplest things you can do is offer a lamp.

So one can simply offer a lamp every day to the Lord and one gets very, very great results from that. And even you can offer on someone else’s behalf.

There’s the example of the mouse. The mouse got burned up because he wanted to eat the ghee of the lamp and when he was eating it got caught on fire and he lit up everything. So he went to Vaikuntha, because of that.

Okay, so of course, same as in among the Gaudiyas, especially in ISKCON also because during this month we sing the Damodar prayer when we offer the lamp.

So this series of verses, astaka, describes the glories of Damodar. And it’s also quoted in the Hari Bhakti Vilas. So a very, very famous thing coming from the Padma Purana.

It’s said to be spoken first by Satyavrata. So convenient to worship Damodar in this month because it is Damodar month even though it’s called Kartik month by some other people. So in the Hari Bhakti Vilas, daily one should recite these verses in praise of Damodar and offer lamps.

So this is quoted in the Hari Bhakti Vilas of Sanatana Goswami. He gives a little short explanation of it as well. So now they want me to sing this but it’s difficult to sing with response so all I can do is sing it by myself I guess.

Okay, I’ll sing the first verse.

1st verse explanation: So as it says, Namami, I offer my respects. Then to who? The Supreme Lord, Isvara. And he has this form which is Satcitananda, eternity, knowledge and bliss. Yeah, and of course Isvara  of course means supreme lord so he is the controller of the whole universe. But he is also the controller of the individual. And because of being the controller of the individual, he can give the power by which we can glorify him. So he is excellent or he is in that supreme position because of being that Satcitananda. Though he is the supreme lord, he is also very beautiful.And he’s beautiful as a small child.

So the second line lasat kundalam gokule vraja manam, means he is shining, very brilliant. And he has glittering earrings.

That is Kundala, Kundala is the earring. And this all takes place in Gokula, that’s where Krishna was raised as a child. So the earrings, the beauty of the earrings, they simply enhance his natural beauty.

And he also manifests special beauty because of his devotees. He also manifests special beauty because it is Gokula. And then the third line describes how he ran away from Mother Yasoda in fear And he was chased by Mother Yasoda  in the last line. So he ran very quickly and she also ran very quickly. So of course this incident is described in detail in the Srimad Bhagavatam.

So when Krishna saw his mother with a stick, then he began to run and then Mother Yasoda  began to chase him. But she caught him. So in this way, though he was the Supreme Lord, he got caught by his mother. Which shows how the devotee is able to capture the Lord.

2^nd verse explanation: So the next verse is So this continues offering respects to Damodara and it describes him again. So what did he do when he was caught? He cried. That’s the first word. Rudantam means he was crying. And he was rubbing his eyes like small children.

When they cry, they rub their eyes. With his small lotus hands. And his eyes were filled with fear, satanka-netram. So this is describing Krishna full of fear and crying. So how is it possible the Supreme Lord who was described in the first verse Satcitananda  etc. Full of all eternity, knowledge and bliss, he is crying in fear. So of course he had a reason for crying. He was afraid of the stick in Yasoda’s hand. And therefore he pretended to cry. So in this way he would get the sympathy of Mother Yasoda . And then he was trembling, muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kantha. So he was trembling very much.

Particularly his necklace around his neck was trembling because of his breathing. So this description of Krishna is there but ultimately the reason for all of this was, bhakti-baddham, he was bound by bhakti. So Damodara means he is tied up around the waist. So he was tied by ultimately not the rope but by bhakti.

3rd verse explanation: So the next verse is I offer 100 respects to Krishna with great prema. Who drowns his devotees in a lake of bliss. Through his pastimes. So that is itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde. Ananda Kunde is in a lake of bliss. So he drowns the devotees in the lake of bliss.

And what he does here through this is he announces to everyone that he is controlled by the devotees. That is bhaktair jitatvam. Bhaktair jitatvam means he is conquered. So he is conquered by the devotees. There are many people who practice jnana but he is controlled by those who practice bhakti. So the pastime of Damodara is very attractive to the devotees. Particularly because it shows how he is conquered by the devotees.

4th verse explanation:

Next verse , Here is Varam of course means a benediction.

And what is the benediction? Moksha, liberation. But the author Satyavrata says I do not choose this benediction of liberation. And I don’t choose anything else also. mEven though you are capable of giving all benedictions. So Varesad means from the giver of all benedictions I do not choose any benediction. So may your form, your body of a small cowherd boy manifest in my mind always.

And what is the use of anything else? kim anyaih, Nothing else is of any use. So in this way the author is expressing that he simply wants to serve the lord and doesn’t ask for liberation or any material benediction. Rather I simply request that you will always appear in my mind.

5th verse explanation:

Here the face of Krishna is described.So may your lotus face manifest in my mind. So that face is described. It’s surrounded by black locks. And he has red lips. And mother Yasoda is constantly kissing those lips. So the author is requesting that that image, that face, that lotus face of Krishna be manifested in his mind at all times. And what is the use of a hundred thousand other attainments? Whatever I get a hundred thousand times is useless.

6th verse explanation:

Again he is offering respects, namah. And he prays, be pleased with me, Prasida, be pleased with me. And he says, I am duhkha-jalabdhi-magnam, I am drowning in the ocean of suffering. So please show mercy with your merciful glances, Krpa Drsti. And be visible to my eyes. So in this way, again he’s requesting that the Lord become visible to him.

7th verse explanation:

The next verse. So this describes how the sons of Kuvera were freed from being trees. So this describes how the sons of Kuvera were freed from being trees. So it says tvaya mocitau, they were liberated by you. And they became devotees, Bhakti Bajau. Even though you were all tied up to the mortar, you were able to free them from their bondage of being trees. So very mercifully you freed those sons of Kuvera. So similarly, please give me Prema bhakti. So similarly, please give me Prema bhakti. na mokse graho me ‘sti, I don’t want liberation.

So in this way, by showing the past time of liberating the sons of Kubera, So in this way, by showing the past time of liberating the sons of Kuvera, he’s asking that the Lord show similar mercy to him. So here he prays directly for prema bhakti. And then he will directly see the lord at all times.

8th verse explanation:

Okay, so the last verse here is, again he’s offering respects. But he offers respects to Krishna, namaste, unto you. He offers respects to the rope, dhamne. And that rope is shining very brightly, sphurad-dipti-dhamne. And then he offers respects to Krishna’s stomach. That is udara, tvadiyodara, that means your stomach, which is the abode of the whole universe. We know that when Krishna was smaller, he opened his mouth, and Mother Yasoda looked in, and in his stomach she saw the whole universe. So if his stomach holds the whole universe, no rope will be able to tie him up. And then he offers respects to Radha, because she is the dearest devotee. And again he offers respects to that form of Krishna. And then he offers respects to Krishna’s unlimited pastimes, ananta-lilaya. So in this last verse he’s actually offering respects to everything related to Krishna.

He offers respects to Krishna and to Radha, and to the rope, and to Krishna’s stomach. And to Krishna’s pastimes. So this way he expresses great devotion for this form of Damodara, who performed this pastime in Damodar month.

So today actually it is also Gopastami. So this is a special day in Vrindavan, because at this time Krishna commemorates Krishna getting in charge of the cows. Up until Krishna killed Agasura, and then carried out the pastime of bewildering Brahma, he was in his Kaumara age, youngest age.

But after that, then he entered into his Pauganda period. So at this time he became very active. And he also increased his circle of friends. And Krishna also was desiring that he would like to herd the cows. Before that, he would be given a few calves to herd.

So eventually, the elder cowherd and of course Nanda’s brothers, they all consulted together like Upananda and others. And they discussed. And then they decided, yes, we should let Krishna and Balarama herd the cows. So then they decided, yes, we will choose a special day and then we will give Krishna incharge of the cows.

So everyone became very happy. They consulted the astrologers. So on the 8th lunar day, that’s the Astami, they decided this was auspicious day when Krishna and Balarama will begin herding the cows. So they held a huge festival in Vraja, which lasted three days, in which Krishna graduated from herding calves to herding the cows. So Krishna and Balarama were dressed up in new clothing. And they have these protective herbs.

Certain plants are like protective, so they would tie them around their limbs. And they got blessings from the Brahmanas. And then they offered lamps to Krishna and Balarama. The people began to sing songs and they began dancing. And then Krishna and Balarama went to the forest with all the cows. So they put the priests in the front. And they were singing musical instruments and chanting out auspicious verses. And they also brought the cows and they worshipped the cows. And then they fed the cows. And then they offered respects to the cows. Then Krishna offered respects to the priests also. So then Krishna and Balarama stood before Nanda Maharaj.

And then Nanda gave him a jewel stick. And Yasoda put tilak on his forehead. And then she told Balarama that you have to protect Krishna by remaining in front of him.

And Subala should stay behind him. And Sudhama and Dhama should stay on either side and this way they could protect him all around. So this way they all offered respects to Mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaj and then they departed. So then he had the cows move but they wouldn’t move because they were so attracted to Krishna.

So then Krishna had to walk and then the calves went with him and then the cows began to follow Krishna. But all the older cowherds, they wanted to follow Krishna. But Krishna and Balarama told them no you can’t come, you have to stay here in the village.

So who was trying to follow Krishna? All the elder people. So Krishna, Balarama and the boys, they took all of the cows and the calves to Govardhan. So they could control the cows by calling them so they didn’t have to beat them with sticks or anything. And then all the boys became absorbed in decorating themselves and playing with Krishna and Balarama. So Krishna was very attached to all of the cows. The cows are very attached to Krishna.

And if he wasn’t there, they would just stand there, very very still, they wouldn’t move at all. And when they saw him, they would approach him very blissfully and they would see him, smell him and touch him. So in this way, they had a great pleasurable time in the forest with the cows and with the other cowherd boys.

And in this way, they experienced Sakhya rasa. And in this way, they experienced Sakhya rasa. So that was the Ashtami day, the day on which Krishna first entered into this pastime of herding the cows and then of course we see he enlarged his Sakhya rasa pastimes with the cowherd boys. So in the calendar, sometimes they say that this is the appearance of Radha-Kunda, but that’s actually a mistake. But of course, they do bathe in Radha-Kunda on this day.

But our Acharyas point out that actually Radha-Kunda and Shyama-Kunda appeared after Krishna killed Arishtasura, the bull demon. And the month that Arishtasura was killed was the month of Chaitra, which is April or May, not the Kartika month.

And of course after killing Arishtasura, shortly after that, Krishna went to Mathura. So the killing of Arishtasura is related to the appearance of Shyama-Kunda and Radha-Kunda. So after Krishna had killed Arishtasura, then Radha said, oh, you’re a sinful killer of a bull. So you cannot touch me. But Krishna said, no, that’s not a bull, it’s a demon disguised as a bull.

So Radha-Rani said, that may be so, and even though Arishtasura was a big demon, he took the form of the bull. So because you killed a bull, you have to do some atonement. So then Krishna said, well, what should I do to atone for this act of killing the bull? So Radha said, you can purify yourself if you bathe in all the tirthas in the three worlds.

So she said this to make it impossible for him to get purification. So Krishna said, oh, that’s no problem. I don’t have to go around the universe to all the Tirthas. I will bring all the Tirthas here. And then ill take bath and then ill bathe in all the tirthas. So he struck his heel on the ground and made a hole.

And then he called all the Tirthas of the universe and their presiding deities. So all the Tirthas with the deities, the Devatas, they all appeared there in that place.

So Gopis said, how do we know that they are real Devatas? So all those Devatas began to offer prayers to Krishna and introduce themselves. So one said, I am the salt ocean, I am the milk ocean, I am the Tamaraparni river, I am Pushkar, I am the river Saraswati, etc they all introduced themselves.

So Krishna bathed in the water and then he became very proud and said, Ok, I have made this lake which has all the Tirthas in it, but you haven’t done anything like that. So Radha told her friends, I must create a more beautiful lake than Krishna’s lake.

So she told all of her friends, go and start digging. So near where Arishtasura had struck his hooves, just near Krishna’s kunda, the Gopis began to dig a hole. So using their hands, within an hour they made a kunda, a pond.

So Krishna saw that nice pond and he said, oh Radha, take the water from my kunda and put it in your kunda. But Radha said, no, we cannot do that. The lake, the water from your lake is all contaminated because you had that sin of killing the cow and you bathed in that lake, so that water is contaminated.

So my sakhis will take water from Manasa Ganga and fill up my kunda. But then, on the signal from Krishna, out of his kunda, this very attractive Devata arose. And she began to offer praises to Radharani. So that Devata praised Radharani and then praised Krishna. And she explained how Krishna is very, very attracted to Radharani.

So on his order, we’ve come to this lake. But we will not feel content unless you are satisfied with us and give us your glance. So Radha said, so what do you want? And then they replied, if you enter into, if we can enter, that is the waters from Krishna’s kunda, enter into your kunda, that is the best benediction for us.

So Radha agreed. So all of the rivers and lakes from Krishna’s kunda went into Radha’s kunda. And then Krishna gave a blessing, your kunda will be most famous in the world, more famous than my kunda.

And I will come and bathe in your kunda. Your kunda is dear as you yourself are dear to me. And then Radha said, I will bathe daily in your kunda even if you kill a hundred Aristasura demons. And anyone who bathes in your kunda, then they will become dear to me. So in this way, with this pastime, Krishna’s kunda, Shyama kunda and Radha kunda appeared.

But this was in Caitra month, not in Karthik month.

Q & A

1) Maharaj, on Gopashtami, what is the relationship of Radharani? Like sometimes we see in some temples, they dress up Radharani like Gopa. Is there any connection there?

Well, that’s a tradition they have in Vrindavan. Some of the temples do that. And it’s like they have their local stories, etc. But we don’t find Rupa Goswami or Visvanatha Chakravarti talking about that. So it’s a local tradition. There is a controversy in ISKCON about that. Whether you should… You know, dress up Radharani as a Gopa and show her feet, etc. I think our minister of deity worship says better not to. Because Prabhupada never said anything about it. But it all started because of this tradition in Vrindavan. And some of the temples there, they do that.

2)  That way we should reject it or we should just respect it as a tradition?

Well, we can respect it but we don’t have to do it. But we shouldn’t feel obligated that we have to do it.

3) The pastime of Kaliya happened before or after lifting Govardhan pastime?

Kaliya. I don’t know , Govardhan was one year before the Rasa lila.

So, I suppose Kaliya was somewhere in between there, maybe the next year or before the Raslila but after the Govardhan, possibly.

4) What first time Gopi saw Krishna? 

Well, a direct meeting where they would speak with him took place only with the Raslila, before then they would talk about him but they wouldn’t directly meet him. Of course, we have one exception there where the young Gopis were bathing and Krishna stole their clothing. So, that took place also before the Rasalila and he spoke to them also at that time. But those Gopis were unmarried. Okay, fine. Hare Krishna.