Dedicated to the adoration of Lord Krishna, the Damodarashtakam is a cherished and profound bhajan (devotional song) found within the pages of the Padma Purana, attributed to the revered sage Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa. This exquisite composition is a testament to the deep devotion and spirituality of Satyavrata Muni, who revealed it in a conversation with the illustrious sage Narada and the inquisitive Shaunaka. The Damodarashtakam consists of eight shlokas, each intricately crafted to celebrate Krishna as Damodara, a divine form of the Lord. Its timeless beauty and spiritual significance are best exemplified during the sacred month of Kartika when devotees around the world come together to celebrate the Damodara Vrata, invoking the divine presence of Lord Damodara in their hearts.

Verse 1

namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam
lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
yasoda-bhiyolukhalad dhavamanam
paramrishtam atyantato drutya gopya

Synonyms

Namamisvaram: Referring to Lord Krishna, the Supreme Lord
Sac-cid-ananda-rupam: The form of the Lord characterized by eternity, knowledge, and bliss
Lasat-kundalam: The shining earrings.
Gokule bhrajamanam: Who is shining in Gokula (Krishna’s divine abode)
Yasoda-bhiyolukhalad dhavamanam: Running away from Mother Yasoda out of fear of punishment
Paramrishtam: With great affection
Atyantato: To the highest extent
Drutya: Swiftly
Gopya: By the gopis (cowherd girls)

Meaning: I adore Lord Krishna, who is the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose shining earrings illuminate Gokula, who playfully runs away from Mother Yasoda in fear of the swinging grinding mortar, and who is affectionately embraced by the Gopis with utmost haste.

Verse 2

rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrijantam
karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram
muhuh svasa-kampa-trirekhanka-kanthasthita-
graivam damodaram bhakti-baddham

Synonyms

Rudantam: Crying
Muhur: Repeatedly
Netra-yugmam: Pair of eyes
Mrijantam: Rubbing
Karambhoja-yugmena: With His lotus-like hands
Satanka-netram: Fearful eyes
Muhuh: Again and again
Svasa-kampa: Quivering breath
Trirekhanka-kanthasthita: Resting on His three-fold bending neck
Graivam: Throat
Damodaram: The Lord known as Damodara (one who was tied with a rope by Mother Yasoda)
Bhakti-baddham: Bound by the love of His devotees

Meaning: I worship Lord Damodara, who, while Mother Yashoda is churning butter and quickly looking here and there, cries and rubs His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes are fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yashoda binds His belly with a rope, He shivers in fear, and His pearl necklace shakes because of His quick breathing due to crying.

Verse 3

itidrik sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde
sva-ghosham nimajjantam akhyapayantam
tadiyeshita-jneshu bhaktair jitatvam
punah prematas tam satavritti vande

Synonyms

Itidrik: Such
Sva-lilabhir: His own pastimes
Ananda-kunde: In the pool of bliss
Sva-ghosham: His own associates
Nimajjantam: Immersed
Akhyapayantam: Narrating
Tadiyeshita-jneshu: To those who are desiring to know about Him
Bhaktair: By the devotees
Jitatvam: Conquering
Punah: Again
Prematas: Out of love
Tam: Him
Satavritti: With great devotion.l
Vande: I offer my obeisances

Meaning: Thus, He is immersed in His own joyful pastimes, revealing them to the devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His desires. With great love and devotion, I offer my repeated obeisances to Lord Damodara, who, by His own sweet will, conquered and granted victory to those who lovingly worship Him.

Verse 4

varam deva moksham na mokshavadhim va
na canyam vrine ’ham vareshad apiha
idam te vapur natha gopala-balam
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih

Synonyms

Varam: A boon or blessing
Deva: Lord
Moksham: Liberation
Mokshavadhim: Even the greatest liberation
Na: Not
Canyam: Anything else
Vrine: I seek
Aham: I
Vareshad: O Lord of lords (referring to Krishna).
Apiha: In this world
Idam: This.
Te: Your.
Vapuh: Form
Natha: O Lord
Gopala-balam: The young cowherd boy Krishna
Sada: Always
Me: My
Manasy: In the mind
Avirastam: May be manifest
Kim: What
Anyaih: Else

Meaning: O Lord, I do not desire heavenly pleasures, liberation, or any other boon. I only wish for Your divine form as the young cowherd, Gopala, to be eternally present in my mind. What use do I have for anything else?

Verse 5

idam te mukhambhojam atyanta-nilair
vritam kuntalaih snigdha-raktais ca gopya
muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me
manasy avirastam alam laksha-labhaih

Synonyms

idam: this
te: your
mukhambhojam: lotus-like face
atyanta-nilair – extremely blue (referring to the color of the face)
vritam: covered
kuntalaih: with locks of hair
snigdha-raktais: moistened with red (referring to the lips)
ca: and
gopya: secretly
muhus: repeatedly
cumbitam: kissed
bimba-raktadharam: like the redness of a bimba fruit (referring to the lips)
me: my
manasy: in the mind
avirastam: have emerged
alam: greatly
laksha-labhaih: with the means of my eyes (referring to looking at the face)

Meaning: O Krishna, Your lotus face, adorned with very dark blue locks of hair, kissed repeatedly by the Gopis with their red, moist lips, has now firmly occupied my mind, leaving no room for any other thoughts, just like a valuable jewel that has been discovered.

Verse 6

namo deva damodarananta vishno
prasida prabho duhkha-jalabdhi-magnam
kripa-drishti-vrishtyati-dinam batanu
grihanesha mam ajnam edhy akshi-drisyah

Synonyms

Namo: Salutations
Deva: Lord or God
Damodara: A name of Lord Krishna
Ananta: Infinite or endless
Vishnu: A major deity in Hinduism
Prasida: Be merciful or kind
Prabho: Lord
Duhkha: Suffering
Jalabdhi: Ocean
Magnam: Engulfed
Kripa: Grace
Drishti: Glance
Vrishti: Shower
Ati: Excessively
Dinam: Me, a poor soul
Batanu: Body
Grihanesha: O Lord of the house (referring to Lord Krishna)
Mam: My
Ajnam: Ignorance
Edhy: Please uplift
Akshi: Eyes
Drisyah: Visible or seen

Meaning: I offer my obeisances to Lord Damodara, the infinite Lord Vishnu. Please be gracious, O master, and save me, who is submerged in the ocean of suffering. Cast your merciful glance upon me, shower me with your nectarous compassion, and become visible to my eyes.

Verse 7

kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yadvat
tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau kritau ca
tatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha
na mokshe graho me ‘sti damodareha

Synonyms

Kuveratmajau – Refers to the two sons of Kubera, named Manigriva and Nalakuvara
Baddha-murtyaiva – Similar to being bound by the form of idols
Tvaya – By You (addressed to Lord Krishna)
Mocitau – Liberated or freed
Bhakti-bhajau – Devotees who worship with love and devotion
Kritau – Made or created
Tatha – Similarly
Prema-bhaktim – Devotion with deep love
Svakam – One’s own
Me – My
Prayaccha – Please grant or give
Na – Not
Mokshe – In liberation or salvation
Graho – Desire or inclination
Me – My
Asti – Is
Damodareha – Another name for Lord Krishna, indicating the one with a rope around His waist

Meaning: O Lord Damodara, just as You mercifully delivered the sons of Kuvera from their bondage and made them Your devotees, please grant me your pure devotion in love, for I do not desire liberation. O Lord, I have no interest in liberation; my only aspiration is to attain your loving devotional service.

Verse 8

namas te ’stu damne sphurad-dipti-dhamne
tvadiyodarayatha visvasya dhamne
namo radhikayai tvadiya-priyayai
namo ’nanta-lilaya devaya tubhyam

Synonyms

Damne – Referring to the Lord’s abode or place of residence
Sphurad-dipti-dhamne – Expressing the resplendent and radiant nature of the Lord’s abode
Tvadiyodarayatha – Like your belly or divine form
Visvasya dhamne – Abode of the entire universe
Radhikayai – Referring to Radha, a beloved devotee of Lord Krishna
Tvadiya-priyayai – Beloved of the Lord
Ananta-lilaya – The one engaged in limitless divine pastimes
Devaya – Referring to the Lord as the divine deity or god
Tubhyam – To You

Meaning: Obeisances to You, the Lord, whose belly is bound with a rope, whose divine effulgence illuminates the entire universe, and who is the abode of all creation. I offer my respects to Your beloved Radhika and to You, the Lord who performs endless divine pastimes.