Post by madanmohandas on Oct 20, 2020 5:29:00 GMT -6
Kartikka does not begin until the 31st, it seems, but here is Damodarastakam anyway.
Damodarastakam
The eight verses by Satyavrata muni extracted from the ancient text. Traditionally recited throughout the month of Karttika.
Hail to the True, Eternal, Joy divine,
The Almighty who in Gokul doth shine;
With glistening pendants hung upon each ear,
Who fled the grinding mortar in great fear
Of Yashoda, who ran for him too fast,
And thus the cowherdess caught him at last. 1
Repeatedly he weeps and sobs and cries,
With lotus hands he rubs his lotus eyes,
Moistened with apprehension and affright;
With panting breaths, his jewel necklace bright
Shakes on his conch-like throat with creases three;
Bound by the love of the pure devotee. 2
Thus by such wondrous childhood deeds as this,
He plunges his lovers in pools of bliss;
And to the curious who wish to know,
His utter submission to love doth show;
Repeatedly and in an hundred ways,
I bow to him with love and sing his praise.3
O lord of boons! I do not seek from thee
Salvation e'en in whatever degree,
Nor do I from thee any boon require;
This, O my Lord, is my only desire;
That this thy form as the young cowherd boy
May in my mind remain, what other joy
With this blessing could equal or exceed?
I have, indeed, for other boons no need. 4
This lotus-face of thine of beauty rare,
Is framed by curly locks of sable hair,
With reddish patches that clearly confess
Where thou art kissed by the fond cowherdess,
With charming lips like Bimba berries soft,
She kisses thee both many times and oft;
Let this vision within my mind remain.
Enough! O lord! of any other gain. 5
Hail Deva! Damodar! the one adored,
Almighty Vishnu! universal lord;
Be kind, O master, and thy favour show,
For I am sunk in the sea of sorrow;
Rain down, O lord, thy gracious glance on me,
Though I am most wretched and unworthy,
Accept me, and reveal to me the prize,
Not only in the mind, but to the eyes. 6
When Kuvera's sons were transformed to trees,
Though bound thyself, thou grantest them release,
And also gave to them a loving heart,
O lord! that same love unto me impart
(That purest love that loves for love's own sake)
Damodar! I'll not liberation take. 7
Hail to the bright rope wherewith thou wert bound!
All hail to thy belly wherein is found
The expansive universe to appear.
Hail Radhika! whom to thee is most dear;
All hail to thee the god from whom proceeds
Infinite and eternal playful deeds. 8
Damodarastakam
The eight verses by Satyavrata muni extracted from the ancient text. Traditionally recited throughout the month of Karttika.
Hail to the True, Eternal, Joy divine,
The Almighty who in Gokul doth shine;
With glistening pendants hung upon each ear,
Who fled the grinding mortar in great fear
Of Yashoda, who ran for him too fast,
And thus the cowherdess caught him at last. 1
Repeatedly he weeps and sobs and cries,
With lotus hands he rubs his lotus eyes,
Moistened with apprehension and affright;
With panting breaths, his jewel necklace bright
Shakes on his conch-like throat with creases three;
Bound by the love of the pure devotee. 2
Thus by such wondrous childhood deeds as this,
He plunges his lovers in pools of bliss;
And to the curious who wish to know,
His utter submission to love doth show;
Repeatedly and in an hundred ways,
I bow to him with love and sing his praise.3
O lord of boons! I do not seek from thee
Salvation e'en in whatever degree,
Nor do I from thee any boon require;
This, O my Lord, is my only desire;
That this thy form as the young cowherd boy
May in my mind remain, what other joy
With this blessing could equal or exceed?
I have, indeed, for other boons no need. 4
This lotus-face of thine of beauty rare,
Is framed by curly locks of sable hair,
With reddish patches that clearly confess
Where thou art kissed by the fond cowherdess,
With charming lips like Bimba berries soft,
She kisses thee both many times and oft;
Let this vision within my mind remain.
Enough! O lord! of any other gain. 5
Hail Deva! Damodar! the one adored,
Almighty Vishnu! universal lord;
Be kind, O master, and thy favour show,
For I am sunk in the sea of sorrow;
Rain down, O lord, thy gracious glance on me,
Though I am most wretched and unworthy,
Accept me, and reveal to me the prize,
Not only in the mind, but to the eyes. 6
When Kuvera's sons were transformed to trees,
Though bound thyself, thou grantest them release,
And also gave to them a loving heart,
O lord! that same love unto me impart
(That purest love that loves for love's own sake)
Damodar! I'll not liberation take. 7
Hail to the bright rope wherewith thou wert bound!
All hail to thy belly wherein is found
The expansive universe to appear.
Hail Radhika! whom to thee is most dear;
All hail to thee the god from whom proceeds
Infinite and eternal playful deeds. 8