Damodarashtakam

"In the month of Kartika one should worship Lord Krishna by daily reciting the prayer spoken by sage Satyavrata Muni known as Damodarashtakam."
- Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.16.198


Text One
namamisvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam
lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
yashoda-bhiyolukalad-dhavamanam
paramrstam atyam tato drutya gopya


Translation
"To the supreme controller, who possesses an eternal form of blissful knowledge, whose glistening earrings swing to and fro, who manifest Himself in Gokula, who stole the butter that the gopis kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother Yashoda but was ultimately caught - to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances."

Text Two

rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mrjantam
karambhoja-yugmena satanka-netram
muhuh svasa-kampa-tri-rekhanka-kantha-
sthita-graiva damodaram bhakti-baddham


Translation
"Upon seeing His mother's whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yashoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances."

Text Three

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


Translation
"Those superexcellent pastimes of Lord Krishna's babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of Narayana in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: "I am conquered and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion." To the Supreme Lord, Damodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times."

Text Four

varam deva! moksham na mokshavadhim va
na canyam vrne 'ham varesad apiha
idam te vapur natha! gopala-balam
sada me manasy avirastam kim anyaih


Translation
" O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. O Lord, I do not even want to know your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart."

Text Five

idam te mukhambhojam avyakta-nilair
vrtam kuntalaih nigdha-raktais ca gopya
muhus cumbitam bimba-raktadharam me
manasy avirastam alam laksa-labhaih


Translation
" O Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruits due to Mother Yashoda's kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulences are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind."

Text Six

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


Translation
"O unlimited Vishnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am drowning in an ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man. Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me with Your nectarean vision."

Text Seven

kuveratmajau baddha-murtyaiva yad-vat
tvaya mocitau bhakti-bhajau krtau ca
tatha prema-bhaktim svakam me prayaccha
na mokshe graho me 'sti damodareha

Text Eight

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


Translation
"O Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound by a rope by Mother Yashoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer my obeisances to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani and to Your unlimited pastimes."


The verse and the translation have been taken from here. A dig-darshini commentary by Srila Sanatana Goswami can also be found at this source.


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