Spiritual Significance of Kartik (Damodara) Month

Kartik (Damodar) is the best, the purest of purifiers, and most glorious of all months. Kartik month is particularly dear to Lord Sri Krishna.  This month, known as the month of Damodar, is most auspicious and truly benevolent, for the sukriti (devotional pious credits) obtained by performing devotional activities for the pleasure of the Lord in this month is 1000 times more than in any other time of the year. This month commemorates how mother Yashoda was able to bind the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna with the ropes of her love and affection. Any vrata (spiritual austerity), even the smallest, will yield huge results. The effect of performing a Kartik Vrata lasts for one hundred lifetimes.

Lord Krishna has many glorious names like Govind, Gopal, Madhava, Mukunda, Hrishikesha, Hari, etc. The name, Damodara, mean one who is bound the ropes of love, and happened when The Lord was tied with a cord (daama) around His waist (udara), denoting a divine pastime in which Krishna’s mother Yashoda bound Krishna for being mischievous.

Lord Damodar is unconquerable, but He was conquered by the love of His mother. This is the message that comes loud and clear from the Damodara month, that mother Yashoda tried to tie Lord Damodar thinking that He was her son. She didn’t realize that He is the unlimited Lord. And so she tried again and again to tie Him, but every time the rope was two fingers too short. So what did these two fingers mean? So one is the desire of a pure devotee and the second is the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord. That Yashoda had a pure desire and when Krishna agreed He could be tied. That without Krishna’s assent, no one can tie Him. So He was conquered by love of his mother. That’s the message we get.

Lord Shree Krishna performed the Damodara Lila (pastime) to lovingly entice devotees to understand how much greater the pure love of a devotee is compared to the Almighty Lord of the Universe, that it enabled Him to be bound. Just sharing and speaking about this wonderful pastime during the Damodara month pleases Lord Krishna so much that one becomes dear to Him.

The festival of offering lamps to Lord Krishna, lasts the entire month of Damodara, (Kartika, usually during Oct-Nov), which glorifies Krishna’s pastime of being bound with ropes by mother Yashoda. Observing vrata (austerities) in the month of Kartika is glorified in the Puranas. It is also mentioned that one who offers ghee lamp to Lord Damodara in this auspicious month and sings the Damodara Ashtakam (8 verses glorifying the Lord) will get rid of his past sins and develop bhakti (devotion) to Lord Damodara (Lord Krishna).

How to Observe Kartik (Damodara) Month:

Every day during this month we encourage everyone to offer ghee lamps to Lord Damodara Krishna. Everyone, indiscriminately – men, women, young and old can offer the ghee lamps followed by Damodar astaka (included in this hand-book). Ghee lamp offerings can be made in the morning or evening or during both times. The mini altar (included in the home kits) can be placed at the main altar in your home or anywhere suitable for the offering of the ghee lamps.

Only ghee must be used to burn the wick, which can be followed by a simple bhajan, Damodar astaka, or Hare Krishna maha mantra

Show the ghee lamp in 7 circles clockwise around the picture of Lord Krishna by saying the following mantra for 108 times or for 10 minutes continuously.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna,  Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Wonderful Benefits of Kartik (Damodara) Month

Sri Damodarastaka Prayers