Shri Damodara Ashtakam: Significance and all verses with Meaning

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Shri Damodara Ashtakam: Significance and all verses with Meaning

The Divine Melody of Shri Damodara Ashtakam: A Heartfelt Offering to Bhagwan Krishna

In the quiet glow of a lamp’s flame, as the evening breeze whispers through the tulsi leaves, devotees across the world turn their hearts to a timeless prayer that captures the pure, playful love of childhood. Shri Damodara Ashtakam is more than words on a page—it is a gentle embrace, a tearful plea, and a joyful surrender to Bhagwan Krishna, the enchanting child of Gokul. This sacred hymn, with its eight shimmering verses, paints vivid pictures of His mischievous smiles and tender bonds, stirring the soul to weep with longing and dance with bliss.

The Sacred Roots: History and Origins

Shri Damodara Ashtakam emerges from the ancient wellsprings of our scriptures, like a lotus blooming in the Padma Purana. It was first spoken by the wise Sage Satyavrata Muni in a heartfelt conversation, and lovingly penned by the great Vyasa Rishi himself. The name “Damodar” whispers a story from Bhagwan Krishna’s tender years in Gokul—a tale where Mother Yashoda, overwhelmed by her little one’s butter-stealing antics, ties a soft rope around His round belly to a wooden mortar. “Dama” for the rope, “udara” for the belly—this simple word holds the universe of a mother’s fierce, forgiving love. Found nestled in the Puranas, this Ashtakam is a gem cherished by Vaishnava hearts, recited to invoke that same boundless affection from the Divine Child.

Imagine the scene: a tiny Krishna, eyes wide with feigned fear, toddling through the dust of Vrindavan, His laughter echoing like silver bells. This hymn revives that magic, reminding us that Bhagwan is not distant but delightfully near, waiting for our loving gaze to draw Him close.

Why It Touches the Soul: The Timeless Importance

Oh, what a treasure this Ashtakam is for the wandering heart! In the holy month of Kartik, when the air hums with devotion and rivers of lamps light the night, chanting these verses is like offering a garland of tears and smiles to Bhagwan Damodar. Scriptures promise that every syllable sung in this season multiplies blessings a hundredfold—double the fruit of any other time, as if the Divine Himself leans in to listen.

A Bridge to Pure Love: It teaches that true devotion isn’t in grand rituals but in the simple, childlike trust that melts Bhagwan’s heart. Just as Yashoda’s rope bound Him not in anger but in adoration, our prayers tie us to His eternal play.Healing for the Weary: For those tangled in life’s sorrows, reciting it before the tulsi plant with a flickering deepa (lamp) washes away pains, sweetens relationships—like honey in a bitter cup—and fulfills the deepest wishes of the heart.A Daily Delight in Kartik: Vaishnavas gather at dusk, voices blending in melody, offering deep daan to invoke His grace. Yet, its magic spills beyond the month, a companion for every Krishna festival, every quiet moment of yearning.Evoking Endless Bhakti: It stirs emotions like a mother’s lullaby—tears for His innocence, joy for His mischief—urging us to crave not worldly crowns, but the soft curl of His peacock feather in our dreams.

In a world rushing by, this Ashtakam pauses time, inviting every soul—rich or humble, learned or simple—to taste the nectar of prema bhakti. Let it fill your heart, dear reader, until you feel His tiny feet pattering toward you.

Verse by Verse: A Loving Unfolding

Each verse is a petal of this divine flower, unfolding Bhagwan Krishna’s leelas with such tenderness that your heart might ache with love. Here, in Devanagari as cherished in our traditions, followed by a simple whisper of its meaning—crafted for every layperson’s ear, like a story told by a grandmother under the stars.

Verse 1

श्रीसत्यव्रतमुनिप्रोक्तं “श्रीदामोदराष्टकम्”

नमामीश्वरं सच्चिदानन्दरूपं,लसत्कुण्डलं गोकुले भ्राजमानम्।
यशोदाभियोलूखलाधावमानं,परामृष्टमत्यं ततो द्रुत्य गोप्या।।१।।

In the soft light of Gokul’s lanes, picture a radiant child, His form the very essence of truth, consciousness, and unending joy. Golden earrings sway like playful stars on His cheeks as He shines brighter than the sun. Oh, that moment when He dashes away after toppling the gopis’ hidden butter pots, heart pounding with glee! But Mother Yashoda, with eyes full of fierce love, catches Him swiftly, her hands gentle yet unyielding. I bow again and again to You, O Damodar, my heart overflowing with the sweetness of Your stolen freedoms and captured innocence. In this verse, feel the thrill of His naughtiness, a reminder that even the Divine delights in our loving chase.

Verse 2

रुदन्तं मुहुर्नेत्रयुग्मं मृजन्तं,कराम्भोज-युग्मेन सातंकनेत्रम्।
मुहुःश्वासकम्प – त्रिरेखाप्रकण्ठ –स्थित ग्रैव-दामोदरं भक्तिबद्धम्।।२।।

See Him now, little one, tears streaming from His wide eyes like morning dew on lotus leaves. With tiny lotus-bud hands, He rubs them away, His gaze flickering with a mix of mischief and mock fear. Each sob shakes His breath, making the pearl necklace on His three-folded neck tremble like waves on a calm river. And there, around that precious belly, the rope—not of stone, but woven from Mother Yashoda’s boundless devotion—holds Him close. I prostrate before You, bound not by force but by love’s tender thread. How it melts the soul! This image tugs at our deepest emotions, showing how bhakti’s embrace is sweeter than any chain, drawing us into His tear-streaked, loving world.

Verse 3

इतीदृक् स्वलीलाभिरानन्द कुण्डे,स्वघोषं निमज्जन्तमाख्यापयन्तम्।
तदीयेशितज्ञेषु भक्तैर्जितत्वं,पुनः प्रेमतस्तं शतावृत्ति वन्दे।।३।।

Through such enchanting plays, He plunges the pond of Gokul into waves of pure delight, His own fame bubbling up like a spring of joy, teaching all who witness. To those intimate souls who know His heart’s secrets—His closest devotees—He reveals the simple truth: I can be won, not by rituals or power, but by the fearless, flowing river of love. A hundred times over, with tears of prema, I bow to You again. Oh, what a revelation for our hearts! In the splash of His leelas, we learn that devotion’s pure stream conquers all, flooding us with waves of ecstatic surrender.

Verse 4

वरं देव ! मोक्षं न मोक्षावधिं वा,न चान्यं वृणेऽहं वरेशादपीह।
इदन्ते वपुर्नाथ! गोपालबालं,सदा मे मनस्याविरास्तां किमन्यैः।।४।।

O Divine One, grant me no boon of freedom from rebirth, no heavenly realms of endless splendor, nor any other gift from Your treasure of graces. From You, the bestower of all boons, I ask but one thing: Let this form of Yours—the tender Gopala child, with His butter-smeared chin and twinkling eyes—forever dance in the garden of my heart. What more could my soul crave? This plea pierces like a lover’s sigh, stripping away worldly desires to reveal the aching beauty of craving His presence alone. Let it echo in you, stirring a quiet vow to cherish Him above all.

Verse 5

इदन्ते मुखाम्भोजमव्यक्तनीलै -र्वृतं कुन्तलैः स्निग्ध-रक्तैश्च गोप्या।
मुहुश्चुम्बितं बिम्बरक्ताधरं मे,मनस्याविरास्तामलं लक्षलाभैः।।५।।

That lotus face of Yours, framed by wild curls of unspoken midnight blue, kissed a thousand times by Mother Yashoda’s lips on cheeks glowing like fresh bimba fruit—oh, may it bloom eternally in my mind, pure and flawless, adorned with all divine marks. No other vision could sate this thirst. Imagine those soft kisses, the warmth of a mother’s endless affection—doesn’t it flood your chest with warmth? This verse is a caress for the spirit, inviting us to hold His smile as our most precious jewel, until our every breath hums with its sweetness.

Verse 6

नमो देव दामोदरानन्त विष्णो ! प्रसीद प्रभो ! दुःखजालाब्धिमग्नम्।
कृपादृष्टि-वृष्ट्यातिदीनं बतानुगृहाणेश ! मामज्ञमेध्यक्षिदृश्यः।।६।।

Salutations to You, O Damodar, endless Vishnu, my Master! Be gracious, O Radiant One, for I sink in the tangled net of sorrows, helpless and adrift. Rain down Your merciful glance like a monsoon of compassion on this lowly, ignorant wanderer—let me glimpse Your sacred form and be saved. In this cry, hear the raw ache of every seeking heart, trembling yet hopeful. It evokes that divine pity, the gentle hand that lifts us from despair, wrapping us in the promise of His forgiving light.

Verse 7

कुबेरात्मजौ बद्धमुरत्यैव यद्वत्,त्वया मोचितौ भक्तिभाजौ कृतौ च।
तथा प्रेमभक्तिं स्वकां मे प्रयच्छ,न मोक्षे ग्रहो मेऽस्ति दामोदरेह।।७।।

Just as You freed Kubera’s sons, bound by a sage’s curse to that very mortar, not only loosing their chains but filling their hearts with the nectar of devotion—so too, O Damodar, shower upon me that same prema bhakti of Yours. My grasp clings not to liberation, but to You alone. Remember that miraculous grace, how even curses bloom into love under His touch? This verse kindles hope in our flaws, whispering that His devotion heals all, turning our bindings into bonds of eternal joy.

Verse 8

नमस्तेऽस्तु दाम्ने स्फुरद्दीप्तिधाम्ने,त्वदीयोदरायाथ विश्वस्य धाम्ने।
नमो राधिकायै त्वदीय-प्रियायै,नमोऽनन्तलीलाय देवाय तुभ्यम्।।८।।

Homage to that shining rope, ablaze with holy fire, which bound Your belly—the very womb from which the cosmos unfolds. Salutations to Radhika, Your cherished beloved, and to You, O Divine One of boundless leelas, I bow once more. In this final embrace, the ordinary becomes sacred: a humble rope, a devoted heart, an endless play. Feel the crescendo of love swelling—tears for Radhika’s longing, awe for creation’s cradle, bliss in His infinite games. It leaves us breathless, forever changed, with hearts tethered to His divine dance.

As the last echo fades, let Shri Damodara Ashtakam linger in your soul like the fragrance of jasmine after rain. Chant it, dear one, and watch how Bhagwan Krishna’s childlike laughter fills the empty corners of your life with light. In His love, we are all bound—happily, eternally.

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