Yorkville, Toronto
The Month of Damodara
We have been honoring the month of Damodara, Krishna who acts as a child in all frivolity. The following is a rhyming translation by Kalakanta for the song, “Damodarastaka”.
After you steal butter, Your earrings dance and shine.
As you flee Your mother in Gokula pastimes.
Though you are all blissful, all knowing, ever-new
Greatest of controllers, Your mother controls You.
She shows You the stick and she binds You by the waist.
You shutter and sob and Your necklace of pearls shakes.
As You rub Your frightened eyes, tears melt down Your face.
Ropes of her love bind You in Your mothers embrace.
Relishing Your childhood activities like this,
You plunge Your devotees in deep mellows of bliss.
Though many revere You, by love You are subdued.
Again and again, Lord, I bow down before You.
Although You give freedom, I don’t ask to be free.
Nor do I want anything You could offer me.
I only request that Your sweet childhood pastimes
Ever be in acted in my heart and my mind.
Curly hair circles Your face of blackish blue.
Kisses make Your cheeks look like red bima fruit.
May this sublime version be all that I can see.
Any other treasure has no value to me.
Oh Damodara! Oh Vishnu! Oh Lord beyond compare,
Be pleased with a soul sunk in oceans of despair.
Uplift and protect me with glances from Your eyes;
Show Your compassion like rainfall from the skies.
Two sons of Kuvera were cursed to stand as trees;
You gave them the chance to become Your devotees,
My Lord, will You offer the same blessing to me?
I don’t want to merge with your identity.
Although in Your belly the universe is found.
Your mother’s effulgent rope has Your belly bound.
I bow to that rope and to Radha, Your most dear.
And those sublime pastimes in which You appear.
May the Source be with you!
3 km
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