Dāmodara

Damodara is a prominent name and form of Lord Krishna, translating to "one whose belly is bound by a rope." This name refers to a childhood pastime in Gokula, recorded in the Tenth Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this pastime, mother Yashoda tried to bind Krishna to a wooden grinding mortar with a rope to stop his mischievous actions. Surprisingly, every time she tried to tie him, the rope fell short by the width of two fingers, no matter how many ropes she added. Seeing his mother's exhaustion and sincere effort, Krishna willingly allowed himself to be bound. Philosophically, this pastime demonstrates that the Supreme Lord, who is infinite and cannot be captured by any material power, is easily conquered and bound by the love of his pure devotees. The rope represents this unalloyed devotion. The worship of Damodara is the central focus of the sacred month of Kartika, during which devotees sing songs of praise, study scriptures, and offer ghee lamps. This simple act of worship is believed to help the soul develop pure, spontaneous devotion for the Lord in Vrindavana.