Damodarastakam

The Damodarastakam is a beautiful eight-verse Sanskrit prayer composed by the sage Satyavrata Muni, preserved in the Padma Purana. It is sung daily by devotees during the sacred month of Kartika while offering ghee lamps to Lord Damodara. The hymn describes the childhood pastime where Krishna running in fear from mother Yashoda, who ultimately binds Him with her maternal love. The theological depth of the Damodarastakam is found in its explicit rejection of material boons, heavenly pleasure, and even impersonal liberation. Instead, the author requests only that the beautiful childhood form of Damodara remain forever in his heart. Through its emotional verses, the prayer illustrates that the Supreme Lord, though ruler of all, is captured only by unalloyed devotion. For Gaudiya Vaishnavas, singing this hymn is a crucial part of their Kartika vow, helping them meditate on the intimate pastimes of Vrindavana and foster spontaneous love for Radha and Krishna.