Damodar Ashtakam Lyrics

namāmīśvaraṁ sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaṁ lasat-kuṇḍalaṁ gokule bhrājamanam yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād dhāvamānaṁ parāmṛṣṭam atyantato drutya gopyā

I offer obeisances to the Lord whose form is eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss; whose earrings swing as He shines in Gokula; who fled the grinding mortar in fear of mother Yaśodā and was caught from behind by her quicker pursuit.

rudantaṁ muhur netra-yugmaṁ mṛjantam karāmbhoja-yugmena sātaṅka-netram muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-trirekhāṅka-kaṇṭha- sthita-graivaṁ dāmodaraṁ bhakti-baddham

Crying and wiping His eyes again and again with His lotus hands, eyes full of fear, the pearl necklace on His threefold-marked neck trembling with each sob — I bow to Dāmodara, bound by devotion.

itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe sva-ghoṣaṁ nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvaṁ punaḥ prematas taṁ śatāvṛtti vande

By such pastimes He immerses the people of Gokula in pools of bliss and shows those who know His majesty that He is conquered only by loving devotees. With love I offer Him a hundred obeisances again.

varaṁ deva mokṣaṁ na mokṣāvadhiṁ vā na cānyaṁ vṛṇe 'haṁ vareṣād apīha idam te vapur nātha gopāla-bālaṁ sadā me manasy āvirāstāṁ kim anyaiḥ

O Lord, I do not ask liberation, the highest liberation, or any other boon You can grant. Only let this child-Gopāla form of Yours always appear in my heart — what else could I need?

idaṁ te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair vṛtaṁ kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā muhuś cumbitaṁ bimba-raktādharaṁ me manasy āvirāstām alaṁ lakṣa-lābhaiḥ

May Your lotus face — framed in soft dark hair tinged with red, kissed again and again by mother Yaśodā, lips red like the bimba fruit — always appear in my heart. A hundred thousand other gains are nothing beside this.

namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnaṁ batānu gṛhāṇeśa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ

Obeisances, O Damodara, Ananta, Viṣṇu. Be pleased, my Lord. Shower Your glance of mercy on this poor fool sunk in an ocean of sorrow, accept me, and appear before my eyes.

kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca tathā prema-bhaktiṁ svakāṁ me prayaccha na mokṣe graho me 'sti dāmodareha

Just as You, while bound to the mortar, freed Kuvera's two sons and made them Your devotees, grant me Your own prema-bhakti. O Damodara, I have no interest in liberation.

namas te 'stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai namo 'nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam

Obeisances to the brilliant rope that binds Your belly; to Your belly, the abode of the universe; to Rādhikā, Your beloved; and to You, the Lord of endless pastimes.