Damodar Ashtakam is an 8-verse prayer to Bal Krishna, tied with a rope (dama) at the waist (udara) by Mother Yashoda. It is traditionally attributed to Satyavrata Muni (Padma Purana) and is sung every evening in Kartik, which ends on Kartik Purnima, 24 November 2026.
Damodar Ashtakam lyrics (Sanskrit)
рдирдорд╛рдореАрд╢реНрд╡рд░рдВ рд╕рдЪреНрдЪрд┐рджрд╛рдирдиреНрджрд░реВрдкрдВ
рд▓рд╕рддреНрдХреБрдгреНрдбрд▓рдВ рдЧреЛрдХреБрд▓реЗ рднреНрд░рд╛рдЬрдорд╛рдирдореН
рдпрд╢реЛрджрд╛рднрд┐рдпреЛрд▓реВрдЦрд▓рд╛рджреНрдзрд╛рд╡рдорд╛рдирдВ
рдкрд░рд╛рдореГрд╖реНрдЯрдорддреНрдпрдиреНрддрддреЛ рджреНрд░реБрддреНрдп рдЧреЛрдкреНрдпрд╛
рд░реБрджрдиреНрддрдВ рдореБрд╣реБрд░реНрдиреЗрддреНрд░рдпреБрдЧреНрдордВ рдореГрдЬрдиреНрддрдВ
рдХрд░рд╛рдореНрднреЛрдЬрдпреБрдЧреНрдореЗрди рд╕рд╛рддрдЩреНрдХрдиреЗрддреНрд░рдореН
рдореБрд╣реБрдГ рд╢реНрд╡рд╛рд╕рдХрдореНрдкрддреНрд░рд┐рд░реЗрдЦрд╛рдЩреНрдХрдХрдгреНрда-
рд╕реНрдерд┐рддрдЧреНрд░реИрд╡рдВ рджрд╛рдореЛрджрд░рдВ рднрдХреНрддрд┐рдмрджреНрдзрдореН
рдЗрддреАрджреГрдХреН рд╕реНрд╡рд▓реАрд▓рд╛рднрд┐рд░рд╛рдирдиреНрджрдХреБрдгреНрдбреЗ
рд╕реНрд╡рдШреЛрд╖рдВ рдирд┐рдордЬреНрдЬрдиреНрддрдорд╛рдЦреНрдпрд╛рдкрдпрдиреНрддрдореН
рддрджреАрдпреЗрд╢рд┐рддрдЬреНрдЮреЗрд╖реБ рднрдХреНрддреИрд░реНрдЬрд┐рддрддреНрд╡рдВ
рдкреБрдирдГ рдкреНрд░реЗрдорддрд╕реНрддрдВ рд╢рддрд╛рд╡реГрддреНрддрд┐ рд╡рдиреНрджреЗ
рд╡рд░рдВ рджреЗрд╡ рдореЛрдХреНрд╖рдВ рди рдореЛрдХреНрд╖рд╛рд╡рдзрд┐рдВ рд╡рд╛
рди рдЪрд╛рдиреНрдпрдВ рд╡реГрдгреЗрд╜рд╣рдВ рд╡рд░реЗрд╢рд╛рджрдкреАрд╣
рдЗрджрдВ рддреЗ рд╡рдкреБрд░реНрдирд╛рде рдЧреЛрдкрд╛рд▓рдмрд╛рд▓рдВ
рд╕рджрд╛ рдореЗ рдордирд╕реНрдпрд╛рд╡рд┐рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддрд╛рдВ рдХрд┐рдордиреНрдпреИрдГ
рдЗрджрдВ рддреЗ рдореБрдЦрд╛рдореНрднреЛрдЬрдорддреНрдпрдиреНрддрдиреАрд▓реИрд░реН
рд╡реГрддрдВ рдХреБрдиреНрддрд▓реИрдГ рд╕реНрдирд┐рдЧреНрдзрд░рдХреНрддреИрд╢реНрдЪ рдЧреЛрдкреНрдпрд╛
рдореБрд╣реБрд╢реНрдЪреБрдореНрдмрд┐рддрдВ рдмрд┐рдореНрдмрд░рдХреНрддрд╛рдзрд░рдВ рдореЗ
рдордирд╕реНрдпрд╛рд╡рд┐рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддрд╛рдорд▓рдВ рд▓рдХреНрд╖рд▓рд╛рднреИрдГ
рдирдореЛ рджреЗрд╡ рджрд╛рдореЛрджрд░рд╛рдирдиреНрдд рд╡рд┐рд╖реНрдгреЛ
рдкреНрд░рд╕реАрдж рдкреНрд░рднреЛ рджреБрдГрдЦрдЬрд╛рд▓рд╛рдмреНрдзрд┐рдордЧреНрдирдореН
рдХреГрдкрд╛рджреГрд╖реНрдЯрд┐рд╡реГрд╖реНрдЯреНрдпрд╛рддрд┐рджреАрдирдВ рдмрддрд╛рдиреБ-
рдЧреГрд╣рд╛рдгреЗрд╢ рдорд╛рдордЬреНрдЮрдореЗрдзреНрдпрдХреНрд╖рд┐рджреГрд╢реНрдпрдГ
рдХреБрдмреЗрд░рд╛рддреНрдордЬреМ рдмрджреНрдзрдореВрд░реНрддреНрдпреИрд╡ рдпрджреНрд╡рддреН
рддреНрд╡рдпрд╛ рдореЛрдЪрд┐рддреМ рднрдХреНрддрд┐рднрд╛рдЬреМ рдХреГрддреМ рдЪ
рддрдерд╛ рдкреНрд░реЗрдорднрдХреНрддрд┐рдВ рд╕реНрд╡рдХрд╛рдВ рдореЗ рдкреНрд░рдпрдЪреНрдЫ
рди рдореЛрдХреНрд╖реЗ рдЧреНрд░рд╣реЛ рдореЗрд╜рд╕реНрддрд┐ рджрд╛рдореЛрджрд░реЗрд╣
рдирдорд╕реНрддреЗрд╜рд╕реНрддреБ рджрд╛рдореНрдиреЗ рд╕реНрдлреБрд░рджреНрджреАрдкреНрддрд┐рдзрд╛рдореНрдиреЗ
рддреНрд╡рджреАрдпреЛрджрд░рд╛рдпрд╛рде рд╡рд┐рд╢реНрд╡рд╕реНрдп рдзрд╛рдореНрдиреЗ
рдирдореЛ рд░рд╛рдзрд┐рдХрд╛рдпреИ рддреНрд╡рджреАрдпрдкреНрд░рд┐рдпрд╛рдпреИ
рдирдореЛрд╜рдирдиреНрддрд▓реАрд▓рд╛рдп рджреЗрд╡рд╛рдп рддреБрднреНрдпрдореН
Meaning of each verse (short)
| Verse | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | I bow to the Lord whose form is eternal truth, knowledge and bliss, with shining earrings in Gokul. He runs from the mortar in fear of Yashoda, but she runs after and catches him. |
| 2 | He cries, rubbing his eyes with his lotus hands, afraid. His neck, marked with three lines, trembles with sobs. Damodar, bound by love, not by the rope. |
| 3 | With such childhood pastimes he immerses Gokul in bliss, and shows that he is won over by the devotion of those who know his majesty. I bow to him a hundred times with love. |
| 4 | I do not ask for liberation or any other boon. Let this child form of Gopal stay in my mind always. What use are other things? |
| 5 | Your lotus face, framed by dark curls and kissed again and again by Yashoda, with red bimba lips: may it stay in my mind. What use are lakhs of gains? |
| 6 | Salutations, Damodar, Ananta, Vishnu. Be pleased, Lord. I am drowning in a sea of sorrow; look on me with mercy and become visible to my eyes. |
| 7 | As you freed Kubera's two sons from their tree form and made them devotees, grant me loving devotion. I do not desire liberation. |
| 8 | I bow to the rope (dama) that binds you, and to your belly (udara) in which the universe rests. I bow to Radhika, your beloved, and to you of endless pastimes. |
Why is Krishna called Damodar?
Damodar comes from dama (rope) and udara (belly). In the pastime, Mother Yashoda tried to tie the child Krishna to a wooden mortar as a gentle punishment for mischief. The rope kept falling short, until Krishna allowed himself to be bound by her love. He then dragged the mortar between two trees, freeing two beings who had been cursed to stand as trees, Kubera's sons Nalakuvara and Manigriva.
How to sing Damodar Ashtakam in Kartik
- After sunset, light a small ghee lamp before a picture of Bal Krishna.
- Sing or listen to the Ashtakam slowly, waving the lamp in small circles or holding it with folded hands.
- Offer a flower or tulsi leaf if you wish, and end with a moment of silence.
Kartik 2026 runs to Kartik Purnima on 24 November (some temple calendars differ by a day).
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Damodar Ashtakam?
It is traditionally attributed to Satyavrata Muni and placed in the Padma Purana.
When is Damodar Ashtakam sung?
Every evening during Kartik (Damodar) month, with a lamp offering.
How many verses does it have?
The version sung here has 8 verses.
What does Damodar mean?
The one bound with a rope (dama) around his belly (udara).
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