Deepotsava or Deepotsavam is also known as the festival of lights, is celebrated in the month of Kartika (October – November) every year. It is a month-long festival commemorating Damodara-lila, the sweet pastime of baby Krishna stealing butter and consequently being tied to a mortar by His dear mother Yashoda. In Sanskrit, “dama” means rope and “udara” means belly. Damodara refers to Krishna who was bound with a rope by His mother Yashoda.
What is Damodara (Krishna) Puja?
Damodara Puja, the festival of offering ghee lamps to Lord Krishna, lasts the entire month of Kartika. It is described in the scriptures as the best among months. Damodara (Kartika) month glorifies Krishna’s pastime of being bound with ropes by Mother Yasoda.
Observing vrata (austerities) in the month of Kartika is glorified in the Puranas. It is also mentioned that one who offers ghee lamps to Lord Damodara in this auspicious month and sings the Damodara Ashtakam (8 verses glorifying the Lord) will get rid of his past sins and develop bhakti (devotion) to Lord Damodara (Krishna).
Everyone, indiscriminately – man, women, young and old can offer the ghee lamps. Ghee lamp offerings can be made in the morning or evening or during both times.
Why Damodara Puja?
Lord Krishna has many glorious names like Gopala, Madhava, Mukunda, Hrishikesa etc. The name, Damodara, means one who is bound by the ropes of love. This pastime happened when Lord was tied with a cord (daama) around His waist (udara), denoting a divine pastime in which Krishna's mother Yasoda bound Krishna for being mischievous.
Through his pure willingness to be finally bound by the pure love of Yasoda, His divine mother, He becomes submissive to His mother’s love although in truth, no rope has the power to bind the Supreme Lord. It is this love that we hope to fill our hearts with, to bind Lord Krishna to us, eternally.
Srimad-Bhagavatam says that even though the Lord is greater than us in every single way, He is controlled and bound by the love of His pure devotee.
What are the Puja Benefits? (Based on Puranas)
Of all plants, the sacred Tulasi is most dear to Me, of all places of pilgrimage, My beloved Dvaraka is most dear, and of all days, Ekadasi is most dear, of all months, Kartika is most dear.
One who offers a ghee lamp to Lord Hari during the month of Kartika enjoys pastimes in Lord Hari’s splendid spiritual world.
When one offers a ghee lamp during the month of Kartika, his sins in many thousands and millions of births perish in half an eyeblink.
A person who offers a ghee lamp during the month of Kartika attains a result that cannot be obtained with even a hundred yajnas or a hundred pilgrimages.
O king of brahmanas, a person who offers a ghee lamp in this way will not take birth again in this world and attains the eternal spiritual world where there is no suffering.
Of all gifts the gift of a ghee lamp during the month of Kartika is the best. No gift is its equal.
What you need for the Puja?
To do the Damodara puja daily at your home, you need the following puja items.
🪔 Lamp or diya (can be made of mud or brass) to hold ghee and wick
🪔 Ghee, cotton wick and match box
🪔 Audio player or smart phone with Damodara Astaka song
🪔 DAMODARA ASTAKAM sheet
🪔 Lord Krishna's picture (Preferably Damodara)
How to do the Puja daily? (Takes only 8-10 minutes)
This year 2022, Damodara month is from Oct 9 to Nov 8. In this period, every day ghee lamps can be offered to Lord Krishna as follows:
🪔 Keep one picture of Lord Krishna (Damodara) on a table or in your puja room
🪔 Play the DAMODARA ASTAKAM song (audio)
🪔 Try to sing the song seeing the DAMODARA ASTAKAM sheet (It has the song and its meaning).
🪔 After the song gets over, light the ghee lamp.
🪔 Offer the ghee lamp in 7 circles clockwise around the picture of Lord Krishna (Damodara)
🪔 Everyone in the family can offer lamp in turns or together.
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