Kartika is over for another year
Hare Krishna dear spiritual family!
Please accept my humble obeisance.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
As the last day of Kartika had dawned, and gone by, I had cause to reflect upon the glorious benedictions of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada; upon the people of the world in general, and upon us, who have sheltered in the House that he so graciously built, in particular. We must certainly be the most fortunate citizens of this planet. Srila Prabhupada’s bringing to us the opportunity of singing and understanding the Sri Damodarastakam can never be repaid.
For this one celebrated month we have had the occasion of further intense meditation on the Supreme Lord, in His glorious splendour.
From the very first word of the prayer we offer our obeisance to the Supreme Lord, invoking the mercy of Lord Damodara, knowing full well that He alone is worthy of the highest praise. This remarkable picture is painted in the mind; Çri Damodara’s enchanting beauty, and the amazing shark-shaped earrings that enjoy the endless fortune of constantly kissing His divine cheeks.
Through Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, we share in this most wonderful pastime of the Lord, awakening our understanding that He is truly a person, the Supreme Person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The tears that form in Çri Damodara’s eyes arouse our protective parental mood so deeply, and our natural empathy is stirred by His sobbing and trembling in fear of punishment. Mother Yaçoda’s firm resolve to bind Çri Damodara with a rope, and her continuous failure to do so, heightens our intense appreciation of Mother Yaçoda, and we can but wonder about the calibre of this amazing personality who is gifted to be the “Mother of God.” And we can but marvel as Çri Kåñëa exhibits His transcendental attribute of coming under the control of His devotee, as He allows Himself to be conquered and bound by the pure love of Mother Yaçoda.
So potent is the melody, and the Sanskrit words, that we are drawn into the prayer, nurturing the principles of love that prevail; prompting us to abandon the habitual awe and reverence we reserve for worship of the Lord.
What can be more descriptive, completely enchanting and most satisfying, than the 5th verse, that blesses us with the most beautiful vision of the Lord’s lotus face, His soft locks of hair, and His lips reddish like the bimba fruit?
I have yet to experience anything more potent than the entreaty made to Çri Damodara, as we offer our obeisance to Him!
O Damodara, O Ananta! O Viñëu! O Master!
O my Lord, be pleased upon me!
These words are etched in my mind! The feelings of love and yearning, which arise from their potent purity, give the utmost feelings of supplication and surrender; and the heart can only be gratified when we directly see the most beautiful Çri Kåñëa.
I just love this prayer!
Just as we have spent every day offering our obeisance to Çri Kåñëa’s beloved Çrimati Radharaëi, seeking Çri Radha’s mercy; my singular desire is that these prayers will go on, rolling in my mind, and yours, day after day, night after night, and that as we have the opportunity of relishing the translations, so that it belongs to me, you and I, some degree of love and surrender will grow in our heart.
The opportunity of just knowing about this most amazing pastime of the Supreme Lord, is brought to us only by the most ardent desire of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami; Srila Prabhupada as we lovingly know him.
Our repayment, in some miniscule form, to Srila Prabhupada, can only be in the distribution of his books, and spreading the holy names of the Lord by every means possible. Let us latch onto the mercy that is flowing through Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon, and His disciples, and engage in this grand master plan to give “Love of God” to the world.
With love,
Your servant, as always
PrabhaVisnu dasa
Prema Bhakti devi dasi
Johannesburg.
08 November 2014.
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