Damodara is Here

The Puranas and the great spiritual masters have emphatically recommended observing this simple yet extremely spiritually-potent worship of Lord Krsna in the form of a little cute naughty child.

“One who either at home or in a temple offers Lord Damodara a lamp during the month of Kartika, will obtain the greatest results”
“A person who offers a lamp to Lord Krsna during Kartika attains the eternal spiritual world where there is no suffering.”
-Padma Purana-

The time of the year has come when, once again, we have the wonderful opportunity to obtain the uncountable benefits of the Damodara month. Devotees from every corner of the world are taking take part of the most auspicious of months by engaging in the service of the Lord.

“The month of Kartika is the topmost of all other months. It is the most meritorious and purified of all other pure months.”

For everyone who takes part in this magnificent festival, The Lord will grant more benefits than what can be enumerated. This is all due to the Lord’s mercy when receiving an offering of a simple candle with love and devotion.

“Even if there are no mantras, no pious deeds, and no purity, everything becomes perfect when a person offers a lamp during the month of Kartika”
“When one offers a ghee lamp during the month of Kartika his sins in many thousands and millions of births perish in half an eye blink” –
-Skanda & Padma Puranas-

To enhance the growth of our congregations the Congregational Ministry promotes the Damodara Program so that all the Yatras outreach to the public, engaging them in offering lamps to Lord Damodara. This is a great chance for creating a wonderful first-time introduction to Krsna Consciousness for many people.

Srila Prabhupada explained the importance of this month to H.H. Jayapataka Swami, ISKCON’s Congregational Development Minister:

“You have asked about the specialness of the month of Karttika, and the answer is that it is a special inducement for persons who are not in Krsna consciousness to perform some devotional service. For persons who are doing nothing in Krsna consciousness, it is an indirect inducement to take to devotional service in earnest seriousness, every moment is Kartika. In this connection, there is a good example that sometimes a store gives a special concession to attract new customers. But for those who are already customers there is no need of a special sale. They will purchase at any cost if they know the important value of the goods. Similarly, those who are pure devotees do not aspire for any concession, and out of spontaneous love try to engage themselves in devotional service twenty-four hours each day, three hundred and sixty five days every year, without any stoppage.”
-SP Letter to Jayapataka das Brahmacari, 30th January, 1969-

To make your Damodara experience easier, we have compiled a “Damodara Kit” with all the necessary items for your celebration at home or with others: