Damodar

Katha
aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-
tanayas

tad-dhama vrndavanam

ramya kacid upasana

vraja-vadhu-vargena va
kalpita
Damodar Maas
- Kesava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinda, Vishnu,
Madhusudana, Trivikrama, vamana,
Shridhar, Hrishikesha, Padmanabha,
Damodara.
In these 30 days we sing Damodar astakam and offer ghee
lamp to Radha and Krishna especially to the Damodar.

Damodar astakam was realized in the consciousness of

Satyavrat muni. That damodar astakam is sung for 30 days
in this month
Dam is the rope and
Udara means belly
Karthik Maasa

māsānāṁ mārga-
śhīrṣho ’ham
ṛitūnāṁ
kusumākaraḥ

Satya-yuga is the best of

yugas, as the Vedas are the
best of scriptures, as Ganga
is the best of rivers, so
Karttika is the best of
months, the most dear to
Lord Krsna - Skanda Purana
Why its name
is called
Karthik
 Urja Maasa

balam balavatam caham

kama-raga-vivarjitam
 • balam balavatam
Strength Of caham
Krishna kama-raga-
vivarjitam
• Whoever does the vrat with
sincerity Krishna will be bound
by the wooden grinding mortar
of the heart of the devotee
 Niyam Agraha Seva

- Deep Anurag should be there.

• yā dohane’vahanane mathanopalepapre
ṅkheṅkhanārbha-ruditokṣaṇa-mārjanādau |
gāyanti cainam-anuraktadhiyo’śrukaṇṭhyo
dhanyā vrajastriya urukrama-cittayānā : ||
Srīmadbhāgavataṃ 10.44.15
satyam satyam punah
satyam
satyam eva punah
punah
vina radha prasadena
mat-prasado na vidyate
Karthik Mahatmaya
• dämodaraà prapadye ‘aham sri-rädhä-ramanam prabhum
• prabhäväd yasya tat-presthah kartikah sevito bhavet

• I take shelter in the Supreme Lord, Dämodara, Who is Srimati

Rädhikä’s beloved, and under Whose influence His dearest
month, Kärtika, can be served
General virtues of karthika
• The merits accrued by bathing in all holy places and by performing all
sorts of charity cannot match the results attainable in this month even
if multiplied by the millions.
• Charity, penance, homa, and japa all give unfading results when
performed during Kärtika. Moreover, whatever one donates,
especially eatables, for Lord Viñëu’s satisfaction, yields perpetual
results.
• Whoever sits in svastikäsana during this month is rewarded with a full
year worth of Agnihotra sacrifices.
• The man who regularly offers meals (to Sri Vishnu) during Kärtika will
not meet with calamities throughout the reign of fourteen Indras
General virtues of karthika
• In this month, the merit of donating one thousand cows accrues
to the person who is awake in front of Sri Dämodara at dawn,
and Sri Vishnu’s abode is at hand for someone who is awake
during the last yäma of the night
• Kärtika vratas like serving saints, feeding cows, hearing holy
speeches, worshipping Sri Vishnu, and being awake during the
last three hours of the night are all rare feats in the age of Kali.
• The benefit of donating thousands of jala-dhenus when the sun
is in Taurus can be achieved in this month merely by ablutions.
General virtues of karthika
• The merit of bathing in the Sannihit lake, Kuruksetra, on Sunday, at
the time of a solar eclipse, is obtained by a single bath during Kärtika
• During Kärtika, every step yields the benefit of an Asvamedha
sacrifice while circumambulating Sri Vishnu’s temple
• By singing, playing, or dancing with devotion before Lord Hari one
reaches the eternal realm. By reading Sri Hari’s thousand names or
the episode of Gajendra’s liberation, one will never again experience
birth or death. By reciting prayers and singing during the last yäma of
the night, one will dwell in Shwetadwipa along with his ancestors. O
great sage, by offering eatables to Sri Hari one will reside in heaven.
Virtues of offering Diya (dipa-dana)
• The sins accumulated in millions of kalpas vanish in an instant when a
dipa is offered during Kärtika to Lord Damodara.
• This dipa-dana bestows all the benefits available at Kurukñetra during
solar eclipses and at Narmadä during lunar eclipses, multiplied by the
millions.
• By this offering to the Lord, all prescribed activities, even if devoid of
mantra, rituals, and cleanliness,are brought to perfection. Anyone who
offers dipa to Kesava during Kärtika is actually performing all sorts of
ablutions and sacrificial ceremonies.
• Even one who never performs religious rituals or even the worst sinner
will surely be purified by this offering. O Närada, in the three worlds
there is no sin that can stand before this Kärtika dipa. In fact, by
presenting this dipa before Lord vasudeva, the eternal abode can be
reached without obstruction
Virtues of offering Diya (dipa-dana)
• One who offers a dipa with camphor throughout Kärtika, or
particularly on the day of dwadasi. O Närada, all the born or to-
be-born members of one’s family line, including all the
innumerable forefathers, will enjoy in heaven for a long time
according to their wishes, and will attain liberation by the grace
of Lord Hari, who has a cakra on His hand.
• Between the offering of all existing wealth and the offering of a
dipa during Kärtika there is no comparison – in fact, the latter is
certainly more precious.
• A person who kindles an Akhanda dipa before Lord Hari will
leave for the Lord"s abode on an effulgent vehicle and live there
in bliss.
Don’ts of Vrata

vāco  manasaḥ krodha

jivha udar and opastha
Don’ts of Vrata

vāco  manasaḥ krodha

jivha udar and opastha

- Be ready to tolerate
opposition outside and be
ready to tolerate
opposition inside mind
Sankalpa

karttike ‘ham karishyami

pratah-snanam janardana
prity-artham tava devesha
damodara maya saha
Sankalpa

tava dhyanena devesha

jale ‘smin snatum
udyatahtvat-prasadat ca
me papam damodara
vinashyatu
Sankalpa (Argya Manta)

vratinah kärttike mäsi snätasya vidhivan mama

dämodara grhanarghyam danujendra-nisüdana
nitye naimittike krtsne kärttike papa-sosane
grhanarghyam mayä dattam rädhayä sahito hare

O Dämodara, I’m bathing in the month of Kärtika in conformity

to the rules, as I committed myself. O killer of demons,
please accept this arghya.
In this month all activities, whether habitual or occasional,
have the power to destroy sins. O Hari, O Rädhä, please
accept this arghya
Niyam Seva
- Every day for 30 days wake up at brahma
muhurta. take bath and chant Hari Nam.

- Offer Mangal Arati at Brahma muhurta

- Who are brhamin initiated( chanting

gayatri everyday) in the three sandhyas
without missing.

- As per japa is concerned those who are

not chanting 16 rounds they can do 16
rounds in this month. Those who are at
16 can do 25 or 32 and then sky is the
limit. Some chant 64.
Niyam Seva

- Namsankirtan- 30 min in the morning and 30 minutes in evening. Or atleast

30 min everyday
- Krishna devam bhavantam bande (by srila rupa goswami
- Radhe jay jay Madhava dayite (by srila rupa goswami)
- These two are must

- Sucharu vaktra mandalam also called as Sri Nanda-Nandanastakam (by

sri rupa goswami)
- Radha Kripa Kataksh Stotram (Sung by Lord Shiva)
Niyam Seva

- Damodarastakam Arati, is a must everyday

- Tulasi seva is a must for 30 days

- This month is full of festivals. So honor all the festivals properly

- Read Bhagavat Gita and Bhagavatam every day. If you cannot read then
atleast try to hear bhagavatam every day.

- Anga Sudhi and Sanga Sudhi

Niyam Seva
- Offering ghee lamp everyday twice or
atleast once in a day.

- Also one thing you can do is that when

you take bath think that you are taking
Yamuna snan

- Hear the childhood past times of Krishna.

You can read Krishna leela.

- Also one more thing is important is that

in this month think that you are in
Vrindavan because Vrindavan is the fruit
that this month will give us.
- There are 5 types of vridndavan exists in this world.
- 1. Aprakat Vrindavan- Golaka Vrindavan

- 2. Prakat Vrindavan-

- 3. Drishyaman Prakas-

- 4. the Vrindavan that resides in the hearts of the Vaishnava devotee.

- Vrindavan that is in the mind of the vaishnavas

•anyera hṛda ya-mana, mora mana-vṛndāvana,
•'mane' 'vane' eka kari' jāni
•tāhāṅ tomāra pada-dvaya, karāha yadi udaya,
•tabe tomāra pūrṇa kṛpā māni (CC Madhya lila 13.137)
•What we get doing this?