songs of the vaisnava acharyas | The Hare Krishna Movement

Damodara Lila

14 Oct 2025 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Damodara, Kartika, Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, Krsna, Krsna Book, KRSNA The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uncategorized Tags: ac-bhaktivedanta, Kartika, Krishna, Krsna Book, Lord Damodara, month of Damodar, mother yashoda, songs of the vaisnava acharyas, the month of kartika

We are now in the month of Damodara (Kartika). In honor and in celebration of the month of Damodara, we will be focusing our attention on the pastimes of Krishna in Vrndavan. Especially Krishna’s childhood pastimes. The following is the first verse from the Damodarastkam prayer which is sung morning and evening, and it is customary to offer a candle or gee lamp as well to a picture of Lord Krsna and Mother Yasoda.

“To the supreme controller who possesses an eternal form of blissful knowledge, whose glistening earrings swing to and fro, who manifested Himself in Gokula, who stole the butter that the gopis kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother Yasoda, but was ultimately caught-to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.“ (Sri Damodarastakam verse 1)

The Month of Kartika

07 Oct 2025 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Uncategorized Tags: Damodara, God, hinduism, Kartika, Krishna, month of Damodara, month of Kartika, religion, songs of the vaisnava acharyas, spirituality, Srila Prabhupada

Last night was the full moon (purnima), the harvest moon, which marks the month of Kartika, or as I like to say, the month of Damodara. As always during this month, we sing the Damodara prayers (Sri Damodararastaka) daily and light a candle to offer. It is also a good time to read from the KRSNA Book and just delight in the childhood pastimes of Lord Krishna.

Included below are the lyrics and translations from the original “Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas” song book.

Jaya Radha Madhava

21 Mar 2025 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Krishna Consciousness, Radha Krishna, Radha Madhava, Uncategorized Tags: bhaktivinoda, Jaya Radha Madhava, maypur, radha shyamsundar, Radha-Madhava, songs of the vaisnava acharyas, Srila Prabhupada, Vrindavan

Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava
by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī
gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī

jaya–all glories to: rādhā-mādhava–Rādhā and the Lord of sweetness; kuñja-bihārī–He who enjoys loving pastimes in the groves of Vṛndāvana; gopī-jana-vallabha–the lover of the cowherd maidens of Vraja; giri-vara-dhārī–the holder of the great hill named Govardhana;

Krsna is the lover of Radha. He displays many amorous pastimes in the groves of Vrndavana, He is the lover of the cowherd maidens of Vraja, and the holder of the great hill named Govardhana.

yaśodā-nandana braja-jana-rañjana
yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī

yaśodā-nandana–the beloved son of mother Yaśodā; vraja-jana-rañjana–the delighter of the inhabitants of Vraja; yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī–who wanders in the forests along the banks of the river Yamunā

He is the beloved son of mother Yasoda, the delighter of the inhabitants of Vraja, and He wanders in the forests along the banks of the River Yamuna!

Srila Prabhupada said that this song is “a picture of Vrndavana. Everything is there–Srimati Radharani, Vrndavana, Govardhana, Yasoda, and all the cowherd boys.

So this is the original nature of Kṛṣṇa, original nature of Kṛṣṇa. He is Rādhā-Mādhava. He is the lover of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. And kuñja-vihārī, always enjoying the company of the gopīs within the bushes of Vrndavana forest. Rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī. So He’s not only lover of Rādhārāṇī, but braja-jana-vallabha. The whole residents of Vṛndāvana, they love Kṛṣṇa. (from Srila Prabhupada Lecture NY July 20, 1971)

Purport below

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Disapearance Day

02 Jul 2019 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Kabe Ha'be Bolo, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Uncategorized Tags: Bhaktivinoda Thakura, disapearance day of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, invocation of the Holy Name, kabe ha'be bolo, lower than a blade of grass, songs of the vaisnava acharyas

Today marks the disapearance day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur. We honor it with a half day fast and the posting on one of his many beautiful songs.

When, oh when, will that day be mine?
When my offenses ceasing,
taste for the name increasing,
when in my heart will your mercy shine?
When, oh when will that day be mine?

Lower than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree.
When will my mind attain this quality?
Respectful to all, not expecting their honour, then shall I taste the name’s nectar sublime.
When oh when will that day be mine?

Kabe Ha’be Bolo (Invocation of the Holy Name)
by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

For complete lyrics and translation More

Month of Damodara (Kartika)

17 Oct 2016 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Damodarastakam, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Visnujana Swami Tags: Damodara, glistening earrings, kartik, Lord Krsna's pastimes, month of Damodara, month of Damodara (Kartika)., namamisvaram, sac-cid-ananda-rupam, songs of the vaisnava acharyas, Sri Damosarastaka, Supreme Lord Damodara, the supreme controller

” Upon seeing His mothers whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yasoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, who is bound with His devotee’s love, I offer my humble obeisances.” (Damodarastakam)

We are now in the month of Damodara (Kartika). In honor and in celebration of the month of Damodara, we will be focusing our attention on the pastimes of Krishna in Vrndavan. Especially Krishna’s childhood pastimes. The following song is sung morning and evening and it is customary to offer a candle or gee lamp as well to a picture of Lord Krsna and Mother Yasoda.

Following song lyrics is a link of Vishnujana Swami chanting the Damodara Prayers

Full song More

Purport to Jaya Radha Madhava

14 May 2015 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Spiritual Life Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, braja-jana-vallabha, gopis, kunja-vihari, lover of Radharani, purport to Jaya Radha Madhava, Radha-Madhava, songs of the vaisnava acharyas, Srila Prabhupada chanting jaya-radha-madhava, srila prabhupada playing kartals, Srimati Radharani

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Purport to Jaya Radha Madhava
By Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
(New York, July 20, 1971)

[Sings Jaya Radha-Madhava.]

Srila Prabhupada: So this is the original nature of Krsna, original nature of Krsna. He is Radha-Madhava. He is the lover of Srimati Radharani. And kunja-vihari, always enjoying the company of the gopis within the bushes of Vrdavana forest. Radha-madhava kunja-vihari. So He’s not only lover of Radharani, but braja-jana-vallabha. The whole residents of Vrndavana, they love Krsna. They do not know anything else. They do not know whether Krsna is God, or not; neither they are very much harassed, that “I shall love Krsna if He is God.” “He may be God or He may be whatever He is. It doesn’t matter, but we love God, Krsna.” That’s all. That is called unnalloyed love. “If Krsna is God, then I shall love Him” — this is conditional love. This is not pure love. Krsna may be God or whatever He may be, but by His wonderful acts, the Vrajavasi, they are thinking, “Oh Krsna, He is very wonderful child, maybe some demigod. Maybe some demigod.” Because people are generally under impression that the demigods are all-powerful.