Damodara-vrata

Expressions researched:
"Damodara-vrata"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The duty will be that in the evening you'll offer candle, a small candle, all of you, just before the Deity, not within the room, outside the room, and chant the Dāmodarāṣṭaka, namāmīśvaram. That is already printed in our song book. So this will be Dāmodara-vrata.

Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Mayapura, October 11, 1974:

Nitāi: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, Yaśodā took up a rope to bind You when You committed an offense, and Your perturbed eyes overflooded with tears, which washed the mascara from Your eyes. And You were afraid, though fear personified is afraid of You. This sight is bewildering to me."

Prabhupāda:

gopy ādade tvayi kṛtāgasi dāma tāvad

yā te daśāśru-kalilāñjana-sambhramākṣam

vaktraṁ ninīya bhaya-bhāvanayā sthitasya

sā māṁ vimohayati bhīr api yad bibheti

(SB 1.8.31)

So this is the description of Kṛṣṇa's becoming Dāmodara. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Dāmodara. The Dāmodara Temple, Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple, is there in Vṛndāvana, and I was staying there. Still I have my two rooms. So this Dāmodara description... The Dāmodara month is coming, and it will begin on the 18th of this October. So from that day, we'll observe Dāmodara-vrata for one month. From 18th to 17th November. The duty will be that in the evening you'll offer candle, a small candle, all of you, just before the Deity, not within the room, outside the room, and chant the Dāmodarāṣṭaka, namāmīśvaram. That is already printed in our song book. So this will be Dāmodara-vrata. That Dāmodara is explained here.

1975 Correspondence

Regarding your question about offering aroti to the form of Damodara, no, the Deity worship that you are now doing is sufficient during the Damodara-vrata.

Letter to Bharadraja -- Bombay 18 November, 1975:

Regarding the Nrsimhadeva Deity, yes, that can be done, however to worship Nrsimhadeva requires a separate temple structure, not that Lord Nrsimhadeva can be worshiped in the same temple as Radha-Krsna. Regarding your question about offering aroti to the form of Damodara, no, the Deity worship that you are now doing is sufficient during the Damodara-vrata.