Kartik Damodara Month
Sri Damodara (Krishna bound by mother Yashoda's love)
Gaudiya VaishnavaGet a reminder before the next Kartik Damodara Month
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Kartik — the month of Damodara — runs from Sharad Purnima to Kartik Purnima (roughly October–November) and is the holiest month of the Gaudiya Vaishnava year. Devotees worldwide offer a ghee lamp and sing the Damodarashtaka daily to Sri Damodara — Krishna as the butter thief bound by Yashoda's rope of motherly love.
Dates 2026–2027
Mantra
Namamishvaram sac-cid-ananda-rupam / lasat-kundalam gokule bhrajamanam
Sri Damodarashtaka — verse 1
I offer my obeisances to the Supreme Lord whose form is eternal existence, knowledge and bliss — whose earrings sway and who shines in Gokula.
How to recite
Every evening of Kartik, offer a ghee lamp to Sri Damodara and sing the Damodarashtaka (eight verses by Satyavrata Muni, recorded in the Padma Purana); increase chanting of Hare Krishna; hear Srimad Bhagavatam daily; observe strict no onion/garlic for the whole month.
Benefits
Kartik — the month of Damodara — is considered the holiest month of the Vaishnava year. Srila Rupa Goswami in Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu states that bhakti performed in Kartik in Vrindavan yields a thousand times the merit of any other month. Offering a single ghee lamp to Damodara on Kartik Purnima is said to fulfil all spiritual desires.
✦ Special Note
Kartik 2026: Sharad Purnima (Oct 8, start) · Govardhan Puja (Nov 10) · Dev Deepawali / Kartik Purnima (Nov 6, culmination). Increase chanting, hear Srimad Bhagavatam daily, and observe strict no onion/garlic throughout the month. Kartik Purnima is the grand finale — light a ghee lamp at home and offer the Damodarashtaka.
Foods Allowed
Foods to Avoid
Meal Idea
Light vegetarian prasadam — khichdi, kheer, fruits and milk; offer to Damodara before the evening lamp offering; share with family after kirtan.
🪔 Aarti
Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki
आरती कुंज बिहारी की, श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की ॥ गले में बैजंती माला, बजावे मुरली मधुर बाला । श्रवण में कुण्डल झलकाला, नंद के आनंद नंदलाला ॥ गगन सम अंग कांति काली, राधिका चमक रही आली । लतन में ठाढ़े बनमाली, भ्रमर सी अलक, कस्तूरी तिलक, चंद्र सी झलक, ललित छवि श्यामा प्यारी की ॥ कनकमय मोर मुकुट बिलसे, देवता दरसन को तरसे । गगन सों सुमन राशि बरसे, बाजे मुरचंग, मधुर मृदंग, ग्वालिन संग, अतुल रति गोप कुमारी की ॥ जहां ते प्रगट भई गंगा, कलुष कली हारिणि श्री गंगा । स्मरण ते होत मोह भंगा, बसी शिव सीस, जटा के बीच, हरे अघ कीच, चरण छवि श्री बनवारी की ॥ चमकती उज्ज्वल तट रेणु, बज रही वृंदावन बेणु । चहुं दिसि गोपी ग्वाल धेनु, हंसत मृदु मंद, चांदनी चंद, कटत भव फंद, टेर सुन दीन भिखारी की ॥
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Get a reminder before the next Kartik Damodara Month
At 7pm the evening before, each time it comes around. Turn it off anytime.
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