Damodar Song — Another English Version
Most of our readers see Brijabasi via feed readers and don’t see the comments. Jaya Murari posted the following as a comment and I think it deserves a wider viewing:
Hare Krsna, this is an English version of that same Damodara Song that was used in the RCV Temple during the “Interfaith Days†at New Vrindban, I sure you’ll remember it also, as it is sung with the same exact melody as the Bengali Damodarastakam. I have no idea who the author is however.
Damodara Song
0 Damodara Krishna!
In ropes You are wound,
Yet ropes do not bind You,
By love are You bound !
0 Damodara Krishna !
In ropes You are bound,
Child Prince of Braja
You shall be crowned!
0 Damodara Krishna!
Your mother in silk,
While You were-a-napping
Was churning the milk.
0 Damodara Krishna!
With necklace of pearls,
Your sweet lotus face
Encircled by curls.
0 Damodara Krishna!
Cheeks bimba-fruit red,
With bright peacock feathers
Adorning Your head.
0 Damodara Krishna!
On You the world rests,
Yet You rest on Yasoda
And suckle her breasts!
0 Damodara Krishna!
She left You alone-
The butter crock cracked,
Struck by Your stone!
0 Damodara Krishna!
You threw the rock,
Your lips pressed in anger
As You broke the crock!
0 Damodara Krishna!
How swiftly You fled!
The butter and yogurt
To monkeys You fed.
0 Damodara Krishna!
You ran off in fear,
Chased by Your mother,
Whose stick -was quite near!
0 Damodara Krishna !
With eyes full of tears,
Your lotus face darkened
With eye-ointment smears.
0 Damodara Krishna!
Lord of Gokula,
Bound by Your mother,
To a grinding tool.
0 Damodara Krishna !
With such childlike ease,
You broke into splinters
The twin arjuna trees.
O Damodara Krishna !
Bound up in rope,
Let me recall You,
That is my hope.
0 Damodara Krishna !
How I long to see
You feeding the monkeys
While they dance in glee!
0 Damodara Krishna!
Please hear my prayer!
By mercy You freed
The two sons of Kuvera.
0 Damodara Krishna!
Please smile upon me!
Grant me Your mercy,
So I may be free!
0 Damodara Krishna!
By Your childlike charm
You capture all hearts
In this eternal form!
O Damodara Krishna !
Please hear my praise!
You showed Your pastimes,
The world to amaze!
O Damodara Krishna!
The world rests on You,
Yet You are beyond it
And known by so few.
O Damodara Krishna!
Your childhood play
Is sweeter than nectar-
I’ll drink it each day!
O Damodara Krishna!
Please grant me a boon-
May I always remember?
To sing You this tune!
O Damodara Krishna!
In ropes You are wound,
Yet ropes do not bind
You By love are You bound!
O Damodara Krishna!
In ropes You are bound,
Child Prince of Braja
You shall be crowned!
HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA,
KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE
HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA,
RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA,
KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE
HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA,
RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA,
KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE
HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA,
RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA,
KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE
HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA,
RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE
Hrishikesh dasa then chimed in with this clarifying comment:
Thank you for posting this earlier version of the Prayers to Lord Damodar. This version was penned by Umapati Swami and first sung at New Vrindaban during Kartik 1988. Umapati Swami wrote several of the English versions of Vaishnava songs.
A few years later, True Peace wrote his version, which I liked to use during the evening aroti when I led the singing.
