Krishna Saradiya Rasayatra:

Krishna Saradiya Rasayatra:

The first full moon of the autumn season marks the celebration of Krsna's
dancing with the gopis. On this day the deities of Vrndavana are nicely
decorated in white. Krsna lila dramas are enacted. Because the moon is
very auspicious, the vraja vasis leave pots of sweet rice exposed to the
full moon for the whole night, to turn the swet rice into amrta.

Note: (today also is Lakshmi puja).
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THE GLORIES OF KARTIKA

Here we find the rules and regulations for observing Kartik plus
additional explanation of Damodarastakam Prayer which should be sung and
deeply meditated upon everyday during Radhika's holy month, as well as
other useful information that will help us to be absorbed in the mellows
of love for Sri Damodar.

sarvatha saranapatti kartikadi-vrata, 'catuh-sasti anga' ei parama-mahattva

SYNONYMS sarvatha-in all respects; sarana-apatti-surrender; kartika-adi-
vrata-to observe special vows in the month of Karttika; catuh-sasti anga-
sixty-four parts; ei-this; parama-mahattva-very important items.

TRANSLATION "Thirty-four: One should surrender to Krsna in all respects.
(35) One should observe particular vows like kartika-vrata. These are some
of the sixty-four important items of devotional service. (Sri Caitanya-
caritamrta Madhya 22.128)

Performing Devotional Service in Karttika

"One of the most important of these ceremonial functions is called Urja-
vrata. Urja-vrata is observed in the month of Karttika (October-November);
especially in Vrndavana, there is a specific program for temple worship of
the Lord in His Damodara form. "Damodara" refers to Krsna's being bound
with rope by His mother, Yasoda. It is said that just as Lord Damodara is
very dear to His devotees, so the month known as Damodara or Karttika is
also very dear to them.

"The execution of devotional service during Urja-vrata in the month of
Karttika is especially recommended to be performed at Mathura. This system
is still followed by many devotees. They go to Mathura or Vrndavana and
stay there during the month of Karttika specifically to perform devotional
services during this period. In the Padma Purana it is said, "The Lord may
offer liberation or material happiness to a devotee, but after some
devotional service has been executed, particularly in Mathura during the
month of Karttika, the devotees want only to attain pure devotional
service unto the Lord." The purport is that the Lord does not award
devotional service to ordinary persons who are not serious about it. But
even such unserious persons who execute devotional service according to
the regulative principles during the month of Karttika, and within the
jurisdiction of Mathura in India, are very easily awarded the Lord's
personal service." (Srila Prabhupada in NOD chap. 12)

How to Observe????

(Srila Prabhupada Conversation with a disciple)

Devotee (2): Srila Prabhupada, today is the beginning of urja-vrata (the
Kartik vrata). Can you describe what that is, urja-vrata, how it should be
observed?

Prabhupada: Urja-vrata, you chant Hare Krsna twenty-four hours one month
(laughter) That's all.

Gurudasa: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna...

Prabhupada: Yes. Don't sleep, don't eat. This is urja-vrata. Can you
execute?

Devotee (1): I don't know. (laughter)
(Srila Prabhupada lecture 18/10/72 in Vrndavana RadhaDamodaraMandir)

Quotes from Mathura Mahatyam by Srila Rupa Gosvami

Residing in Mathura During the Month of Karttika

In the Karttika-mahatmya, Narada says: By bathing in sacred places and
giving charity during the month of Karttika, a person in any country
attains piety equal to an agnihotra-yajna.

Text 168
krsna-salokya-do masah puja-snanais ca karttikah
anyah puryas tat-samana bhavanti mathuram vina

In Mathura bathing and worship during the month of Karttika place one on
the same planet as Lord Krsna. No other holy place is equal to Mathura.

Text 169
damodaratvam hi hares tatraivasit yatah kila
mathurayam tatas turjo vaikuntha-priti-vardhanah
karttiko mathurayam vai paramavadhir isyate

The month of Karttika, when Lord Hari enjoyed His Damodara-pastime in
Mathura, delights Lord Vaikuntha. The month of Karttika spent in Mathura
brings the supreme destination.

Text 170
yatha maghe prayagah syad vaisakhe jahnavi tatha
karttike mathura sevya tatrotkarsah paro na hi

As Prayaga should be served in the month of Magha, and the Ganges in the
month of Vaisakha, so Mathura should be served in the month of Karttika.
Nothing is better than that service.

Text 171
mathurayam narair urje snatva damodaro 'rcitahkrsna-rupa hi te jneya natra
karya vicarana

They who, after properly bathing, worship Lord Damodara in Mathura during
Karttika, attain forms like that of Lord Krsna. Of this there is no doubt.

Text 172
durlabhah karttiko vipra mathurayam nrnam iha
yatrarcitah svakam rupam bhaktebhyah samprayacchati

O brahmanas, residence in Mathura during Karttika is a rare attainment for
humans. To they who worship Him there and then the Lord gives their
original spiritual forms.

Text 173
bhuktim muktim harir dadyad arcito 'nyatra sevinam
bhaktim tu na dadaty eva yato vasya-kari hareh

When He is worshiped in any other place, Lord Hari gives only liberation
or sense-gratification to His servants. He does not give them pure
devotional service, for that service brings Him under their dominion.

Text 174
sa tv anjasa harer bhaktir labhyate karttike naraih
mathurayam sakrd api sri-damodara-sevanat

By once serving Lord Damodara in Mathura during Karttika, the people can
easily attain pure devotional service to Lord Hari.

Text 175
mantra-dravya-vihinam ca vidhi-hinam ca pujanam
manyate karttike devo mathurayam mad-arcanam

They who, even without proper mantras and offerings, and without properly
following the rules, worship Him in Mathura during Karttika, the Lord
considers His true devotees.

Text 176
yasya papasya yujyeta marananta hi niskrtih
tac-chuddhy-artham idam proktam prayascittam su-niscitam
karttike mathurayam vai sri-damodara-pujanam

The perfect atonement to purify the sins of a lifetime is: worship Lord
Damodara in Mathura during Karttika.

Text 177
sulabha mathura loke pratyabdam karttikas tatha
tathapi samsarantiha nara mudha bhavambudhau

Although Mathura is easy to visit in this world, and although Karttika
comes every year, the fools still swim in the ocean of repeated birth and
death.

Text 179
yani sarvani tirthani nada nadyah saramsi ca
karttike nivasanty atra mathure sarva-mandale

All holy places and all holy rivers, streams, and lakes reside in the
circle of Mathura during Karttika.

Text 180
Sparopahasam uddisya karttike hari-sevaya
mathurayam labhed bhaktim kim punah sraddhaya narah

They who as a joke serve Lord Hari during Karttika in Mathura will attain
pure devotional service, what to speak of they who serve the Lord with
faith and devotion.

Text 181
tatraiva dhumrakesam prati yama-vakyam
tasman nrpatmaja sreyah param kincin na-not; vidyate
karttike mathurayam ca sri-damodara-pujanat

Yamaraja says to Dhumrakesa:
Therefore, O prince, nothing is better than to serve Lord Damodara in
Mathura during Karttika.

Residence in Mathura During Prabodhini tithi

In the Padma Purana, Karttika-mahatmya, it is said:

When Lord Visnu does not wake from His happy sleep on Prabodhini tithi,
then all the holy places roar with asvamedha-yajnas. Note: Prabodhini
tithi is the first ekadasi in the month of Karttika. On that day the Lord
awakens from His four-month-long nap.

Text 186
mathurayam tu kim vacyam jagare hari-sannidhau
karttike bodhinim prapya tatah sreyah param hi na

What can be said about approaching the Deity of Lord Hari when He awakens
in Mathura? No day is better than the Prabodhini day in the month of
Karttika.

Text 187
rajyam anyatra santyajya sphitam nihata-kantakam
karttike mathurayam vai kaimutyam jagaram caret

One should leave any other great and peaceful kingdom, and in Mathura stay
awake through the night during Prabodhini in the month of Karttika. What
place is better than Mathura for this?

Residing in Mathura During Dvadasi in Karttika Month

In the Visnu Purana it is said:

A person who during the Sukla-dvadasi in the month of Karttika bathes in
the Yamuna and sees the Deity of Lord Hari in Mathura attains the supreme
destination.

Text 189
atha bhisma-pancake padme bhismam prati sri-krsna-vacanam
tvaya krte vrate pascat khyasyate bhisma-pancakam
ye tatra janma-bhumau me karisyanti maha-vratam
mathurayam tu gangeya tesam bhaktih kare sthita

Residing in Mathura During Bhisma-pancaka (goes from Utthana Ekadasi til
Purnima)

In the Padma Purana, Sri Krsna says to Bhisma:

O Gangeya, this vow you have followed will henceforth be known as Bhisma-
pancaka. They who follow this great vow in My birthplace, Mathura, find
pure devotional service resting in their hand.

Text 191
durlabho bhakti-yogo me mama vasya-vidhayakah
karttike mathurayam ca vratenanena labhyate

Pure devotional service to Me which, becausae it places Me under My
devotee's dominion, is very difficult to attain, is easily attained by
following this vow in Mathura during Karttika.

Text 192
puranantare ca sarvabhista-pradam proktam
mathure bhisma-pancakam

In another place in the Puranas it is said: Following the vow of Bhisma-
pancaka in Mathura is said to fulfill all desires.

Text 193
yatha bhavisye bhisma-panca-dine prapte
mathura-mandale hareh nidra-ccheda-kare punye
paduke cavalokayet

In the Bhavisya Purana it is said: A person who observes Bhisma-pancaka
and Prabodhini tithi in Mathura will see Lord Hari's splendid sandals.

Srila Bhaktivinoda's article quoted in Bhakti-prajnan Kesava Maharaja's
book commenting on the Damodarastaka Prayers by Satyavrata Muni: "The
observance of the Karttika-vrata is one of the most important things for
the Vaisnavas. In accordance with these words, the vrata therefore begins
on the waxing ekadasi that comes the day after Vijaya-dasami in the month
of Asvina. And the vrata will be concluded on Utthana-ekadasi. That vrata
which is observed during the month between these two dates is called
niyama-seva. The rules of niyama-seva are: every day during this month,
one must rise upon the last hour of the night, purify oneself and perform
the mangala-arati of Sri Krsna. Then, after bathing in the morning, one
should worship Lord Damodara. At night, one should light brilliant lamps
filled with either ghee or sesame-seed oil, and place them in these
places - in the Lord's temple, around the base of tulasi plants, and in
the sky. During the month of Kartika, one should eat only vegetarian
foodstuffs and Bhagavan's prasad remnants. One should renounce excessive
eating and sleeping, plus avoid using oil, wine, and bell-metal utensils.
After honouring prasad, one should hear or recite scriptures headed by
Srimad Bhagavatam in the company of Vaisnavas. There should be incessant
harinama-kirtana and smarana. Thus passing the entire month in observance
of such regulations, on the final Utthana-ekadasi day one should fast from
everything including water and stay awake all night absorbed in Krsna-
katha. On the next day, after first purifying oneself and engaging in hari-
kirtana, one should serve the Lord's prasad to one's dearmost intimate
Vaisnava associates, and when they are finished one may then honour
prasad. That day, at the end of the night, the vrata will be completed.

The chief aim of observing this Urjja-vrata is to please Sri Radha-
Damodara. Srimati Radharani is called Urjjesvari (the Queen of the Urjja-
vrata). Only because of this, in order to establish the pleasure of Sri
Sri Radha-Damodara, the sage Satyavrata Muni uttered (in the eight verse
of Damodarastaka) the words namo radhikayai tvadiya priyayai - "My
obeisances unto Radhika, You most beloved." By this statement, he
indicated that the sole activity to be done during the observance of
Damodara-vrata is the worship of Sri Sri Radha-Damodara.

Among the 64 branches of bhakti followed by our Gaudiya Vaisnavas, we see
that the observance of Urjja is listed. It is to be understood that one
follows the Catur-masya-vrata completely only if one honours Urjja during
it. Some devotees are of the opinion - "Because Catur-masya-vrata is not
listed among the 64 branches of devotion, we will only follow the (one-
month long) vow of Urjja; we will not undergo the difficulty of observing
the entire four-month-long vow." In this way, those persons who attempt
performing bhajana, but who are unaware of the deep meaning of the
sastras, thereby remain in the indulgences of in discipline. Sriman
Mahaprabhu Himself observed the Catur-masya-vrata while situated in many
different places, and has thereby taught the practice by His own example.
We cannot consider such persons, who are unable to follow the instructions
that were enacted and preached by Mahaprabhu, to be part of the lineage of
pure Vaisnavas.

At this point, we would like to mention that the principle of atma-
nivedana is listed as one of the nine types of devotion (which are counted
among the six types of surrender, saranagati). Is it understood, then,
that by performing atma-nivedana (offering one's soul), the other five
types of surrender are therefore unnecessary? The ultimate surrender among
the six processes of saranagati is atma-nivedana - by this being listed as
such, it is understood that engaging in the other forms of surrender are
also recommended for the sadhaka. Thus it is accepted that a single
sadhana takes the form of several different aspects.

Due to the eternal nature of Sri Sri Damodarastaka, it is necessary to
study it every day during the month of Karttika (or Damodara).