Hindus and Hare Krishna devotees believe devotional service to Radha and Krishna in the month of Kartik (which occurs around October) provides more spiritual benefit when undertaken in Vrindavan. Vrindavan is also known as Vraj and is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India (around ninety miles southeast of Delhi). It is where Lord Krishna spent most of his childhood. The area is considered sacred by Gaudiya Vaishnavism (which the Hare Krishna philosophy comes from) and Hinduism. Read Krishna - The Supreme Personality of Godhead to find out more about Krishna.
Spiritual Practice in Kartik Month
The devotional service particularly recommended for the holy month of Kartik include reciting the Damodarastaka prayers (8 verses found in the Padma Purana), reading the Damodar pastimes in Srimad Bhagvatam, offering Krishna a ghee lamp, chanting extra japa rounds, participating in kirtan and serving Tulasi. Essentially Kartik is a month to reduce materialist activities and stay absorbed in spiritual practice so many devotees undertake fasts and austerities aimed at minimizing eating and sleeping.
Lord Krishna's Damodar Pastimes
Krishna's foster mother Yasoda was churning butter specially for Krishna, and he appeared before her as a hungry child. While breast-feeding the child Yasoda saw the milk on the oven was boiling over and immediately put him down to turn down the heat. Krishna became very angry, and broke the butter pot in a rage. Taking the butter he began to eat it alone in a secluded place. Meanwhile Yasoda returned and saw the broken pot concluding it was Krishna's doing. Eventually Krishna was found feeding butter to the monkeys, and as Yasoda approached with a stick Krishna ran away as if in fear.
Yasoda chased him and after much effort she caught up with Krishna who seemed very afraid. To calm him she threw away her stick, deciding to bind him with ropes as a punishment instead. While attempting to bind him to a wooden grinding mortar Yasoda found that the rope she was using was too short. Gathering more ropes, she found the same shortage of around two inches and Yasoda was tired with her physical effort. In compassion, Krishna allowed himself be bound by the ropes.
"Dam" means "rope," while "udar" means "stomach," therefore "Damodar" refers to the bound form of Krishna. This pastime represents that Krishna feels transcendental pleasure by submitting to the will of the pure devotee.
Vraj Parikrama in Kartik
Many devotees spend the month walking around Vraj to various places of Krishna’s pastimes and even spend the night at those destinations. Vrindavan and Mathura are among the most visited areas.
ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir has various Vraj parikrama bus tours and is popular with devotees relishing various activities and programs; feeding and worshipping the cows, listening to devotional lectures and eating delicious prasadam (sanctified food offered to Krishna).
Significance of Kartik to Hare Krishna Devotees
In the Nectar of Devotion, Swami Prabhupada explains the importance of devotion in Kartik, saying, "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 (where Krishna appeared in India) during the month of Kartika, the devotees want only to attain pure devotional service.'"
Many devotees take vratas (special vows) during this month to increase their sadhana (spiritual practice). It is believed that any service during this time gives additional benefits and this is a good month for neophyte devotees to get closer to Krishna.
Vrindavan and Mathura are very busy in the month of Kartik and many tours and parikramas occur so Krishna devotees can see the temples in Vrindavan and learn about the Damodar pastimes while increasing their spiritual practice by performing devotional service.
Related Articles:
The Hare Krishna Movement (ISKCON)
Krishna - The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Veganism in Hare Krishna Culture
Source:
Krishna.com. Month of Kartika (Accessed October 20, 2010).
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