The Glory of Radha-Damodara Worship

Verse 1 (padma.4.20.1)

शौनक उवाच । सुकृतं किं तथा प्राह कृत्वा संसारसागरात् । तरिष्यंति कलौ सूत तमोन्धकूपमंडुकाः ।

śaunaka uvāca sukṛtaṁ kiṁ tathā prāha kṛtvā saṁsārasāgarāt tariṣyaṁti kalau sūta tamondhakūpamaṁḍukāḥ

Shaunaka said: Tell me, O Suta, what meritorious act it is by which, in the Kali age, even beings as degraded as frogs in a dark well will cross the ocean of worldly existence.

Verse 2 (padma.4.20.2)

सूत उवाच । राधाकृष्णप्रिये चौर्जे प्रातःस्नानं समाचरेत् । राधादामोदरं भक्त्या कुर्यात्पूजां समाहिता ।

sūta uvāca rādhākṛṣṇapriye caurje prātaḥsnānaṁ samācaret rādhādāmodaraṁ bhaktyā kuryātpūjāṁ samāhitā

Suta said: In the month of Urja (Kartika), dear to Radha and Krishna, one should bathe every morning and worship Radha-Damodara with full attention and devotion.

Verse 3 (padma.4.20.3)

त्यक्त्वामिषादिकं ब्रह्मन्पतिसेवापरायणा । सा याति श्रीहरेः स्थानं गोलोकाख्यं सुदुर्ल्लभम् ।

tyaktvāmiṣādikaṁ brahmanpatisevāparāyaṇā sā yāti śrīhareḥ sthānaṁ golokākhyaṁ sudurllabham

O Brahmin, giving up meat and the like, devoted to serving her husband, such a woman goes to Shri Hari's most rare abode called Goloka.

Verse 4 (padma.4.20.4)

राधादामोदराभ्यां या धूपदीपं तु कार्तिके । दद्यात्सा भवनं विष्णोर्याति वै त्यक्तपातकाः ।

rādhādāmodarābhyāṁ yā dhūpadīpaṁ tu kārtike dadyātsā bhavanaṁ viṣṇoryāti vai tyaktapātakāḥ

Whatever woman offers incense and a lamp to Radha-Damodara in Kartika, her sins abandoned, goes to the abode of Vishnu.

Verse 5 (padma.4.20.5)

योषिद्या कार्त्तिके विप्र दद्याद्वस्त्रं निकेतने । राधादामोदराभ्यां तु वसेत्सा श्रीहरेश्चिरम् ।

yoṣidyā kārttike vipra dadyādvastraṁ niketane rādhādāmodarābhyāṁ tu vasetsā śrīhareściram

O Brahmin, whatever woman offers a garment in Radha-Damodara's dwelling in Kartika dwells long in Shri Hari's abode together with Radha and Damodara.

Verse 6 (padma.4.20.6)

राधादामोदराभ्यां सा पुष्पं माल्यं सुवासितम् । कार्तिके मासि सा दद्याद्याति वैकुंठमंदिरम् ।

rādhādāmodarābhyāṁ sā puṣpaṁ mālyaṁ suvāsitam kārtike māsi sā dadyādyāti vaikuṁṭhamaṁdiram

Whatever woman offers fragrant flowers and garlands to Radha-Damodara in the month of Kartika goes to the temple of Vaikuntha.

Verse 7 (padma.4.20.7)

गंधं या चापि नैवेद्यं दद्याद्वै शर्करादिकम् । राधादामोदराभ्यां सा गच्छेद्वै विष्णुमंदिरम् ।

gaṁdhaṁ yā cāpi naivedyaṁ dadyādvai śarkarādikam rādhādāmodarābhyāṁ sā gacchedvai viṣṇumaṁdiram

And whatever woman offers fragrance, and an offering of food together with sugar and the like, goes to the temple of Vishnu through the grace of Radha-Damodara.

Verse 8 (padma.4.20.8)

यत्किंचिद्यच्छति ब्रह्मन्कार्तिके च द्विजातये । राधादामोदरप्रीत्यै तस्याः पुण्याक्षयं भवेत् ।

yatkiṁcidyacchati brahmankārtike ca dvijātaye rādhādāmodaraprītyai tasyāḥ puṇyākṣayaṁ bhavet

O Brahmin, whatever however small a thing is given to a Brahmin in Kartika for the pleasure of Radha-Damodara, the merit of it becomes imperishable.

Verse 9 (padma.4.20.9)

या नारी कार्तिके भक्त्या राधादामोदरं द्विज । प्रातः सपर्यां सा याति न कुर्य्यान्निरयं चिरम् ।

yā nārī kārtike bhaktyā rādhādāmodaraṁ dvija prātaḥ saparyāṁ sā yāti na kuryyānnirayaṁ ciram

O Brahmin, whatever woman worships Radha-Damodara with devotion each morning in Kartika goes to Hari's abode; she does not fall into hell for long ages.

Verse 10 (padma.4.20.10)

कदाचिज्जन्मभूमौ सा विधवा प्रति जन्मनि । भवेच्चासाद्य पूर्व्वं वै चाप्रिया स्वामिनोऽपि च ।

kadācijjanmabhūmau sā vidhavā prati janmani bhaveccāsādya pūrvvaṁ vai cāpriyā svāmino'pi ca

Sometimes, in her own birthplace, in a former birth, such a woman had already been a widow, or had even been unloved by her own husband.

Verse 11 (padma.4.20.11)

पुरा त्रेतायुगे विप्र वृषलो नाम शंकरः । सौराष्ट्रदेशवासी च तस्य जाया कलिप्रिया ।

purā tretāyuge vipra vṛṣalo nāma śaṁkaraḥ saurāṣṭradeśavāsī ca tasya jāyā kalipriyā

Formerly, in the Treta age, O Brahmin, there was a Shudra named Shankara, a dweller in the country of Saurashtra; his wife was named Kalipriya.

Verse 12 (padma.4.20.12)

जाराकांक्षी सदा नाम्ना तृणवन्मन्यते पतिम् । असौ पतिर्न मे योग्यो मे स्वामी परपूरुषः ।

jārākāṁkṣī sadā nāmnā tṛṇavanmanyate patim asau patirna me yogyo me svāmī parapūruṣaḥ

Ever desiring another man, she regarded her own husband as no better than a straw — "This husband is not fit for me; my true lord is some other man" —

Verse 13 (padma.4.20.13)

इति मत्वा सदा तस्मै चोच्छिष्टं तु ददाति वै । नीचसंगान्महामूढा मद्यमांसं चखाद ह ।

iti matvā sadā tasmai cocchiṣṭaṁ tu dadāti vai nīcasaṁgānmahāmūḍhā madyamāṁsaṁ cakhāda ha

— thinking thus always, she would give him only leftover food. Greatly deluded through base company, she ate liquor and meat.

Verse 14 (padma.4.20.14)

स्वामिनो भर्त्सनां नित्यं कुर्यात्कामं तु निष्ठुरा । पादरज्जुर्भवेच्चासौ कस्माद्वै न मृतोऽपि च ।

svāmino bhartsanāṁ nityaṁ kuryātkāmaṁ tu niṣṭhurā pādarajjurbhaveccāsau kasmādvai na mṛto'pi ca

She would constantly and cruelly revile her husband at will — "He is like a rope tied to my foot; why has he not died even now?"

Verse 15 (padma.4.20.15)

मृते तस्मिन्नहं भोगं करिष्यामि यदृच्छया । विचार्येति हृदा मूढा जारेणैकेन सा तदा ।

mṛte tasminnahaṁ bhogaṁ kariṣyāmi yadṛcchayā vicāryeti hṛdā mūḍhā jāreṇaikena sā tadā

"When he is dead, I shall enjoy myself as I please" — reflecting thus in her deluded heart, with a certain paramour —

Verse 16 (padma.4.20.16)

अन्यदेशं गमिष्यावः संकेतमकरोद्द्विज । सुप्तस्य स्वामिनो रात्रौ चासिना तद्गलं द्विज ।

anyadeśaṁ gamiṣyāvaḥ saṁketamakaroddvija suptasya svāmino rātrau cāsinā tadgalaṁ dvija

— she made this plan: "Let us go together to another country," O Brahmin. At night, while her husband slept, with a sword she cut his throat —

Verse 17 (padma.4.20.17)

छित्त्वा जारकृते सापि संकेतस्य स्थलं गता । आगतं जारपुरुषं द्वीपिना भक्षितं द्विज ।

chittvā jārakṛte sāpi saṁketasya sthalaṁ gatā āgataṁ jārapuruṣaṁ dvīpinā bhakṣitaṁ dvija

— and went, O Brahmin, to the appointed meeting place for her paramour's sake. But that paramour, arriving there, was devoured by a tiger, O Brahmin.

Verse 18 (padma.4.20.18)

दृष्ट्वा सा रोदनं कृत्वा मूर्च्छिता निपपात ह । चिरादाश्वस्य सा मूढा करुणं विललाप ह ।

dṛṣṭvā sā rodanaṁ kṛtvā mūrcchitā nipapāta ha cirādāśvasya sā mūḍhā karuṇaṁ vilalāpa ha

Seeing this, she wept and fell down in a swoon. After a long while, recovering, that deluded woman began to lament pitifully.

Verse 19 (padma.4.20.19)

कलिप्रियोवाच । स्वकीयं स्वामिनं हत्वा चागता परपूरुषम् । तं जारं स्वामिनं दैवात्शार्दूलो भक्षयन्मम । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि विधात्रा वंचितास्म्यहम् ।

kalipriyovāca svakīyaṁ svāminaṁ hatvā cāgatā parapūruṣam taṁ jāraṁ svāminaṁ daivātśārdūlo bhakṣayanmama kiṁ karomi kva gacchāmi vidhātrā vaṁcitāsmyaham

Kalipriya said: "Having killed my own husband, I came to another man; and that paramour, my new lord, was by fate devoured before my eyes by a tiger. What shall I do, where shall I go? Fate has thwarted me."

Verse 20 (padma.4.20.20)

सूत उवाच । ततः कलिप्रिया ब्रह्मनागता स्वगृहं प्रति । लपने स्वामिनो दत्वा मुखं च विललाप सा ।

sūta uvāca tataḥ kalipriyā brahmanāgatā svagṛhaṁ prati lapane svāmino datvā mukhaṁ ca vilalāpa sā

Suta said: Then, O Brahmin, Kalipriya went back toward her own house; setting her husband's severed head back in place, she began to lament.

Verse 21 (padma.4.20.21)

कलिप्रियोवाच । हा नाथ किं कृतं कर्म्म मया हंतातिदारुणम् । कं लोकं वा गमिष्यामि वद स्वामिन्मनाग्गिरम् ।

kalipriyovāca hā nātha kiṁ kṛtaṁ karmma mayā haṁtātidāruṇam kaṁ lokaṁ vā gamiṣyāmi vada svāminmanāggiram

Kalipriya said: "Alas, my lord, what an exceedingly terrible deed I have done! To what world shall I now go? Speak, my lord, if only a single word."

Verse 22 (padma.4.20.22)

भर्त्सनां तु यथाकामं कुर्य्याच्चाहं सुनिंदिता । किंचिन्न वदसि स्वामिन्नेनो यन्मे न विद्यते ।

bhartsanāṁ tu yathākāmaṁ kuryyāccāhaṁ suniṁditā kiṁcinna vadasi svāminneno yanme na vidyate

"Rebuke me as harshly as you wish, for I am utterly to blame. You say nothing to me, my lord — is it that I have committed no sin at all?"

Verse 23 (padma.4.20.23)

सूत उवाच । ननाम चरणे तस्य गतान्यनगरं प्रति । तत्र प्रविष्टा सा योषिद्दृष्ट्वा पुण्यजनान्बहून् ।

sūta uvāca nanāma caraṇe tasya gatānyanagaraṁ prati tatra praviṣṭā sā yoṣiddṛṣṭvā puṇyajanānbahūn

Suta said: Bowing at his feet, she then went on toward another city. Entering there, that woman saw many pious people —

Verse 24 (padma.4.20.24)

ऊर्जे स्नानपरान्प्रातर्नर्मदायां च वैष्णवान् । तत्र नद्यां स्त्रियश्चापि राधादामोदरं द्विज ।

ūrje snānaparānprātarnarmadāyāṁ ca vaiṣṇavān tatra nadyāṁ striyaścāpi rādhādāmodaraṁ dvija

— Vaishnavas bathing at dawn in the Narmada during the month of Urja. There, in the river, women too, O Brahmin, were performing worship of Radha-Damodara —

Verse 25 (padma.4.20.25)

सपर्यां च कृतां चैव शंखनादैर्महोत्सवैः । गंधपुष्पैर्धूपदीपैर्वस्त्रैर्नानाविधैः फलैः ।

saparyāṁ ca kṛtāṁ caiva śaṁkhanādairmahotsavaiḥ gaṁdhapuṣpairdhūpadīpairvastrairnānāvidhaiḥ phalaiḥ

— with conch-blasts and grand festivity, with fragrance, flowers, incense, lamps, garments of many kinds, and fruits,

Verse 26 (padma.4.20.26)

मुखवासैर्भक्तियुक्ता दृष्ट्वा सा विनयान्विता । पप्रच्छ ब्रूत यूयं मे किमेतत्क्रियते स्त्रियः ।

mukhavāsairbhaktiyuktā dṛṣṭvā sā vinayānvitā papraccha brūta yūyaṁ me kimetatkriyate striyaḥ

— and fragrant mouth-refreshers, all filled with devotion. Seeing this, she asked humbly: "Tell me, O women, what is this you are doing?"

Verse 27 (padma.4.20.27)

स्त्रिय ऊचुः । सर्वमासोत्तमे चोर्जे राधादामोदरौ शुभौ । पूजां कृत्वा वयं मातः सर्वपापहरां शुभाम् ।

striya ūcuḥ sarvamāsottame corje rādhādāmodarau śubhau pūjāṁ kṛtvā vayaṁ mātaḥ sarvapāpaharāṁ śubhām

The women said: "O mother, in this Urja month, best of all months, we are performing this auspicious worship of Radha-Damodara, which removes all sin."

Verse 28 (padma.4.20.28)

कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं नष्टं प्राप्तं निकेतनम् । सपर्य्यामामिषं त्यक्त्वा कृत्वा सा च हरेर्द्दिने ।

koṭijanmārjitaṁ pāpaṁ naṣṭaṁ prāptaṁ niketanam saparyyāmāmiṣaṁ tyaktvā kṛtvā sā ca harerddine

"Sins accumulated over a hundred million births are destroyed, and their abode is attained." Giving up meat, she too performed this worship on Hari's day,

Verse 29 (padma.4.20.29)

निधनत्वं पौर्णमास्यां गता सा निर्मला द्विज । किंकराश्चागतास्तूर्णं यमस्य निलयं प्रति ।

nidhanatvaṁ paurṇamāsyāṁ gatā sā nirmalā dvija kiṁkarāścāgatāstūrṇaṁ yamasya nilayaṁ prati

and on the full-moon day, O Brahmin, purified, she met her death. Then Yama's messengers came swiftly toward Yama's abode —

Verse 30 (padma.4.20.30)

नेतुं तां क्रोधसंयुक्ता बबंधुश्चर्मरज्जुभिः । तदागता विष्णुदूता विमानं स्वर्णनिर्मितम् ।

netuṁ tāṁ krodhasaṁyuktā babaṁdhuścarmarajjubhiḥ tadāgatā viṣṇudūtā vimānaṁ svarṇanirmitam

— arriving in anger to take her away, and bound her with leather cords. Then Vishnu's messengers arrived there in a chariot made of gold,

Verse 31 (padma.4.20.31)

शंखचक्रगदापद्मधारिणो वनमालिनः । निजघ्नुश्चक्रधाराभिर्यमदूताः पलायिताः ।

śaṁkhacakragadāpadmadhāriṇo vanamālinaḥ nijaghnuścakradhārābhiryamadūtāḥ palāyitāḥ

— bearing conch, discus, mace and lotus, garlanded with forest-flowers; with the edges of their discuses they drove Yama's messengers to flight.

Verse 32 (padma.4.20.32)

राजहंसयुते विप्र विमाने स्वर्णनिर्मिते । आरूढा सा गता तैस्तु वेष्टिता विष्णुमंदिरम् ।

rājahaṁsayute vipra vimāne svarṇanirmite ārūḍhā sā gatā taistu veṣṭitā viṣṇumaṁdiram

O Brahmin, mounted upon that golden chariot yoked with royal swans, surrounded by them, she went to the temple of Vishnu.

Verse 33 (padma.4.20.33)

तत्र तस्थौ चिरं भोगं कृत्वा सा वै यथेप्सितम् । या कुर्यात्कार्त्तिके विप्र राधादामोदरार्चनम् ।

tatra tasthau ciraṁ bhogaṁ kṛtvā sā vai yathepsitam yā kuryātkārttike vipra rādhādāmodarārcanam

There she remained a long time, enjoying whatever she desired. O Brahmin, whatever woman performs the worship of Radha-Damodara in Kartika,

Verse 34 (padma.4.20.34)

याति पूजा त्यक्तपापाद्गोलोकाख्यं मनोहरम् । य इदं शृणुयाद्भक्त्या या च नारी समाहिता । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं तस्य तस्या विनश्यति ।

yāti pūjā tyaktapāpādgolokākhyaṁ manoharam ya idaṁ śṛṇuyādbhaktyā yā ca nārī samāhitā koṭijanmārjitaṁ pāpaṁ tasya tasyā vinaśyati

that worship, casting off her sins, carries her to the enchanting realm called Goloka. Whatever man, or whatever attentive woman, hears this with devotion — the sin accumulated over a hundred million births of that person is destroyed.