The Indian Artist: Damodhar Month

Hi everybody!! I hope that you are all doing well! Personally, I have quite a difficult week to look forward to with four exams but I am taking this time to forget about it and tell you all a special story. The time from October 21st to November 19th is known as Karthic month, a very auspicious time in Hindu culture. It is considered the holiest month in the calendar year as it is said that any worship will be returned a hundredfold. All sins from thousands of lifetimes are said to be erased and forgiven. Kartic Month, also known as Damodhar Month, is associated with a beautiful story that I look forward to sharing with you all today! Enjoy!

Mother Yashoda churned butter while singing a beautiful tune. Her son, Krishna then appeared, hungry and asking to be fed. Mother Yashoda took her son on her lap and started feeding Him. Suddenly, the milk which was on the stove began to boil over, and to stop the milk from spilling, mother Yashoda at once put Krishna aside and went to the stove. Left alone by his mother, Krishna became very angry and upset. He decided to retaliate and broke a clay pot of butter. He then proceeded to take the butter out of the pot and eat it with his cute little chubby hands.

When Mother Yashoda returned, she saw the broken pot in which the churning yogurt had been kept. Since she could not find her baby boy and concluded that the broken pot was his work. After she looked all over, she found her son sitting on a big wooden grinding mortar taking butter from a pot that was hanging from the ceiling on a swing and feeding it to the monkeys.

After seeing her son so engaged, she very silently approached Him from behind. Krishna, however, saw her coming toward him, and immediately got down from the grinding mortar and began to flee in fear. Mother Yashoda chased him to all corners. She eventually reached her naughty child and captured him.

Mother Yashoda could understand that Krishna was unnecessarily afraid and wanted to allay his fears. In order to punish Krishna, she thought to bind him with some ropes. She did not know it, but it was actually impossible for her to bind Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mother Yashoda was thinking that Krishna was her tiny child; she did not know that the child had no limitation. Still, though, she endeavored to bind Him to a wooden grinding mortar. But when she tried to bind Him, she found that the rope she was using was too short—by two inches. She gathered more ropes from the house and added to it, but still, she found the same shortage. In this way, she connected all the ropes available at home, but when the final knot was added, she saw that the rope was still two inches too short.

In attempting to bind her son, she became tired. Krishna understood the labor that his mother was going through and decided to give in. He allowed himself to be tied up (as shown in the inserted picture). After being tied up, Krishna could see a pair of trees which were known as arjuna trees. He thought of pulling down the two very tall arjuna trees.

There is a very interesting history behind the pair of arjuna trees. In their previous lives, the trees were born as the human brothers who were cursed by the great sage to become trees until they were liberated by Krishna. This was bestowed upon them when Krishna inserted himself between the trees and with his godly power was able to bring them down and free the two boys.

I hope you all enjoyed the story and were able to learn something about this auspicious and holy month!! As always, if anything that I discussed in this post stands out, or if any questions arise please feel free to comment and share your thoughts!

Looking forward to next Monday!

~ Riya

Personal website:   https://riyarts.weebly.com/