Damodar Lila
Shloka - Patram Pushpam Phalam Toyam
Materials needed - One small tulasi leaf, One fruit, One flower and One glass of water
IMPORTANT : Please request Parents one day ahead of time to send any one of these with their child. There will be a common Damodar lamp offering with elders at the end of the class. Whatever the children bring can be offered in front of the Lord then.
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
1️⃣ Warm-Up (1 min)
- Ask: “When you give something to your best friend, how do you give it—carelessly or with love?”
- Explain: “In this verse, Krishna tells us what He loves to receive from His friends.”
2️⃣ Listen & Repeat – Word by Word (3 min)
Use a call-and-response method. Teacher says → Children repeat (loud, clear, rhythmic):
Teacher says Children repeat
patraṁ patraṁ
puṣpaṁ puṣpaṁ
phalaṁ phalaṁ
toyaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
Show with actions:
- patram (show tulasi leaf)
- puṣpam (show flower)
- phalam (show fruit)
- toyam (show glass of water)
3️⃣ Line-by-Line Recitation (2 min)
Now chant one full line, they repeat:
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
(Children repeat)
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
(Children repeat)
…and so on.
Do this twice slowly. Meaning (2 min)
Tell the meaning in simple English:
“If someone offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or a little water with love, I accept it.”
Ask:
“What is most important—what we give or how we give?”
Children answer: “How we give—with love!”
The Rope of Love – The Dāmodara Story
Materials needed : One pot, one small stone, one small rope
Pre Preparation : You can tell this story and also enact it at the same time. Make one child Krishna. Teacher herself (if mataji) can become Yashoda or take one Assistant to do it.
🎬 Scene 1 – Mother Yaśodā’s Morning Love
Once upon a time in Gokula, Mother Yaśodā’s maid was busy,
so Yaśodā Mātā herself began to churn butter for her little boy Kṛṣṇa.
She tied her sari tightly, sat near the pot, and pulled the churning rope back and forth, back and forth — swish-swish, jhan-jhan! (gesture churning).
As she churned, she sang softly:
“Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti…” 🎶
Her bangles jingled, her earrings swung, drops of milk flowed from her heart full of love. Children can sway gently to the rhythm.
Just then, Kṛṣṇa toddled in — His eyes like blooming lotuses.
He felt hungry! He pulled His mother’s sari and looked up with baby hands saying,
“Mā … milk!” 🍼
She smiled, lifted Him, and lovingly fed Him.
The room glowed with sweetness.
🎬 Scene 2 – The Milk Boils Over
While Kṛṣṇa was drinking, the milk on the stove began to rise — ssshh … sputter … boil over!
Yaśodā cried, “Oh! The milk!” and gently put Kṛṣṇa down to save it.
But our naughty boy didn’t like being put aside! 😠
His eyes turned red, His lips quivered — “How could she leave Me?”
He picked up a little stone and crack! broke the butter pot!
Then, with fake tears, He sat in a corner eating butter and feeding the monkeys. 🐒
(Have one “Kṛṣṇa” and a couple of “monkeys” enact this while others giggle softly.)
🎬 Scene 3 – The Great Chase
When Yaśodā returned, she saw the broken pot and buttery footprints.
She smiled: “This must be Kṛṣṇa’s work! Where has He gone now?”
She looked around — and saw Him on top of an upside-down grinding mortar,
feeding butter to monkeys, looking left and right nervously. 👀
Very quietly she tip-toed forward (teacher and children mime tip-toeing).
Kṛṣṇa saw the stick in her hand and ran!
Round and round the courtyard — tiny feet ringing with ankle bells —
the Supreme Lord whom great yogīs cannot catch was running away from His mother!
Yaśodā Mātā ran too, her hair loosening, her flowers falling.
Finally, panting, she caught Him!
Kṛṣṇa rubbed His eyes, ready to cry. 😢
🎬 Scene 4 – The Rope That Was Too Short
Mother Yaśodā threw away the stick.
“Don’t cry, my naughty one,” she said.
“But you must be punished a little — I’ll tie you so you don’t make more mischief.”
She brought a rope — but when she tried to tie His belly,
it was two fingers short!
She got another rope — still short!
All the ropes in the house joined together — still two fingers short!
Children chant softly, clapping:
“Two fingers short! Two fingers short!”
Yaśodā laughed but kept trying, perspiring, her garland slipping down.
Finally, seeing her exhaustion and love, Kṛṣṇa smiled and let Himself be tied.
(Using the rope, “Yaśodā” gently ties “Kṛṣṇa.”)
Teacher explains softly:
The two fingers mean our effort and Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. When both meet, Kṛṣṇa stays tied in our heart.
🎬 Scene 5 – The Miracle of the Arjuna Trees
Now Kṛṣṇa sat tied to the wooden mortar, still thinking,
“Mother left Me without feeding, tied Me up — hmm, let Me do something more fun!” 😏
He crawled, pulling the heavy mortar between two tall arjuna trees that stood side by side.
The mortar got stuck — He pulled harder — crash! 🌳🌳
Both trees fell with a thunderous sound!
From the trunks came two shining beings — Nalakuvara and Maṇigrīva, sons of Kuvera.
They folded their hands and said:
“O Lord, we were cursed to stand as trees,
but by Your mercy and Mother Yaśodā’s love we are now free!”
They offered prayers and disappeared.
Kṛṣṇa just smiled innocently — as if nothing had happened.
🪔 Closing Reflection
Teacher speaks softly:
“See, children, the Supreme Lord whom even great yogīs cannot catch
was caught by His mother’s love.
This is why He is called Dāmodara — ‘the Lord bound by the belly.’”
Whenever we offer a small leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water with love — or a simple lamp in Kartika month — Kṛṣṇa accepts it, just as He accepted Yaśodā Mātā’s love.
Activity - My Offering Plate for Krishna
“I may not have much, but I can offer something with love.”
🪔 Materials Needed
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One paper plate per child
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Colored paper (green for leaf 🍃, pink for flower 🌸, orange/red for fruit 🍎, blue for water 💧)
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Scissors ✂️, glue stick
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Crayons or sketch pens
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One small printed/pasted image of Dāmodara in the center
🪷 Steps
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Paste Damodara's picture in the center of the plate.
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Around it, glue four diya cut-outs (teacher can cut in the shape of diya):
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A leaf (patram)
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A flower (puṣpam)
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A fruit (phalam)
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A drop or cup of water (toyam)
-
-
Below, let the child write:
This Kartika I will offer ___________ to Damodara daily (children can choose to write tulasi leaf, a flower, a fruit, some water (any one or two or three - tell them to choose something that they think they CAN do)
- Emphasize that they are taking a vow and should try to follow it with discipline.
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Optional: Decorate plate rim with lace, glitter, or stickers labelled “With Love” and “Bhakti Plate”.
💖 Message to Reinforce
“Kṛṣṇa doesn’t count what we give — He feels the love we give it with.”
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