Santi Vardhana Caitanya Dasa: PENANG, MALAYSIA – When I was studying in Vrndavana VIHE in 2001, everyday I used to pray to Lord on how to make spiritual progress quickly. I wanted lots of mercy because I knew I am very fallen and in need of great mercy.
Then just one day before the Damodara month started, I was seated at the Bhagavatam class near Gaura Nitai Deities. Someone was giving class that day. At the end of the class, HG Aindra Prabhu appeared and sat at the pillar opposite me and looked directly at me.
Pointing his lotus fingers at me repeatedly, he instructed me on the details of performance of Damodara vrata and how it will help me to quickly gain great mercy from the Lord. I was pleasantly surprised and felt very happy as I was sure the Lord arranged this to speak to me directly in answer to my prayers.
“You should do like this.” Pointing at me he would instruct me.
HG Aindra Thakur told me to offer ghee lamps to Lord Damodara during the Damodara month. He told me a secret. He said to lit up the ghee lamp with a burning Tulasi stick. Ghee lamps lighted up with a burning Tulasi stick would give the devotee 10 million times more mercy.
He said that offering devotional service in Vrndavana gives one 1000 times benefit. During Damodara month one gets 160 times more. So 10 million x 1000 x 160 = 160 billion ghee lamps offered to the Lord [from offering of one ghee wick lighted up with burning Tulasi stick].
He quoted Srimad Bhagavatam 10.12.11
ittham satäm brahma-sukhänubhütyä
däsyam gatänäm para-daivatena
mäyäsritänäm nara-därakena
säkam vijahruh krta-punya-punjäh
“In this way, all the cowherd boys used to play with Krishna, who is the source of the Brahman effulgence for jnänis desiring to merge into that effulgence, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead for devotees who have accepted eternal servitorship, and who for ordinary persons is but another ordinary child. The cowherd boys, having accumulated the results of pious activities for many lives, were able to associate in this way with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can one explain their great fortune?”
He explained how the devotional piety accumulated in many lives could be gotten in one life by following the process he described.
I have ever since follow this instruction every Damodara month and share this knowledge with others also. Sometimes devotees offer Tulasi stick wrapped with cotton. But this is not how HG Aindra Prabhu described it.
Vaisnava Thakur Aindra Prabhu ki! JAI!!!!!!