Krishna Conscious Songs for Children
Song 1: Sri Damodarastakam
written by Satyavrata Muni
(1)
namāmīśvaram sac-cid-ānanda-rūpam
lasat-kuṇḍalam gokule bhrājamanam
yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād dhāvamānam
parāmṛṣṭam atyantato drutya gopyā
(2)
rudantam muhur netra-yugmam mṛjantam
karāmbhoja-yugmena sātańka-netram
muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-trirekhāńka-kaṇṭha-
sthita-graivam dāmodaram bhakti-baddham
(3)
itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣam nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvam
punaḥ prematas tam śatāvṛtti vande
(4)
varam deva mokṣam na mokṣāvadhim vā
na canyam vṛṇe ‘ham vareṣād apīha
idam te vapur nātha gopāla-bālam
sadā me manasy āvirāstām kim anyaiḥ
(5)
idam te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair
vṛtam kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
muhuś cumbitam bimba-raktādharam me
manasy āvirāstām alam lakṣa-lābhaiḥ
(6)
namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnam batānu
gṛhāṇeṣa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ
(7)
kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat
tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
tathā prema-bhaktim svakām me prayaccha
na mokṣe graho me ‘sti dāmodareha
(8)
namas te 'stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne
tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne
namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai
namo 'nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam
TRANSLATION
1) To the supreme controller, who possesses and eternal form of blissful knowledge, whose glistening earrings swing to and fro, who manifest Himself in Gokula, who stole the butter that the gopis kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother Yasoda but was ultimately caught - to that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.
2) Upon seeing His mother's whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yasoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.
3) Those superexcellent pastimes of Lord Krsna's babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of Narayana in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: “I am conquered and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion.” To the Supreme Lord, Damodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times.
4) O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. O Lord, I do not even want to know your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart.
5) O Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruits due to Mother Yasoda's kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulences are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind.
6) O unlimited Visnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am drowning in an ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man. Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me with Your nectarean vision.
7) O Lord Damodara, in Your form as a baby Mother Yasoda bound You to a grinding stone with a rope for tying cows. You then freed the sons of Kuvera, Manigriva and Nalakuvara, who were cursed to stand as trees and You gave them the chance to become Your devotees. Please bless me in this same way. I have no desire for liberation into Your effulgence.
8) O Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound by a rope by Mother Yasoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer my obeisances to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani and to Your unlimited pastimes.
Song 2: Advent of Lord Krishna
by Yamini Devi Dasi
Once mother Earth known as Bhumi, assumed the form of a cow.
She went to see Lord Brahma, with tears in her eyes to tell
of the burden on the earth from the unnecessary defense force of kings
who were really demons, but were posing as the rulers.
Hearing of the distressed condition f the earth
Lord Brahma started at once for the ocean of milk
Bhumi and all the demigods accompanied him
and they prayed for lord Vishnu to save them
Within the heart of Brahma, lord Vishnu gave his reply
Brahma then told the demigods so they would all comply
And the message was that very soon, Lord Krishna would appear
To execute his mission upon the planet earth
The demigods and their wives should immediately take birth
in the dynasty of Yadu, wherein the lord would come
and they should all remain there to assist Him.
Once upon a time, Vasudeva, just after marrying Devaki
was going home on his chariot, along with her father's dowry
Kamsa, her brother was driving, and as they were passing through
a voice from the sky said, "Kamsa, you fool
your sister's eighth child will kill you!"
Kamsa grabbed Devaki's hair and raised his sword to kill her
but Vasudeva began to speak, astonished by Kamsa's behavior
"My dear brother-in-law, Kamsa, you are the greatest warrior
How is it that you are so infuriated you are prepared to kill your sister?
On this auspicious day, why should be so afraid of death?
Why should you be so afraid of death?
Your death is born along with your birth
At death, this body is annihilated
See the plant worms change from twig to twig carefully
So we change to accept our next body
These bodies are like what we see in our dreams
When awake, we forget just who we have been
We've also forgotten our bodies of the past
and by our mental condition at death
accordingly we take our birth the luminous planets like the moon and stars
show their reflection on the reservoirs
the moving water makes the moon seems to move
So we think with these bodies we have some connection
but this is due to illusion
On account of illusion, we think we belong
to a certain place or the human form
since mental concoction and desire
are the cause of a body we don't require
Therefore, i beg you to not listen to your mind and your body's dictation
Kamsa, please consider you have no danger from your sister.
If there are sons in the future, I promise I shall present them to you”
In time, Devaki and Vasudeva gave birth to eight sons and a daughter
Vasudeva gave the first-born son, and brought him before king Kamsa
Kamsa was please that the promise was kept
and began to speak as follows:
“My dear Vasudeva, you need not present this child to me
the danger is to come from the eighth-born son of Devaki.
Why should I accept this child unnecessarily?
You can take him back---you can take him back.
Narada muni was anxious to accelerate Lord Krishna's descent
Narada Muni went to Kamsa, the king, and spoke this warning:
"Kamsa beware, the demigods are taking birth
in the families of cowherd men and their wives
and on the other side, Vasudeva and others
born in the family of Vrishni, of the Yadu dynasty
all were preparing for the appearance of the Lord
Kamsa beware, the demigods are taking birth
They have come to assist Lord Vishnu, Kamsa, become alert
the demigods are taking birth, kamsa, become alert
Lord Vishnu will be coming soon”
When he was informed by Narada, Kamsa became afraid
He imprisoned his father, Ugrasene, Devaki, and Vasudeva
year after year, Devaki gave birth to another son
and thinking they might be Krishna, Kamsa killed them one by one
Vasudeva and Devaki are prison-bound by Kamsa
Lying in devaki's womb is my expansion, Sesa
Yogamaya, transfer Sesa to the womb of Rohini
Then I shall become the son of Vasudeva and Devaki
In Vrndavan, you will take birth from Nanda and Yasoda, as their daughter
You will be known as Durga and Ambika
The Lord of the whole creation Krishna, entered within the mind of Vasudeva
Then, like the rays of the setting sun are transferred to the rising moon
so Krishna's form of eternity was transferred to the mind of Devaki
from the mind of Vasudeva within the prison of King Kamsa.
Seeing the beauty of his sister, Kamsa knew who had come within her
"What can be done with Devaki? Krishna is within her womb
Seeing her wonderful beauty, surely Lord Vishnu has come
If I kill Devaki now, I would lose my reputation
and if Krishna is to kill me, no one can stop His mission
I will await the inevitable future, and then kill the baby when He is delivered."
Song 3 : Birth of Lord Krsna
by Yamini Devi Dasi Words: Krishna Book
When the time was mature for the Lord to appear
Signs of good fortune were everywhere
The stars and planets above the earth-all were adjusted for Krsna’s birth
The rivers were flowing full of water, lakes were filled with lotus flowers
Within the forest, birds were singing; peacocks danced and the wind was pleasing
Brahmanas lit the sacred fires and their minds were joyful to hear
Loud vibrations of transcendental sound proclaiming Lord Krsna would soon appear
The time was mature for the Lord to appear
And signs of good fortune were everywhere
“See the wonderful child, born as a baby with four hands
Holding the signs of Lord Visnu, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
He is dressed in yellow silk, wearing jewels and ornaments
In my mind, I will have a celebration
And give many thousands of cows to the brahmanas
See his eyes are lotus-like, and His hair is fully grown
He is dazzling like a bright blackish cloud
He is very wonderful!”
Get Yamini Devi Dasi's CD. Available at the Krishna.com Store
Song 4: Makhanataskara
by Mrgaksi Devi Dasi
Krishna and Balaram came to this Earth
to annihilate the miscreants.
And to give pleasure to Their
Loving devotees.
They appeared like ordinary children,
Giving the chance to all inhabitants
of Vrndavan
to love Them as their sons.
The monkeys said, “Eee, eee, eee,
Give the butter to mee, eee, eee!”
(twice)
Balarama said, “Oh what fun,
Krishna let’s give the monkeys some!”
(twice)
Krishna said, “Hide, quick,
here comes Mother with a stick!”
(twice)
Yasoda said, “You boys should not
steal from the butter pot!”
(twice)
Makhanataskara means butter thief.
Childish rascaldom gives loving grief
to all the Gopis, and in this way
they came to complain to Yasoda one day…
The Gopis said, “They’ve been bad,
They stole all the butter in the pots we had!”
(twice)
Yasoda said, “Can’t you keep
Your pots out of reach?”
(twice)
The Gopis said, “With jewels so bright,
in the dark They have no fright!”
(twice)
Yasoda said, “If you say,
I’ll take all their jewels away.”
(twice)
The Gopis said, “Oh no no!
Their transcendental bodies glow!
(twice)
Yasoda said, “You boys should not
steal from the butter pot!”
(twice)
The monkeys said, “Eee, eee, eee,
Give the butter to mee, eee, eee!”
(twice)
Balarama said, “Oh what fun,
Krishna let’s give the monkeys some!”
(twice) (together twice)
Krishna said, “Hide, quick,
here comes Mother with a stick!”
(twice)
Yasoda said, “You boys should not
steal from the butter pot!”
(twice)
Krishna and Balaram came to this Earth
to annihilate the miscreants.
And to give pleasure to Their
Loving devotees.
They appeared like ordinary children,
Giving the chance to all inhabitants
of Vrndavan
to love Them as their sons.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Song 5: Sing and Play for Krsna
by Mrgaksi Devi Dasi
Sing and play your life away,
only do it for Krsna,
and I say, chant Hare
Krsna Hare Krsna.
What else is there I ask you?
Never bored and never blue.
Serve Him with your life and soul.
Hari Hari Hari Bol!
Get Mrgaksi Devi Dasi's CD. Available at the Krishna.com Store
Song 6: Make Me Happy
by Bhavatarini Devi Dasi
Make me happy, make me sad
Break my heart, make me glad
I love you Krishna, I love you.
You and me are never apart
You’re always right here in my heart
I love you Krishna, I love you.
I didn’t know that Krishna was God
Until I met you Srila Prabhupada
Let me serve you Prabhupada, eternally.
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
(repeat 2x)
Make me happy, make me sad
Break my heart, make me glad
I love you Prabhupada, I love you.
You and me are never apart
You’re always right here in my heart
I love you Prabhupada, I love you.
I didn’t know that Krishna was God
Until I met you Srila Prabhupada
Let me serve you Prabhupada, eternally.
Make me happy, make me sad
(repeat 3x)
Get Bhavatarini Devi Dasi’s CD. Available at the Krishna.com Store