Kartika is an occasion to increase our remembrance of Krishna. Everything in Krishna consciousness is designed to increase our remembrance of Krishna. The month of Kartika is a wonderful occasion to go deeper into Krishna consciousness and to try to imbibe the Vrindavana mood. Devotees make a special attempt in practicing Krishna consciousness during this month and generally we take a vrata (vow) to increase our hearing, chanting and remembering Krishna.
Exactly what each of us does is our personal commitment and we should try to do something special like visit the temple every evening to offer a lamp to the deity of Mother Yashoda binding Lord Krishna. By choosing to come to the temple and offer a lamp we are visiting a holy place, taking darshan of the deities and honouring maha-prasada. We can also offer a lamp in our homes, increase the quality of our chanting and also increase the quantity of our chanting. It is particularly advantageous to increase the quality of our chanting. A nice vow could be to memorise various prayers. We can consider reading one chapter of Bhagavad-gita or perform some service to the Vaishnavas. Any commitment over this month is appropriate and is good.
Hari Bhakti Vilasa states: “Kartika is the best of months. Kartika is always dear to the Vaishnavas. O great sage, a Vaishnava who with devotion serves Kartika delivers his ancestors from hell.” If we are interested in delivering our ancestors, then observe Kartika. “As everyone knows Lord Damodara loves his devotees. Lord Damodara’s month, the month of Kartika, also loves the devotees.” It goes both ways, it’s not that we are just serving Krishna trying to attract Him, but He also is attracted by our service.
The month of Kartika is a personality just like the holy name is a person and the Deity is a Personality. The month of Kartika thinks even the slightest devotional service is very big and important. Doing something very small in the month of Kartika is multiplied. “Lord Krishna is pleased by the offering of a single lamp during the month of Kartika. Lord Krishna glorifies anyone who lights a lamp for someone else to offer.” Even the service of lighting a lamp for other Vaishnavas to offer is beneficial. The clay lamp is our heart and the ghee around it is our prema (love) and the burning lamp is our bhava. Bhava means our sentiment, our mood, and our emotion. We are offering our heart in a surrendered way to Radha and Krishna.
In the Narada Purana, it is said that of all gifts, the gift of a lamp during the month of Kartika is the best- there is no equal. In this regard we can encourage our families to come and also offer a lamp. This is the best gift we can give our family. “Worship of Lord Damodara during the month of Kartika is the proper atonement for a lifetime of sins.” All sins are atoned— prarabhda-karma (manifest reactions), aprarabhda- karma (unmanifest reactions), kutam (dormant reactions) and bija (reactions in a seed-like state)—by worshipping Lord Damodara.
“In the Padma Purana it is said because She is the gopi most dear to Lord Vishnu, Sri Radha should be worshipped along with Lord Damodara during the month of Kartika.” Generally we worship Lord Damodara—Mother Yashoda binding baby Krishna (Lord Damodara) with ropes. But there is also Radha Damodara. Radha Damodara is the pastime when Srimati Radharani captures Krishna. Radha Damodara is Radharani binding Krishna with flower garlands of love and affection. This is the Vrindavan mood. Srila Prabhupada gave the Vrindavana mood — Vrindavana consciousness.