The Dāmodara-Līlā Retold:
Svāmī Sadānanda Dāsa’s Compilation of Three Sources
Keywords:
Dāmodara-Līlā, Svāmī Sadānanda Dāsa, Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Ānanda-Vṛndāvana-Campū, Gopāla-Campū, Gauḍīya Vaishnavism, Kṛṣṇa, Yaśodā, Childhood Pastimes, Līlā, Sanskrit Sources, Retelling, Poetic Devices, Theological Instruction, Meditation, BhaktiAbstract
The article examines Svāmī Sadānanda Dāsa’s unique German retelling of the Dāmodara-līlā, a significant childhood pastime of Kṛṣṇa, based on a compilation of three primary Sanskrit sources: the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Kavi Karṇapūra’s Ānanda-Vṛndāvana-Campū, and Jīva Gosvāmī’s Gopāla-Campū. The study analyzes Sadānanda’s presentation, modifications, and arrangement of these sources, drawing upon his manuscripts, original books with annotations, and letters from the Sadānanda-Archive. It argues that Sadānanda’s approach mirrors Kavi Karṇapūra’s poetic style, blending a lively narrative with clear theological instruction. The article highlights Sadānanda’s use of German poetic devices to engage the reader and underscore the līlā’s spiritual significance, aiming to provide both religious education to a Western audience and a tool for deeper meditation for Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava practitioners.
