Deepawali - Hands make Firecracker

"Sachin Tendulkar" Realistic Portrait

The Master Blaster SACHIN TENDULKAR Portrait Painting.
"I look forward to playing my 200th Test Match on home soil, as I call it a day."
"It is hard to imagine any player in the history of the game who combines classical technique with raw aggression like the little champion does. There is not a single shot he cannot play," said Gavaskar.
Tendulkar, the highest run-scorer in Test cricket history and the only player to make 100 centuries in international cricket. "Most of all, I thank my fans and well-wishers who through their prayers and wishes have given me the strength to go out and perform at my best," he said.

Damodarastakam Facebook Series

namäméçvaraà sac-cid-änanda-rüpaà

lasat-kuëòalaà gokule bhräjamanam

yaçodä-bhiyolükhaläd dhävamänaà

parämåñöam atyantato drutya gopyä

1) To the Supreme Lord, whose form is the embodiment of eternal existence, knowledge, and bliss, whose shark-shaped earrings are swinging to and fro, who is beautifully shining in the divine realm of Gokula, who [due to the offense of breaking the pot of yogurt that His mother was churning into butter and then stealing the butter that was kept hanging from a swing] is quickly running from the wooden grinding mortar in fear of mother Yaçodä, but who has been caught from behind by her who ran after Him with greater speed-to that Supreme Lord, Çré Dämodara, I offer my humble obeisances.

rudantaà muhur netra-yugmaà måjantam

karämbhoja-yugmena sätaìka-netram

muhuù çväsa-kampa-trirekhäìka-kaëöha-

sthita-graivaà dämodaraà bhakti-baddham

2) [Seeing the whipping stick in His mother's hand,] He is crying and rubbing His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes are filled with fear, and the necklace of pearls around His neck, which is marked with three lines like a conchshell, is shaking because of His quick breathing due to crying. To this Supreme Lord, Çré Dämodara, whose belly is bound not with ropes but with His mother's pure love, I offer my humble obeisances.

itédåk sva-léläbhir änanda-kuëòe

sva-ghoñaà nimajjantam äkhyäpayantam

tadéyeñita-jïeñu bhaktair jitatvaà

punaù prematas taà çatävåtti vande

3) By such childhood pastimes as this He is drowning the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy, and is revealing to those devotees who are absorbed in knowledge of His supreme majesty and opulence that He is only conquered by devotees whose pure love is imbued with intimacy and is free from all conceptions of awe and reverence. With great love I again offer my obeisances to Lord Dämodara hundreds and hundreds of times.

 varaà deva mokñaà na mokñävadhià vä

na canyaà våëe 'haà vareñäd apéha

idaà te vapur nätha gopäla-bälaà

sadä me manasy ävirästäà kim anyaiù

4) O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for the boon of impersonal liberation, nor the highest liberation of eternal life in Vaikuëöha, nor any other boon [which may be obtained by executing the nine processes of bhakti]. O Lord, I simply wish that this form of Yours as Bäla Gopäla in Våndävana may ever be manifest in my heart, for what is the use to me of any other boon besides this?

idaà te mukhämbhojam atyanta-nélair

våtaà kuntalaiù snigdha-raktaiç ca gopyä

muhuç cumbitaà bimba-raktädharaà me

manasy ävirästäm alaà lakña-läbhaiù

5) O Lord, Your lotus face, which is encircled by locks of soft black hair tinged with red, is kissed again and again by mother Yaçodä, and Your lips are reddish like the bimba fruit. May this beautiful vision of Your lotus face be ever manifest in my heart. Thousands and thousands of other benedictions are of no use to me.

namo deva dämodaränanta viñëo

praséda prabho duùkha-jäläbdhi-magnam

kåpä-dåñöi-våñöyäti-dénaà batänu

gåhäëeña mäm ajïam edhy akñi-dåçyaù

6) O Supreme Godhead, I offer my obeisances unto You. O Dämodara! O Ananta! O Viñëu! O master! O my Lord, be pleased upon me. By showering Your glance of mercy upon me, deliver this poor ignorant fool who is immersed in an ocean of worldly sorrows, and become visible to my eyes.

kuverätmajau baddha-mürtyaiva yadvat

tvayä mocitau bhakti-bhäjau kåtau ca

tathä prema-bhaktià svakäà me prayaccha

na mokñe graho me 'sti dämodareha

7) O Lord Dämodara, just as the two sons of Kuvera-Manigréva and Nalaküvara-were delivered from the curse of Närada and made into great devotees by You in Your form as a baby tied with rope to a wooden grinding mortar, in the same way, please give to me Your own prema-bhakti. I only long for this and have no desire for any kind of liberation.

namas te 'stu dämne sphurad-dépti-dhämne

tvadéyodaräyätha viçvasya dhämne

namo rädhikäyai tvadéya-priyäyai

namo 'nanta-léläya deväya tubhyam

8) O Lord Dämodara, I first of all offer my obeisances to the brilliantly effulgent rope which binds Your belly. I then offer my obeisances to Your belly, which is the abode of the entire universe. I humbly bow down to Your most beloved Çrématé Rädhäräëé, and I offer all obeisances to You, the Supreme Lord, who displays unlimited pastimes.