You become endearingly vulnerable to show how love is endlessly valuable

karāmbhoja-yugmena sātaṅka-netraṁ

Wiping his eyes with tender lotus hands,
Tears flowing down in shining strands.
The Lord whom all seek through prayer,
Now trembled at his mother’s glare.

(Damodarashtakam — Verse 2, Line 2)

My dear Lord, you display endearing human emotions such as fear, though you are the supreme superhuman being. When you, who are indestructible, invincible, and infinite, reveal vulnerability, that softness flows from your overflowing love. Your love eclipses your omnipotence and allows your devotees to experience a deeper, more intimate connection with you.

O all-embracing Lord, you desire that every soul feel accepted by you—and not just accepted, but also valued and cherished. For your most intimate devotees, you draw them into your innermost circle of affection, where they even feel needed by you. Though you are complete and need no one, you play the role of a delicate child—a tiny, tender toddler needing protection, discipline, and care from your devoted mother. Thus you create a sublimely sweet stage for the overflowing of her maternal love toward you and your divine love toward her. The mutual outpouring of affection between your heart and hers creates a flood of ecstasy that nourishes not only those present in that divine moment but also all who contemplate it later through prayerful remembrance.

O merciful Lord, grant me a deeper appreciation of your loving pastimes. Let the memory of your boundless love guide my choices in this illusion-filled world, so that I may march toward you—steadily and swiftly.