Adhi Shankara's Krishnashtakam

Sri Krisnashtakam,
(The octet in praise of Lord Krishna)
By
Adhi Sankara Bhagawat Pada
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander


Bhaje vrajaika mandanam, samastha papa khandanam,
Swabhaktha chitha ranjanam, sadaiva nanda nandanam,
Supincha gucha masthakam, sunada venu hasthakam,
Ananga raga sagaram, Namami Krishna sagaram. 1

I pray Him, who is the ornament to the land of Vraja,
Who cuts off entire sins,
Who pleases the mind of his devotees,
And who is the godly son of Nanda Gopa.
Salutations to the sea like Lord Krishna,
Who decorates his head with peacock feathers,
Who has the sweet sounding flute in his hand,
And who is the music of the ocean of love.

Manoja garva mochanam vishala lola lochanam,
Vidhootha gopa sochanam namami padma lochanam,
Kararavindha bhoodaram smithavaloka sundraram,
Mahendra mana daranam, Namami Krishna varanam. 2

Salutations to Him who has lotus like eyes,
Who wins over the pride of the god of love,
Who has broad and ever shifting eyes,
And who consoled the gopas of the worry over the emissary.
Salutations to the elephant like Lord Krishna,
Who lifted the mountain by his lotus soft hands,
Who has a pretty gaze and smile,
And who killed the pride of the great Indra.

Kadhambha soonu kundalam sucharu ganda mandalam,
Vrajanganaika vallabham namami Krishna durlabham.
Yasodhata samodhaya sagopaya sananandaya ,
Yutham sukhaika dayakam namami gopa nayakam. 3

Salutations to the Lord Krishna ,
Who is not easy to get,
Who wears the ear rings of Kadambha flowers,
Who has very pretty smooth cheeks,
And who is the lord of the women of Vrija.
Salutations to the chief of Gopas,
Who grants supreme bliss,
To Yasodha, gopas and Nanda,
And who is the giver of pleasures.

Sadhaiva pada pankajam madheeya manase nijam,
Dadanamuthamalakam , namami Nanda balakam,
Samastha dosha soshanam, samastha loka poshanam,
Samastha gopa manasam, Namami nanda lalasam. 4

Salutations to the Nanda lad,
Whose lotus like feet is drowned,
Ever truly in my mind,
And who has curls of hair falling on his face.
Salutations to Him who enthralls Nanda,
Who diminishes bad effects of all sins,
Who takes care of the entire world.,
And who is in the mind of every cow herd.

Bhoovo bharavatharakam bhavabdi karma dharakam,
Yasomathee kisorakam , namami chitha chorakam.
Drugantha kantha banginam , sada sadala sanginam,
Dine dine navam navam namami nanda sambhavam. 5

I bow to him who is the stealer of hearts,
Who incarnated to reduce the weight of the world,
Who helps us cross the miserable ocean of life,
And who is young baby of mother Yasoda.
I bow to the son of King Nanda,
Who has a pair of pretty shining eyes,
Who is followed by bees wherever he goes,
And who is new and newer to his devotees,
Today and everyday.

Gunakaram sukhakaram krupakaram krupaparam,
Suradwihannikarthanam , namami gopa nandanam.
Naveenagopa naagaram naveena keli lampatam,
Namami megha sundram thathith prabhalasathpatam. 6

I salute the kid of all gopas, who is the treasure house,
Of good qualities, pleasure and mercy ,
Who is above the needs of mercy ,
And who removed all the problems of devas.
I salute the handsome one who is the colour of the cloud,
Who wears yellow coloured silk resembling lightning,
Who appears as a new Gopa every time he is seen,
And who is interested in new antics every time.

Samastha gopa nandanam, hrudambujaika modhanam,
Namami kunja madhyagam , prasanna bhanu shobhanam.
Nikamakamadhayakam drugantha charu sayakam,
Rasalavenu gayakam , namami kunja nayakam. 7

I salute Krishna, the lad amidst the vrija land,
Who is pleased and shines like the good sun,
Who is the son of all gopas,
And who is the pleasure of all their hearts.
I salute Krishna , who is the leader of lads of vrija,
Who plays soulful music using his flute,
Who grants pleasures even though he does not want them,
And whose glances are like defenseless arrows.

Vidagdha gopikaa mano manogna thalpasayinam,
Namami kunja kanane pravrudha vahni payinam.
Kisorakanthi ranchitham, druganjanam sushobitham,
Gajendra moksa karinam ,Namami sri viharinam. 8

I salute Him who swallowed the fire,
In the gardens and forests of Vraja land,
Who was sleeping in the dreams of the very able gopis.
I salute Him who is with the goddess of wealth,
Who was the cause of salvation of Gajendra,
Who is surrounded by divine glow of youth,
And who shines in all directions.


Yadha thadha yadha thadha thadiva krushna sathkadha,
Maya sadaiva geeyathaam thadha krupa vidheeyathaam.
Pramanikashtakadwayam japathyadheethya ya pumaan,
Bhaveth sa nanda nandane bhave bhave subhakthiman. 9

Where I live , wherever I exist,
Let me be immersed in your stories,
For always without break,
So that I am blessed with your grace.
That great man who sings this double octet.
Would be born with devotion to Krishna,
In all his births.
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