Madhurashtakam
मधुराष्टकम्
Origin & Story
Composed by Sri Vallabhacharya · Sri Vallabhacharya · c. 15th–16th century CE
Sri Vallabhacharya, the great teacher of Krishna-bhakti and founder of the Pushtimarg, composed the Madhurashtakam as a spontaneous outpouring of love. Overwhelmed by the beauty of Sri Krishna at Gokul, he sang of how every single thing about the Lord of Madhura — His form, His flute, His play, even the dust of His feet and the waves of the Yamuna — is nothing but sweetness itself.
✦ As told in scripture
Devotees of the Pushtimarg hold that the Madhurashtakam carries the very sweetness it describes: those who sing it with love are said to taste the madhurya — the honeyed bliss — of Krishna's presence, their hearts drawn irresistibly into devotion.
Complete Text with Meaning
अधरं मधुरं वदनं मधुरं नयनं मधुरं हसितं मधुरम् । हृदयं मधुरं गमनं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ १॥
Adharam madhuram vadanam madhuram nayanam madhuram hasitam madhuram Hridayam madhuram gamanam madhuram madhuradhipaterakhilam madhuram
Meaning:Sweet are His lips, sweet His face, sweet His eyes, sweet His smile; sweet His heart, sweet His gait — everything about the Lord of Madhura (Krishna) is sweet.
वचनं मधुरं चरितं मधुरं वसनं मधुरं वलितं मधुरम् । चलितं मधुरं भ्रमितं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ २॥
Vachanam madhuram charitam madhuram vasanam madhuram valitam madhuram Chalitam madhuram bhramitam madhuram madhuradhipaterakhilam madhuram
Meaning:Sweet His words, sweet His deeds, sweet His garment, sweet His grace; sweet His movement, sweet His wandering — everything about the Lord of Madhura is utterly sweet.
वेणुर्मधुरो रेणुर्मधुरः पाणिर्मधुरः पादौ मधुरौ । नृत्यं मधुरं सख्यं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ३॥
Venurmadhuro renurmadhurah panirmadhurah padau madhurau Nrityam madhuram sakhyam madhuram madhuradhipaterakhilam madhuram
Meaning:Sweet His flute, sweet the dust of His feet, sweet His hands, sweet His feet; sweet His dance, sweet His friendship — everything about the Lord of Madhura is sweet.
गीतं मधुरं पीतं मधुरं भुक्तं मधुरं सुप्तं मधुरम् । रूपं मधुरं तिलकं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ४॥
Gitam madhuram pitam madhuram bhuktam madhuram suptam madhuram Rupam madhuram tilakam madhuram madhuradhipaterakhilam madhuram
Meaning:Sweet His song, sweet His drinking, sweet His eating, sweet His sleeping; sweet His form, sweet His tilak — everything about the Lord of Madhura is sweet.
करणं मधुरं तरणं मधुरं हरणं मधुरं रमणं मधुरम् । वमितं मधुरं शमितं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ५॥
Karanam madhuram taranam madhuram haranam madhuram ramanam madhuram Vamitam madhuram shamitam madhuram madhuradhipaterakhilam madhuram
Meaning:Sweet His doing, sweet His crossing, sweet His stealing, sweet His sporting; sweet His resting, sweet His calming — everything about the Lord of Madhura is sweet.
गुञ्जा मधुरा माला मधुरा यमुना मधुरा वीची मधुरा । सलिलं मधुरं कमलं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ६॥
Gunja madhura mala madhura yamuna madhura vichi madhura Salilam madhuram kamalam madhuram madhuradhipaterakhilam madhuram
Meaning:Sweet the gunja-berries, sweet the garland, sweet the Yamuna, sweet her waves; sweet her waters, sweet the lotus — everything about the Lord of Madhura is sweet.
गोपी मधुरा लीला मधुरा युक्तं मधुरं मुक्तं मधुरम् । दृष्टं मधुरं शिष्टं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ७॥
Gopi madhura lila madhura yuktam madhuram muktam madhuram Drishtam madhuram shishtam madhuram madhuradhipaterakhilam madhuram
Meaning:Sweet the gopis, sweet His play, sweet His union, sweet His release; sweet His glance, sweet His courtesy — everything about the Lord of Madhura is sweet.
गोपा मधुरा गावो मधुरा यष्टिर्मधुरा सृष्टिर्मधुरा । दलितं मधुरं फलितं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ८॥
Gopa madhura gavo madhura yashtirmadhura srishtirmadhura Dalitam madhuram phalitam madhuram madhuradhipaterakhilam madhuram
Meaning:Sweet the cowherds, sweet the cows, sweet His staff, sweet His creation; sweet His trampling, sweet His fruit-bearing — everything about the Lord of Madhura is sweet.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Click any word to hear its pronunciation
Benefits of Chanting Madhurashtakam
A honey-sweet hymn by Sri Vallabhacharya in which every quality of Krishna is described as 'madhuram' — sweet — filling the heart with love (bhakti-rasa).
Cultivates madhurya-bhava, the sweetest mood of loving devotion to Krishna.
Calms the restless mind and floods it with the joy of remembering the Lord of Madhura.
Short, lyrical and easy to memorise — ideal for daily chanting and for children.
Especially sung on Janmashtami, during Bhagavata recitations, and in Pushtimarg worship.
Deepens one-pointed remembrance of Krishna's beautiful form, play and pastimes.
How to Chant Madhurashtakam
Sit before an image of Sri Krishna and chant each of the eight verses slowly, picturing the sweetness described — His lips, smile, flute, dance and the Yamuna. Let the repeated word 'madhuram' melt the mind into love. It may be sung melodiously; the simple metre makes it perfect for daily practice.