krishnastotraashtakamkrishnashtakam

कृष्णाष्टकम्

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 At dawn on rising (as the hymn itself enjoins); especially on Krishna Janmashtami, Wednesdays and Ekadashi·📜 A traditional hymn to Sri Krishna

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant

Origin & Story

A traditional hymn to Sri Krishna · Traditional

The Krishnashtakam beginning 'Vasudeva-sutam devam' is among the most widely recited of all hymns to Lord Krishna. In eight simple, melodious verses it adores Krishna feature by feature — the dark-cloud hue of his body, his lotus eyes and full-moon face, the peacock feather on his crest, the yellow silk and forest-flower garland, the conch and discus in his hands — each verse bowing to him as 'jagadguru', the Guru of the entire world. Its closing verse promises that to recite it at dawn dissolves the sins of countless births. Traditional in origin and beloved across India, it is sung above all on Krishna Janmashtami.

0all time

Complete Text with Meaning

Verse 1

वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम् । देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥ १॥

vasudevasutaṃ devaṃ kaṃsacāṇūramardanam | devakīparamānandaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum || 1||

Meaning:वसुदेव के पुत्र, देवस्वरूप, कंस और (पहलवान) चाणूर का मर्दन करने वाले, देवकी के परम आनन्द — उन कृष्ण की मैं वन्दना करता हूँ, जो जगद्गुरु हैं।

Verse 2

अतसीपुष्पसङ्काशम् हारनूपुरशोभितम् । रत्नकङ्कणकेयूरं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥ २॥

atasīpuṣpasaṅkāśam hāranūpuraśobhitam | ratnakaṅkaṇakeyūraṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum || 2||

Meaning:अतसी (सन) के नीले पुष्प के समान कान्ति वाले, हार और नूपुरों से सुशोभित, रत्नजड़ित कंगन और बाजूबन्द धारण किए हुए — उन कृष्ण की मैं वन्दना करता हूँ, जो जगद्गुरु हैं।

Verse 3

कुटिलालकसंयुक्तं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम् । विलसत्कुण्डलधरं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥ ३॥

kuṭilālakasaṃyuktaṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanam | vilasatkuṇḍaladharaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum || 3||

Meaning:घुँघराले केशों वाले, पूर्ण चन्द्रमा के समान मुख वाले, चमकते हुए कुण्डल धारण किए हुए — उन कृष्ण की मैं वन्दना करता हूँ, जो जगद्गुरु हैं।

Verse 4

मन्दारगन्धसंयुक्तं चारुहासं चतुर्भुजम् । बर्हिपिच्छावचूडाङ्गं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥ ४॥

mandāragandhasaṃyuktaṃ cāruhāsaṃ caturbhujam | barhipicchāvacūḍāṅgaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum || 4||

Meaning:मन्दार पुष्प की सुगन्ध से युक्त, सुन्दर मुस्कान वाले, चतुर्भुज, जिनके मस्तक पर मोरपंख सुशोभित है — उन कृष्ण की मैं वन्दना करता हूँ, जो जगद्गुरु हैं।

Verse 5

उत्फुल्लपद्मपत्राक्षं नीलजीमूतसन्निभम् । यादवानां शिरोरत्नं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥ ५॥

utphullapadmapatrākṣaṃ nīlajīmūtasannibham | yādavānāṃ śiroratnaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum || 5||

Meaning:खिले हुए कमल की पंखुड़ियों के समान नेत्रों वाले, नील मेघ के समान वर्ण वाले, यादवों के शिरोमणि — उन कृष्ण की मैं वन्दना करता हूँ, जो जगद्गुरु हैं।

Verse 6

रुक्मिणीकेळिसंयुक्तं पीताम्बरसुशोभितम् । अवाप्ततुलसीगन्धं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥ ६॥

rukmiṇīkeḷisaṃyuktaṃ pītāmbarasuśobhitam | avāptatulasīgandhaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum || 6||

Meaning:रुक्मिणी के साथ क्रीड़ा में रत, पीताम्बर से सुशोभित, तुलसी की सुगन्ध से युक्त — उन कृष्ण की मैं वन्दना करता हूँ, जो जगद्गुरु हैं।

Verse 7

गोपिकानां कुचद्वन्द्व कुङ्कुमाङ्कितवक्षसम् । श्री निकेतं महेष्वासं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥ ७॥

gopikānāṃ kucadvandva kuṅkumāṅkitavakṣasam | śrī niketaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum || 7||

Meaning:जिनका वक्षस्थल गोपियों के आलिंगन के कुंकुम से अंकित है, जो श्री (लक्ष्मी) के निवास हैं और महान् धनुर्धर हैं — उन कृष्ण की मैं वन्दना करता हूँ, जो जगद्गुरु हैं।

Verse 8

श्रीवत्साङ्कं महोरस्कं वनमालाविराजितम् । शङ्खचक्रधरं देवं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥ ८॥

śrīvatsāṅkaṃ mahoraskaṃ vanamālāvirājitam | śaṅkhacakradharaṃ devaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum || 8||

Meaning:जिनके विशाल वक्ष पर श्रीवत्स का चिह्न है, जो वनमाला से सुशोभित हैं, जो शंख और चक्र धारण करने वाले देव हैं — उन कृष्ण की मैं वन्दना करता हूँ, जो जगद्गुरु हैं।

Verse 9

कृष्णाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत् । कोटिजन्मकृतं पापं स्मरणेन विनश्यति ॥

kṛṣṇāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ prātarutthāya yaḥ paṭhet | koṭijanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ smaraṇena vinaśyati ||

Meaning:जो कोई प्रातःकाल उठकर इस पवित्र कृष्णाष्टक का पाठ करता है, उसके करोड़ों जन्मों में किए गए पाप इस स्मरण मात्र से नष्ट हो जाते हैं।

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

वसुदेवसुतं🔊Vasudeva-sutaṃthe son of Vasudeva

कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्🔊Kaṃsa-chāṇūra-mardanamdestroyer of Kamsa and the wrestler Chanura

देवकीपरमानन्दं🔊Devakī-paramānandaṃthe supreme joy of mother Devaki

कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम्🔊Kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagad-gurumI bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world — the refrain of every verse

अतसीपुष्पसङ्काशम्🔊Atasī-puṣpa-saṅkāśamof a hue like the blue atasi (flax) flower

पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम्🔊Pūrṇa-chandra-nibhānanamwith a face radiant like the full moon

बर्हिपिच्छावचूडाङ्गं🔊Barhi-pichchhāva-chūḍāṅgaṃhis crest adorned with a peacock feather

नीलजीमूतसन्निभम्🔊Nīla-jīmūta-sannibhamresembling a dark rain-laden cloud

यादवानां शिरोरत्नं🔊Yādavānāṃ śiroratnaṃthe crest-jewel of the Yadava clan

शङ्खचक्रधरं🔊Śaṅkha-chakra-dharaṃthe bearer of the conch (shankha) and the discus (chakra)

श्रीवत्साङ्कं🔊Śrīvatsāṅkaṃmarked with the Shrivatsa, the auspicious curl on Vishnu's chest

प्रातरुत्थाय🔊Prātar-utthāyarising at dawn (the time prescribed for its recitation)

Benefits of Chanting कृष्णाष्टकम्

✦

A beloved eight-verse hymn to Sri Krishna, beginning 'Vasudeva-sutam devam', recited the world over

✦

Each verse adores a different aspect of Krishna's beauty and glory and ends with the refrain 'Krishnam vande jagadgurum' — 'I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world'

✦

Its closing verse promises that reciting it at dawn destroys the sins of ten million births (koti janma)

✦

Especially recited on Krishna Janmashtami, on Wednesdays and Ekadashi, and as a simple daily morning prayer

✦

One of the first Sanskrit stotras taught to children for its simple, melodious metre

✦

Bestows devotion, purity, protection and the grace of Lord Krishna

How to Chant कृष्णाष्टकम्

Repetitions1times

Best TimeAt dawn on rising (as the hymn itself enjoins); especially on Krishna Janmashtami, Wednesdays and Ekadashi

As the closing verse directs, recite it on rising at dawn, after a bath, before an image of Sri Krishna. Chant all eight verses with the refrain 'Krishnam vande jagadgurum', then the closing phala-shruti. Its short, even metre makes it easy to memorise and to sing daily, and it is a favourite for Janmashtami worship.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Krishnashtakam is a hymn of eight verses (ashtakam) in praise of Lord Krishna, most famous in the version beginning 'Vasudeva-sutam devam'. Each verse lovingly describes a feature of Krishna's form and ends with the refrain 'Krishnam vande jagadgurum' — 'I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world'.

It means 'the divine son of Vasudeva'. The opening verse salutes Krishna as the son of Vasudeva and the supreme joy of Devaki, who destroyed the tyrant Kamsa and the wrestler Chanura — and bows to him as the Guru of the whole world (jagadguru).

Its final verse promises that whoever recites this holy hymn on rising at dawn has the sins of ten million births destroyed by that remembrance. It is cherished for bringing devotion, purity and the protective grace of Lord Krishna.

The hymn itself prescribes recitation at dawn (pratar-utthaya, 'on rising in the morning'). It is especially recited on Krishna Janmashtami, on Wednesdays and Ekadashi, and is well-suited as a short daily morning prayer.