krishnastotraashtakamkrishnashtakam

Krishnashtakam

कृष्णाष्टकम् in English · English

🕉️ 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

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglish

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.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

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

Meaning:The divine son of Vasudeva, the destroyer of Kamsa and (the wrestler) Chanura, the supreme joy of mother Devaki — I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world.

Verse 2

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

Meaning:Of a hue like the blue atasi (flax) blossom, adorned with necklaces and anklets, wearing jewelled bracelets and armlets — I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world.

Verse 3

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

Meaning:With curling locks of hair, his face like the full moon, wearing glittering earrings — I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world.

Verse 4

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

Meaning:Fragrant with the scent of the mandara flower, of charming smile, four-armed, his crest adorned with a peacock feather — I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world.

Verse 5

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

Meaning:With eyes like the petals of a full-blown lotus, dark as a rain-laden cloud, the crest-jewel of the Yadavas — I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world.

Verse 6

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

Meaning:Joined in playful sport with Rukmini, beautifully adorned in yellow silk, bearing the fragrance of tulasi — I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world.

Verse 7

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

Meaning:His chest bearing the kumkuma marks from the embrace of the gopis, the abode of Shri (Lakshmi), the great archer — I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world.

Verse 8

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

Meaning:Marked with the Shrivatsa upon his broad chest, resplendent with the garland of forest flowers (vanamala), the divine bearer of the conch and discus — I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world.

Verse 9

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

Meaning:Whoever rises at dawn and recites this holy Krishnashtakam — by this very remembrance, the sins committed across ten million births are destroyed.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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Vasudeva-sutaṃ🔊the son of Vasudeva

Kaṃsa-chāṇūra-mardanam🔊destroyer of Kamsa and the wrestler Chanura

Devakī-paramānandaṃ🔊the supreme joy of mother Devaki

Kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagad-gurum🔊I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world — the refrain of every verse

Atasī-puṣpa-saṅkāśam🔊of a hue like the blue atasi (flax) flower

Pūrṇa-chandra-nibhānanam🔊with a face radiant like the full moon

Barhi-pichchhāva-chūḍāṅgaṃ🔊his crest adorned with a peacock feather

Nīla-jīmūta-sannibham🔊resembling a dark rain-laden cloud

Yādavānāṃ śiroratnaṃ🔊the crest-jewel of the Yadava clan

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

Śrīvatsāṅkaṃ🔊marked with the Shrivatsa, the auspicious curl on Vishnu's chest

Prātar-utthāya🔊rising at dawn (the time prescribed for its recitation)

Benefits of Chanting कृष्णाष्टकम्

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

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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'

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

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

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

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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

This page shows the complete कृष्णाष्टकम् written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

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.