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कृष्णाष्टकम् Meaning — Line by Line

कृष्णाष्टकम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of कृष्णाष्टकम् with its Hindi meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. vasudevasutaṃ devaṃ kaṃsacāṇūramardanam |
  2. Verse 2. atasīpuṣpasaṅkāśam hāranūpuraśobhitam |
  3. Verse 3. kuṭilālakasaṃyuktaṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanam |
  4. Verse 4. mandāragandhasaṃyuktaṃ cāruhāsaṃ caturbhujam |
  5. Verse 5. utphullapadmapatrākṣaṃ nīlajīmūtasannibham |
  6. Verse 6. rukmiṇīkeḷisaṃyuktaṃ pītāmbarasuśobhitam |
  7. Verse 7. gopikānāṃ kucadvandva kuṅkumāṅkitavakṣasam |
  8. Verse 8. śrīvatsāṅkaṃ mahoraskaṃ vanamālāvirājitam |
  9. Verse 9. kṛṣṇāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ prātarutthāya yaḥ paṭhet |
Verse 1#

vasudevasutaṃ devaṃ kaṃsacāṇūramardanam |

वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम् देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् १॥

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

Meaningवसुदेव 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#

atasīpuṣpasaṅkāśam hāranūpuraśobhitam |

अतसीपुष्पसङ्काशम् हारनूपुरशोभितम् रत्नकङ्कणकेयूरं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् २॥

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

Meaningअतसी (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#

kuṭilālakasaṃyuktaṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanam |

कुटिलालकसंयुक्तं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम् विलसत्कुण्डलधरं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ३॥

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

Meaningघुँघराले 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#

mandāragandhasaṃyuktaṃ cāruhāsaṃ caturbhujam |

मन्दारगन्धसंयुक्तं चारुहासं चतुर्भुजम् बर्हिपिच्छावचूडाङ्गं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ४॥

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

Meaningमन्दार 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#

utphullapadmapatrākṣaṃ nīlajīmūtasannibham |

उत्फुल्लपद्मपत्राक्षं नीलजीमूतसन्निभम् यादवानां शिरोरत्नं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ५॥

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

Meaningखिले 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#

rukmiṇīkeḷisaṃyuktaṃ pītāmbarasuśobhitam |

रुक्मिणीकेळिसंयुक्तं पीताम्बरसुशोभितम् अवाप्ततुलसीगन्धं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ६॥

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

Meaningरुक्मिणी 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#

gopikānāṃ kucadvandva kuṅkumāṅkitavakṣasam |

गोपिकानां कुचद्वन्द्व कुङ्कुमाङ्कितवक्षसम् श्री निकेतं महेष्वासं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ७॥

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

Meaningजिनका 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#

śrīvatsāṅkaṃ mahoraskaṃ vanamālāvirājitam |

श्रीवत्साङ्कं महोरस्कं वनमालाविराजितम् शङ्खचक्रधरं देवं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ८॥

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

Meaningजिनके 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#

kṛṣṇāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ prātarutthāya yaḥ paṭhet |

कृष्णाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत् कोटिजन्मकृतं पापं स्मरणेन विनश्यति

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

Meaningजो 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 Breakdown

वसुदेवसुतं
Vasudeva-sutaṃ
the son of Vasudeva
कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्
Kaṃsa-chāṇūra-mardanam
destroyer of Kamsa and the wrestler Chanura
देवकीपरमानन्दं
Devakī-paramānandaṃ
the supreme joy of mother Devaki
कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम्
Kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagad-gurum
I bow to Krishna, the Guru of the world — the refrain of every verse
अतसीपुष्पसङ्काशम्
Atasī-puṣpa-saṅkāśam
of a hue like the blue atasi (flax) flower
पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम्
Pūrṇa-chandra-nibhānanam
with a face radiant like the full moon
बर्हिपिच्छावचूडाङ्गं
Barhi-pichchhāva-chūḍāṅgaṃ
his crest adorned with a peacock feather
नीलजीमूतसन्निभम्
Nīla-jīmūta-sannibham
resembling a dark rain-laden cloud
यादवानां शिरोरत्नं
Yādavānāṃ śiroratnaṃ
the crest-jewel of the Yadava clan
शङ्खचक्रधरं
Śaṅkha-chakra-dharaṃ
the bearer of the conch (shankha) and the discus (chakra)
श्रीवत्साङ्कं
Śrīvatsāṅkaṃ
marked with the Shrivatsa, the auspicious curl on Vishnu's chest
प्रातरुत्थाय
Prātar-utthāya
rising at dawn (the time prescribed for its recitation)

Origin & History

Source: A traditional hymn to Sri Krishna

Author: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Krishnashtakam?
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'.
What does 'Vasudeva Sutam Devam' mean?
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).
What are the benefits of reciting the Krishnashtakam?
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.
When should the Krishnashtakam be recited?
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.

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