Govindashtakam lyrics in Sanskrit & English, with meaning
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Shloka 1#
सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं नित्यमनाकाशं परमाकाशं
गोष्ठप्राङ्गणरिङ्खणलोलमनायासं परमायासम् ।
मायाकल्पितनानाकारमनाकारं भुवनाकारं
क्ष्माया नाथमनाथं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥satyaṃ jñānamanantaṃ nityamanākāśaṃ paramākāśaṃ
goṣṭhaprāṅgaṇariṅkhaṇalolamanāyāsaṃ paramāyāsam |
māyākalpitanānākāramanākāraṃ bhuvanākāraṃ
kṣmāyā nāthamanāthaṃ praṇamata govindaṃ paramānandam ||जो सत्य, ज्ञान और अनन्त हैं, नित्य हैं, आकाश नहीं फिर भी परम आकाश हैं; जो ग्वालों के आँगन में घुटनों के बल खेलते हैं — बिना प्रयास के, फिर भी थक जाने वाले; माया से अनेक रूप धारण करने वाले, फिर भी निराकार, और विश्व जिनका रूप है; पृथ्वी के स्वामी, जिनका कोई स्वामी नहीं — उन परमानन्द गोविन्द को प्रणाम करो।
He is truth, knowledge and the infinite, eternal, not the sky and yet the supreme space; yet he crawls playfully in the cowherds' courtyard — effortless, and yet tiring himself out. He takes many forms through maya, yet is formless, and the universe is his form; the lord of the earth, who has no lord. Bow to Govinda, the supreme bliss.
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Shloka 2#
मृत्स्नामत्सीहेति यशोदाताडनशैशवसन्त्रासं
व्यादितवक्त्रालोकितलोकालोकचतुर्दशलोकालिम् ।
लोकत्रयपुरमूलस्तम्भं लोकालोकमनालोकं
लोकेशं परमेशं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥mṛtsnāmatsīheti yaśodātāḍanaśaiśavasantrāsaṃ
vyāditavaktrālokitalokālokacaturdaśalokālim |
lokatrayapuramūlastambhaṃ lokālokamanālokaṃ
lokeśaṃ parameśaṃ praṇamata govindaṃ paramānandam ||बचपन में यशोदा के "तूने यहाँ मिट्टी खाई है" कहकर डाँटने से जो डर गए, और जिनके खोले हुए मुख में यशोदा ने लोकालोक पर्वत सहित चौदहों लोक देखे; जो तीनों लोकों के मूल स्तम्भ हैं, सब लोकों के प्रकाश हैं, फिर भी स्वयं दिखाई नहीं देते; लोकों के ईश, परमेश्वर — उन परमानन्द गोविन्द को प्रणाम करो।
As a child he was frightened when Yashoda scolded him — "You ate mud here!" — and when he opened his mouth she saw in it the fourteen worlds and the Lokaloka mountains. He is the central pillar of the three worlds, the light of all worlds, yet himself beyond sight; the lord of the worlds, the supreme lord. Bow to Govinda, the supreme bliss.
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Shloka 3#
त्रैविष्टपरिपुवीरघ्नं क्षितिभारघ्नं भवरोगघ्नं
कैवल्यं नवनीताहारमनाहारं भुवनाहारम् ।
वैमल्यस्फुटचेतोवृत्तिविशेषाभासमनाभासं
शैवं केवलशान्तं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥traiviṣṭaparipuvīraghnaṃ kṣitibhāraghnaṃ bhavarogaghnaṃ
kaivalyaṃ navanītāhāramanāhāraṃ bhuvanāhāram |
vaimalyasphuṭacetovṛttiviśeṣābhāsamanābhāsaṃ
śaivaṃ kevalaśāntaṃ praṇamata govindaṃ paramānandam ||जो देवताओं के शत्रु वीरों का संहार करते हैं, पृथ्वी का भार हरते हैं, भवरोग मिटाते हैं; जो कैवल्य (मोक्ष) स्वरूप हैं, मक्खन खाते हैं, फिर भी आहार-रहित हैं, और सारा विश्व जिनका आहार है; जो निर्मल चित्त में प्रकाशित होते हैं, फिर भी आभास से परे हैं; कल्याणमय, केवल और शान्त — उन परमानन्द गोविन्द को प्रणाम करो।
He slays the mighty enemies of the gods, removes the burden of the earth, and cures the disease of worldly life. He is liberation itself; he eats butter, yet needs no food, and the whole world is his food. He shines in the pure, clear mind, yet is beyond all appearance; auspicious, alone, utterly peaceful. Bow to Govinda, the supreme bliss.
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Shloka 4#
गोपालं प्रभुलीलाविग्रहगोपालं कुलगोपालं
गोपीखेलनगोवर्धनधृतिलीलालालितगोपालम् ।
गोभिर्निगदितगोविन्दस्फुटनामानं बहुनामानं
गोपीगोचरदूरं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥gopālaṃ prabhulīlāvigrahagopālaṃ kulagopālaṃ
gopīkhelanagovardhanadhṛtilīlālālitagopālam |
gobhirnigaditagovindasphuṭanāmānaṃ bahunāmānaṃ
gopīgocaradūraṃ praṇamata govindaṃ paramānandam ||जो गोपाल हैं, प्रभु होकर लीला से गोपाल का रूप धारण करने वाले, कुल के रक्षक हैं; जिन्होंने गोपियों के साथ खेलकर और गोवर्धन उठाकर ग्वालों को दुलारा; वेदवाणी जिनका "गोविन्द" नाम स्पष्ट रूप से कहती है, जिनके अनेक नाम हैं; जो इन्द्रियों से दूर हैं — उन परमानन्द गोविन्द को प्रणाम करो।
The cowherd, the Lord who took the form of a cowherd in play, the protector of his clan; who played with the gopis and, by lifting Govardhana, cherished the cowherds; whose name "Govinda" is clearly declared by the scriptures, and who has many names; beyond the reach of the senses, yet within reach of the gopis. Bow to Govinda, the supreme bliss.
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Shloka 5#
गोपीमण्डलगोष्ठीभेदं भेदावस्थमभेदाभं
शश्वद्गोखुरनिर्धूतोद्धतधूलीधूसरसौभाग्यम् ।
श्रद्धाभक्तिगृहीतानन्दमचिन्त्यं चिन्तितसद्भावं
चिन्तामणिमहिमानं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥gopīmaṇḍalagoṣṭhībhedaṃ bhedāvasthamabhedābhaṃ
śaśvadgokhuranirdhūtoddhatadhūlīdhūsarasaubhāgyam |
śraddhābhaktigṛhītānandamacintyaṃ cintitasadbhāvaṃ
cintāmaṇimahimānaṃ praṇamata govindaṃ paramānandam ||जो गोपियों के मण्डल में हर गोपी के साथ अलग-अलग प्रकट होते हैं — भेद में रहकर भी अभेद रूप से चमकते हैं; गायों के खुरों से उड़ी धूल से धूसरित जिनका सौन्दर्य है; जो श्रद्धा और भक्ति से पकड़ में आने वाले आनन्द हैं, अचिन्त्य होकर भी ध्यान करने पर सचमुच प्रकट होते हैं; चिन्तामणि जैसी जिनकी महिमा है — उन परमानन्द गोविन्द को प्रणाम करो।
He appears separately among each of the gopis in their circle — present in difference, yet shining as one. His beauty is grey with the dust raised by the hooves of the cows. He is the bliss grasped by faith and devotion, unthinkable, yet truly present when meditated upon; his greatness is that of the wish-fulfilling gem. Bow to Govinda, the supreme bliss.
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Shloka 6#
स्नानव्याकुलयोषिद्वस्त्रमुपादायागमुपारूढं
व्यादित्सन्तीरथ दिग्वस्त्रा ह्युपदातुमुपाकर्षन्तम् ।
निर्धूतद्वयशोकविमोहं बुद्धं बुद्धेरन्तस्थं
सत्तामात्रशरीरं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥snānavyākulayoṣidvastramupādāyāgamupārūḍhaṃ
vyāditsantīratha digvastrā hyupadātumupākarṣantam |
nirdhūtadvayaśokavimohaṃ buddhaṃ buddherantasthaṃ
sattāmātraśarīraṃ praṇamata govindaṃ paramānandam ||स्नान में लगी गोपियों के वस्त्र लेकर जो वृक्ष पर चढ़ गए, और वस्त्र माँगती निर्वस्त्र गोपियों को लौटाने के लिए पास बुलाया; जिन्होंने शोक और मोह दोनों को दूर कर दिया है; जो स्वयं बोधरूप हैं, बुद्धि के भीतर रहते हैं; शुद्ध सत्ता ही जिनका शरीर है — उन परमानन्द गोविन्द को प्रणाम करो।
He took the clothes of the gopis bathing in the river, climbed a tree with them, and drew the unclad women near to give them back. He has shaken off both grief and delusion; he is awakened consciousness itself, dwelling within the intellect; his body is pure existence. Bow to Govinda, the supreme bliss.
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Shloka 7#
कान्तं कारणकारणमादिमनादिं कालमनाभासं
कालिन्दीगतकालियशिरसि मुहुर्नृत्यन्तं नृत्यन्तम् ।
कालं कालकलातीतं कलिताशेषं कलिदोषघ्नं
कालत्रयगतिहेतुं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥kāntaṃ kāraṇakāraṇamādimanādiṃ kālamanābhāsaṃ
kālindīgatakāliyaśirasi muhurnṛtyantaṃ nṛtyantam |
kālaṃ kālakalātītaṃ kalitāśeṣaṃ kalidoṣaghnaṃ
kālatrayagatihetuṃ praṇamata govindaṃ paramānandam ||जो प्रिय हैं, कारणों के भी कारण, आदि होकर भी अनादि, कालस्वरूप और आभास से परे हैं; जो यमुना में कालिय नाग के फणों पर बार-बार नाचे; जो काल हैं, फिर भी काल के अंशों से परे; जो सब कुछ जानते हैं, कलियुग के दोष मिटाते हैं और तीनों कालों की गति के कारण हैं — उन परमानन्द गोविन्द को प्रणाम करो।
Beloved, the cause of all causes, the first and yet without beginning; time itself, beyond appearance; who danced again and again on the head of the serpent Kaliya in the Yamuna. He is time, yet beyond its divisions; he knows all, destroys the faults of the Kali age, and is the cause of the movement of past, present and future. Bow to Govinda, the supreme bliss.
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Shloka 8#
वृन्दावनभुवि वृन्दारकगणवृन्दाराध्यं वन्देऽहं
कुन्दाभामलमन्दस्मेरसुधानन्दं सुहृदानन्दम् ।
वन्द्याशेषमहामुनिमानसवन्द्यानन्दपदद्वन्द्वं
वन्द्याशेषगुणाब्धिं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥vṛndāvanabhuvi vṛndārakagaṇavṛndārādhyaṃ vande'haṃ
kundābhāmalamandasmerasudhānandaṃ suhṛdānandam |
vandyāśeṣamahāmunimānasavandyānandapadadvandvaṃ
vandyāśeṣaguṇābdhiṃ praṇamata govindaṃ paramānandam ||वृन्दावन की भूमि पर देवगणों द्वारा आराधित उन्हें मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ, जिनकी कुन्द-पुष्प जैसी निर्मल मन्द मुस्कान अमृत और आनन्द है, जो मित्रों के आनन्द हैं; जिनके आनन्दमय चरणयुगल सभी वन्दनीय महामुनियों के मन में पूजित हैं; जो सब वन्दनीय गुणों के सागर हैं — उन परमानन्द गोविन्द को प्रणाम करो।
I bow to him who is worshipped in the land of Vrindavan by the hosts of gods; whose gentle smile, pure as jasmine, is nectar and joy, the joy of his friends; whose blissful feet are revered in the minds of all the great sages; the ocean of all worthy virtues. Bow to Govinda, the supreme bliss.
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Phalashruti#
गोविन्दाष्टकमेतदधीते गोविन्दार्पितचेता यो
गोविन्दाच्युत माधव विष्णो गोकुलनायक कृष्णेति ।
गोविन्दाङ्घ्रिसरोजध्यानसुधाजलधौतसमस्ताघो
गोविन्दं परमानन्दामृतमन्तःस्थं स तमभ्येति ॥govindāṣṭakametadadhīte govindārpitacetā yo
govindācyuta mādhava viṣṇo gokulanāyaka kṛṣṇeti |
govindāṅghrisarojadhyānasudhājaladhautasamastāgho
govindaṃ paramānandāmṛtamantaḥsthaṃ sa tamabhyeti ||जो गोविन्द में मन लगाकर "गोविन्द, अच्युत, माधव, विष्णु, गोकुलनायक, कृष्ण" पुकारते हुए इस गोविन्दाष्टक का पाठ करता है, गोविन्द के चरणकमलों के ध्यानरूपी अमृतजल से जिसके सब पाप धुल गए हैं, वह भीतर स्थित परमानन्द-अमृतस्वरूप गोविन्द को प्राप्त होता है।
Whoever recites this Govindashtakam with a mind offered to Govinda, calling "Govinda, Achyuta, Madhava, Vishnu, Lord of Gokula, Krishna", his sins washed away by the nectar of meditation on Govinda's lotus feet, reaches Govinda, the nectar of supreme bliss who dwells within.
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What Govindashtakam means
Govindashtakam is a hymn of paradox. In each verse Shankaracharya sets the Upanishadic Brahman — truth, knowledge, the infinite, formless and timeless — beside the playful child of Gokula: crawling in the courtyard, eating mud and showing the universe in his mouth, stealing butter, lifting Govardhana, dancing on Kaliya. The same reality is both.
The refrain "pranamata govindam paramanandam" — bow to Govinda, the supreme bliss — is addressed to all of us.
How to chant Govindashtakam
- WhenJanmashtami, Govardhan Puja, Ekadashi, or with Gita study
- TimeAbout 4 minutes
- StyleLong lines in a flowing metre; recite slowly
- Read the meaning once first. The verses are dense; knowing the stories helps.
- Recite with the refrain. Pause briefly at each "pranamata govindam".
- Close with the names. The phalashruti names Govinda, Achyuta, Madhava, Vishnu — repeat them softly.
The stories referred to are told in the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana.
Where Govindashtakam comes from
Govindashtakam is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. It joins his Advaita philosophy with the Krishna stories of the Bhagavata Purana, showing that devotion and knowledge point to the same goal.
About Govindashtakam
Satyam jnanam anantam — Shankaracharya's hymn that holds two pictures of Krishna side by side: the infinite Brahman beyond all form, and the toddler crawling in the cowherds' courtyard, scolded by Yashoda for eating mud. Each verse ends "pranamata govindam paramanandam". It was composed by Adi Shankaracharya, 8th century CE. The text is in Sanskrit.
Sanskrit text: Sanskrit Wikisource. Transliteration and meanings by The Hindu Book.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Govindashtakam?
Govindashtakam was composed by Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE).
Where can I read Govindashtakam lyrics in English?
This page has the full Govindashtakam in Sanskrit (Devanagari) with the English transliteration under every verse, and the meaning of each verse in Hindi and English. Use the Chant and Meaning buttons above the verses to show only what you need.
गोविन्दाष्टकम् का अर्थ क्या है?
इस पेज पर गोविन्दाष्टकम् के हर पद के नीचे उसका सरल हिंदी अर्थ और अंग्रेज़ी अर्थ दिया गया है।
How many verses are there in Govindashtakam?
Govindashtakam has 9 verses as given on this page.
In which language is Govindashtakam?
Govindashtakam is in Sanskrit. This page gives the original text in Devanagari with Roman transliteration and meaning in Hindi and English.
How long does it take to recite Govindashtakam?
A full recitation takes about 4 min.
To whom is Govindashtakam dedicated?
Govindashtakam is dedicated to Krishna. Satyam jnanam anantam — Shankaracharya's hymn that holds two pictures of Krishna side by side: the infinite Brahman beyond all form, and the toddler crawling in the cowherds' courtyard, scolded by Yashoda for eating mud. Each verse ends "pranamata govindam paramanandam".
What does "Govinda" mean?
Traditionally "protector of cows" or "one who is known through the Vedas (go = speech)". Verse 4 plays on both meanings.
Which story is in verse 2?
The child Krishna ate mud; when Yashoda made him open his mouth, she saw the whole universe inside it (Bhagavata Purana 10.8).
