Krishnashtakam lyrics in Sanskrit & English, with meaning
-
Shloka 1#
वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम् ।
देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥vasudevasutaṃ devaṃ kaṃsacāṇūramardanam |
devakīparamānandaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum ||वसुदेव के पुत्र, कंस और चाणूर का मर्दन करने वाले, देवकी के परम आनन्द — जगद्गुरु श्रीकृष्ण को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The divine son of Vasudeva, slayer of Kamsa and Chanura, the supreme joy of Devaki — I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world.
-
Shloka 2#
अतसीपुष्पसङ्काशं हारनूपुरशोभितम् ।
रत्नकङ्कणकेयूरं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥atasīpuṣpasaṅkāśaṃ hāranūpuraśobhitam |
ratnakaṅkaṇakeyūraṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum ||अलसी के फूल के समान नीलवर्ण, हार और नूपुर से सुशोभित, रत्नजटित कंगन और बाजूबन्द पहने — जगद्गुरु श्रीकृष्ण को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
Blue like the flax flower, adorned with necklace and anklets, wearing jewelled bracelets and armlets — I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world.
-
Shloka 3#
कुटिलालकसंयुक्तं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम् ।
विलसत्कुण्डलधरं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥kuṭilālakasaṃyuktaṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanam |
vilasatkuṇḍaladharaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum ||घुँघराले बालों वाले, पूर्ण चन्द्रमा के समान मुख वाले, चमकते कुण्डल धारण करने वाले — जगद्गुरु श्रीकृष्ण को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
With curling locks, a face like the full moon, and gleaming earrings — I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world.
-
Shloka 4#
मन्दारगन्धसंयुक्तं चारुहासं चतुर्भुजम् ।
बर्हिपिञ्छावचूडाङ्गं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥mandāragandhasaṃyuktaṃ cāruhāsaṃ caturbhujam |
barhipiñchāvacūḍāṅgaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum ||मन्दार पुष्पों की सुगन्ध से युक्त, सुन्दर मुस्कान वाले, चतुर्भुज, मोरपंख से सजे मुकुट वाले — जगद्गुरु श्रीकृष्ण को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
Fragrant with mandara flowers, with a charming smile and four arms, his crown adorned with a peacock feather — I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world.
-
Shloka 5#
उत्फुल्लपद्मपत्राक्षं नीलजीमूतसन्निभम् ।
यादवानां शिरोरत्नं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥utphullapadmapatrākṣaṃ nīlajīmūtasannibham |
yādavānāṃ śiroratnaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum ||खिले कमल की पंखुड़ियों जैसे नेत्रों वाले, नीले मेघ के समान, यादवों के शिरोमणि — जगद्गुरु श्रीकृष्ण को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
With eyes like the petals of a full-blown lotus, dark like a rain cloud, the crest-jewel of the Yadavas — I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world.
-
Shloka 6#
रुक्मिणीकेलिसंयुक्तं पीताम्बरसुशोभितम् ।
अवाप्ततुलसीगन्धं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥rukmiṇīkelisaṃyuktaṃ pītāmbarasuśobhitam |
avāptatulasīgandhaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum ||रुक्मिणी के साथ क्रीड़ा करने वाले, पीताम्बर से सुशोभित, तुलसी की सुगन्ध से युक्त — जगद्गुरु श्रीकृष्ण को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
Joyful in the company of Rukmini, beautiful in yellow silk, fragrant with tulsi — I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world.
-
Shloka 7#
गोपिकानां कुचद्वन्द्वकुङ्कुमाङ्कितवक्षसम् ।
श्रीनिकेतं महेष्वासं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥gopikānāṃ kucadvandvakuṅkumāṅkitavakṣasam |
śrīniketaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum ||गोपियों के आलिंगन के कुमकुम से अंकित वक्षस्थल वाले, लक्ष्मी के निवास, महान धनुर्धर — जगद्गुरु श्रीकृष्ण को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
Whose chest bears the kumkum of the gopis' embrace, the abode of Lakshmi, the mighty archer — I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world.
-
Shloka 8#
श्रीवत्साङ्कं महोरस्कं वनमालाविराजितम् ।
शङ्खचक्रधरं देवं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥śrīvatsāṅkaṃ mahoraskaṃ vanamālāvirājitam |
śaṅkhacakradharaṃ devaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vande jagadgurum ||श्रीवत्स चिह्न वाले, विशाल वक्षस्थल वाले, वनमाला से सुशोभित, शंख और चक्र धारण करने वाले देव — जगद्गुरु श्रीकृष्ण को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
Marked with the Shrivatsa, broad-chested, shining with a garland of forest flowers, the god who bears the conch and discus — I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world.
-
Phalashruti#
कृष्णाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत् ।
कोटिजन्मकृतं पापं स्मरणेन विनश्यति ॥kṛṣṇāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ prātarutthāya yaḥ paṭhet |
koṭijanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ smaraṇena vinaśyati ||जो प्रातःकाल उठकर इस पवित्र कृष्णाष्टक का पाठ करता है, इस स्मरण से उसके करोड़ों जन्मों के पाप नष्ट हो जाते हैं।
Whoever rises in the morning and recites this holy Krishnashtakam — by this remembrance the sins of ten million births are destroyed.
Completed your Krishnashtakam path?
Count it below, light a diya, or share it with family.
Read nextShiva Tandava Stotramशिव ताण्डव स्तोत्रम्Spotted an error? Suggest a correction.
What Krishnashtakam means
This Krishnashtakam is a portrait in eight short verses: Krishna's birth to Vasudeva and Devaki, his victory over Kamsa, his dark-blue complexion, curling hair, peacock feather, yellow silk and tulsi garland, and the conch and discus of Vishnu. Every verse ends with the same line, "krishnam vande jagadgurum" — I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world — recalling the Krishna of the Bhagavad Gita.
How to chant Krishnashtakam
- WhenMorning prayer, Janmashtami, Ekadashi, before Gita study
- TimeAbout 2 minutes
- Often withMadhurashtakam, Achyutashtakam, the Gita dhyana shlokas
- Recite in the morning. The phalashruti recommends reciting it after rising.
- Keep a steady rhythm. The anushtubh metre is simple — good for children to learn.
- Offer tulsi. If you have a Krishna image, offer a tulsi leaf at the end.
The verse "vasudeva-sutam devam" is also recited on its own as a dhyana shloka before reading the Gita.
Where Krishnashtakam comes from
This hymn is widely printed in prayer books and is popularly attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, though the attribution is uncertain. Its first verse also appears as a traditional meditation verse recited before the Bhagavad Gita.
About Krishnashtakam
Vasudeva-sutam devam — the popular Krishnashtakam whose every verse ends "krishnam vande jagadgurum", I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world. Simple, rhythmic and easy to learn. It comes from the Traditional (attributed to Adi Shankaracharya), Traditional. The text is in Sanskrit.
Sanskrit text: Sanskrit Wikisource. Transliteration and meanings by The Hindu Book.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Krishnashtakam?
Krishnashtakam comes from the Traditional (attributed to Adi Shankaracharya) (Traditional).
Where can I read Krishnashtakam lyrics in English?
This page has the full Krishnashtakam 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.
श्रीकृष्णाष्टकम् का अर्थ क्या है?
इस पेज पर श्रीकृष्णाष्टकम् के हर पद के नीचे उसका सरल हिंदी अर्थ और अंग्रेज़ी अर्थ दिया गया है।
How many verses are there in Krishnashtakam?
Krishnashtakam has 9 verses as given on this page.
In which language is Krishnashtakam?
Krishnashtakam 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 Krishnashtakam?
A full recitation takes about 2 min.
To whom is Krishnashtakam dedicated?
Krishnashtakam is dedicated to Krishna. Vasudeva-sutam devam — the popular Krishnashtakam whose every verse ends "krishnam vande jagadgurum", I bow to Krishna, the teacher of the world. Simple, rhythmic and easy to learn.
Why is Krishna called Jagadguru?
Because he taught the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra — a teaching for the whole world.
Is this the same as Shankaracharya's Krishnashtakam "Shriyashlishto Vishnuh"?
No. That is a different hymn; this one, "Vasudeva sutam devam", is the more widely recited.
