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Krishnashtakam (Bhaje Vrajaika Mandanam) Meaning — Line by Line

श्री कृष्णाष्टकम् (भजे व्रजैकमण्डनम्)

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Krishnashtakam (Bhaje Vrajaika Mandanam) with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. Bhaje vrajaikamandanam samastapapakhandanam
  2. Verse 2. Manojagarvamochanam vishalalolalochanam
  3. Verse 3. Kadambasunakundalam sucharugandamandalam
  4. Verse 4. Sadaiva padapankajam madiyamanase nijam
  5. Verse 5. Bhuvo bharavatarakam bhavabdhikarnadharakam
  6. Verse 6. Gunakaram sukhakaram kripakaram kripaparam
  7. Verse 7. Samastagopanandanam hridambujaikamodanam
  8. Verse 8. Vidagdhagopikamanomanojnatalpashayinam
  9. Verse 9. Pramanikashtakadvayam japatyadhitya yah puman
Verse 1#

Bhaje vrajaikamandanam samastapapakhandanam

भजे व्रजैकमण्डनं समस्तपापखण्डनं स्वभक्तचित्तरञ्जनं सदैव नन्दनन्दनम् सुपिच्छगुच्छमस्तकं सुनादवेणुहस्तकं अनङ्गरङ्गसागरं नमामि कृष्णनागरम्

Bhaje vrajaikamandanam samastapapakhandanam Svabhaktachittaranjanam sadaiva nandanandanam | Supicchagucchamastakam sunadavenuhastakam Anangarangasagaram namami krishnanagaram || 1 ||

MeaningI worship the sole ornament of Vraja, the destroyer of all sins, the delight of his devotees' hearts, the ever-joyous son of Nanda; with a beautiful cluster of peacock-feathers on his head and the sweet-sounding flute in his hand — an ocean of love's delight — I bow to the charming Krishna.

Verse 2#

Manojagarvamochanam vishalalolalochanam

मनोजगर्वमोचनं विशाललोललोचनं विधूतगोपशोचनं नमामि पद्मलोचनम् करारविन्दभूधरं स्मितावलोकसुन्दरं महेन्द्रमानदारणं नमामि कृष्णवारणम्

Manojagarvamochanam vishalalolalochanam Vidhutagopashochanam namami padmalochanam | Kararavindabhudharam smitavalokasundaram Mahendramanadaranam namami krishnavaranam || 2 ||

MeaningHe who shatters the pride of Cupid, with large restless eyes, who dispels the grief of the cowherds — I bow to the lotus-eyed one; who lifted the mountain (Govardhana) on his lotus-hand, lovely with his smiling glance, who humbled the pride of great Indra — I bow to Krishna, the protector.

Verse 3#

Kadambasunakundalam sucharugandamandalam

कदम्बसूनकुण्डलं सुचारुगण्डमण्डलं व्रजाङ्गनैकवल्लभं नमामि कृष्णदुर्लभम् यशोदया समोदया सगोपया सनन्दया युतं सुखैकदायकं नमामि गोपनायकम्

Kadambasunakundalam sucharugandamandalam Vrajanganaikavallabham namami krishnadurlabham | Yashodaya samodaya sagopaya sanandaya Yutam sukhaikadayakam namami gopanayakam || 3 ||

MeaningWith ear-rings of kadamba blossoms and most charming cheeks, the one beloved of the women of Vraja — I bow to Krishna, hard to attain; together with Yashoda, full of joy, with the cowherds and with Nanda, the sole giver of happiness — I bow to the leader of the cowherds.

Verse 4#

Sadaiva padapankajam madiyamanase nijam

सदैव पादपङ्कजं मदीयमानसे निजं दधानमुक्तमालकं नमामि नन्दबालकम् समस्तदोषशोषणं समस्तलोकपोषणं समस्तगोपमानसं नमामि नन्दलालसम्

Sadaiva padapankajam madiyamanase nijam Dadhanamuktamalakam namami nandabalakam | Samastadoshashoshanam samastalokaposhanam Samastagopamanasam namami nandalalasam || 4 ||

MeaningMay his lotus-feet ever dwell as my very own within my mind — he who wears loose curling locks, I bow to the child of Nanda; the dryer-up of all faults, the nourisher of all the worlds, dwelling in the hearts of all the cowherds — I bow to the darling of Nanda.

Verse 5#

Bhuvo bharavatarakam bhavabdhikarnadharakam

भुवो भरावतारकं भवाब्धिकर्णधारकं यशोमतीकिशोरकं नमामि चित्तचोरकम् दृगन्तकान्तभङ्गिनं सदा सदालसङ्गिनं दिने दिने नवं नवं नमामि नन्दसम्भवम्

Bhuvo bharavatarakam bhavabdhikarnadharakam Yashomatikishorakam namami chittachorakam | Drigantakantabhanginam sada sadalasanginam Dine dine navam navam namami nandasambhavam || 5 ||

MeaningHe who descended to lift the burden of the Earth, the helmsman across the ocean of existence, the youthful son of Yashoda — I bow to the stealer of hearts; with the lovely play of his sidelong glances, ever in the company of the virtuous, growing newer and newer day by day — I bow to him born in Nanda's house.

Verse 6#

Gunakaram sukhakaram kripakaram kripaparam

गुणाकरं सुखाकरं कृपाकरं कृपापरं सुरद्विषन्निकन्दनं नमामि गोपनन्दनम् नवीनगोपनागरं नवीनकेलिलम्पटं नमामि मेघसुन्दरं तडित्प्रभालसत्पटम्

Gunakaram sukhakaram kripakaram kripaparam Suradvishannikandanam namami gopanandanam | Navinagopanagaram navinakelilampatam Namami meghasundaram taditprabhalasatpatam || 6 ||

MeaningThe mine of virtues, the source of joy, the abode of compassion, supremely merciful, the destroyer of the enemies of the gods — I bow to the son of the cowherds; the ever-fresh gallant of the gopas, ever fond of new play, beautiful as a cloud, his garment flashing like lightning — I bow to him.

Verse 7#

Samastagopanandanam hridambujaikamodanam

समस्तगोपनन्दनं हृदम्बुजैकमोदनं नमामि कुञ्जमध्यगं प्रसन्नभानुशोभनम् निकामकामदायकं दृगन्तचारुसायकं रसालवेणुगायकं नमामि कुञ्जनायकम्

Samastagopanandanam hridambujaikamodanam Namami kunjamadhyagam prasannabhanushobhanam | Nikamakamadayakam drigantacharusayakam Rasalavenugayakam namami kunjanayakam || 7 ||

MeaningThe joy of all the cowherds, the one delight of the lotus of the heart — I bow to him who stands amid the bower, radiant as the bright sun; the bestower of every desire, with the lovely arrows of his sidelong glance, the sweet player of the flute — I bow to the lord of the bower.

Verse 8#

Vidagdhagopikamanomanojnatalpashayinam

विदग्धगोपिकामनोमनोज्ञतल्पशायिनं नमामि कुञ्जकाननं प्रविष्टरासमण्डनम् यदा तदा यथा तथा तथैव कृष्णसत्कथा मया सदैव गीयतां तथा कृपा विधीयताम्

Vidagdhagopikamanomanojnatalpashayinam Namami kunjakananam pravishtarasamandanam | Yada tada yatha tatha tathaiva krishnasatkatha Maya sadaiva giyatam tatha kripa vidhiyatam || 8 ||

MeaningReclining on the charming, mind-captivating couch (of the heart) of the clever gopis — I bow to him who entered the forest-bower as the ornament of the Rasa dance; whenever, however and in whatever way, may I ever sing the holy story of Krishna — bestow upon me such grace.

Verse 9#

Pramanikashtakadvayam japatyadhitya yah puman

प्रमाणिकाष्टकद्वयं जपत्यधीत्य यः पुमान् भवेत्स नन्दनन्दने भवे भवे सुभक्तिमान्

Pramanikashtakadvayam japatyadhitya yah puman Bhavetsa nandanandane bhave bhave subhaktiman ||

MeaningWhatever man, having studied, recites this pair of authentic ashtakas, becomes endowed with pure devotion to the son of Nanda in birth after birth.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

भजे
Bhaje
I worship / I adore
व्रजैकमण्डनम्
Vraja-eka-mandanam
The sole ornament (mandana) of Vraja (Vrindavan)
समस्तपापखण्डनम्
Samasta-papa-khandanam
The destroyer of all sins
स्वभक्तचित्तरञ्जनम्
Svabhakta-chitta-ranjanam
One who delights the hearts of his own devotees
नन्दनन्दनम्
Nanda-nandanam
The (joy-giving) son of Nanda
सुपिच्छगुच्छमस्तकम्
Su-piccha-guccha-mastakam
One whose head bears a lovely cluster of peacock feathers
सुनादवेणुहस्तकम्
Sunada-venu-hastakam
One holding in his hand the sweet-sounding flute
अनङ्गरङ्गसागरम्
Ananga-ranga-sagaram
An ocean of the play (delight) of love / beauty
नमामि कृष्णनागरम्
Namami krishna-nagaram
I bow to Krishna, the charming, gallant one
मनोजगर्वमोचनम्
Manoja-garva-mochanam
One who shatters the pride of Cupid (Manmatha)
विशाललोललोचनम्
Vishala-lola-lochanam
One with large, restlessly moving (lotus) eyes
पद्मलोचनम्
Padma-lochanam
The lotus-eyed one
कदम्बसूनकुण्डलम्
Kadamba-suna-kundalam
One wearing ear-ornaments of kadamba blossoms
व्रजाङ्गनैकवल्लभम्
Vrajangana-eka-vallabham
The one beloved of the women (gopis) of Vraja
नमामि कृष्णदुर्लभम्
Namami krishna-durlabham
I bow to Krishna, who is (otherwise) hard to attain
गोपनायकम्
Gopa-nayakam
The leader of the cowherds
नन्दबालकम्
Nanda-balakam
The little child of Nanda
भुवो भरावतारकम्
Bhuvo bhara-avatarakam
One who descended to remove the burden of the Earth
भवाब्धिकर्णधारकम्
Bhava-abdhi-karnadharakam
The helmsman who steers (devotees) across the ocean of worldly existence
चित्तचोरकम्
Chitta-chorakam
The stealer of (devotees') hearts
मेघसुन्दरम्
Megha-sundaram
Beautiful as a (dark rain-) cloud
रसालवेणुगायकम्
Rasala-venu-gayakam
One who sings sweetly upon the flute
कृपा विधीयताम्
Kripa vidhiyatam
May (your) grace be bestowed (upon me)

Origin & History

Source: Attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (Stotra literature)

Author: Adi Shankaracharya

Period: c. 8th century CE

Lord Krishna, the eighth avatara of Vishnu, spent his childhood in Vraja (Vrindavan) enchanting all with his beauty, his flute and his playful pastimes — lifting Mount Govardhana, humbling Indra's pride, and stealing the hearts of the gopas and gopis. This Krishnashtakam, traditionally credited to Adi Shankaracharya, gathers those very pastimes into eight flowing verses. It is one of two famous ashtakas to Krishna ascribed to the acharya, the other beginning 'Vasudeva-sutam devam'.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Krishnashtakam 'Bhaje Vrajaika Mandanam'?
It is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn in praise of Lord Krishna, beginning 'Bhaje Vrajaika Mandanam samasta-papa-khandanam'. It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya and is distinct from the other well-known Krishnashtakam that begins 'Vasudeva-sutam devam'.
Who composed 'Bhaje Vrajaika Mandanam'?
It is traditionally ascribed to Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE). The hymn's flowing, internally-rhyming metre and rich descriptions of Krishna's Vraja-lila have made it a favourite for devotional singing.
What does each verse have in common?
Every verse is built on internal rhymes and ends with the word 'namami' — 'I bow' — addressing a different aspect of Krishna, such as Krishna-nagaram (the charming one), Krishna-varanam (the protector), gopa-nayakam (leader of cowherds) and chitta-chorakam (the stealer of hearts).
What is the benefit of reciting it?
The concluding verse states that one who studies and recites this 'pair of authentic ashtakas' becomes endowed with pure devotion to the son of Nanda (Krishna) in birth after birth. It is also said to destroy all sins and fill the heart with Krishna's sweetness.

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