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Devaki Stuti Meaning — Line by Line

देवकी स्तुति

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Devaki Stuti with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. śrī-devaky uvāca
  2. Verse 2. naṣṭe loke dvi-parārdhāvasāne
  3. Verse 3. yo 'yaṃ kālas tasya te 'vyakta-bandho
  4. Verse 4. martyo mṛtyu-vyāla-bhītaḥ palāyan
  5. Verse 5. sa tvaṃ ghorād ugrasenātmajān nas
  6. Verse 6. janma te mayy asau pāpo
  7. Verse 7. upasaṃhara viśvātmann
  8. Verse 8. viśvaṃ yad etat sva-tanau niśānte
Verse 1#

śrī-devaky uvāca

श्रीदेवक्युवाच रूपं यत्तत्प्राहुरव्यक्तमाद्यं ब्रह्म ज्योतिर्निर्गुणं निर्विकारम् सत्तामात्रं निर्विशेषं निरीहं त्वं साक्षाद्विष्णुरध्यात्मदीपः २४

śrī-devaky uvāca rūpaṃ yat tat prāhur avyaktam ādyaṃ brahma jyotir nirguṇaṃ nirvikāram | sattā-mātraṃ nirviśeṣaṃ nirīhaṃ sa tvaṃ sākṣād viṣṇur adhyātma-dīpaḥ || 24 ||

MeaningSri Devaki said: That form which the Vedas describe as the unmanifest, the original Brahman, the effulgence free from material qualities and untouched by change — pure existence, undifferentiated and desireless — that very form are You, O Lord Vishnu Himself, the lamp of all spiritual knowledge.

Verse 2#

naṣṭe loke dvi-parārdhāvasāne

नष्टे लोके द्विपरार्धावसाने महाभूतेष्वादिभूतं गतेषु व्यक्तेऽव्यक्तं कालवेगेन याते भवानेकः शिष्यतेऽशेषसंज्ञः २५

naṣṭe loke dvi-parārdhāvasāne mahā-bhūteṣv ādi-bhūtaṃ gateṣu | vyakte 'vyaktaṃ kāla-vegena yāte bhavān ekaḥ śiṣyate 'śeṣa-saṃjñaḥ || 25 ||

MeaningWhen the universe is annihilated at the close of Brahma's two-fold lifespan, when the great elements merge into the primal nature and the manifest dissolves into the unmanifest by the force of time, You alone remain, known as the infinite totality.

Verse 3#

yo 'yaṃ kālas tasya te 'vyakta-bandho

योऽयं कालस्तस्य तेऽव्यक्तबन्धो चेष्टामाहुश्चेष्टते येन विश्वम् निमेषादिर्वत्सरान्तो महीयां- स्तं त्वेशानं क्षेमधाम प्रपद्ये २६

yo 'yaṃ kālas tasya te 'vyakta-bandho ceṣṭām āhuś ceṣṭate yena viśvam | nimeṣādir vatsarānto mahīyāṃs taṃ tveśānaṃ kṣema-dhāma prapadye || 26 ||

MeaningThis Time, by which the entire cosmos is set in motion — which the wise call Your activity, extending from the smallest instant to the span of a year and beyond — O hidden friend of the unseen, I take shelter of You, that Supreme Controller, the very abode of all auspiciousness.

Verse 4#

martyo mṛtyu-vyāla-bhītaḥ palāyan

मर्त्यो मृत्युव्यालभीतः पलायन् लोकान् सर्वान्निर्भयं नाध्यगच्छत् त्वत्पादाब्जं प्राप्य यदृच्छयाद्य सुस्थः शेते मृत्युरस्मादपैति २७

martyo mṛtyu-vyāla-bhītaḥ palāyan lokān sarvān nirbhayaṃ nādhyagacchat | tvat pādābjaṃ prāpya yadṛcchayādya susthaḥ śete mṛtyur asmād apaiti || 27 ||

MeaningA mortal fleeing in terror from the serpent of death finds no safety in any region of the worlds; but if by good fortune he attains Your lotus feet, he rests in peace, and death itself flees away from him.

Verse 5#

sa tvaṃ ghorād ugrasenātmajān nas

त्वं घोरादुग्रसेनात्मजान्न- स्त्राहि त्रस्तान् भृत्यवित्रासहासि रूपं चेदं पौरुषं ध्यानधिष्ण्यं मा प्रत्यक्षं मांसदृशां कृषीष्ठाः २८

sa tvaṃ ghorād ugrasenātmajān nas trāhi trastān bhṛtya-vitrāsa-hāsi | rūpaṃ cedaṃ pauruṣaṃ dhyāna-dhiṣṇyaṃ mā pratyakṣaṃ māṃsa-dṛśāṃ kṛṣīṣṭhāḥ || 28 ||

MeaningTherefore protect us, who are terrified of the fierce son of Ugrasena (Kamsa), O You who dispel the fears of Your devotees! And let not this transcendental, four-armed form — which is the proper object of meditation — be visible to ordinary, fleshly eyes.

Verse 6#

janma te mayy asau pāpo

जन्म ते मय्यसौ पापो मा विद्यान्मधुसूदन समुद्विजे भवद्धेतोः कंसादहमधीरधीः २९

janma te mayy asau pāpo mā vidyān madhusūdana | samudvije bhavad-dhetoḥ kaṃsād aham adhīra-dhīḥ || 29 ||

MeaningO Madhusudana, may that sinful Kamsa not come to know that You have been born from me. Because of Your appearance, I, faint-hearted, tremble in dread of Kamsa.

Verse 7#

upasaṃhara viśvātmann

उपसंहर विश्वात्म- न्नदो रूपमलौकिकम् शङ्खचक्रगदापद्म- श्रिया जुष्टं चतुर्भुजम् ३०

upasaṃhara viśvātmann ado rūpam alaukikam | śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma- śriyā juṣṭaṃ catur-bhujam || 30 ||

MeaningWithdraw, O Soul of the universe, this unworldly four-armed form, splendid with the glory of conch, disc, mace and lotus.

Verse 8#

viśvaṃ yad etat sva-tanau niśānte

विश्वं यदेतत्स्वतनौ निशान्ते यथावकाशं पुरुषः परो भवान् बिभर्ति सोऽयं मम गर्भगोऽभू- दहो नृलोकस्य विडम्बनं हि तत् ३१

viśvaṃ yad etat sva-tanau niśānte yathāvakāśaṃ puruṣaḥ paro bhavān | bibharti so 'yaṃ mama garbhago 'bhūd aho nṛ-lokasya viḍambanaṃ hi tat || 31 ||

MeaningThat You, the Supreme Person, hold this entire universe within Your own body at the time of dissolution, each thing in its proper place — and yet this same You have entered my womb! Truly, this is but Your imitation of the ways of the human world.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

श्रीदेवक्युवाच
śrī-devaky uvāca
Sri Devaki said
रूपं यत्तत्प्राहुरव्यक्तमाद्यम्
rūpaṃ yat tat prāhur avyaktam ādyam
that form which (the Vedas) call the unmanifest, the original
ब्रह्म ज्योतिर्निर्गुणं निर्विकारम्
brahma jyotir nirguṇaṃ nirvikāram
Brahman, the effulgence, free of material qualities and changeless
सत्तामात्रं निर्विशेषं निरीहम्
sattā-mātraṃ nirviśeṣaṃ nirīham
pure existence, undifferentiated and without material desire
स त्वं साक्षाद्विष्णुरध्यात्मदीपः
sa tvaṃ sākṣād viṣṇur adhyātma-dīpaḥ
that very You are Lord Vishnu Himself, the lamp of transcendental knowledge
नष्टे लोके द्विपरार्धावसाने
naṣṭe loke dvi-parārdhāvasāne
when the world is annihilated at the end of the two parardhas (Brahma's lifetime)
भवानेकः शिष्यते
bhavān ekaḥ śiṣyate
You alone remain
अशेषसंज्ञः
aśeṣa-saṃjñaḥ
known by unlimited names / as the totality
योऽयं कालः
yo 'yaṃ kālaḥ
this Time (kala)
अव्यक्तबन्धो
avyakta-bandho
O friend of the unmanifest / O hidden friend
ईशानं क्षेमधाम प्रपद्ये
īśānaṃ kṣema-dhāma prapadye
I surrender to You, the Lord, the abode of auspiciousness
मृत्युव्यालभीतः
mṛtyu-vyāla-bhītaḥ
frightened by the serpent of death
त्वत्पादाब्जं प्राप्य
tvat pādābjaṃ prāpya
having attained Your lotus feet
मृत्युरस्मादपैति
mṛtyur asmād apaiti
death departs from him
त्राहि त्रस्तान्
trāhi trastān
please protect (us) who are terrified
उग्रसेनात्मजात्
ugrasenātmajāt
from the son of Ugrasena (Kamsa)
भृत्यवित्रासहासि
bhṛtya-vitrāsa-hāsi
You who dispel the fears of Your servants
मा प्रत्यक्षं मांसदृशाम्
mā pratyakṣaṃ māṃsa-dṛśām
do not (remain) visible to fleshly (ordinary) eyes
जन्म ते मय्यसौ पापः
janma te mayy asau pāpaḥ
(let) that sinful one (Kamsa not learn of) Your birth from me
मधुसूदन
madhusūdana
O slayer of the demon Madhu
उपसंहर विश्वात्मन्
upasaṃhara viśvātman
withdraw (this form), O Soul of the universe
शङ्खचक्रगदापद्म
śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma
(adorned with) conch, disc, mace and lotus
चतुर्भुजम्
catur-bhujam
the four-armed (form)
मम गर्भगोऽभूत्
mama garbhago 'bhūt
has come to reside within my womb
नृलोकस्य विडम्बनम्
nṛ-lokasya viḍambanam
imitation / mimicking of the human world

Origin & History

Source: Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Canto 10, Chapter 3, verses 24–31 (Devaki-stuti)

Author: Sage Veda-Vyasa (as spoken by Devaki)

Period: Classical Puranic era

On the dark night of His descent, Lord Krishna appeared in the prison of Mathura not as an ordinary infant but as the resplendent four-armed Vishnu, bearing conch, disc, mace and lotus, dispelling the gloom of the cell where His parents Vasudeva and Devaki were chained. First Vasudeva and then Devaki offered prayers of awe and recognition. Devaki, beholding her son as the supreme cause of all causes, glorified Him as the eternal Brahman beyond creation and dissolution — yet, gripped by a mother's terror of the murderous Kamsa, she begged Him to withdraw His divine majesty and take the guise of a helpless child, so that He might be safely carried to Gokula.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Devaki Stuti?
The Devaki Stuti is the prayer spoken by Devaki, the mother of Lord Krishna, when the Lord appeared before her as a luminous four-armed Vishnu just after His birth in Kamsa's prison. It is found in the Srimad Bhagavata Purana (Canto 10, Chapter 3, verses 24 to 31).
Why does Devaki ask Krishna to withdraw His four-armed form?
Although Devaki recognizes her child as the Supreme Lord, as a mother she fears that the tyrant Kamsa would kill any divine-looking infant. She therefore lovingly prays that the Lord conceal His majestic Vishnu form, with conch, disc, mace and lotus, and appear instead as an ordinary human baby.
What does Devaki reveal about Krishna's true identity?
She declares that her newborn is the unmanifest, changeless Brahman whom the Vedas describe — the one reality that alone survives the dissolution of the entire cosmos, the controller of all-devouring Time, and the shelter at whose lotus feet even death flees away.
When is the Devaki Stuti recited?
It is especially recited on Sri Krishna Janmashtami, often at midnight to commemorate the Lord's appearance, as well as during regular study of the Srimad Bhagavata. It is also chanted as a prayer for the protection and well-being of one's children.

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