Mantra.Tips
krishnagovindavishnushankaracharya

ගෝවින්දාෂ්ටකම් (සත්යං ජ්ඤානමනන්තම්)

Govindashtakam (Satyam Jnanam Anantam) in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 8× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma Muhurta) or evening; especially on Janmashtami and Wednesdays·📜 Attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (Stotra literature)
Share:

Origin & Story

Attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (Stotra literature) · Adi Shankaracharya · c. 8th century CE

Govinda is one of the most beloved names of Krishna, meaning the protector of cows, the Earth and the Vedas. Adi Shankaracharya, the great Advaita master, composed this Govindashtakam to reveal Krishna as both the formless Brahman of the Upanishads — Truth, Knowledge, Infinity — and the enchanting cowherd child of Vraja who ate butter, lifted Govardhana and danced on the serpent Kaliya. The hymn's eight verses are a rare and beautiful union of jnana and bhakti, and it remains distinct from the other Govindashtakam (beginning 'Chidanandakaram').

As told in scripture

The final verse is itself the declared fruit: tradition holds that one who recites this Govindashtakam with the mind surrendered to Govinda is cleansed of all sins as if bathed in a nectar-ocean, and comes to realise the ever-blissful Govinda seated within the heart.

Complete Text with Meaning

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

Verse 1

සත්යං ජ්ඤානමනන්තං නිත්යමනාකාශං පරමාකාශං ගෝෂ්ඨප්රාඞ්ගණරිඞ්ඛණලෝලමනායාසං පරමායාසම් . මායාකල්පිතනානාකාරමනාකාරං භුවනාකාරං ක්ෂ්මායානාථමනාථං ප්රණමත ගෝවින්දං පරමානන්දම් .. 1 ..

Satyam jnanamanantam nityamanakasham paramakasham Goshthaprangana-rinkhana-lolamanayasam paramayasam | Maya-kalpita-nanakaramanakaram bhuvanakaram Kshmayanathamanatham pranamata govindam paramanandam || 1 ||

Meaning:Bow down to Govinda, the supreme bliss — who is Truth, Knowledge, infinite and eternal; who is not bound by space yet is the supreme space; who delights, untroubled, to crawl in the cowherds' courtyard, yet is the goal of utmost striving; who, fashioned by maya, appears in countless forms though himself formless, his very form the universe; the Lord of the Earth who has no lord above him.

Verse 2

මෘත්ස්නාමත්සීහේති යශෝදාතාඩනශෛශවසන්ත්රාසං ව්යාදිතවක්ත්රාලෝකිතලෝකාලෝකචතුර්දශලෝකාලිම් . ලෝකත්රයපුරමූලස්තම්භං ලෝකාලෝකමනාලෝකං ලෝකේශං පරමේශං ප්රණමත ගෝවින්දං පරමානන්දම් .. 2 ..

Mritsnamatsiheti yashodatadana-shaishavasantrasam Vyadita-vaktraalokita-lokaaloka-chaturdashalokalim | Lokatraya-pura-mulastambham lokalokamanalokam Lokesham paramesham pranamata govindam paramanandam || 2 ||

Meaning:Bow down to Govinda, the supreme bliss — who as a child trembled at Yashoda's chiding 'You have eaten mud!', and in whose opened mouth she beheld all the fourteen worlds; the central pillar upholding the cities of the three worlds; seen yet beyond sight, the Lord of all worlds, the supreme Lord.

Verse 3

ත්රෛවිෂ්ටපරිපුවීරඝ්නං ක්ෂිතිභාරඝ්නං භවරෝගඝ්නං කෛවල්යං නවනීතාහාරමනාහාරං භුවනාහාරම් . වෛමල්යස්ඵුටචේතෝවෘත්තිවිශේෂාභාසමනාභාසං ශෛවං කේවලශාන්තං ප්රණමත ගෝවින්දං පරමානන්දම් .. 3 ..

Traivishtaparipuviraghnam kshitibharaghnam bhavarogaghnam Kaivalyam navanitaharamanaharam bhuvanaharam | Vaimalya-sphuta-cheto-vritti-visheshabhasamanabhasam Shaivam kevalashantam pranamata govindam paramanandam || 3 ||

Meaning:Bow down to Govinda, the supreme bliss — slayer of the heroic foes of the gods, remover of the Earth's burden and the disease of existence; liberation itself, who eats fresh butter yet needs no food, being the sustainer of the worlds; the pure, stilled, auspicious One who shines forth as the spotless movements of a clear mind, though he himself is beyond all appearance.

Verse 4

ගෝපාලං භූලීලාවිග්රහගෝපාලං කුලගෝපාලං ගෝපීඛේලනගෝවර්ධනධෘතිලීලාලාලිතගෝපාලම් . ගෝභිර්නිගදිතගෝවින්දස්ඵුටනාමානං බහුනාමානං ගෝපීගෝචරදූරං ප්රණමත ගෝවින්දං පරමානන්දම් .. 4 ..

Gopalam bhulilavigrahagopalam kulagopalam Gopikhelana-govardhanadhritilila-lalitagopalam | Gobhirnigaditagovindasphutanaamanam bahunaamanam Gopigocharaduram pranamata govindam paramanandam || 4 ||

Meaning:Bow down to Govinda, the supreme bliss — Gopala, the cowherd who took a charming form in his earthly play, the cowherd of his clan, who lovingly lifted Govardhana in sport amid the gopis; whose names 'Govinda' the very cows proclaim, the One of many names, yet beyond even the gopis' grasp.

Verse 5

ගෝපීමණ්ඩලගෝෂ්ඨීභේදං භේදාවස්ථමභේදාභං ශශ්වද්ගෝඛුරනිර්ධූතෝද්ගතධූලීධූසරසෞභාග්යම් . ශ්රද්ධාභක්තිගෘහීතානන්දමචින්ත්යං චින්තිතසද්භාවං චින්තාමණිමහිමානං ප්රණමත ගෝවින්දං පරමානන්දම් .. 5 ..

Gopimandalagoshthibhedam bhedavasthamabhedabham Shashvadgokhuranirdhutodgatadhulidhusarasaubhagyam | Shraddhabhaktigrihitanandamachintyam chintitasadbhavam Chintamanimahimanam pranamata govindam paramanandam || 5 ||

Meaning:Bow down to Govinda, the supreme bliss — who, seeming many amid the circles of gopis, is yet the undivided One; whose beauty is dusted golden by the dust raised ceaselessly by the cows' hooves; whose bliss is grasped through faith and devotion, who is beyond thought yet the true essence contemplated by the devout, glorious as the wish-fulfilling Chintamani gem.

Verse 6

ස්නානව්යාකුලයෝෂිද්වස්ත්රමුපාදායාගමුපාරූඪං ව්යාදිත්සන්තීරථ දිග්වස්ත්රා දාතුමුපාකර්ෂන්තං තාඃ . නිර්ධූතද්වයශෝකවිමෝහං බුද්ධං බුද්ධේරන්තඃස්ථං සත්තාමාත්රශරීරං ප්රණමත ගෝවින්දං පරමානන්දම් .. 6 ..

Snanavyakulayoshidvastramupadayagamuparudham Vyaditsantiratha digvastra datumupakarshantam tah | Nirdhutadvayashokavimoham buddham buddherantahstham Sattamatrashariram pranamata govindam paramanandam || 6 ||

Meaning:Bow down to Govinda, the supreme bliss — who, taking up the garments of the maidens absorbed in bathing, climbed (the kadamba tree), and when they came, clad in the directions (bare), drew them near to give the clothes back; the Awakened One, free of the twin delusion of grief, dwelling within the intellect, his body pure Being alone.

Verse 7

කාන්තං කාරණකාරණමාදිමනාදිං කාලමනාභාසං කාලින්දීගතකාලියශිරසි මුහුර්නෘත්යන්තං නෘත්යන්තම් . කාලං කාලකලාතීතං කලිතාශේෂං කලිදෝෂඝ්නං කාලත්රයගතිහේතුං ප්රණමත ගෝවින්දං පරමානන්දම් .. 7 ..

Kantam karanakaranamadimanadim kalamanabhasam Kalindigatakaliyashirasi muhurnrityantam nrityantam | Kalam kalakalatitam kalitaasesham kalidoshaghnam Kalatrayagatihetum pranamata govindam paramanandam || 7 ||

Meaning:Bow down to Govinda, the supreme bliss — the beloved, the cause of all causes, the beginningless beginning, Time itself yet beyond appearance, dancing again and again upon the heads of the serpent Kaliya in the Yamuna; Time beyond the divisions of time, comprehending all, destroyer of the evils of Kali, the cause of the course of the three times.

Verse 8

වෘන්දාවනභුවි වෘන්දාරකගණවෘන්දාරාධිතවන්ද්යායං කුන්දාභාමලමන්දස්මේරසුධානන්දං සුහෘදානන්දම් . වන්ද්යාශේෂමහාමුනිමානසවන්ද්යානන්දපදද්වන්ද්වං වන්ද්යාශේෂගුණාබ්ධිං ප්රණමත ගෝවින්දං පරමානන්දම් .. 8 ..

Vrindavanabhuvi vrindarakaganavrindaradhitavandyayam Kundabhaamalamandasmera-sudhanandam suhridanandam | Vandyaasheshamahamunimanasavandyanandapadadvandvam Vandyaasheshagunabdhim pranamata govindam paramanandam || 8 ||

Meaning:Bow down to Govinda, the supreme bliss — adored and worshipped in the land of Vrindavan by hosts of the gods; whose gentle nectar-smile is pure as the jasmine, the joy of his loving companions; whose pair of blissful feet are revered in the hearts of all the great sages, the ocean of all praiseworthy virtues.

Verse 9

ගෝවින්දාෂ්ටකමේතදධීතේ ගෝවින්දාර්පිතචේතා යෝ ගෝවින්දාච්යුත මාධව විෂ්ණෝ ගෝකුලනායක කෘෂ්ණේති . ගෝවින්දාඞ්ඝ්රිසරෝජධ්යානසුධාජලධෞතසමස්තාඝෝ ගෝවින්දං පරමානන්දාමෘතමන්තඃස්ථං තමභ්යේති ..

Govindashtakametadadhite govindarpitacheta yo Govindachyuta madhava vishno gokulanayaka krishneti | Govindanghrisarojadhyanasudhajaladhautasamastagho Govindam paramanandamritamantahstham sa tamabhyeti ||

Meaning:Whoever, with mind offered to Govinda, recites this Govindashtakam, calling 'Govinda! Achyuta! Madhava! Vishnu! O Lord of Gokula! Krishna!' — all his sins washed away in the nectar-ocean of meditation on Govinda's lotus-feet — attains that Govinda, the supreme blissful nectar, abiding within.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

සත්යම්🔊SatyamTruth / the truly existent (Reality)
ජ්ඤානම්🔊JnanamPure consciousness / knowledge
අනන්තම්🔊AnantamInfinite, endless
නිත්යම්🔊NityamEternal
පරමාකාශම්🔊ParamakashamThe supreme space (the transcendent expanse of consciousness)
ගෝෂ්ඨප්රාඞ්ගණරිඞ්ඛණලෝලම්🔊Goshtha-prangana-rinkhana-lolamDelighting to crawl in the courtyard of the cowherd settlement
මායාකල්පිතනානාකාරම්🔊Maya-kalpita-nanakaramAppearing in countless forms fashioned by maya (illusion)
අනාකාරම්🔊AnakaramYet himself formless
භුවනාකාරම්🔊BhuvanakaramWhose form is the worlds (the universe itself)
ප්රණමත ගෝවින්දම්🔊Pranamata govindamBow down to Govinda!
පරමානන්දම්🔊ParamanandamThe supreme bliss
මෘත්ස්නා මත්සි ඉති🔊Mritsna matsi iti'You have eaten earth (mud)!' — (Yashoda's accusation)
යශෝදාතාඩනශෛශවසන්ත්රාසම්🔊Yashoda-tadana-shaishava-santrasamWho as a child showed fear at Yashoda's chiding (mock-punishment)
ක්ෂිතිභාරඝ්නම්🔊KshitibharaghnamDestroyer of the burden of the Earth
භවරෝගඝ්නම්🔊BhavarogaghnamDestroyer of the disease of worldly existence (samsara)
නවනීතාහාරම්🔊NavanitaharamWhose food is fresh butter (navanita)
ගෝවර්ධනධෘතිලීලා🔊Govardhana-dhriti-lilaThe playful lifting and holding up of Mount Govardhana
ගෝපීගෝචරදූරම්🔊Gopi-gochara-duramBeyond the reach even of the gopis' perception (i.e. transcendent)
කාලියශිරසි නෘත්යන්තම්🔊Kaliya-shirasi nrityantamDancing upon the hood(s) of the serpent Kaliya
කලිදෝෂඝ්නම්🔊KalidoshaghnamThe destroyer of the faults/evils of the Kali age
වෘන්දාවනභුවි🔊VrindavanabhuviIn the land of Vrindavan
අශේෂගුණාබ්ධිම්🔊Ashesha-gunabdhimThe ocean of infinite (auspicious) qualities
ගෝවින්දාර්පිතචේතාඃ🔊Govindarpita-chetahWith the mind offered up to Govinda
සමස්තාඝඃ🔊SamastaghahAll sins (washed away)

Benefits of Chanting Govindashtakam (Satyam Jnanam Anantam)

Unites Vedantic contemplation of the Absolute with loving devotion to Krishna's pastimes

Each verse ends with 'pranamata govindam paramanandam', drawing the mind to supreme bliss

The closing verse promises that the reciter, his sins washed away, attains the inner Govinda

Cultivates both jnana (wisdom) and bhakti (devotion) together

Composed by Adi Shankaracharya, it carries the grace of the great non-dual master

Brings deep peace and one-pointedness when recited contemplatively

Excellent for daily recitation, Janmashtami and Krishna worship

How to Chant Govindashtakam (Satyam Jnanam Anantam)

Repetitions8times
Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma Muhurta) or evening; especially on Janmashtami and Wednesdays

Sit calmly before an image of Lord Krishna / Govinda, light a lamp and recite the eight verses slowly, holding both meanings in mind — Govinda as the formless Truth and as the child of Vraja. Let the refrain 'pranamata govindam paramanandam' settle the mind in devotion. Conclude with the ninth (phala) verse, calling on the names 'Govinda, Achyuta, Madhava, Vishnu, Krishna'. Especially recited on Janmashtami.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Govindashtakam (Satyam Jnanam Anantam) written in the Sinhala script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.
Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.
It is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn to Lord Krishna (Govinda) by Adi Shankaracharya, beginning 'Satyam jnanam anantam nityam'. It is distinctive for weaving Vedantic descriptions of the formless Absolute together with Krishna's childhood pastimes, each verse ending 'pranamata govindam paramanandam'.
It is traditionally ascribed to Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE), the great Advaita Vedanta master, who composed many hymns blending philosophical depth with devotion. Note that another, different hymn beginning 'Chidanandakaram' is also called Govindashtakam.
The refrain 'pranamata govindam paramanandam' that ends every verse means 'Bow down to Govinda, who is the supreme bliss (paramananda).'
The concluding verse states that the devotee who recites it with mind fixed on Govinda — calling 'Govinda, Achyuta, Madhava, Vishnu, Krishna' — has all sins washed away in the nectar of meditation on Govinda's feet, and attains the supremely blissful Govinda who dwells within.

You May Also Like

Found this helpful? Share it with loved ones 🙏

Share:

Read the full Govindashtakam (Satyam Jnanam Anantam) with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts