Govindashtakam (Satyam Jnanam Anantam) Meaning — Line by Line
गोविन्दाष्टकम् (सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तम्)
Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi
Meaning — Line by Line
Every verse of Govindashtakam (Satyam Jnanam Anantam) with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.
Jump to a verse ▾
- Verse 1. Satyam jnanamanantam nityamanakasham paramakasham
- Verse 2. Mritsnamatsiheti yashodatadana-shaishavasantrasam
- Verse 3. Traivishtaparipuviraghnam kshitibharaghnam bhavarogaghnam
- Verse 4. Gopalam bhulilavigrahagopalam kulagopalam
- Verse 5. Gopimandalagoshthibhedam bhedavasthamabhedabham
- Verse 6. Snanavyakulayoshidvastramupadayagamuparudham
- Verse 7. Kantam karanakaranamadimanadim kalamanabhasam
- Verse 8. Vrindavanabhuvi vrindarakaganavrindaradhitavandyayam
- Verse 9. Govindashtakametadadhite govindarpitacheta yo
Satyam jnanamanantam nityamanakasham paramakasham
सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं नित्यमनाकाशं परमाकाशं गोष्ठप्राङ्गणरिङ्खणलोलमनायासं परमायासम् । मायाकल्पितनानाकारमनाकारं भुवनाकारं क्ष्मायानाथमनाथं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ १ ॥
Satyam jnanamanantam nityamanakasham paramakasham Goshthaprangana-rinkhana-lolamanayasam paramayasam | Maya-kalpita-nanakaramanakaram bhuvanakaram Kshmayanathamanatham pranamata govindam paramanandam || 1 ||
MeaningBow 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.
Mritsnamatsiheti yashodatadana-shaishavasantrasam
मृत्स्नामत्सीहेति यशोदाताडनशैशवसन्त्रासं व्यादितवक्त्रालोकितलोकालोकचतुर्दशलोकालिम् । लोकत्रयपुरमूलस्तम्भं लोकालोकमनालोकं लोकेशं परमेशं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ २ ॥
Mritsnamatsiheti yashodatadana-shaishavasantrasam Vyadita-vaktraalokita-lokaaloka-chaturdashalokalim | Lokatraya-pura-mulastambham lokalokamanalokam Lokesham paramesham pranamata govindam paramanandam || 2 ||
MeaningBow 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.
Traivishtaparipuviraghnam kshitibharaghnam bhavarogaghnam
त्रैविष्टपरिपुवीरघ्नं क्षितिभारघ्नं भवरोगघ्नं कैवल्यं नवनीताहारमनाहारं भुवनाहारम् । वैमल्यस्फुटचेतोवृत्तिविशेषाभासमनाभासं शैवं केवलशान्तं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ ३ ॥
Traivishtaparipuviraghnam kshitibharaghnam bhavarogaghnam Kaivalyam navanitaharamanaharam bhuvanaharam | Vaimalya-sphuta-cheto-vritti-visheshabhasamanabhasam Shaivam kevalashantam pranamata govindam paramanandam || 3 ||
MeaningBow 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.
Gopalam bhulilavigrahagopalam kulagopalam
गोपालं भूलीलाविग्रहगोपालं कुलगोपालं गोपीखेलनगोवर्धनधृतिलीलालालितगोपालम् । गोभिर्निगदितगोविन्दस्फुटनामानं बहुनामानं गोपीगोचरदूरं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ ४ ॥
Gopalam bhulilavigrahagopalam kulagopalam Gopikhelana-govardhanadhritilila-lalitagopalam | Gobhirnigaditagovindasphutanaamanam bahunaamanam Gopigocharaduram pranamata govindam paramanandam || 4 ||
MeaningBow 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.
Gopimandalagoshthibhedam bhedavasthamabhedabham
गोपीमण्डलगोष्ठीभेदं भेदावस्थमभेदाभं शश्वद्गोखुरनिर्धूतोद्गतधूलीधूसरसौभाग्यम् । श्रद्धाभक्तिगृहीतानन्दमचिन्त्यं चिन्तितसद्भावं चिन्तामणिमहिमानं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ ५ ॥
Gopimandalagoshthibhedam bhedavasthamabhedabham Shashvadgokhuranirdhutodgatadhulidhusarasaubhagyam | Shraddhabhaktigrihitanandamachintyam chintitasadbhavam Chintamanimahimanam pranamata govindam paramanandam || 5 ||
MeaningBow 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.
Snanavyakulayoshidvastramupadayagamuparudham
स्नानव्याकुलयोषिद्वस्त्रमुपादायागमुपारूढं व्यादित्सन्तीरथ दिग्वस्त्रा दातुमुपाकर्षन्तं ताः । निर्धूतद्वयशोकविमोहं बुद्धं बुद्धेरन्तःस्थं सत्तामात्रशरीरं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ ६ ॥
Snanavyakulayoshidvastramupadayagamuparudham Vyaditsantiratha digvastra datumupakarshantam tah | Nirdhutadvayashokavimoham buddham buddherantahstham Sattamatrashariram pranamata govindam paramanandam || 6 ||
MeaningBow 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.
Kantam karanakaranamadimanadim kalamanabhasam
कान्तं कारणकारणमादिमनादिं कालमनाभासं कालिन्दीगतकालियशिरसि मुहुर्नृत्यन्तं नृत्यन्तम् । कालं कालकलातीतं कलिताशेषं कलिदोषघ्नं कालत्रयगतिहेतुं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ ७ ॥
Kantam karanakaranamadimanadim kalamanabhasam Kalindigatakaliyashirasi muhurnrityantam nrityantam | Kalam kalakalatitam kalitaasesham kalidoshaghnam Kalatrayagatihetum pranamata govindam paramanandam || 7 ||
MeaningBow 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.
Vrindavanabhuvi vrindarakaganavrindaradhitavandyayam
वृन्दावनभुवि वृन्दारकगणवृन्दाराधितवन्द्यायं कुन्दाभामलमन्दस्मेरसुधानन्दं सुहृदानन्दम् । वन्द्याशेषमहामुनिमानसवन्द्यानन्दपदद्वन्द्वं वन्द्याशेषगुणाब्धिं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ॥ ८ ॥
Vrindavanabhuvi vrindarakaganavrindaradhitavandyayam Kundabhaamalamandasmera-sudhanandam suhridanandam | Vandyaasheshamahamunimanasavandyanandapadadvandvam Vandyaasheshagunabdhim pranamata govindam paramanandam || 8 ||
MeaningBow 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.
Govindashtakametadadhite govindarpitacheta yo
गोविन्दाष्टकमेतदधीते गोविन्दार्पितचेता यो गोविन्दाच्युत माधव विष्णो गोकुलनायक कृष्णेति । गोविन्दाङ्घ्रिसरोजध्यानसुधाजलधौतसमस्ताघो गोविन्दं परमानन्दामृतमन्तःस्थं स तमभ्येति ॥
Govindashtakametadadhite govindarpitacheta yo Govindachyuta madhava vishno gokulanayaka krishneti | Govindanghrisarojadhyanasudhajaladhautasamastagho Govindam paramanandamritamantahstham sa tamabhyeti ||
MeaningWhoever, 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 Breakdown
Origin & History
Source: Attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (Stotra literature)
Author: Adi Shankaracharya
Period: 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').
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Govindashtakam 'Satyam Jnanam Anantam'?▼
Who composed this Govindashtakam?▼
What does the refrain mean?▼
What is the fruit of reciting it?▼
Ready to start chanting?
See Benefits & How to Chant →