krishnagovindadamodaramadhava

Govinda Damodara Stotram

Govinda Damodara Stotram in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Morning or evening; especially Ekadashi, Janmashtami and throughout Kartik (Damodara) month·📜 Govinda Damodara Stotra (independent Vaishnava devotional work)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

Govinda Damodara Stotram is a celebrated devotional hymn of Lord Krishna in which every verse ends with the sweet refrain 'Govinda Damodara Madhaveti'. Composed by the great devotee-poet Bilvamangala Thakura (Lila Shuka), it gathers beautiful scenes — Draupadi's cry for help, cowherd maidens, even pet parrots and mynahs — all naturally calling out these three holy names. Its message is that the names of Krishna are the essence of life and the supreme thing to chant at the moment of death.

Origin & Story

Govinda Damodara Stotra (independent Vaishnava devotional work) · Bilvamangala Thakura (Lila Shuka) · Medieval (c. 13th–14th century CE)

Bilvamangala Thakura, also called Lila Shuka, was a saint-poet utterly absorbed in love for Krishna and famed as the author of the Krishna-Karnamrita. The Govinda Damodara Stotram is his garland of verses on the holy names of the Lord. Drawing on the Mahabharata episode of Draupadi's rescue and the everyday life of Vraja's cowherd women, he shows how the names 'Govinda, Damodara, Madhava' rise spontaneously from the lips of the devoted, and exhorts the tongue to taste these sweetest of syllables always.

✦ As told in scripture

The opening verse recalls how, in the Kuru assembly, when Draupadi was being disrobed by Duhshasana and had no other protector, she cried out 'Govinda! Damodara! Madhava!' — and the Lord miraculously supplied endless cloth so that she could never be stripped. Devotees take this as proof that sincerely calling these names in distress brings the Lord's immediate protection.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

agre kurūṇām atha pāṇḍavānāṃ duḥśāsanenāhṛta-vastra-keśā | kṛṣṇā tadākrośad ananya-nāthā govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:In the assembly of the Kurus and the Pandavas, when her garment and hair were seized by Duhshasana, Draupadi, who had no other protector, cried out: 'Govinda! Damodara! Madhava!'

Verse 2

śrī-kṛṣṇa viṣṇo madhu-kaiṭabhāre bhaktānukampin bhagavan murāre | trāyasva māṃ keśava loka-nātha govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:'O Sri Krishna! O Vishnu! O enemy of Madhu and Kaitabha! O compassionate to devotees! O Lord! O Murari! Save me, O Keshava, Lord of all the worlds — Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!'

Verse 3

vikretu-kāmā kila gopa-kanyā murāri-pādārpita-citta-vṛttiḥ | dadhy-ādikaṃ moha-vaśād avocad govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:A cowherd maiden, wishing to sell her curds, her mind absorbed at Murari's feet, in her loving distraction called out instead of her wares: 'Govinda! Damodara! Madhava!'

Verse 4

ulūkhale sambhṛta-taṇḍulāṃś ca saṅghaṭṭayantyo musalaiḥ pramugdhāḥ | gāyanti gopyo janitānurāgā govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:The enchanted cowherd women, pounding gathered rice in the mortar with their pestles, sing with rising love: 'Govinda! Damodara! Madhava!'

Verse 5

kācit karāmbhoja-puṭe niṣaṇṇaṃ krīḍā-śukaṃ kiṃśuka-rakta-tuṇḍam | adhyāpayām āsa saroruhākṣī govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:A lotus-eyed lady taught her pet parrot, perched in the cup of her lotus hands with a beak red as the kimshuka flower, to repeat: 'Govinda! Damodara! Madhava!'

Verse 6

gṛhe gṛhe gopa-vadhū-samūhaḥ prati-kṣaṇaṃ piñjara-sārikāṇām | skhalad-giraṃ vācayituṃ pravṛtto govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:In house after house, the company of cowherd wives, at every moment, set themselves to teach their caged mynah birds to say in faltering speech: 'Govinda! Damodara! Madhava!'

Verse 7

jihve rasa-jñe madhura-priyā tvaṃ satyaṃ hitaṃ tvāṃ paramaṃ vadāmi | āvarṇayethā madhurākṣarāṇi govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:O tongue, knower of taste, you love what is sweet — so I tell you the truth, the highest good: keep on uttering these sweet syllables, 'Govinda! Damodara! Madhava!'

Verse 8

sukhāvasāne tv idam eva sāraṃ duḥkhāvasāne tv idam eva geyam | dehāvasāne tv idam eva jāpyaṃ govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:At the close of happiness, this alone is the essence; at the close of sorrow, this alone is to be sung; at the close of the body, this alone is to be chanted: 'Govinda! Damodara! Madhava!'

Word-by-Word Meaning

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govinda🔊Govinda — protector of cows and the senses; one who gives pleasure to the land, cows and Vedas

dāmodara🔊Damodara — He whose waist (udara) was bound with a rope (dama) by mother Yashoda

mādhava🔊Madhava — the Lord (dhava) of Lakshmi (Ma); the descendant of Madhu; the sweet one

iti🔊Thus (calling out these names) — completing the refrain repeated in every verse

agre kurūṇām🔊In the presence of the Kurus (the Kaurava assembly)

duḥśāsanena🔊By Duhshasana (who tried to disrobe Draupadi)

āhṛta-vastra-keśā🔊Whose garment and hair were seized/pulled

kṛṣṇā🔊Krishnaa (Draupadi)

ananya-nāthā🔊Having no other protector (than the Lord)

ākrośat🔊Cried out aloud (in distress)

madhu-kaiṭabhāre🔊O enemy of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha

bhaktānukampin🔊O compassionate one toward devotees

murāre🔊O Murari — enemy of the demon Mura

trāyasva mām🔊Protect me, save me

keśava loka-nātha🔊O Keshava, O Lord of all the worlds

gopa-kanyā🔊The cowherd maiden

dadhy-ādikam🔊Yogurt (curd) and other (wares she went to sell)

jihve rasa-jñe🔊O tongue, knower of taste

madhurākṣarāṇi🔊The sweet syllables (of the holy names)

sukhāvasāne🔊At the end of (a time of) happiness

duḥkhāvasāne🔊At the end of (a time of) sorrow

dehāvasāne jāpyam🔊At the end of the body (death), this alone is to be chanted

Benefits of Chanting Govinda Damodara Stotram

✦

Fills the heart and tongue with the sweet holy names Govinda, Damodara and Madhava

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Establishes the habit of constant nama-smarana (remembrance of the Lord's names)

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Invokes Krishna's protection in times of danger, just as Draupadi was saved

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Cultivates loving devotion (prema-bhakti) through joyful repetition

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Said to be the supreme thing to chant at the time of death for a fortunate passing

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Brings peace at the end of both happiness and sorrow, steadying the mind in the Lord

How to Chant Govinda Damodara Stotram

Repetitions1times

Best TimeMorning or evening; especially Ekadashi, Janmashtami and throughout Kartik (Damodara) month

Sit comfortably before an image of Lord Krishna and recite the verses melodiously, letting the refrain 'Govinda Damodara Madhaveti' resound at the end of each verse. The stotram is ideal for kirtan and may be sung aloud, individually or in a group. Many devotees chant it daily and especially keep it on the lips through the holy month of Kartik.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Govinda Damodara Stotram written in the English 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 a devotional hymn to Lord Krishna in which every verse closes with the refrain 'Govinda Damodara Madhaveti' — the three sweet names Govinda, Damodara and Madhava. It celebrates the glory of chanting Krishna's holy names.

It is traditionally attributed to Bilvamangala Thakura, also known as Lila Shuka, a renowned medieval saint-poet of Krishna devotion, author of the Krishna-Karnamrita.

Govinda means the protector of cows and the senses; Damodara means the one whose waist was bound with a rope by mother Yashoda; Madhava means the Lord (consort) of Lakshmi and the descendant of Madhu. Together they evoke Krishna's sweetness and supremacy.

Its concluding verse teaches that at the end of happiness, of sorrow, and of life itself, the one essential thing to sing and chant is 'Govinda Damodara Madhava'. Remembering the Lord at death is held to grant the highest destination.