krishnakarnamritambilvamangalalilashuka

𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌮𑍍 (𑌚𑌯𑌨𑌿𑌕𑌾)

Krishna Karnamritam (Selections) in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Early morning or evening for meditation; especially on Janmashtami and Ekadashi·📜 Krishna Karnamritam by Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura (opening verses, Chapter 1)

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Krishna Karnamritam by Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura (opening verses, Chapter 1) · Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura · c. 13th–14th century CE (South India)

The Krishna Karnamritam is the masterwork of Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura, a poet-saint of the South who, according to tradition, turned from a life of attachment to become utterly absorbed in Krishna. His verses pour out the sweetness of the Lord's beauty, His flute, His glances and His childhood play in Vraja. The poem opens with the benediction 'cintamanir jayati', glorifying his initiating guru Somagiri (compared to the wish-fulfilling chintamani jewel) and his instructing guru, the peacock-crowned Lord Krishna Himself. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is said to have treasured a copy of this text, and it remains one of the most beloved devotional poems in the Vaishnava world.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition relates that Bilvamangala, once blinded (in some accounts by his own hand to end his attachment), was lovingly guided and protected by Krishna Himself appearing as a cowherd boy; from his Krishna-intoxicated heart flowed the Karnamritam, verses so sweet they are said to be 'nectar for the ears of Krishna' Himself.

0all time

Complete Text with Meaning

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

Verse 1

𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑌣𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑍋𑌮𑌗𑌿𑌰𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌮𑍇 𑌶𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌞𑍍𑌛𑌮𑍗𑌲𑌿𑌃 । 𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌤𑌰𑍁𑌪𑌲𑍍𑌲𑌵𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌲𑍀𑌲𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌂𑌵𑌰𑌰𑌸𑌂 𑌲𑌭𑌤𑍇 𑌜𑌯𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌃 ॥ ௧॥

cintāmaṇir jayati somagirir gurur me śikṣā-guruś ca bhagavān śikhi-piñcha-mauliḥ | yat-pāda-kalpataru-pallava-śekhareṣu līlā-svayaṁvara-rasaṁ labhate jaya-śrīḥ || 1||

Meaning:All glory to my guru Somagiri, who is like the wish-fulfilling chintamani jewel, and to my instructing guru, the Lord Himself, whose crown bears a peacock feather — at the tender, blossoming shoots of whose lotus feet (which are like a wish-yielding tree) the goddess of fortune, Jaya-shri, attains the joy of the playful self-choosing of love.

Verse 2

𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌰𑍁𑌣𑍀𑌕𑌰𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌗𑌲𑌤𑍍𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍂𑌨𑌾𑌪𑌿𑌤- 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍋𑌚𑍍𑌚𑌲𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍁𑌤𑌚𑌲𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌲𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌾𑌲𑌕𑌮𑍍 । 𑌆𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌾𑌧𑌰𑌬𑌿𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌫𑌾𑌣𑍍𑌟𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌭𑍋𑌃 ॥ ௨॥

asti svastaruṇī-karāgra-vigalat-kalpa-prasūnārpita- svacchandoccala-manda-māruta-calat-prālamba-lolālakam | āloolādhara-bimba-phāṇṭa-madhuraṁ vaktraṁ smarāmi prabhoḥ || 2||

Meaning:I meditate upon the face of my Lord — adorned with kalpa-tree blossoms placed by the fingertips of lovely young gopis, His dangling curls swaying freely in the gentle breeze, sweet with the nectar of His tremulous bimba-red lips.

Verse 3

𑌚𑌾𑌤𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌕𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌾𑌨𑌸𑍀𑌮𑌚𑌪𑌲𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌟𑌾𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌥𑌰𑌂 𑌲𑌾𑌵𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌵𑍀𑌚𑌿𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌿𑌤𑌦𑍃𑌶𑌂 𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌮𑍀𑌕𑌟𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍀𑌪𑍁𑌲𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌣𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌯𑌿𑌨𑌂 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌂𑌕𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌬𑌾𑌲𑌂 𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌮𑌮𑍀 𑌵𑌿𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌚𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌹𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௩॥

cāturyaika-nidhāna-sīma-capalāpāṅga-cchaṭā-mantharaṁ lāvaṇyāmṛta-vīci-lolita-dṛśaṁ lakṣmī-kaṭākṣāśritam | kālindī-pulināṅgaṇa-praṇayinaṁ kāmāvatārāṅkuraṁ bālaṁ nīlam amī vilocana-camatkāraṁ vahantaś ciram || 3||

Meaning:May these eyes of mine forever bear the wonder of beholding that dark-blue boy: the very treasure-house of all charm, languid with the flashing radiance of His restless sidelong glances, His eyes rolling like waves in an ocean of the nectar of beauty, resorted to by Lakshmi's own glance, the loving lord of the sandy courtyards of the Yamuna, the budding sprout of the incarnation of Love himself.

Verse 4

𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍋𑌰𑍍 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌦𑌨𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌮𑍍 । 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌿 𑌮𑍃𑌦𑍁𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍇𑌤𑌦𑌹𑍋 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௪॥

madhuraṁ madhuraṁ vapur asya vibhor madhuraṁ madhuraṁ vadanaṁ madhuram | madhu-gandhi mṛdu-smitam etad aho madhuraṁ madhuraṁ madhuraṁ madhuram || 4||

Meaning:Sweet, sweet is the body of this Lord; sweet, sweet, sweet is His face; and ah! this gentle smile of His, fragrant with honey, is sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet!

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑌣𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌯𑌤𑌿🔊cintāmaṇir jayatiall glory to (him who is like) the wish-fulfilling jewel (chintamani)

𑌸𑍋𑌮𑌗𑌿𑌰𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌮𑍇🔊somagirir gurur meSomagiri, my (initiating) guru

𑌶𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍🔊śikṣā-guruś ca bhagavānand my instructing guru, the Lord Himself

𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌞𑍍𑌛𑌮𑍗𑌲𑌿𑌃🔊śikhi-piñcha-mauliḥHe whose crown bears a peacock feather (Krishna)

𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌤𑌰𑍁𑌪𑌲𑍍𑌲𑌵🔊yat-pāda-kalpataru-pallavaat the tender shoots of whose wish-fulfilling-tree-like feet

𑌲𑍀𑌲𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌂𑌵𑌰𑌰𑌸𑌂🔊līlā-svayaṁvara-rasaṁthe joy of the playful self-choosing (svayamvara) of love

𑌲𑌭𑌤𑍇 𑌜𑌯𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌃🔊labhate jaya-śrīḥJaya-shri (the goddess of victory / Radha) obtains

𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌭𑍋𑌃🔊vaktraṁ smarāmi prabhoḥI meditate upon the face of the Lord

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌲𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌾𑌲𑌕𑌮𑍍🔊prālamba-lolālakamwith curling locks dangling and swaying (on His face)

𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍁𑌤𑌚𑌲𑌤𑍍🔊manda-māruta-calatstirred by the gentle breeze

𑌅𑌧𑌰𑌬𑌿𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌫𑌾𑌣𑍍𑌟𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂🔊adhara-bimba-phāṇṭa-madhuraṁsweet like the nectar of His bimba-red lips

𑌚𑌾𑌪𑌲𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌟𑌾🔊capalāpāṅga-cchaṭāthe flashing radiance of His restless sidelong glances

𑌲𑌾𑌵𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌵𑍀𑌚𑌿🔊lāvaṇyāmṛta-vīcithe waves of the nectar of (His) loveliness

𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌮𑍀𑌕𑌟𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊lakṣmī-kaṭākṣāśritamresorted to by the sidelong glance of Lakshmi (Shri)

𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍀𑌪𑍁𑌲𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌣🔊kālindī-pulināṅgaṇaon the courtyard of the sandy banks of the Yamuna (Kalindi)

𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌂𑌕𑍁𑌰𑌂🔊kāmāvatārāṅkuraṁthe very sprout (origin) of the incarnation of love

𑌬𑌾𑌲𑌂 𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌮𑍍🔊bālaṁ nīlamthe dark-blue (cowherd) boy

𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯🔊madhuraṁ madhuraṁ vapur asyasweet, sweet is the body of this (Lord)

𑌵𑌦𑌨𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌮𑍍🔊vadanaṁ madhuram(His) face is sweet

𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌿 𑌮𑍃𑌦𑍁𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊madhu-gandhi mṛdu-smitam(His) gentle smile, fragrant like honey

Benefits of Chanting Krishna Karnamritam (Selections)

✦

Immerses the heart in the madhurya (sweetness) of Lord Krishna's beauty, smile and pastimes

✦

The opening 'cintamanir jayati' is a treasured benediction honouring one's guru and the Lord together

✦

The 'madhuram madhuram' verse is a powerful, meditative chant on Krishna as sweetness itself

✦

Awakens loving devotion (madhura-bhakti) and a poet's relish (rasa) of the divine

✦

Deeply revered in the Gaudiya Vaishnava and South Indian Vaishnava traditions alike

✦

Calms and sweetens the mind, replacing worldly restlessness with the taste of Krishna-rasa

✦

Beautiful for daily meditation, kirtan and contemplation of Krishna's form

How to Chant Krishna Karnamritam (Selections)

Repetitions1times

Best TimeEarly morning or evening for meditation; especially on Janmashtami and Ekadashi

Recite these verses slowly and meditatively, savouring each image of Krishna's beauty rather than hurrying. Begin with the benediction 'cintamanir jayati', remembering your own guru and Krishna together. Let the 'madhuram madhuram' verse be repeated several times as a sweet refrain, dwelling on the Lord as the embodiment of all sweetness. These are selections from a much larger poem; devotees often learn and relish a few verses deeply rather than reciting all at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Krishna Karnamritam (Selections) written in the Grantha 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.

The Krishna Karnamritam ('Nectar for the ears of Krishna') is a famous Sanskrit devotional poem celebrating the beauty, sweetness and pastimes of Lord Krishna. It is renowned for its intense madhurya-bhava (mood of sweetness) and is treasured by Vaishnava devotees across India.

It was composed by Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura, a great Krishna-intoxicated poet-saint of South India. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is said to have cherished this work and helped spread it; it is held in the highest esteem in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.

It is the beloved verse 'madhuram madhuram vapur asya vibhoh...', which declares that Krishna's body, face and gentle honey-scented smile are 'sweet, sweet, sweeter than sweet'. It is often chanted on its own as a meditation on Krishna as the very embodiment of sweetness (madhurya).

The complete Krishna Karnamritam contains over a hundred verses across multiple chapters (ashvasas). These famous opening verses and the 'madhuram madhuram' verse are among the most loved and most often recited, and serve as a perfect introduction to the work's sweetness.