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Kunti Stuti Meaning — Line by Line

कुन्ती स्तुति

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

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

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  1. Verse 1. namasye puruṣaṃ tvādyam īśvaraṃ prakṛteḥ param |
  2. Verse 2. māyā-javanikācchannam ajñādhokṣajam avyayam |
  3. Verse 3. tathā paramahaṃsānāṃ munīnām amalātmanām |
  4. Verse 4. kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya devakī-nandanāya ca |
  5. Verse 5. namaḥ paṅkaja-nābhāya namaḥ paṅkaja-māline |
  6. Verse 6. yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī kaṃsena ruddhāti-ciraṃ śucārpitā |
  7. Verse 7. vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat tatra tatra jagad-guro |
  8. Verse 8. janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir edhamāna-madaḥ pumān |
  9. Verse 9. namo 'kiñcana-vittāya nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛttaye |
Verse 1#

namasye puruṣaṃ tvādyam īśvaraṃ prakṛteḥ param |

नमस्ये पुरुषं त्वाद्यमीश्वरं प्रकृतेः परम् अलक्ष्यं सर्वभूतानामन्तर्बहिरवस्थितम्

namasye puruṣaṃ tvādyam īśvaraṃ prakṛteḥ param | alakṣyaṃ sarva-bhūtānām antar bahir avasthitam ||

MeaningI offer my obeisances unto You, the original Person, the Supreme Lord, who are transcendental to material nature, who exist within and without all beings, yet remain unseen by all.

Verse 2#

māyā-javanikācchannam ajñādhokṣajam avyayam |

मायाजवनिकाच्छन्नमज्ञाधोक्षजमव्ययम् लक्ष्यसे मूढदृशा नटो नाट्यधरो यथा

māyā-javanikācchannam ajñādhokṣajam avyayam | na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā ||

MeaningCovered by the curtain of Your deluding energy, O imperishable Adhokshaja, You are not perceived by foolish eyes, just as an actor in costume is not recognised by the audience.

Verse 3#

tathā paramahaṃsānāṃ munīnām amalātmanām |

तथा परमहंसानां मुनीनाममलात्मनाम् भक्तियोगविधानार्थं कथं पश्येम हि स्त्रियः

tathā paramahaṃsānāṃ munīnām amalātmanām | bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṃ kathaṃ paśyema hi striyaḥ ||

MeaningHow then can we women perceive You, when even the great sages, the pure-hearted paramahamsas, behold You only by the practice of devotional service?

Verse 4#

kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya devakī-nandanāya ca |

कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय देवकीनन्दनाय नन्दगोपकुमाराय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः

kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya devakī-nandanāya ca | nanda-gopa-kumārāya govindāya namo namaḥ ||

MeaningLet me therefore offer my obeisances unto Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, the delight of Devaki, the child of the cowherd Nanda — unto Govinda, again and again.

Verse 5#

namaḥ paṅkaja-nābhāya namaḥ paṅkaja-māline |

नमः पङ्कजनाभाय नमः पङ्कजमालिने नमः पङ्कजनेत्राय नमस्ते पङ्कजाङ्घ्रये

namaḥ paṅkaja-nābhāya namaḥ paṅkaja-māline | namaḥ paṅkaja-netrāya namas te paṅkajāṅghraye ||

MeaningObeisances unto Him whose navel bears the lotus, who wears a garland of lotuses, whose eyes are like lotuses, and whose feet are marked with lotuses.

Verse 6#

yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī kaṃsena ruddhāti-ciraṃ śucārpitā |

यथा हृषीकेश खलेन देवकी कंसेन रुद्धातिचिरं शुचार्पिता विमोचिताहं सहात्मजा विभो त्वयैव नाथेन मुहुर्विपद्गणात्

yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī kaṃsena ruddhāti-ciraṃ śucārpitā | vimocitāhaṃ ca sahātmajā vibho tvayaiva nāthena muhur vipad-gaṇāt ||

MeaningO Hrishikesha, master of the senses and Lord of the universe! Just as You delivered Devaki, who was long imprisoned and distressed by the wicked Kamsa, so have You protected me and my sons from one danger after another.

Verse 7#

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat tatra tatra jagad-guro |

विपदः सन्तु ताः शश्वत्तत्र तत्र जगद्गुरो भवतो दर्शनं यत्स्यादपुनर्भवदर्शनम्

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat tatra tatra jagad-guro | bhavato darśanaṃ yat syād apunar-bhava-darśanam ||

MeaningI wish that all those calamities would come again and again, O Guru of the universe, so that we might see You again and again — for to see You means that we shall no longer see repeated birth and death.

Verse 8#

janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir edhamāna-madaḥ pumān |

जन्मैश्वर्यश्रुतश्रीभिरेधमानमदः पुमान् नैवार्हत्यभिधातुं वै त्वामकिञ्चनगोचरम्

janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir edhamāna-madaḥ pumān | naivārhaty abhidhātuṃ vai tvām akiñcana-gocaram ||

MeaningA person growing proud through good birth, power, learning and beauty cannot sincerely call out Your name, O Lord, who are attainable only by one who owns nothing.

Verse 9#

namo 'kiñcana-vittāya nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛttaye |

नमोऽकिञ्चनवित्ताय निवृत्तगुणवृत्तये आत्मारामाय शान्ताय कैवल्यपतये नमः

namo 'kiñcana-vittāya nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛttaye | ātmārāmāya śāntāya kaivalya-pataye namaḥ ||

MeaningObeisances unto You, the wealth of the materially impoverished, untouched by the play of the three modes, self-satisfied, perfectly serene, the Lord of liberation. I bow to You again and again.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

नमस्ये
namasye
I offer my respectful obeisances / I bow
पुरुषं त्वाद्यम्
puruṣaṃ tvādyam
unto You, the original Person (Purusha)
ईश्वरम्
īśvaram
the Supreme Controller, the Lord
प्रकृतेः परम्
prakṛteḥ param
beyond material nature (transcendental to prakriti)
अलक्ष्यम्
alakṣyam
invisible, imperceptible to the senses
अन्तर्बहिरवस्थितम्
antar bahir avasthitam
situated both within and without all beings
मायाजवनिकाच्छन्नम्
māyā-javanikācchannam
covered by the curtain of the deluding energy (maya)
अधोक्षजम्
adhokṣajam
Adhokshaja — beyond the reach of the material senses
नटो नाट्यधरो यथा
naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā
as an actor dressed in costume is not recognised (by ordinary eyes)
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय
kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya
unto Krishna, the son of Vasudeva
देवकीनन्दनाय
devakī-nandanāya
unto the delight (son) of Devaki
नन्दगोपकुमाराय
nanda-gopa-kumārāya
unto the child of the cowherd Nanda
गोविन्दाय नमो नमः
govindāya namo namaḥ
unto Govinda, obeisances again and again
पङ्कजनाभाय
paṅkaja-nābhāya
unto Him whose navel bears a lotus
पङ्कजनेत्राय
paṅkaja-netrāya
unto Him whose eyes are like lotuses
पङ्कजाङ्घ्रये
paṅkajāṅghraye
unto Him whose feet are marked with lotuses
विपदः सन्तु ताः शश्वत्
vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat
let those calamities happen again and again
जगद्गुरो
jagad-guro
O Guru (teacher) of the universe
अपुनर्भवदर्शनम्
apunar-bhava-darśanam
the vision that frees one from repeated birth and death
अकिञ्चनगोचरम्
akiñcana-gocaram
attainable only by those who possess nothing (free of material pride)
कैवल्यपतये नमः
kaivalya-pataye namaḥ
obeisances unto the Lord of liberation (kaivalya)

Origin & History

Source: Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Canto 1, Chapter 8 (Kunti-stuti)

Author: Sage Veda-Vyasa (as spoken by Queen Kunti)

Period: Classical Puranic era

After the great Mahabharata war, as Lord Krishna prepared to return to Dwaraka, Queen Kunti — the mother of the Pandavas — approached Him and poured out this prayer. Recalling how He had repeatedly delivered her and her sons from deadly perils (the poison, the house of lac, the assembly, the forest, and the brahmastra of Ashwatthama), she glorified Him as the transcendental Supreme Person, hidden from ordinary eyes by Maya. Her words, recorded by Veda-Vyasa in the Bhagavata, became one of the most beloved prayers of surrender in all of Vaishnava literature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Kunti Stuti?
The Kunti Stuti is the heartfelt prayer offered by Queen Kunti (Pritha), mother of the Pandavas, to Lord Krishna. It appears in the First Canto, Eighth Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavata Purana, spoken as Krishna is about to depart for Dwaraka after the Kurukshetra war.
What does 'vipadah santu tah shashvat' mean?
It is Kunti's most famous line: 'Let those calamities come again and again, O Guru of the universe, so that we may see You again and again.' She prays for difficulties because in times of distress she remembered Krishna most intensely, and His remembrance frees one from rebirth.
Why does Kunti call Krishna 'akinchana-gochara'?
'Akinchana-gochara' means 'attainable by one who possesses nothing.' Kunti explains that pride in birth, wealth, learning or beauty becomes an obstacle to pure devotion, while the Lord readily reveals Himself to the humble and materially detached.
Where is the Kunti Stuti found and when is it recited?
It is found in the Srimad Bhagavata Purana (Canto 1, Chapter 8, verses 18–43, of which the opening verses are most chanted). Devotees recite it during Bhagavata study, on Ekadashi and Janmashtami, and as a prayer of surrender and protection.

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