krishnachaitanya-mahaprabhuharinamasankirtana

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀 𑌶𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍

Sri Shikshashtakam in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 8× repetitions·🕐 Daily, especially in the early morning; and before or during harinama sankirtana·📜 Chaitanya Charitamrita (Antya-lila 20), by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami

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

Origin & Story

Chaitanya Charitamrita (Antya-lila 20), by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami · Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu · 16th century CE

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, revered by Gaudiya Vaishnavas as the combined form of Radha and Krishna, left almost nothing in writing — except these eight verses, the Shikshashtakam. Composed in Sanskrit and treasured in Krishnadasa Kaviraja's Chaitanya Charitamrita, they move from the triumphant glorification of the holy name, through the humble mood required to chant it and the prayer for causeless devotion, to the soaring anguish of separation from Govinda. Together they form Sri Chaitanya's complete and final teaching on the path of harinama-sankirtana and the attainment of pure love of God.

✦ As told in scripture

It is said that in His final years at Jagannatha Puri, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu became wholly absorbed in the ecstatic moods of these verses — especially the separation of the seventh and eighth — weeping rivers of tears and experiencing the love of Sri Radha for Krishna, showing that the Shikshashtakam is not mere poetry but a doorway into the highest divine love.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌚𑍇𑌤𑍋𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌨𑌂 𑌭𑌵𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌦𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌪𑌣𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯𑌃𑌕𑍈𑌰𑌵𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌵𑌿𑌤𑌰𑌣𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌵𑌧𑍂𑌜𑍀𑌵𑌨𑌮𑍍 । 𑌆𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌬𑍁𑌧𑌿𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌧𑌨𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌪𑌦𑌂 𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌨𑌂 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌨𑌪𑌨𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌜𑌯𑌤𑍇 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌕𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௧॥

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam | ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam || 1||

Meaning:Glory to the Sri Krishna sankirtana, which cleanses the mirror of the heart, extinguishes the great forest-fire of material existence, spreads the cooling moonbeams of the lotus of good fortune, is the life of transcendental knowledge personified, increases the ocean of bliss, lets one taste full nectar at every step, and bathes and purifies the whole self.

Verse 2

𑌨𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌨𑌾𑌮𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌿 𑌬𑌹𑍁𑌧𑌾 𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌸𑍍 𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌾 𑌨𑌿𑌯𑌮𑌿𑌤𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌰𑌣𑍇 𑌨 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌃 । 𑌏𑌤𑌾𑌦𑍃𑌶𑍀 𑌤𑌵 𑌕𑍃𑌪𑌾 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌪𑌿 𑌦𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌦𑍈𑌵𑌮𑍀𑌦𑍃𑌶𑌮𑌿𑌹𑌾𑌜𑌨𑌿 𑌨𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌗𑌃 ॥ ௨॥

nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ | etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ || 2||

Meaning:O Lord, in Your holy name You have invested all Your potencies, and there are no hard rules of time for remembering it. Such is Your mercy, O Lord — yet such is my misfortune that I have no taste at all for that name.

Verse 3

𑌤𑍃𑌣𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌿 𑌸𑍁𑌨𑍀𑌚𑍇𑌨 𑌤𑌰𑍋𑌰𑌪𑌿 𑌸𑌹𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌣𑍁𑌨𑌾 । 𑌅𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌿𑌨𑌾 𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌦𑍇𑌨 𑌕𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌨𑍀𑌯𑌃 𑌸𑌦𑌾 𑌹𑌰𑌿𑌃 ॥ ௩॥

tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā | amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ || 3||

Meaning:One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than a blade of grass, being more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all desire for honour, and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

Verse 4

𑌨 𑌧𑌨𑌂 𑌨 𑌜𑌨𑌂 𑌨 𑌸𑍁𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑍀𑌂 𑌕𑌵𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌾 𑌜𑌗𑌦𑍀𑌶 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌯𑍇 । 𑌮𑌮 𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌿 𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍇 𑌭𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌦𑍍 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌰𑌹𑍈𑌤𑍁𑌕𑍀 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 ॥ ௪॥

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye | mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi || 4||

Meaning:O Lord of the universe, I do not desire wealth, nor followers, nor a beautiful wife, nor fine poetry. Let me only have unmotivated devotion unto You, birth after birth.

Verse 5

𑌅𑌯𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌤𑌨𑍁𑌜 𑌕𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌷𑌮𑍇 𑌭𑌵𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌬𑍁𑌧𑍗 । 𑌕𑍃𑌪𑌯𑌾 𑌤𑌵 𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌜-𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌤𑌧𑍂𑌲𑍀𑌸𑌦𑍃𑌶𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌯 ॥ ௫॥

ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau | kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya || 5||

Meaning:O son of Nanda (Krishna), I am Your eternal servant, yet I have fallen into the terrible ocean of birth and death. Please, out of Your mercy, count me as a particle of dust at Your lotus feet.

Verse 6

𑌨𑌯𑌨𑌂 𑌗𑌲𑌦𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌯𑌾 𑌵𑌦𑌨𑌂 𑌗𑌦𑍍𑌗𑌦𑌰𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌯𑌾 𑌗𑌿𑌰𑌾 । 𑌪𑍁𑌲𑌕𑍈𑌰𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌃 𑌕𑌦𑌾 𑌤𑌵 𑌨𑌾𑌮𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌣𑍇 𑌭𑌵𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 ॥ ௬॥

nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayā vadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā girā | pulakair nicitaṁ vapuḥ kadā tava nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyati || 6||

Meaning:O Lord, when will my eyes be adorned with streams of flowing tears, my voice falter and choke, and the hairs of my body stand erect in ecstasy as I chant Your holy name?

Verse 7

𑌯𑍁𑌗𑌾𑌯𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌮𑍇𑌷𑍇𑌣 𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌷𑌾 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌵𑍃𑌷𑌾𑌯𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌶𑍂𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌜𑌗𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌹𑍇𑌣 𑌮𑍇 ॥ ௭॥

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam | śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me || 7||

Meaning:O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, a single moment seems like a great age; tears flow from my eyes like torrents of rain, and the whole world seems empty to me.

Verse 8

𑌆𑌶𑍍𑌲𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌾 𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌰𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑌿𑌨𑌷𑍍𑌟𑍁 𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌶𑌨𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌹𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑍋𑌤𑍁 𑌵𑌾 । 𑌯𑌥𑌾 𑌤𑌥𑌾 𑌵𑌾 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑌧𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌲𑌮𑍍𑌪𑌟𑍋 𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌸 𑌏𑌵 𑌨𑌾𑌪𑌰𑌃 ॥ ௮॥

āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām adarśanān marma-hatāṁ karotu vā | yathā tathā vā vidadhātu lampaṭo mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ || 8||

Meaning:Let Krishna tightly embrace this maidservant fallen at His feet, or trample me, or break my heart by never being seen — He may do whatever He likes, for He is forever the only Lord of my life, none other.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌚𑍇𑌤𑍋𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌨𑌂🔊ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁcleansing of the mirror of the heart/consciousness

𑌭𑌵𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌦𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌪𑌣𑌂🔊bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁextinguishing the great forest-fire of material existence

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌕𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌨𑌮𑍍🔊śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanamthe congregational chanting of Sri Krishna's holy names

𑌵𑌿𑌜𑌯𑌤𑍇🔊vijayateall glories to / supremely triumphant is

𑌨𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌨𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊nāmnāmof the (holy) names

𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌃🔊nija-sarva-śaktiḥall of His own potencies

𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌰𑌣𑍇 𑌨 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌃🔊smaraṇe na kālaḥno (fixed) time/rule for remembering them

𑌨 𑌅𑌨𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌗𑌃🔊na anurāgaḥI have no attachment/taste (for the name) — the speaker's lament

𑌤𑍃𑌣𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌿 𑌸𑍁𑌨𑍀𑌚𑍇𑌨🔊tṛṇād api sunīcenabeing humbler than a blade of grass

𑌤𑌰𑍋𑌰𑌪𑌿 𑌸𑌹𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌣𑍁𑌨𑌾🔊taror api sahiṣṇunābeing more tolerant than a tree

𑌅𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌿𑌨𑌾 𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌦𑍇𑌨🔊amāninā mānadenawithout desire for honour, offering all respect to others

𑌕𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌨𑍀𑌯𑌃 𑌸𑌦𑌾 𑌹𑌰𑌿𑌃🔊kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥone should always chant the holy name of Hari

𑌨 𑌧𑌨𑌂 𑌨 𑌜𑌨𑌂🔊na dhanaṁ na janaṁneither wealth nor followers

𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌰𑌹𑍈𑌤𑍁𑌕𑍀 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿🔊bhaktir ahaitukī tvayiunmotivated (causeless) devotion unto You

𑌅𑌯𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌤𑌨𑍁𑌜🔊ayi nanda-tanujaO son of Nanda (Krishna)

𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌪𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌜𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌤𑌧𑍂𑌲𑍀𑌸𑌦𑍃𑌶𑌂🔊pāda-paṅkaja-sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁlike a particle of dust at Your lotus feet

𑌗𑌲𑌦𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌯𑌾🔊galad-aśru-dhārayāwith streams of tears flowing (from the eyes)

𑌨𑌾𑌮𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌹𑌣𑍇🔊nāma-grahaṇewhile taking/chanting Your name

𑌯𑍁𑌗𑌾𑌯𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌮𑍇𑌷𑍇𑌣🔊yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇaa single moment becomes like an entire age

𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌹𑍇𑌣 𑌮𑍇🔊govinda-viraheṇa mein my separation from Govinda

𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌃🔊mat-prāṇa-nāthaḥthe Lord of my life

𑌸 𑌏𑌵 𑌨𑌾𑌪𑌰𑌃🔊sa eva nāparaḥHe alone and none other

Benefits of Chanting Sri Shikshashtakam

✦

Reveals the supreme glory and purifying power of chanting Krishna's holy names (sankirtana)

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Teaches the essential humility (trinad api sunichena) in which the holy name should be chanted

✦

Inspires the prayer for causeless, selfless devotion (ahaituki bhakti) birth after birth

✦

Cleanses the heart, extinguishes material suffering and floods the soul with bliss

✦

Cultivates the deepest mood of loving separation (viraha) and longing for Govinda

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Considered the crest-jewel of Gaudiya Vaishnava teaching, summarising the entire path of bhakti in eight verses

✦

Regular recitation deepens taste for the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and pure love of God

How to Chant Sri Shikshashtakam

Repetitions8times

Best TimeDaily, especially in the early morning; and before or during harinama sankirtana

Recite the eight verses slowly and attentively, reflecting on each instruction — the glory of the name, the humble mood, the prayer for pure devotion, and the longing of separation. Many devotees chant the Shikshashtakam before performing japa or kirtan of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, taking these verses as Sri Chaitanya's own guidance for chanting. It can be sung or spoken; sincere, prayerful attention matters far more than speed or count.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Sri Shikshashtakam 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 Shikshashtakam is a set of eight Sanskrit verses (shiksha = instruction, ashtakam = eight) composed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. They are the only verses He personally wrote, and they distil His teaching on chanting the holy name and developing pure love for Krishna.

It was composed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534), the founder of the Gaudiya Vaishnava movement. The eight verses are preserved by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami in the Chaitanya Charitamrita (Antya-lila, chapter 20), along with their explanation.

It gives the famous instruction that one should chant the holy name in a humble state of mind — thinking oneself lower than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, free of the desire for honour and ready to honour others. In that mood one can chant Hari's name constantly.

The Shikshashtakam glorifies and explains the practice of chanting Krishna's holy names, of which the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the foremost. Devotees often recite the Shikshashtakam as Sri Chaitanya's direct guidance on the right attitude and goal of chanting the maha-mantra.