radhakrishnayugalaashtakam

Yugalashtakam

Yugalashtakam in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 8× repetitions·🕐 Early morning or evening; especially on Radhashtami, Janmashtami, Ekadashi and during the month of Kartik·📜 Gaudiya Vaishnava devotional literature (traditionally attributed to Srila Jiva Goswami)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Yugalashtakam is a celebrated eight-verse hymn glorifying Sri Sri Radha-Krishna as one inseparable Divine Couple (Yugala). Each couplet declares how Radha and Krishna are made of one another — one another's love, treasure, life-breath, heart and home — and closes with the surrendered refrain 'jivane nidhane nityam radha-krishnau gatir mama': 'In life and death, Radha-Krishna are forever my only refuge.' Beloved in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, it is sung as a perfect prayer of exclusive devotion to the Divine Couple of Vrindavan.

Origin & Story

Gaudiya Vaishnava devotional literature (traditionally attributed to Srila Jiva Goswami) · Srila Jiva Goswami · c. 16th century CE

The Yugalashtakam arose from the Gaudiya Vaishnava theology of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, for whom the highest truth is not Krishna alone but Radha and Krishna together as one Divine Couple (Yugala). In eight crystalline couplets the hymn declares that Radha is made of love for Krishna and Krishna of love for Radha, that each is the other's treasure, life-breath, heart and home — and that, accordingly, the devotee takes the Divine Couple alone as refuge in life and in death. It became a treasured daily prayer expressing exclusive devotion to Sri Sri Radha-Krishna of Vrindavan.

✦ As told in scripture

Devotees of Braj hold that one who takes the Yugala (Divine Couple) as the sole refuge — as this prayer vows — is never abandoned by Them; countless aspirants have testified that singing 'radha-krishnau gatir mama' with feeling melts the heart and binds it forever to the loving service of Radha and Krishna.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

kṛṣṇa-prema-mayī rādhā rādhā-prema-mayo hariḥ | jīvane nidhane nityaṁ rādhā-kṛṣṇau gatir mama || 1||

Meaning:Radha is made wholly of love for Krishna, and Hari (Krishna) is made wholly of love for Radha. In life and in death, eternally, Radha and Krishna are my only refuge.

Verse 2

kṛṣṇasya draviṇaṁ rādhā rādhāyā draviṇaṁ hariḥ | jīvane nidhane nityaṁ rādhā-kṛṣṇau gatir mama || 2||

Meaning:Radha is Krishna's treasure, and Hari is Radha's treasure. In life and in death, eternally, Radha and Krishna are my only refuge.

Verse 3

kṛṣṇa-prāṇa-mayī rādhā rādhā-prāṇa-mayo hariḥ | jīvane nidhane nityaṁ rādhā-kṛṣṇau gatir mama || 3||

Meaning:Radha is the very life-breath of Krishna, and Hari is the very life-breath of Radha. In life and in death, eternally, Radha and Krishna are my only refuge.

Verse 4

kṛṣṇa-drava-mayī rādhā rādhā-drava-mayo hariḥ | jīvane nidhane nityaṁ rādhā-kṛṣṇau gatir mama || 4||

Meaning:Radha is wholly melted (in love) with Krishna, and Hari is wholly melted with Radha. In life and in death, eternally, Radha and Krishna are my only refuge.

Verse 5

kṛṣṇa-gehe sthitā rādhā rādhā-gehe sthito hariḥ | jīvane nidhane nityaṁ rādhā-kṛṣṇau gatir mama || 5||

Meaning:Radha dwells in Krishna's home, and Hari dwells in Radha's home. In life and in death, eternally, Radha and Krishna are my only refuge.

Verse 6

kṛṣṇa-citta-sthitā rādhā rādhā-citta-sthito hariḥ | jīvane nidhane nityaṁ rādhā-kṛṣṇau gatir mama || 6||

Meaning:Radha is fixed within Krishna's heart, and Hari is fixed within Radha's heart. In life and in death, eternally, Radha and Krishna are my only refuge.

Verse 7

nīlāmbara-dharā rādhā pītāmbara-dharo hariḥ | jīvane nidhane nityaṁ rādhā-kṛṣṇau gatir mama || 7||

Meaning:Radha wears blue garments and Hari wears yellow garments. In life and in death, eternally, Radha and Krishna are my only refuge.

Verse 8

vṛndāvaneśvarī rādhā kṛṣṇo vṛndāvaneśvaraḥ | jīvane nidhane nityaṁ rādhā-kṛṣṇau gatir mama || 8||

Meaning:Radha is the Queen of Vrindavan and Krishna is the Lord of Vrindavan. In life and in death, eternally, Radha and Krishna are my only refuge.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

kṛṣṇa-prema-mayī🔊She (Radha) who is wholly made of love for Krishna

rādhā🔊Shri Radha, the supreme beloved of Krishna

rādhā-prema-mayo🔊He who is wholly made of love for Radha

hariḥ🔊Hari, Lord Krishna

jīvane🔊In life

nidhane🔊In death

nityaṁ🔊Always, eternally

rādhā-kṛṣṇau🔊Radha and Krishna (the Divine Couple)

gatir mama🔊are my (only) goal, shelter and refuge — the refrain of every verse

draviṇaṁ🔊Treasure, wealth

prāṇa-mayī🔊Made of the very life-breath (prana)

drava-mayī🔊Wholly melted (in love), liquefied with feeling

gehe sthitā🔊Dwells in the home (of the other)

citta-sthitā🔊Resides within the heart/mind

nīlāmbara-dharā🔊She who wears blue garments

pītāmbara-dharo🔊He who wears yellow garments

vṛndāvaneśvarī🔊The Queen-Goddess of Vrindavan

vṛndāvaneśvaraḥ🔊The Lord-Master of Vrindavan

Benefits of Chanting Yugalashtakam

✦

Establishes Sri Radha and Sri Krishna together as the single object of exclusive worship and refuge (gati)

✦

Cultivates yugala-bhakti — loving devotion to the Divine Couple rather than to either alone

✦

Each verse is a complete meditation on the inseparable oneness of Radha and Krishna in love

✦

The repeated refrain 'radha-krishnau gatir mama' trains the heart in total surrender for life and death alike

✦

Short, rhythmic and easy to memorise, making it ideal for daily japa and kirtan

✦

Cherished in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition and sung in Vrindavan, Barsana and Braj temples

✦

Brings sweetness, peace and one-pointed remembrance of the Yugala Sarkar (Divine Couple)

How to Chant Yugalashtakam

Repetitions8times

Best TimeEarly morning or evening; especially on Radhashtami, Janmashtami, Ekadashi and during the month of Kartik

Sit before an image of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna and recite the eight verses slowly, reflecting on each way in which Radha and Krishna belong wholly to one another. Let the refrain 'jivane nidhane nityam radha-krishnau gatir mama' deepen into heartfelt surrender. It may be sung melodiously in kirtan; the simple metre makes it perfect for daily practice and for memorisation.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Yugalashtakam 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.

The Yugalashtakam ('eight verses to the Divine Couple') is a Sanskrit hymn of eight couplets praising Sri Radha and Sri Krishna as one inseparable unity (Yugala). Each verse shows how Radha and Krishna are made of one another and ends with the refrain 'jivane nidhane nityam radha-krishnau gatir mama' — 'in life and death, Radha-Krishna are forever my only refuge.'

It is traditionally attributed to Srila Jiva Goswami, one of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan and a foremost theologian of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. (A few sources connect it with other Vaishnava acharyas, but it is most widely known as Jiva Goswami's prayer.)

'Jivane nidhane nityam radha-krishnau gatir mama' means 'In life and in death, eternally, Radha and Krishna are my only goal, shelter and refuge.' It is a vow of complete and exclusive surrender to the Divine Couple.

It is sung daily by devotees of Radha-Krishna and with special devotion on Radhashtami, Janmashtami, Ekadashi and throughout the month of Kartik, both as solitary recitation and in group kirtan.