venkateswarakrishnaannamayyaannamacharya

Muddugare Yashoda (Annamacharya)

मुद्दुगारे यशोद in English · English

🕉️ carnatic·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Evening lullaby time, Krishna Janmashtami, and Saturday worship of Venkateswara·📜 Tallapaka sankirtana of Annamacharya (Telugu, 15th century CE); popularly sung in raga Kurinji, Adi tala

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

'Muddugare Yashoda' is Annamacharya's exquisite lullaby-like kirtana that strings the child Krishna as the nine gems (navaratna): the pearl of Yashoda's courtyard, the gopis' ruby, Kamsa's diamond of doom, the emerald of the three worlds, Rukmini's coral, the hessonite of Govardhana, the cat's-eye amid conch and discus, the topaz on Kaliya's hoods, and the sapphire who is Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala himself. In one garland of gems, Annamayya unites Krishna of Vrindavana with Venkateswara of the seven hills.

Origin & Story

Tallapaka sankirtana of Annamacharya (Telugu, 15th century CE); popularly sung in raga Kurinji, Adi tala · Saint Annamacharya (Annamayya) · 1408-1503 CE

Among the thousands of sankirtanas Annamayya sang for Lord Venkateswara are tender songs on the Lord's avataras. In this famous lali-like kirtana he gazes at baby Krishna in Yashoda's courtyard and, jeweller-like, sets him as each of the nine gems in turn — ending with the indranila, the blue sapphire, who is none other than the Lord of Venkatadri. The song was preserved on the copper plates of the Tirumala temple and is today one of the most cherished pieces of the Annamacharya corpus.

✦ As told in scripture

The Tallapaka copper plates lay forgotten in a sealed cellar of the Tirumala temple for over four centuries; when they were rediscovered in 1922, songs like 'Muddugare Yashoda' rose again as if the Lord had kept his poet's lullabies safe in his own treasury. Mothers who sing it as a cradle song believe the child Krishna himself watches over their little ones.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

muddugārē yaśōda muṅgiṭi mutyamu vīḍu । tiddarāni mahimala dēvakī sutuḍu ॥

Meaning:This darling child glowing with charm in Yashoda's courtyard is a priceless pearl; he is the son of Devaki, whose glories are perfect beyond all retouching.

Verse 2

anta ninta golletala aracēti māṇikyamu । panta māḍē kaṃsuni pāli vajramu । kāntula mūḍu lōkāla garuḍa pacca būsa । centala mālō nunna cinni kṛṣṇuḍu ॥

Meaning:To the cowherd women all around, he is the ruby glowing in the palm of the hand; to the defiant Kamsa, he is the unbreakable diamond of destiny. He is the emerald whose lustre fills the three worlds — little Krishna who dwells right here in our midst.

Verse 3

ratikēli rukmiṇiki raṅgu mōvi pagaḍamu । miti gōvardhanapu gōmēdhikamu । satamai śaṅkha cakrāla sandula vaiḍūryamu । gatiyai mammu gācēṭi kamalākṣuḍu ॥

Meaning:In loving play he is the bright coral of Rukmini's lips; he is the hessonite gem in the form of the measureless Govardhana hill. He is the cat's-eye jewel shining forever between the conch and the discus — the lotus-eyed Lord who is our refuge and our keeper.

Verse 4

kāliṅguni talalapai gappina puṣyarāgamu । yēlēṭi śrī vēṅkaṭādri yindranīlamu । pāla jalanidhi lōna bāyani divya ratnamu । bālunivale dirigī badma nābhuḍu ॥

Meaning:He is the topaz that spread over the hoods of the serpent Kaliya, and the blue sapphire that reigns as Lord of Sri Venkatadri. He is the divine gem never parted from the ocean of milk — Padmanabha himself, wandering about like a little boy.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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muddugārē yaśōda🔊Yashoda's (child) brimming over with sweetness and charm.

muṅgiṭi mutyamu vīḍu🔊He is the pearl of her front courtyard.

tiddarāni mahimala🔊Of glories so flawless they cannot be touched up or improved.

dēvakī sutuḍu🔊The son of Devaki.

golletala aracēti māṇikyamu🔊The ruby in the palms of the gopikas.

kaṃsuni pāli vajramu🔊For Kamsa, the diamond (vajra) of his fate.

garuḍa pacca būsa🔊The emerald (garuda-pachcha) bead radiant through the three worlds.

satamai śaṅkha cakrāla sandula vaiḍūryamu🔊The cat's-eye gem shining eternally between the conch and the discus.

yēlēṭi śrī vēṅkaṭādri yindranīlamu🔊The sapphire that rules as the Lord of Sri Venkatadri.

bālunivale dirigī badma nābhuḍu🔊Padmanabha (the lotus-naveled Lord), roaming about like a little boy.

Benefits of Chanting मुद्दुगारे यशोद

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A beloved cradle-song for the divine child — traditionally sung while rocking babies, invoking Krishna's protection on the household.

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Meditating on Krishna as the nine gems is said to bestow the auspiciousness of all the navaratnas together.

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Deepens vatsalya bhakti — the tender, parental love of God as a child.

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Unites devotion to Krishna and Venkateswara, recalling that Annamayya saw them as one Lord.

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One of the most performed Annamacharya kritis in Carnatic concerts, dance and film — a treasure of Telugu devotion.

How to Chant मुद्दुगारे यशोद

Repetitions1times

Best TimeEvening lullaby time, Krishna Janmashtami, and Saturday worship of Venkateswara

FaceFacing the deity of Krishna or Venkateswara

Sing softly and sweetly, as a mother would to the divine child — it is a jola/lali (lullaby-like) sankirtana. Dwell on each gem-image of Krishna as you sing, from the pearl of Yashoda's courtyard to the sapphire of Venkatadri. Suitable for cradle ceremonies, Janmashtami nights and daily evening devotion.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete मुद्दुगारे यशोद 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.

'Muddugare' means 'dripping with sweetness/charm'. The opening line says: this darling child in Yashoda's front courtyard is a pearl — the son of Devaki, of unalterable glories.

Each charanam likens the child Krishna to gems of the navaratna: pearl, ruby, diamond, emerald, coral, hessonite, cat's-eye, topaz and sapphire — the last being the Lord of Venkatadri, uniting Krishna with Venkateswara.

It was composed by Saint Annamacharya (1408-1503 CE), the Tallapaka poet of Tirumala. Today it is popularly rendered in raga Kurinji as a gentle, swaying lullaby.

For Annamayya, Venkateswara is the same supreme Vishnu who came as Krishna. In the last charanam the child of Vrindavana is revealed as the sapphire ruling Sri Venkatadri — the Lord of the seven hills.