krishnagovindadamodaramadhava

𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦 𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰 𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍

गोविन्द दामोदर स्तोत्रम् in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Morning or evening; especially Ekadashi, Janmashtami and throughout Kartik (Damodara) month·📜 Govinda Damodara Stotra (independent Vaishnava devotional work)

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

Origin & Story

Govinda Damodara Stotra (independent Vaishnava devotional work) · Bilvamangala Thakura (Lila Shuka) · Medieval (c. 13th–14th century CE)

Bilvamangala Thakura, also called Lila Shuka, was a saint-poet utterly absorbed in love for Krishna and famed as the author of the Krishna-Karnamrita. The Govinda Damodara Stotram is his garland of verses on the holy names of the Lord. Drawing on the Mahabharata episode of Draupadi's rescue and the everyday life of Vraja's cowherd women, he shows how the names 'Govinda, Damodara, Madhava' rise spontaneously from the lips of the devoted, and exhorts the tongue to taste these sweetest of syllables always.

✦ As told in scripture

The opening verse recalls how, in the Kuru assembly, when Draupadi was being disrobed by Duhshasana and had no other protector, she cried out 'Govinda! Damodara! Madhava!' — and the Lord miraculously supplied endless cloth so that she could never be stripped. Devotees take this as proof that sincerely calling these names in distress brings the Lord's immediate protection.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌅𑌗𑍍𑌰𑍇 𑌕𑍁𑌰𑍂𑌣𑌾𑌮𑌥 𑌪𑌾𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌵𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌶𑌾𑌸𑌨𑍇𑌨𑌾𑌹𑍃𑌤𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌕𑍇𑌶𑌾। 𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌾 𑌤𑌦𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌶𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌾 𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦 𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵𑍇𑌤𑌿॥

agre kurūṇām atha pāṇḍavānāṃ duḥśāsanenāhṛta-vastra-keśā | kṛṣṇā tadākrośad ananya-nāthā govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:कौरवों और पाण्डवों की सभा में जब दुःशासन ने द्रौपदी के वस्त्र और केश खींचे, तब अनन्यनाथा द्रौपदी पुकार उठी — 'गोविन्द! दामोदर! माधव!'

Verse 2

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣 𑌵𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌣𑍋 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌕𑍈𑌟𑌭𑌾𑌰𑍇 𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌕𑌮𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌨𑍍 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌨𑍍 𑌮𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌰𑍇। 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌵 𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑍇𑌶𑌵 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌨𑌾𑌥 𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦 𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵𑍇𑌤𑌿॥

śrī-kṛṣṇa viṣṇo madhu-kaiṭabhāre bhaktānukampin bhagavan murāre | trāyasva māṃ keśava loka-nātha govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:'हे श्रीकृष्ण! हे विष्णु! हे मधु-कैटभ के शत्रु! हे भक्तवत्सल! हे भगवन्! हे मुरारे! हे केशव, हे लोकनाथ, मेरी रक्षा करो — गोविन्द, दामोदर, माधव!'

Verse 3

𑌵𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌤𑍁𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾 𑌕𑌿𑌲 𑌗𑍋𑌪𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌮𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌚𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌵𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌃। 𑌦𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌕𑌂 𑌮𑍋𑌹𑌵𑌶𑌾𑌦𑌵𑍋𑌚𑌦𑍍 𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦 𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵𑍇𑌤𑌿॥

vikretu-kāmā kila gopa-kanyā murāri-pādārpita-citta-vṛttiḥ | dadhy-ādikaṃ moha-vaśād avocad govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:एक गोपकन्या, जो दही आदि बेचना चाहती थी, उसका चित्त मुरारि के चरणों में लीन था; प्रेम-मोह में वह अपने सामान के स्थान पर पुकार उठी — 'गोविन्द! दामोदर! माधव!'

Verse 4

𑌉𑌲𑍂𑌖𑌲𑍇 𑌸𑌮𑍍𑌭𑍃𑌤𑌤𑌣𑍍𑌡𑍁𑌲𑌾𑌂𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌘𑌟𑍍𑌟𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍋 𑌮𑍁𑌸𑌲𑍈𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍁𑌗𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌃। 𑌗𑌾𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌗𑍋𑌪𑍍𑌯𑍋 𑌜𑌨𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌗𑌾 𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦 𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵𑍇𑌤𑌿॥

ulūkhale sambhṛta-taṇḍulāṃś ca saṅghaṭṭayantyo musalaiḥ pramugdhāḥ | gāyanti gopyo janitānurāgā govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:ऊखल में एकत्र चावल को मूसल से कूटती हुई मुग्ध गोपियाँ अनुराग से भरकर गाती हैं — 'गोविन्द! दामोदर! माधव!'

Verse 5

𑌕𑌾𑌚𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌾𑌂𑌭𑍋𑌜𑌪𑍁𑌟𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌂 𑌕𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌡𑌾𑌶𑍁𑌕𑌂 𑌕𑌿𑌂𑌶𑍁𑌕𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌤𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌮𑍍। 𑌅𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌪𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌸 𑌸𑌰𑍋𑌰𑍁𑌹𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍀 𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦 𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵𑍇𑌤𑌿॥

kācit karāmbhoja-puṭe niṣaṇṇaṃ krīḍā-śukaṃ kiṃśuka-rakta-tuṇḍam | adhyāpayām āsa saroruhākṣī govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:एक कमलनयनी ने अपने कर-कमलों में बैठे, किंशुक-पुष्प के समान लाल चोंच वाले क्रीड़ा-शुक को यही पढ़ाया — 'गोविन्द! दामोदर! माधव!'

Verse 6

𑌗𑍃𑌹𑍇 𑌗𑍃𑌹𑍇 𑌗𑍋𑌪𑌵𑌧𑍂𑌸𑌮𑍂𑌹𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌣𑌂 𑌪𑌿𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌰𑌸𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍍। 𑌸𑍍𑌖𑌲𑌦𑍍𑌗𑌿𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌚𑌯𑌿𑌤𑍁𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍋 𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦 𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵𑍇𑌤𑌿॥

gṛhe gṛhe gopa-vadhū-samūhaḥ prati-kṣaṇaṃ piñjara-sārikāṇām | skhalad-giraṃ vācayituṃ pravṛtto govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:घर-घर में गोप-वधुओं का समूह प्रतिक्षण अपनी पिंजरे की सारिकाओं को रुक-रुककर यही बोलना सिखाने में लगा रहता है — 'गोविन्द! दामोदर! माधव!'

Verse 7

𑌜𑌿𑌹𑍍𑌵𑍇 𑌰𑌸𑌜𑍍𑌞𑍇 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌂 𑌵𑌦𑌾𑌮𑌿। 𑌆𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌯𑍇𑌥𑌾 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌿 𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦 𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵𑍇𑌤𑌿॥

jihve rasa-jñe madhura-priyā tvaṃ satyaṃ hitaṃ tvāṃ paramaṃ vadāmi | āvarṇayethā madhurākṣarāṇi govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:हे रस को जानने वाली जिह्वा! तू मधुर की प्रेमी है; मैं तुझे सच्चा और परम हितकारी वचन कहता हूँ — इन मधुर अक्षरों का बारम्बार उच्चारण कर — 'गोविन्द! दामोदर! माधव!'

Verse 8

𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌾𑌵𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍇 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌦𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌸𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌖𑌾𑌵𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍇 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌦𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌗𑍇𑌯𑌮𑍍। 𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌾𑌵𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍇 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌦𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌜𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦 𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵𑍇𑌤𑌿॥

sukhāvasāne tv idam eva sāraṃ duḥkhāvasāne tv idam eva geyam | dehāvasāne tv idam eva jāpyaṃ govinda dāmodara mādhaveti ||

Meaning:सुख के अन्त में यही सार है, दुःख के अन्त में यही गाने योग्य है, और देह के अन्त (मृत्यु) में यही जपने योग्य है — 'गोविन्द! दामोदर! माधव!'

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌗𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦🔊govindaGovinda — protector of cows and the senses; one who gives pleasure to the land, cows and Vedas

𑌦𑌾𑌮𑍋𑌦𑌰🔊dāmodaraDamodara — He whose waist (udara) was bound with a rope (dama) by mother Yashoda

𑌮𑌾𑌧𑌵🔊mādhavaMadhava — the Lord (dhava) of Lakshmi (Ma); the descendant of Madhu; the sweet one

𑌇𑌤𑌿🔊itiThus (calling out these names) — completing the refrain repeated in every verse

𑌅𑌗𑍍𑌰𑍇 𑌕𑍁𑌰𑍂𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊agre kurūṇāmIn the presence of the Kurus (the Kaurava assembly)

𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌶𑌾𑌸𑌨𑍇𑌨🔊duḥśāsanenaBy Duhshasana (who tried to disrobe Draupadi)

𑌆𑌹𑍃𑌤𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌕𑍇𑌶𑌾🔊āhṛta-vastra-keśāWhose garment and hair were seized/pulled

𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌾🔊kṛṣṇāKrishnaa (Draupadi)

𑌅𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌨𑌾𑌥𑌾🔊ananya-nāthāHaving no other protector (than the Lord)

𑌆𑌕𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌶𑌤𑍍🔊ākrośatCried out aloud (in distress)

𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌕𑍈𑌟𑌭𑌾𑌰𑍇🔊madhu-kaiṭabhāreO enemy of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha

𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌕𑌮𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌨𑍍🔊bhaktānukampinO compassionate one toward devotees

𑌮𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌰𑍇🔊murāreO Murari — enemy of the demon Mura

𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌵 𑌮𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊trāyasva māmProtect me, save me

𑌕𑍇𑌶𑌵 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌨𑌾𑌥🔊keśava loka-nāthaO Keshava, O Lord of all the worlds

𑌗𑍋𑌪𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾🔊gopa-kanyāThe cowherd maiden

𑌦𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌕𑌮𑍍🔊dadhy-ādikamYogurt (curd) and other (wares she went to sell)

𑌜𑌿𑌹𑍍𑌵𑍇 𑌰𑌸𑌜𑍍𑌞𑍇🔊jihve rasa-jñeO tongue, knower of taste

𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌿🔊madhurākṣarāṇiThe sweet syllables (of the holy names)

𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌾𑌵𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍇🔊sukhāvasāneAt the end of (a time of) happiness

𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌖𑌾𑌵𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍇🔊duḥkhāvasāneAt the end of (a time of) sorrow

𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌾𑌵𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍇 𑌜𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍍🔊dehāvasāne jāpyamAt the end of the body (death), this alone is to be chanted

Benefits of Chanting गोविन्द दामोदर स्तोत्रम्

✦

Fills the heart and tongue with the sweet holy names Govinda, Damodara and Madhava

✦

Establishes the habit of constant nama-smarana (remembrance of the Lord's names)

✦

Invokes Krishna's protection in times of danger, just as Draupadi was saved

✦

Cultivates loving devotion (prema-bhakti) through joyful repetition

✦

Said to be the supreme thing to chant at the time of death for a fortunate passing

✦

Brings peace at the end of both happiness and sorrow, steadying the mind in the Lord

How to Chant गोविन्द दामोदर स्तोत्रम्

Repetitions1times

Best TimeMorning or evening; especially Ekadashi, Janmashtami and throughout Kartik (Damodara) month

Sit comfortably before an image of Lord Krishna and recite the verses melodiously, letting the refrain 'Govinda Damodara Madhaveti' resound at the end of each verse. The stotram is ideal for kirtan and may be sung aloud, individually or in a group. Many devotees chant it daily and especially keep it on the lips through the holy month of Kartik.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete गोविन्द दामोदर स्तोत्रम् 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.

It is a devotional hymn to Lord Krishna in which every verse closes with the refrain 'Govinda Damodara Madhaveti' — the three sweet names Govinda, Damodara and Madhava. It celebrates the glory of chanting Krishna's holy names.

It is traditionally attributed to Bilvamangala Thakura, also known as Lila Shuka, a renowned medieval saint-poet of Krishna devotion, author of the Krishna-Karnamrita.

Govinda means the protector of cows and the senses; Damodara means the one whose waist was bound with a rope by mother Yashoda; Madhava means the Lord (consort) of Lakshmi and the descendant of Madhu. Together they evoke Krishna's sweetness and supremacy.

Its concluding verse teaches that at the end of happiness, of sorrow, and of life itself, the one essential thing to sing and chant is 'Govinda Damodara Madhava'. Remembering the Lord at death is held to grant the highest destination.