krishnakarnamritambilvamangalalilashuka

𑌕𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌣𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌮𑍍 (𑌚𑌯𑌨𑌿𑌕𑌾)

कृष्णकर्णामृतम् (चयनिका) in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Early morning or evening for meditation; especially on Janmashtami and Ekadashi·📜 Krishna Karnamritam by Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura (opening verses, Chapter 1)

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

Origin & Story

Krishna Karnamritam by Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura (opening verses, Chapter 1) · Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura · c. 13th–14th century CE (South India)

The Krishna Karnamritam is the masterwork of Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura, a poet-saint of the South who, according to tradition, turned from a life of attachment to become utterly absorbed in Krishna. His verses pour out the sweetness of the Lord's beauty, His flute, His glances and His childhood play in Vraja. The poem opens with the benediction 'cintamanir jayati', glorifying his initiating guru Somagiri (compared to the wish-fulfilling chintamani jewel) and his instructing guru, the peacock-crowned Lord Krishna Himself. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is said to have treasured a copy of this text, and it remains one of the most beloved devotional poems in the Vaishnava world.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition relates that Bilvamangala, once blinded (in some accounts by his own hand to end his attachment), was lovingly guided and protected by Krishna Himself appearing as a cowherd boy; from his Krishna-intoxicated heart flowed the Karnamritam, verses so sweet they are said to be 'nectar for the ears of Krishna' Himself.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑌣𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑍋𑌮𑌗𑌿𑌰𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌮𑍇 𑌶𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌞𑍍𑌛𑌮𑍗𑌲𑌿𑌃 । 𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌤𑌰𑍁𑌪𑌲𑍍𑌲𑌵𑌶𑍇𑌖𑌰𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌲𑍀𑌲𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌂𑌵𑌰𑌰𑌸𑌂 𑌲𑌭𑌤𑍇 𑌜𑌯𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌃 ॥ ௧॥

cintāmaṇir jayati somagirir gurur me śikṣā-guruś ca bhagavān śikhi-piñcha-mauliḥ | yat-pāda-kalpataru-pallava-śekhareṣu līlā-svayaṁvara-rasaṁ labhate jaya-śrīḥ || 1||

Meaning:मेरे गुरु सोमगिरि की जय हो, जो चिन्तामणि के समान हैं, और मेरे शिक्षागुरु स्वयं भगवान् की जय हो, जिनके मुकुट पर मयूरपंख है — जिनके कल्पवृक्ष-सदृश चरणकमलों के नवीन पल्लवों पर जयश्री (लक्ष्मी/राधा) लीलापूर्ण स्वयंवर के रस को प्राप्त करती हैं।

Verse 2

𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌰𑍁𑌣𑍀𑌕𑌰𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌗𑌲𑌤𑍍𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍂𑌨𑌾𑌪𑌿𑌤- 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍋𑌚𑍍𑌚𑌲𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍁𑌤𑌚𑌲𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌲𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌾𑌲𑌕𑌮𑍍 । 𑌆𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌾𑌧𑌰𑌬𑌿𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌫𑌾𑌣𑍍𑌟𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌭𑍋𑌃 ॥ ௨॥

asti svastaruṇī-karāgra-vigalat-kalpa-prasūnārpita- svacchandoccala-manda-māruta-calat-prālamba-lolālakam | āloolādhara-bimba-phāṇṭa-madhuraṁ vaktraṁ smarāmi prabhoḥ || 2||

Meaning:मैं प्रभु के उस मुख का स्मरण करता हूँ — जो सुन्दर तरुणियों के करकमलों से अर्पित कल्पवृक्ष के पुष्पों से सज्जित है, जिसकी लटें मन्द पवन से स्वच्छन्द रूप से झूल रही हैं, और जो बिम्बफल-सदृश अधरों के मधुर रस से युक्त है।

Verse 3

𑌚𑌾𑌤𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌕𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌾𑌨𑌸𑍀𑌮𑌚𑌪𑌲𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌟𑌾𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌥𑌰𑌂 𑌲𑌾𑌵𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌵𑍀𑌚𑌿𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌿𑌤𑌦𑍃𑌶𑌂 𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌮𑍀𑌕𑌟𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍀𑌪𑍁𑌲𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌣𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌯𑌿𑌨𑌂 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌂𑌕𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌬𑌾𑌲𑌂 𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌮𑌮𑍀 𑌵𑌿𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌚𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌹𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௩॥

cāturyaika-nidhāna-sīma-capalāpāṅga-cchaṭā-mantharaṁ lāvaṇyāmṛta-vīci-lolita-dṛśaṁ lakṣmī-kaṭākṣāśritam | kālindī-pulināṅgaṇa-praṇayinaṁ kāmāvatārāṅkuraṁ bālaṁ nīlam amī vilocana-camatkāraṁ vahantaś ciram || 3||

Meaning:मेरे ये नेत्र उस श्याम बालक के दर्शन का चमत्कार चिरकाल तक धारण करें — जो समस्त चातुर्य (सौन्दर्य) का एकमात्र निधान है, जिसके चंचल कटाक्षों की छटा से मन्थर है, जिसके नेत्र लावण्य के अमृत-सागर की तरंगों के समान लहराते हैं, जो लक्ष्मी के कटाक्ष का आश्रय है, जो कालिन्दी (यमुना) के पुलिन-प्रांगण का प्रेमी है, और जो स्वयं कामदेव के अवतार का अंकुर है।

Verse 4

𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍋𑌰𑍍 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌦𑌨𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌮𑍍 । 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌿 𑌮𑍃𑌦𑍁𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍇𑌤𑌦𑌹𑍋 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௪॥

madhuraṁ madhuraṁ vapur asya vibhor madhuraṁ madhuraṁ vadanaṁ madhuram | madhu-gandhi mṛdu-smitam etad aho madhuraṁ madhuraṁ madhuraṁ madhuram || 4||

Meaning:इस प्रभु का शरीर मधुर-मधुर है, मुख मधुर-मधुर है, और अहो! मधु की गन्ध से युक्त यह उनकी मृदु मुस्कान मधुर-मधुर-मधुर-मधुर है!

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌮𑌣𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌯𑌤𑌿🔊cintāmaṇir jayatiall glory to (him who is like) the wish-fulfilling jewel (chintamani)

𑌸𑍋𑌮𑌗𑌿𑌰𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌮𑍇🔊somagirir gurur meSomagiri, my (initiating) guru

𑌶𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌭𑌗𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍🔊śikṣā-guruś ca bhagavānand my instructing guru, the Lord Himself

𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌞𑍍𑌛𑌮𑍗𑌲𑌿𑌃🔊śikhi-piñcha-mauliḥHe whose crown bears a peacock feather (Krishna)

𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌤𑌰𑍁𑌪𑌲𑍍𑌲𑌵🔊yat-pāda-kalpataru-pallavaat the tender shoots of whose wish-fulfilling-tree-like feet

𑌲𑍀𑌲𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌂𑌵𑌰𑌰𑌸𑌂🔊līlā-svayaṁvara-rasaṁthe joy of the playful self-choosing (svayamvara) of love

𑌲𑌭𑌤𑍇 𑌜𑌯𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌃🔊labhate jaya-śrīḥJaya-shri (the goddess of victory / Radha) obtains

𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌭𑍋𑌃🔊vaktraṁ smarāmi prabhoḥI meditate upon the face of the Lord

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌲𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌲𑍋𑌲𑌾𑌲𑌕𑌮𑍍🔊prālamba-lolālakamwith curling locks dangling and swaying (on His face)

𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌮𑌾𑌰𑍁𑌤𑌚𑌲𑌤𑍍🔊manda-māruta-calatstirred by the gentle breeze

𑌅𑌧𑌰𑌬𑌿𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌫𑌾𑌣𑍍𑌟𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂🔊adhara-bimba-phāṇṭa-madhuraṁsweet like the nectar of His bimba-red lips

𑌚𑌾𑌪𑌲𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌟𑌾🔊capalāpāṅga-cchaṭāthe flashing radiance of His restless sidelong glances

𑌲𑌾𑌵𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌵𑍀𑌚𑌿🔊lāvaṇyāmṛta-vīcithe waves of the nectar of (His) loveliness

𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌮𑍀𑌕𑌟𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊lakṣmī-kaṭākṣāśritamresorted to by the sidelong glance of Lakshmi (Shri)

𑌕𑌾𑌲𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍀𑌪𑍁𑌲𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌣🔊kālindī-pulināṅgaṇaon the courtyard of the sandy banks of the Yamuna (Kalindi)

𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌂𑌕𑍁𑌰𑌂🔊kāmāvatārāṅkuraṁthe very sprout (origin) of the incarnation of love

𑌬𑌾𑌲𑌂 𑌨𑍀𑌲𑌮𑍍🔊bālaṁ nīlamthe dark-blue (cowherd) boy

𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯🔊madhuraṁ madhuraṁ vapur asyasweet, sweet is the body of this (Lord)

𑌵𑌦𑌨𑌂 𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌮𑍍🔊vadanaṁ madhuram(His) face is sweet

𑌮𑌧𑍁𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌿 𑌮𑍃𑌦𑍁𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊madhu-gandhi mṛdu-smitam(His) gentle smile, fragrant like honey

Benefits of Chanting कृष्णकर्णामृतम् (चयनिका)

✦

Immerses the heart in the madhurya (sweetness) of Lord Krishna's beauty, smile and pastimes

✦

The opening 'cintamanir jayati' is a treasured benediction honouring one's guru and the Lord together

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The 'madhuram madhuram' verse is a powerful, meditative chant on Krishna as sweetness itself

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Awakens loving devotion (madhura-bhakti) and a poet's relish (rasa) of the divine

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Deeply revered in the Gaudiya Vaishnava and South Indian Vaishnava traditions alike

✦

Calms and sweetens the mind, replacing worldly restlessness with the taste of Krishna-rasa

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Beautiful for daily meditation, kirtan and contemplation of Krishna's form

How to Chant कृष्णकर्णामृतम् (चयनिका)

Repetitions1times

Best TimeEarly morning or evening for meditation; especially on Janmashtami and Ekadashi

Recite these verses slowly and meditatively, savouring each image of Krishna's beauty rather than hurrying. Begin with the benediction 'cintamanir jayati', remembering your own guru and Krishna together. Let the 'madhuram madhuram' verse be repeated several times as a sweet refrain, dwelling on the Lord as the embodiment of all sweetness. These are selections from a much larger poem; devotees often learn and relish a few verses deeply rather than reciting all at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete कृष्णकर्णामृतम् (चयनिका) 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 Krishna Karnamritam ('Nectar for the ears of Krishna') is a famous Sanskrit devotional poem celebrating the beauty, sweetness and pastimes of Lord Krishna. It is renowned for its intense madhurya-bhava (mood of sweetness) and is treasured by Vaishnava devotees across India.

It was composed by Lilashuka Bilvamangala Thakura, a great Krishna-intoxicated poet-saint of South India. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is said to have cherished this work and helped spread it; it is held in the highest esteem in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.

It is the beloved verse 'madhuram madhuram vapur asya vibhoh...', which declares that Krishna's body, face and gentle honey-scented smile are 'sweet, sweet, sweeter than sweet'. It is often chanted on its own as a meditation on Krishna as the very embodiment of sweetness (madhurya).

The complete Krishna Karnamritam contains over a hundred verses across multiple chapters (ashvasas). These famous opening verses and the 'madhuram madhuram' verse are among the most loved and most often recited, and serve as a perfect introduction to the work's sweetness.