vishnumukundastotramdevotion

Mukunda Mala Stotram

मुकुन्दमाला स्तोत्रम् in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma muhurta) or evening; especially Ekadashi, Janmashtami and during Kartik month·📜 Mukunda Mala Stotra (independent devotional work of the Sri Vaishnava / Alwar tradition)

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

Mukunda Mala Stotram is a treasured Vaishnava devotional poem composed by the saint-king Kulasekhara Alwar, beginning 'Vande Mukundam'. It is a 'garland (mala) of verses' offered to Mukunda — Lord Vishnu/Krishna, the giver of liberation. Its most famous lines renounce wealth, sense-pleasure and even liberation itself, asking only for unwavering devotion (nishchala bhakti) to the Lord's lotus feet, birth after birth.

Origin & Story

Mukunda Mala Stotra (independent devotional work of the Sri Vaishnava / Alwar tradition) · Kulasekhara Alwar (Kulasekhara Perumal) · c. 9th century CE

Kulasekhara was a king of the Chera dynasty of Kerala and a passionate devotee of Lord Vishnu. So absorbed was he in the stories of the Lord that he is said to have once readied his army to rush to Rama's aid while a Ramayana recitation was in progress. Eventually he renounced his kingdom to live as a devotee and is revered as one of the twelve Alwars. The Mukunda Mala is his outpouring of love, a garland of verses asking for nothing but eternal devotion to Mukunda's feet.

✦ As told in scripture

It is traditionally held that King Kulasekhara's devotion was so complete that he placed his hand into a pot believed to hold a venomous serpent to prove the purity of his Brahmana devotees, and was unharmed by the Lord's grace. Devotees believe that one who recites the Mukunda Mala with sincere love will, like its author, remember the Lord's feet even at the final moment and attain His supreme abode.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

vande mukundam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṃ kundendu-śaṅkha-daśanaṃ śiśu-gopa-veṣam | indrādi-deva-vanitā-kṛta-vandanāṅghriṃ dvandvāravindam amalaṃ manasā smarāmi ||

Meaning:I worship Mukunda, whose eyes are wide like lotus petals, whose teeth shine like jasmine buds, the moon and a conch, dressed as a young cowherd boy, whose feet are adored by the wives of Indra and the gods; I remember in my mind that flawless pair of lotus feet.

Verse 2

śrī-vallabheti varadeti dayā-pareti bhakta-priyeti bhava-luṇṭhana-kovideti | nātheti nāga-śayaneti jagan-nivāse- ty ālāpanaṃ prati-padaṃ kuru me mukunda ||

Meaning:O Mukunda, let me ceaselessly call out to You at every step: 'O beloved of Lakshmi! O giver of boons! O most compassionate! O dear to Your devotees! O expert at robbing away worldly bondage! O Lord! O You who recline on the serpent! O refuge of all the worlds!'

Verse 3

jayatu jayatu devo devakī-nandano 'yaṃ jayatu jayatu kṛṣṇo vṛṣṇi-vaṃśa-pradīpaḥ | jayatu jayatu megha-śyāmalaḥ komalāṅgo jayatu jayatu pṛthvī-bhāra-nāśo mukundaḥ ||

Meaning:Glory, glory to this Lord, the son of Devaki! Glory, glory to Krishna, the lamp of the Vrishni dynasty! Glory, glory to the cloud-dark, tender-limbed one! Glory, glory to Mukunda, the remover of the earth's burden!

Verse 4

mukunda mūrdhnā praṇipatya yāce bhavantam ekāntam iyantam artham | avismṛtis tvac-caraṇāravinde bhave bhave me 'stu bhavat-prasādāt ||

Meaning:O Mukunda, bowing my head I beg of You this one thing alone: that by Your grace I may never forget Your lotus feet, birth after birth.

Verse 5

nāhaṃ vande tava caraṇayor dvandvam advandva-hetoḥ kumbhī-pākaṃ gurum api hare nārakaṃ nāpanetum | ramyā-rāmā-mṛdu-tanu-latā nandane nāpi rantuṃ bhāve bhāve hṛdaya-bhavane bhāvayeyaṃ bhavantam ||

Meaning:O Hari, I do not bow to Your feet to gain liberation, nor to avoid the terrible hell of Kumbhipaka, nor to sport with lovely soft-limbed women in heavenly gardens. Rather, in every state of being, in the chamber of my heart, may I meditate upon You.

Verse 6

nāsthā dharme na vasu-nicaye naiva kāmopabhoge yad yad bhavyaṃ bhavatu bhagavan pūrva-karmānurūpam | etat prārthyaṃ mama bahu-mataṃ janma-janmāntare 'pi tvat-pādāmbhoruha-yuga-gatā niścalā bhaktir astu ||

Meaning:I have no faith in religious duty, in heaps of wealth, nor in the enjoyment of desires. O Lord, let whatever is destined come to pass according to my past deeds. This alone is my cherished prayer, birth after birth: let me have unshakable devotion to the pair of Your lotus feet.

Verse 7

divi vā bhuvi vā mamāstu vāso narake vā narakāntaka prakāmam | avadhīrita-śāradāravindau caraṇau te maraṇe 'pi cintayāmi ||

Meaning:In heaven or on earth, or even in hell, let my abode be wherever it may, O slayer of Naraka. For even at the moment of death, I shall meditate upon Your feet, which put to shame the autumn lotus.

Verse 8

kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarānte adyaiva me viśatu mānasa-rāja-haṃsaḥ | prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ kaṇṭhāvarodhana-vidhau smaraṇaṃ kutas te ||

Meaning:O Krishna, let the royal swan of my mind enter even now the lotus-cage of Your feet. For at the moment of death, when the throat is choked by phlegm, wind and bile, how will any remembrance of You be possible?

Word-by-Word Meaning

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vande🔊I bow to, I worship

mukundam🔊Mukunda — the giver of liberation (mukti), a name of Vishnu/Krishna

aravinda-dalāyatākṣam🔊Whose eyes are wide like the petals of a lotus

kunda-indu-śaṅkha-daśanam🔊Whose teeth are bright like jasmine flowers, the moon, and a conch

śiśu-gopa-veṣam🔊Dressed in the garb of a young cowherd boy

indrādi-deva-vanitā🔊The wives of the gods headed by Indra

kṛta-vandanāṅghrim🔊Whose feet are worshipped (by them)

dvandvāravindam🔊The pair of lotus feet

amalaṃ manasā smarāmi🔊The flawless (feet) I remember with my mind

śrī-vallabha🔊Beloved of Lakshmi (Sri)

varada🔊Bestower of boons

dayā-para🔊Full of compassion

bhava-luṇṭhana-kovida🔊Expert at plundering away the bondage of material existence

nāga-śayana🔊One who reclines on the serpent (Ananta-Shesha)

jagan-nivāsa🔊The abode/refuge of all the worlds

devakī-nandanaḥ🔊The delight of Devaki (Krishna)

vṛṣṇi-vaṃśa-pradīpaḥ🔊The lamp (glory) of the Vrishni dynasty

megha-śyāmalaḥ🔊Dark-complexioned like a rain cloud

pṛthvī-bhāra-nāśaḥ🔊The remover of the burden of the earth

niścalā bhaktiḥ🔊Unwavering, steadfast devotion

narakāntaka🔊O slayer of Naraka (the demon); O destroyer of hell

mānasa-rāja-haṃsaḥ🔊The royal swan of the mind

Benefits of Chanting मुकुन्दमाला स्तोत्रम्

✦

Awakens pure, motiveless devotion (ananya bhakti) to Lord Vishnu/Krishna

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Frees the heart from attachment to wealth, fame and sense-enjoyment

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Instills constant remembrance (smarana) of the Lord's lotus feet, even at death

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Brings deep inner peace and fearlessness in the face of mortality

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Regular recitation is believed to grant the Lord's grace and ultimately liberation (mukti)

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A complete, melodious garland of bhakti suitable for daily practice by anyone

How to Chant मुकुन्दमाला स्तोत्रम्

Repetitions1times

Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma muhurta) or evening; especially Ekadashi, Janmashtami and during Kartik month

Bathe and sit calmly facing east before an image of Lord Vishnu or Krishna. Light a lamp, and recite the verses slowly with feeling, dwelling on the meaning of each prayer for devotion. The hymn may be read in full as a single 'garland' or contemplated verse by verse. Conclude by offering the whole recitation at the Lord's lotus feet, praying only for unwavering bhakti.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete मुकुन्दमाला स्तोत्रम् 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.

It is a devotional 'garland' (mala) of Sanskrit verses praising Mukunda — Lord Vishnu/Krishna, the giver of liberation. Composed by the saint-king Kulasekhara, it is famous for prayers seeking pure devotion rather than any material reward.

It was composed by Kulasekhara Alwar, a 9th-century king of the Chera dynasty in South India who renounced his throne for devotion to the Lord. He is counted among the twelve Alwar saints of the Sri Vaishnava tradition.

Its most beloved verse declares that the poet seeks neither religious merit, nor wealth, nor sense-pleasure, nor even liberation — but only 'nishchala bhakti', unshakable devotion to the Lord's lotus feet, in every birth.

It can be recited daily, in the morning or evening. It is considered especially auspicious on Ekadashi, Janmashtami, and throughout the holy month of Kartik (Damodara month).