krishnananda-nandanaashtakamvrindavan

Nanda Nandanashtakam

नन्दनन्दनाष्टकम् in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 8× repetitions·🕐 Early morning or evening during Krishna darshan; especially on Janmashtami, Ekadashi and Wednesdays·📜 Traditional Vaishnava hymn (Pushtimarg / Vallabha tradition)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Nanda Nandanashtakam (also known by its opening words 'Sucharu Vaktra Mandalam') is an eight-verse hymn lovingly describing the beauty of Krishna, the son of Nanda. Each verse paints His features — His lotus eyes, peacock crown, sandal-anointed limbs, flute, yellow silk and tribhanga pose — and ends with the refrain 'namami nanda-nandanam', 'I bow to the son of Nanda'. It is a cherished meditation on Krishna's enchanting form, often attributed to Shri Vallabhacharya.

Origin & Story

Traditional Vaishnava hymn (Pushtimarg / Vallabha tradition) · Attributed to Shri Vallabhacharya · c. 15th–16th century CE

The Nanda Nandanashtakam, beginning 'Sucharu Vaktra Mandalam', is a jewel-like hymn of eight verses devoted entirely to the loveliness of Lord Krishna, the darling son of Nanda Maharaja of Vraja. It is traditionally ascribed to Shri Vallabhacharya, the great teacher of the Pushtimarg ('path of grace'), whose tradition centres on adoring Krishna's sweet, accessible form as Shri Nathji. Rather than reciting His deeds, the hymn simply dwells on His beauty — His face and earrings, His lotus eyes and peacock crown, His sandal-scented limbs, His flute, His yellow silk and graceful threefold-bending stance — each verse melting into the refrain 'namami nanda-nandanam', 'I bow to the son of Nanda'. It remains a favourite for Krishna darshan and daily worship.

✦ As told in scripture

In the Pushtimarg tradition it is held that lovingly visualising Krishna through such darshan-hymns draws the devotee into His intimate sevā; many bhaktas describe how repeated singing of 'namami nanda-nandanam' fills the heart with the vision of Krishna's beauty and an unshakeable sweetness of devotion.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

sucāru-vaktra-maṇḍalaṁ sukarṇa-ratna-kuṇḍalam | sucarcitāṅga-candanaṁ namāmi nanda-nandanam || 1||

Meaning:I bow to the son of Nanda, whose face is most beautiful and round, whose ears are adorned with jewelled earrings, and whose limbs are gracefully anointed with sandalwood paste.

Verse 2

sudīrgha-netra-paṅkajaṁ śikhi-śikhaṇḍa-mūrdhajam | ananga-koṭi-mohanaṁ namāmi nanda-nandanam || 2||

Meaning:I bow to the son of Nanda, with long lotus eyes, His hair crowned with a peacock plume, more enchanting than millions of Kamadevas.

Verse 3

sunāsikāgra-mauktikaṁ svacchanda-danta-paṅktikam | navāmbudāṅga-cikkaṇaṁ namāmi nanda-nandanam || 3||

Meaning:I bow to the son of Nanda, with a pearl at the tip of His lovely nose, a row of perfect teeth, His body glossy and dark as a fresh rain-cloud.

Verse 4

kareṇa veṇu-rañjitaṁ gatir karīndra-gañjitam | dukūla-pīta-śobhanaṁ namāmi nanda-nandanam || 4||

Meaning:I bow to the son of Nanda, who delights all with the flute in His hand, whose gait surpasses the king of elephants, resplendent in fine yellow silk.

Verse 5

tri-bhaṅga-deha-sundaraṁ nakha-dyuti-sudhākaram | amūlya-ratna-bhūṣaṇaṁ namāmi nanda-nandanam || 5||

Meaning:I bow to the son of Nanda, beautiful in His threefold-bending pose, the lustre of His nails like the nectar-moon, adorned with priceless jewels.

Verse 6

sugandhāṅga-saurabhaṁ uro-virāji-kaustubham | sphurac-chrīvatsa-lāñchanaṁ namāmi nanda-nandanam || 6||

Meaning:I bow to the son of Nanda, His limbs fragrant and sweet-scented, the Kaustubha jewel shining on His chest, bearing the brilliant Shrivatsa mark.

Verse 7

vṛndāvana-sunāgaraṁ vilāsānuga-vāsasam | surendra-garva-mocanaṁ namāmi nanda-nandanam || 7||

Meaning:I bow to the son of Nanda, the charming gallant of Vrindavan, dressed for His playful pastimes, who shatters the pride of even Indra, the king of gods.

Verse 8

vrajāṅganā-sunāyakaṁ sadā sukha-pradāyakam | jagan-manaḥ-pralobhanaṁ namāmi nanda-nandanam || 8||

Meaning:I bow to the son of Nanda, the beloved hero of the maidens of Vraja, the ever-giver of joy, who captivates the hearts of the entire world.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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sucāru-vaktra-maṇḍalaṁ🔊having a most beautiful round face

sukarṇa-ratna-kuṇḍalam🔊with lovely jewelled earrings adorning His ears

sucarcitāṅga-candanaṁ🔊whose limbs are gracefully anointed with sandalwood paste

namāmi nanda-nandanam🔊I bow to the son of Nanda (Krishna) — the refrain of every verse

sudīrgha-netra-paṅkajaṁ🔊with long lotus-like eyes

śikhi-śikhaṇḍa-mūrdhajam🔊whose hair is crowned with a peacock's plume

ananga-koṭi-mohanaṁ🔊more enchanting than millions of Kamadevas (gods of love)

sunāsikāgra-mauktikaṁ🔊with a pearl ornament at the tip of His beautiful nose

svacchanda-danta-paṅktikam🔊with a row of perfect, gleaming teeth

navāmbudāṅga-cikkaṇaṁ🔊whose body is glossy and dark like a fresh rain-cloud

kareṇa veṇu-rañjitaṁ🔊who delights with the flute (venu) held in His hand

gatir karīndra-gañjitam🔊whose gait surpasses (puts to shame) that of the king of elephants

dukūla-pīta-śobhanaṁ🔊resplendent in fine yellow silk garments

tri-bhaṅga-deha-sundaraṁ🔊beautiful in His threefold-bending (tribhanga) pose

nakha-dyuti-sudhākaram🔊the radiance of whose nails is like the nectarean moon

uro-virāji-kaustubham🔊on whose chest the Kaustubha jewel shines

sphurac-chrīvatsa-lāñchanaṁ🔊bearing the brilliant Shrivatsa mark (on His chest)

vṛndāvana-sunāgaraṁ🔊the charming hero (gallant) of Vrindavan

vrajāṅganā-sunāyakaṁ🔊the beloved hero of the maidens of Vraja (the gopis)

jagan-manaḥ-pralobhanaṁ🔊who captivates the hearts of the whole world

Benefits of Chanting नन्दनन्दनाष्टकम्

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A complete meditation (dhyana) on the enchanting form of Lord Krishna, feature by feature

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Each verse fixes the mind on a beautiful aspect of Krishna and ends with loving surrender — 'namami nanda-nandanam'

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Cultivates deep devotion (bhakti) and attraction to Krishna's sweet, captivating form

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Short, rhythmic and easy to memorise, making it ideal for daily recitation and for teaching to children

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Especially loved in the Pushtimarg (Vallabha) tradition and sung in Krishna temples across Vraj

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Brings peace, joy and a sense of Krishna's nearness through contemplation of His divine beauty

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Wonderful for recitation on Janmashtami and during Krishna darshan and bhajan

How to Chant नन्दनन्दनाष्टकम्

Repetitions8times

Best TimeEarly morning or evening during Krishna darshan; especially on Janmashtami, Ekadashi and Wednesdays

Sit before an image or deity of Bala Gopal or Krishna. Recite all eight verses slowly, visualising the feature described in each — the lotus eyes, peacock plume, sandal-anointed limbs, the flute, the yellow silk and the graceful tribhanga pose — and bow inwardly at each refrain 'namami nanda-nandanam'. Its short, even metre makes it easy to sing melodiously and to repeat daily as a loving meditation on Krishna's beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete नन्दनन्दनाष्टकम् 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 an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn (ashtakam) praising the beauty of Lord Krishna as Nanda-Nandana, the son of Nanda. It is widely known by its opening words 'Sucharu Vaktra Mandalam', and each verse ends with the refrain 'namami nanda-nandanam' — 'I bow to the son of Nanda'.

It is traditionally attributed to Shri Vallabhacharya, the great founder of the Pushtimarg tradition (and by some to Adi Shankaracharya). It is especially cherished and sung in Vallabha-sampradaya temples of Krishna.

Each verse lovingly describes a feature of Krishna's form — His beautiful face and earrings, lotus eyes and peacock plume, pearl-tipped nose, flute, yellow silk garment, tribhanga (thrice-bent) pose, the Kaustubha jewel and Shrivatsa mark — culminating in bowing to Him as the captivator of all hearts.

It is recited during Krishna darshan and bhajan, in the morning or evening, and with special devotion on Janmashtami, Ekadashi and Wednesdays. Its short, melodious verses make it ideal for daily contemplation of Krishna's beauty.