krishnananda-nandanaashtakamvrindavan

𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍

Nanda Nandanashtakam in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ 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 ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

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

𑌸𑍁𑌚𑌾𑌰𑍁𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌂 𑌸𑍁𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌨𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌮𑍍 । 𑌸𑍁𑌚𑌰𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௧॥

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

𑌸𑍁𑌦𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌘𑌨𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌜𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌿𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌮𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌧𑌜𑌮𑍍 । 𑌅𑌨𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿𑌮𑍋𑌹𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௨॥

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

𑌸𑍁𑌨𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍗𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌪𑌙𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌮𑍍 । 𑌨𑌵𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌬𑍁𑌦𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌚𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌕𑌣𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௩॥

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

𑌕𑌰𑍇𑌣 𑌵𑍇𑌣𑍁𑌰𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌗𑌤𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌕𑌰𑍀𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌗𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌦𑍁𑌕𑍂𑌲𑌪𑍀𑌤𑌶𑍋𑌭𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௪॥

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

𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌭𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌸𑍁𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑌂 𑌨𑌖𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌤𑌿𑌸𑍁𑌧𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌮𑍍 । 𑌅𑌮𑍂𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌨𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌣𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௫॥

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

𑌸𑍁𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌸𑍗𑌰𑌭𑌂 𑌉𑌰𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌜𑌿𑌕𑍗𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌭𑌮𑍍 । 𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍁𑌰𑌚𑍍𑌛𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌲𑌾𑌞𑍍𑌛𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௬॥

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

𑌵𑍃𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌾𑌵𑌨𑌸𑍁𑌨𑌾𑌗𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌲𑌾𑌸𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌗𑌵𑌾𑌸𑌸𑌮𑍍 । 𑌸𑍁𑌰𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌗𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௭॥

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

𑌵𑍍𑌰𑌜𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌨𑌾𑌸𑍁𑌨𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌂 𑌸𑌦𑌾 𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌮𑍍 । 𑌜𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌃𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌲𑍋𑌭𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௮॥

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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𑌸𑍁𑌚𑌾𑌰𑍁𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌂🔊sucāru-vaktra-maṇḍalaṁhaving a most beautiful round face

𑌸𑍁𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌨𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌮𑍍🔊sukarṇa-ratna-kuṇḍalamwith lovely jewelled earrings adorning His ears

𑌸𑍁𑌚𑌰𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌂🔊sucarcitāṅga-candanaṁwhose limbs are gracefully anointed with sandalwood paste

𑌨𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌮𑍍🔊namāmi nanda-nandanamI bow to the son of Nanda (Krishna) — the refrain of every verse

𑌸𑍁𑌦𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌘𑌨𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌜𑌂🔊sudīrgha-netra-paṅkajaṁwith long lotus-like eyes

𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌿𑌶𑌿𑌖𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌮𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌧𑌜𑌮𑍍🔊śikhi-śikhaṇḍa-mūrdhajamwhose hair is crowned with a peacock's plume

𑌅𑌨𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿𑌮𑍋𑌹𑌨𑌂🔊ananga-koṭi-mohanaṁmore enchanting than millions of Kamadevas (gods of love)

𑌸𑍁𑌨𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍗𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌂🔊sunāsikāgra-mauktikaṁwith a pearl ornament at the tip of His beautiful nose

𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌪𑌙𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌮𑍍🔊svacchanda-danta-paṅktikamwith a row of perfect, gleaming teeth

𑌨𑌵𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌬𑍁𑌦𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌚𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌕𑌣𑌂🔊navāmbudāṅga-cikkaṇaṁwhose body is glossy and dark like a fresh rain-cloud

𑌕𑌰𑍇𑌣 𑌵𑍇𑌣𑍁𑌰𑌞𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂🔊kareṇa veṇu-rañjitaṁwho delights with the flute (venu) held in His hand

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

𑌦𑍁𑌕𑍂𑌲𑌪𑍀𑌤𑌶𑍋𑌭𑌨𑌂🔊dukūla-pīta-śobhanaṁresplendent in fine yellow silk garments

𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌭𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌸𑍁𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑌂🔊tri-bhaṅga-deha-sundaraṁbeautiful in His threefold-bending (tribhanga) pose

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

𑌉𑌰𑍋𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌜𑌿𑌕𑍗𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌭𑌮𑍍🔊uro-virāji-kaustubhamon whose chest the Kaustubha jewel shines

𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍁𑌰𑌚𑍍𑌛𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌲𑌾𑌞𑍍𑌛𑌨𑌂🔊sphurac-chrīvatsa-lāñchanaṁbearing the brilliant Shrivatsa mark (on His chest)

𑌵𑍃𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌾𑌵𑌨𑌸𑍁𑌨𑌾𑌗𑌰𑌂🔊vṛndāvana-sunāgaraṁthe charming hero (gallant) of Vrindavan

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

𑌜𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌃𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌲𑍋𑌭𑌨𑌂🔊jagan-manaḥ-pralobhanaṁwho captivates the hearts of the whole world

Benefits of Chanting Nanda Nandanashtakam

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

✦

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

✦

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

✦

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

✦

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

✦

Wonderful for recitation on Janmashtami and during Krishna darshan and bhajan

How to Chant Nanda Nandanashtakam

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 Nanda Nandanashtakam 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 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.