What is Krishna Ashtakam?

Read Krishna Ashtakam in Kannada script — full lyrics with English meaning and transliteration. An ashtakam to Krishna as Vishnu embraced by Shri — the witness of all minds, holder of mace, conch and discus, wearer of the forest garland, refuge of those who seek refuge.

Which deity is Krishna Ashtakam dedicated to?

Krishna Ashtakam is a Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Lord Krishna.

Krishna Ashtakam in Kannada – Lyrics, Meaning & Commentary

ಶ್ರಿಯಾಶ್ಲಿಷ್ಟೋ ವಿಷ್ಣುಃ ಸ್ಥಿರಚರವಪುರ್ವೇದವಿಷಯೋ ಧಿಯಾಂ ಸಾಕ್ಷೀ ಶುದ್ಧೋ ಹರಿರಸುರಹನ್ತಾಬ್ಜನಯನಃ ।
ಗದೀ ಶಂಖೀ ಚಕ್ರೀ ವಿಮಲವನಮಾಲೀ ಸ್ಥಿರರುಚಿಃ ಶರಣ್ಯೋ ಲೋಕೇಶೋ ಮಮ ಭವತು ಕೃಷ್ಣೋಽಕ್ಷಿವಿಷಯಃ ।। 1।।

ಶ್ರಿಯಾ (śriyā)by Shri
ಆಶ್ಲಿಷ್ಟಃ (āśliṣṭaḥ)held close
ವಿಷ್ಣುಃ (viṣṇuḥ)Vishnu
ಸ್ಥಿರಚರವಪುಃ (sthiracaravapuḥ)whose body is all that stands still and all that moves
ವೇದವಿಷಯಃ (vedaviṣayaḥ)of whom the Veda speaks
ಧಿಯಾಮ್ (dhiyām)of the thoughts of all
ಸಾಕ್ಷೀ (sākṣī)the witness
ಶುದ್ಧಃ (śuddhaḥ)clean
ಹರಿಃ (hariḥ)Hari
ಅಸುರಹನ್ತಾ (asurahantā)who makes an end of the asuras
ಅಬ್ಜನಯನಃ (abjanayanaḥ)whose eyes are lotuses
ಗದೀ (gadī)carrying the mace
ಶಂಖೀ (śaṃkhī)carrying the conch
ಚಕ್ರೀ (cakrī)carrying the discus
ವಿಮಲವನಮಾಲೀ (vimalavanamālī)wearing a fresh garland of wild flowers
ಸ್ಥಿರರುಚಿಃ (sthiraruciḥ)whose light never dims
ಶರಣ್ಯಃ (śaraṇyaḥ)the refuge
ಲೋಕೇಶಃ (lokeśaḥ)lord of the worlds
ಮಮ (mama)my
ಭವತು (bhavatu)may he become
ಕೃಷ್ಣಃ (kṛṣṇaḥ)Krishna
ಅಕ್ಷಿವಿಷಯಃ (akṣiviṣayaḥ)what my eyes see

anvaya ಶ್ರಿಯಾ ಆಶ್ಲಿಷ್ಟಃ ವಿಷ್ಣುಃ ಸ್ಥಿರಚರವಪುಃ ವೇದವಿಷಯಃ ಧಿಯಾಮ್ ಸಾಕ್ಷೀ ಶುದ್ಧಃ ಅಸುರಹನ್ತಾ ಅಬ್ಜನಯನಃ ಹರಿಃ ಗದೀ ಶಂಖೀ ಚಕ್ರೀ ವಿಮಲವನಮಾಲೀ ಸ್ಥಿರರುಚಿಃ ಶರಣ್ಯಃ ಲೋಕೇಶಃ ಕೃಷ್ಣಃ ಮಮ ಅಕ್ಷಿವಿಷಯಃ ಭವತು

chandas Śikhariṇī, 17 syllables in each of 4 pādas

ಅಕ್ಷಿವಿಷಯಃ what the eyes see — Viṣaya is what a sense takes in. The prayer is not for knowledge of him but for sight of him, and this is what the whole hymn asks for.

ಧಿಯಾಮ್ ಸಾಕ್ಷೀ the witness of all thoughts — Sākṣī is the one who was there and saw. He sits in every mind as the one who watches it.

ಸ್ಥಿರಚರವಪುಃ whose body is the still and the moving — Sthira is what stays put, cara what walks about. The pair covers everything there is.

note The fourth pāda of this verse is the refrain of the whole hymn. In verses 2 to 8 the printed text shortens it to ಶರಣ್ಯೋ. and the reciter supplies the rest: ಶರಣ್ಯೋ ಲೋಕೇಶೋ ಮಮ ಭವತು ಕೃಷ್ಣೋಽಕ್ಷಿವಿಷಯಃ. The copy of this hymn we started from wrote every visarga as a plain colon and carried six spelling slips, among them ಸ್ಥಿರರೂಚಿಃ for ಸ್ಥಿರರುಚಿಃ. They were corrected against printed editions on 18 September 2026, and every pāda now scans as Śikhariṇī. Some editions read ಸ್ಥಿರಚರಗುರುಃ, the teacher of the still and the moving, where this text reads ಸ್ಥಿರಚರವಪುಃ.

ಯತಃ ಸರ್ವಂ ಜಾತಂ ವಿಯದನಿಲಮುಖ್ಯಂ ಜಗದಿದಂ ಸ್ಥಿತೌ ನಿಃಶೇಷಂ ಯೋಽವತಿ ನಿಜಸುಖಾಂಶೇನ ಮಧುಹಾ ।
ಲಯೇ ಸರ್ವಂ ಸ್ವಸ್ಮಿನ್ ಹರತಿ ಕಲಯಾ ಯಸ್ತು ಸ ವಿಭುಃ । ಶರಣ್ಯೋ. ।।2।।

ಅಸೂನಾಯಮ್ಯಾದೌ ಯಮನಿಯಮಮುಖ್ಯೈಃ ಸುಕರಣೈರ್ನಿರುಧ್ಯೇದಂ ಚಿತ್ತಂ ಹೃದಿ ವಿಮಲಮಾನೀಯ ಸಕಲಮ್ ।
ಯಮೀಡ್ಯಂ ಪಶ್ಯನ್ತಿ ಪ್ರವರಮತಯೋ ಮಾಯಿನಮಸೌ । ಶರಣ್ಯೋ. ।।3।।

ಅಸೂನ್ (asūn)the breaths
ಆಯಮ್ಯ (āyamya)having held in
ಆದೌ (ādau)first
ಯಮನಿಯಮಮುಖ್ಯೈಃ (yamaniyamamukhyaiḥ)by yama, niyama and the rest
ಸುಕರಣೈಃ (sukaraṇaiḥ)by good means
ನಿರುಧ್ಯ (nirudhya)having checked
ಇದಮ್ (idam)this
ಚಿತ್ತಮ್ (cittam)mind
ಹೃದಿ (hṛdi)in the heart
ವಿಮಲಮ್ (vimalam)made clean
ಆನೀಯ (ānīya)having brought
ಸಕಲಮ್ (sakalam)the whole of it
ಯಮ್ (yam)whom
ಈಡ್ಯಮ್ (īḍyam)worthy of praise
ಪಶ್ಯನ್ತಿ (paśyanti)they see
ಪ್ರವರಮತಯಃ (pravaramatayaḥ)those of the best minds
ಮಾಯಿನಮ್ (māyinam)the one who wields maya
ಅಸೌ (asau)he
ಶರಣ್ಯಃ (śaraṇyaḥ)the refuge

anvaya ಪ್ರವರಮತಯಃ ಆದೌ ಅಸೂನ್ ಆಯಮ್ಯ ಯಮನಿಯಮಮುಖ್ಯೈಃ ಸುಕರಣೈಃ ಇದಮ್ ಚಿತ್ತಮ್ ನಿರುಧ್ಯ ಸಕಲಮ್ ವಿಮಲಮ್ ಹೃದಿ ಆನೀಯ ಯಮ್ ಈಡ್ಯಮ್ ಮಾಯಿನಮ್ ಪಶ್ಯನ್ತಿ ಅಸೌ ಶರಣ್ಯಃ

chandas Śikhariṇī, 17 syllables in each of 4 pādas

ಯಮನಿಯಮ yama and niyama — The first two of the eight steps of yoga: what to hold back from, and what to keep up. The verse names them as the beginning of the road to seeing him.

ಮಾಯಿನಮ್ the one who wields maya — Māyin is the holder of maya, the power by which the world is spread out. The word is used of a conjurer as well, one who makes what is seen.

note Three words in this verse were corrected: ನಿರ್ಯೇರುಧ್ಯೇದಂ to ನಿರುಧ್ಯೇದಂ, which is ನಿರುಧ್ಯ and ಇದಮ್ joined, ಹ್ರದಿ to ಹೃದಿ, and ಯಮೀಡಯಂ to ಯಮೀಡ್ಯಮ್. Some editions read ವಿಲಯಮಾನೀಯ, brought to rest, where this text reads ವಿಮಲಮಾನೀಯ, brought clean; the gloss follows the text as it stands. The fourth pāda is the shortened refrain.

ಪೃಥಿವ್ಯಾಂ ತಿಷ್ಠನ್ ಯೋ ಯಮಯತಿ ಮಹೀಂ ವೇದ ನ ಧರಾ ಯಮಿತ್ಯಾದೌ ವೇದೋ ವದತಿ ಜಗತಾಮೀಶಮಮಲಮ್ ।
ನಿಯನ್ತಾರಂ ಧ್ಯೇಯಂ ಮುನಿಸುರನೃಣಾಂ ಮೋಕ್ಷದಮಸೌ । ಶರಣ್ಯೋ. ।।4।।

ಮಹೇನ್ದ್ರಾದಿರ್ದೇವೋ ಜಯತಿ ದಿತಿಜಾನ್ಯಸ್ಯ ಬಲತೋ ನ ಕಸ್ಯ ಸ್ವಾತನ್ತ್ರ್ಯಂ ಕ್ವಚಿದಪಿ ಕೃತೌ ಯತ್ಕೃತಿಮೃತೇ ।
ಕವಿತ್ವಾದೇರ್ಗರ್ವಂ ಪರಿಹರತಿ ಯೋಽಸೌ ವಿಜಯಿನಃ । ಶರಣ್ಯೋ. ।।5।।

ವಿನಾ ಯಸ್ಯ ಧ್ಯಾನಂ ವ್ರಜತಿ ಪಶುತಾಂ ಸೂಕರಮುಖಾಂ ವಿನಾ ಯಸ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಜನಿಮೃತಿಭಯಂ ಯಾತಿ ಜನತಾ ।
ವಿನಾ ಯಸ್ಯ ಸ್ಮೃತ್ಯಾ ಕೃಮಿಶತಜನಿಂ ಯಾತಿ ಸ ವಿಭುಃ । ಶರಣ್ಯೋ. ।।6।।

ನರಾತಂಕೋತ್ತಂಕಃ ಶರಣಶರಣೋ ಭ್ರಾನ್ತಿಹರಣೋ ಘನಶ್ಯಾಮಃ ಕಾಮೋ ವ್ರಜಶಿಶುವಯಸ್ಯೋಽರ್ಜುನಸಖಃ ।
ಸ್ವಯಮ್ಭೂರ್ಭೂತಾನಾಂ ಜನಕ ಉಚಿತಾಚಾರಸುಖದಃ । ಶರಣ್ಯೋ. ।।7।।

ನರಾತಂಕೋತ್ತಂಕಃ (narātaṃkottaṃkaḥ)who roots out the fears that afflict people
ಶರಣಶರಣಃ (śaraṇaśaraṇaḥ)the refuge of all who look for refuge
ಭ್ರಾನ್ತಿಹರಣಃ (bhrāntiharaṇaḥ)who takes away the whirl of confusion
ಘನಶ್ಯಾಮಃ (ghanaśyāmaḥ)dark as a rain cloud
ಕಾಮಃ (kāmaḥ)the one who is wanted
ವ್ರಜಶಿಶುವಯಸ್ಯಃ (vrajaśiśuvayasyaḥ)playmate of the children of Vraja
ಅರ್ಜುನಸಖಃ (arjunasakhaḥ)friend of Arjuna
ಸ್ವಯಮ್ಭೂಃ (svayambhūḥ)self-existent
ಭೂತಾನಾಮ್ (bhūtānām)of all beings
ಜನಕಃ (janakaḥ)the father
ಉಚಿತಾಚಾರಸುಖದಃ (ucitācārasukhadaḥ)who gives joy to those whose conduct is right
ಶರಣ್ಯಃ (śaraṇyaḥ)the refuge

anvaya ಶರಣಶರಣಃ ಭ್ರಾನ್ತಿಹರಣಃ ಘನಶ್ಯಾಮಃ ಕಾಮಃ ವ್ರಜಶಿಶುವಯಸ್ಯಃ ಅರ್ಜುನಸಖಃ ಸ್ವಯಮ್ಭೂಃ ಭೂತಾನಾಮ್ ಜನಕಃ ಉಚಿತಾಚಾರಸುಖದಃ ನರಾತಂಕೋತ್ತಂಕಃ ಶರಣ್ಯಃ

chandas Śikhariṇī, 17 syllables in each of 4 pādas

ನರಾತಂಕೋತ್ತಂಕಃ who roots out the fears that afflict people — Narātaṅka is the fear or the pain that people suffer. Uttaṅka is a rare word, and published translations of this hymn read the compound as the uprooting of that pain, which is the sense given here.

ವ್ರಜಶಿಶುವಯಸ್ಯಃ playmate of the children of Vraja — Vayasya is someone of the same age, a companion in play. After six verses on the maker of the world, this is the first mention of the cowherd boy.

ಘನಶ್ಯಾಮಃ dark as a rain cloud — Ghana is a heavy cloud. The colour is his own, and the name Krishna means dark.

note The verse turns from God as the cause of the world to Krishna in Vraja, playmate and friend. Some editions read ಘನಶ್ಯಾಮೋ ವಾಮೋ, dark and lovely, where this text reads ಘನಶ್ಯಾಮಃ ಕಾಮೋ. The fourth pāda is the shortened refrain.

ಯದಾ ಧರ್ಮಗ್ಲಾನಿರ್ಭವತಿ ಜಗತಾಂ ಕ್ಷೋಭಕರಣೀ ತದಾ ಲೋಕಸ್ವಾಮೀ ಪ್ರಕಟಿತವಪುಃ ಸೇತುಧೃಗಜಃ ।
ಸತಾಂ ಧಾತಾ ಸ್ವಚ್ಛೋ ನಿಗಮಗಣಗೀತೋ ವ್ರಜಪತಿಃ । ಶರಣ್ಯೋ ।।8।।

ಇತಿ ಹರಿರಖಿಲಾತ್ಮಾರಾಧಿತಃ ಶಂಕರೇಣ ಶ್ರುತಿವಿಶದಗುಣೋಽಸೌ ಮಾತೃಮೋಕ್ಷಾರ್ಥಮಾದ್ಯಃ ।
ಯತಿವರನಿಕಟೇ ಶ್ರೀಯುಕ್ತ ಆವಿರ್ಬಭೂವ ಸ್ವಗುಣವೃತ ಉದಾರಃ ಶಂಖಚಕ್ರಾಬ್ಜಹಸ್ತಃ ।।9।।

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