Govinda Damodara Stotram (Selected Verses)
Govinda Damodara Stotram (Selected Verses)
गोविन्द दामोदर स्तोत्रम् (लघु)
करारविन्देन पदारविन्दं
मुखारविन्दे विनिवेशयन्तम् ।
वटस्य पत्रस्य पुटे शयानं
बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥
श्रीकृष्ण गोविन्द हरे मुरारे
हे नाथ नारायण वासुदेव ।
जिह्वे पिबस्वामृतमेतदेव
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ॥ 1
विक्रेतुकामाखिलगोपकन्या
मुरारिपादार्पितचित्तवृत्तिः ।
दध्यादिकं मोहवशादवोचत्
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ॥ 2
गृहे गृहे गोपवधूकदम्बाः
सर्वे मिलित्वा समवाप्य योगम् ।
पुण्यानि नामानि पठन्ति नित्यं
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ॥ 3
सुखं शयाना निलये निजेऽपि
नामानि विष्णोः प्रवदन्ति मर्त्याः ।
ते निश्चितं तन्मयतां व्रजन्ति
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ॥ 4
जिह्वे सदैवं भज सुन्दराणि
नामानि कृष्णस्य मनोहराणि ।
समस्त भक्तार्तिविनाशनानि
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ॥ 5
सुखावसाने इदमेव सारं
दुःखावसाने इदमेव ज्ञेयम् ।
देहावसाने इदमेव जाप्यं
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ॥ 6
जिह्वे रसज्ञे मधुरप्रिये त्वं
सत्यं हितं त्वां परमं वदामि ।
अवर्णयेथा मधुराक्षराणि
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ॥ 7
त्वामेव याचे मम देहि जिह्वे
समागते दण्डधरे कृतान्ते ।
वक्तव्यमेवं मधुरं सुभक्त्या
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ॥ 8
श्रीकृष्ण राधावर गोकुलेश
गोपाल गोवर्धननाथ विष्णो ।
जिह्वे पिबस्वामृतमेतदेव
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ॥ 9
About This Stotram
Overview
The Govinda Damodara Stotram is a Sanskrit devotional hymn attributed to Bilvamangalacharya (also known as Bilhana), a 12th-century Vaishnava saint and poet. This edition presents selected verses from the full text, centered on the refrain "Govinda Damodara Madhaveti" — an invocation of three of Krishna's names. The stotram belongs to the Vaishnava devotional tradition and is widely recited for the meditation on Krishna's divine names.
What are the benefits of chanting Govinda Damodara Stotram?
- Regular repetition of the central refrain is held to purify speech and the mind
- Recitation is associated with liberation from the cycle of rebirth
- Fosters devotion to Krishna through the practice of nama-smarana (remembrance of the name)
- Said to bring spiritual closeness to the divine
When is the best time to recite this?
Morning and evening are the standard times for recitation. Janmashtami and other Krishna festivals are particularly appropriate. The stotram can also be used as a continuous chant (ajapa-japa) throughout the day.
What is the historical and traditional background?
Bilvamangalacharya is associated with the 12th century CE and is also known for composing the Krishna Karnamrita, another celebrated Vaishnava devotional text. His compositions are characterized by lyrical Sanskrit verse and a focus on Krishna's childhood and pastoral forms. The Govinda Damodara Stotram became widely circulated in Vaishnava communities across India, particularly those emphasizing the practice of nama-kirtan as a devotional path. The "selected verses" format presented here draws the most commonly recited portions.
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Krishna Karnamrita — another Sanskrit composition attributed to Bilvamangalacharya, also focused on Krishna's pastoral form
- Vishnu Sahasranama — the foundational Vaishnava name-recitation text from the Mahabharata