Govindashtakam
Govindashtakam
Govindashtakam
govindAShTakam
satyaM j~nAnamanantaM nityamanAkAshaM paramAkAsham |
goShThaprANgaNariNkhaNalolamanAyAsaM paramAyAsam |
mAyAkalpitanAnAkAramanAkAraM bhuvanAkAram |
kShmAmAnAthamanAthaM praNamata govindaM paramAnandam || 1 ||
mRRitsnAmatsIheti yashodAtADanashaishava santrAsam |
vyAditavaktrAlokitalokAlokachaturdashalokAlim |
lokatrayapuramUlastambhaM lokAlokamanAlokam |
lokeshaM parameshaM praNamata govindaM paramAnandam || 2 ||
traiviShTaparipuvIraghnaM kShitibhAraghnaM bhavarogaghnam |
kaivalyaM navanItAhAramanAhAraM bhuvanAhAram |
vaimalyasphuTachetovRRittivisheShAbhAsamanAbhAsam |
shaivaM kevalashAntaM praNamata govindaM paramAnandam || 3 ||
gopAlaM prabhulIlAvigrahagopAlaM kulagopAlam |
gopIkhelanagovardhanadhRRitilIlAlAlitagopAlam |
gobhirnigadita govindasphuTanAmAnaM bahunAmAnam |
gopIgocharadUraM praNamata govindaM paramAnandam || 4 ||
gopImaNDalagoShThIbhedaM bhedAvasthamabhedAbham |
shashvadgokhuranirdhUtodgata dhUlIdhUsarasaubhAgyam |
shraddhAbhaktigRRihItAnandamachintyaM chintitasadbhAvam |
chintAmaNimahimAnaM praNamata govindaM paramAnandam || 5 ||
snAnavyAkulayoShidvastramupAdAyAgamupArUDham |
vyAditsantIratha digvastrA dAtumupAkarShantaM tAH
nirdhUtadvayashokavimohaM buddhaM buddherantastham |
sattAmAtrasharIraM praNamata govindaM paramAnandam || 6 ||
kAntaM kAraNakAraNamAdimanAdiM kAladhanAbhAsam |
kAlindIgatakAliyashirasi sunRRityantaM muhuratyantam |
kAlaM kAlakalAtItaM kalitAsheShaM kalidoShaghnam |
kAlatrayagatihetuM praNamata govindaM paramAnandam || 7 ||
bRRindAvanabhuvi bRRindArakagaNabRRindArAdhitavandeham |
kundAbhAmalamandasmerasudhAnandaM suhRRidAnandam |
vandyAsheSha mahAmuni mAnasa vandyAnandapadadvandvam |
vandyAsheShaguNAbdhiM praNamata govindaM paramAnandam || 8 ||
govindAShTakametadadhIte govindArpitachetA yaH |
govindAchyuta mAdhava viShNo gokulanAyaka kRRiShNeti |
govindA~Nghri sarojadhyAnasudhAjaladhautasamastAghaH |
govindaM paramAnandAmRRitamantasthaM sa tamabhyeti ||
iti shrI sha~NkarAchArya virachita shrIgovindAShTakaM samAptaM
About This Stotram
Overview
The Govindashtakam is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn in praise of Lord Govinda, a form of Krishna and Vishnu. Each verse describes aspects of Govinda's divine nature, his cosmic role, and episodes from his childhood in Vrindavan. The text belongs to the Vaishnava devotional tradition and follows the ashtakam format common in Sanskrit praise poetry.
What are the benefits of chanting Govindashtakam?
- Recitation is associated with purification of the mind and removal of karma
- Said to bestow spiritual bliss and foster devotion to Lord Govinda
- Regular chanting is linked to worldly prosperity and progress in devotional practice
- Completion of the eight verses is held to confer the benefit of comprehensive worship
When is the best time to recite this?
Morning recitation is standard. Ekadashi, Janmashtami, and other Vaishnava observances are the most auspicious occasions. The ashtakam may also be recited during evening worship in homes and temples.
What is the historical and traditional background?
The exact authorship and date of the Govindashtakam are not documented. A version of a Govindashtakam is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya in some traditions, though this attribution is not confirmed by scholarly sources for all versions in circulation. Ashtakams are among the most common forms in Sanskrit devotional literature, composed by saints and scholars across many centuries to praise specific deities concisely. This text circulates within Vaishnava communities and is included in standard collections of Krishna and Vishnu praise hymns.
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
- Madhurashtakam — another eight-verse Sanskrit hymn describing the sweetness of Krishna's Vrindavan form
- Govinda Damodara Stotram — a longer Vaishnava hymn by Bilvamangalacharya centered on Krishna's divine names