Govindashtakam

Sri Govindashtakam

By Sri Adi Shankaracharya

 सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं नित्यमनाकाशं परमाकाशं 

गोष्ठप्राङ्गणरिङ्खणलॊलमनायासं परमायासम्  |

मायाकल्पितनानाकारमनाकारं भुवनाकारं 

क्ष्माया नाथमनाथं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम्  ||

satyam jnAnam-anantam nityam-anAkAsham paramAkAsham

goShTha-prAngaNa-rinkhaNa-lolam-anAyAsam paramAyAsam 

mAyA-kalpita-nAnAkAram-anAkAram bhuvanAkAram

kshmAyA nAtham-anAtham praNamata govindam paramAnandam (1)

Bow down to Govinda, the Supreme Bliss, who is truth, knowledge, infinite, eternal, non-material, and the supreme space. He plays in the courtyard of the cowherds effortlessly, though he is also the supreme effort. He takes various forms imagined by Maya, yet he is formless and the form of the universe. He is the lord of the earth and also the protector of those without a protector.

मृत्स्नामत्सीहेति यशोदाताडनशैशव संत्रासं 

व्यादितवक्त्रालोकितलोकालोकचतुर्दशलोकालिम् |

लोकत्रयपुरमूलस्तंभं लोकालोकमनालोकं  |

लोकेशं परमेशं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम्  ||

mrtsnAmatsIheti yashodAtADana shaishava santrAsam

vyAditavaktrAlokitalokAlokachaturdashalokAlim 

lokatraya-pura-mUlastambham lokAlokam-anAlokam

lokesham paramesham praNamata govindam paramAnandam  (2)

Bow down to Govinda, the Supreme Bliss, who as a child, was (appeared to be) scared by Yashoda's scolding 'You have eaten dirt', and who showed the fourteen worlds in his open mouth. He is the foundational pillar of the three worlds, beyond perception, the Lord of the worlds, the Supreme Lord.

त्रैविष्टपरिपुवीरघ्नं क्षितिभारघ्नं भवरोगघ्नं 

कैवल्यं नवनीताहारमनाहारं भुवनाहारम्  |

वैमल्यस्फुटचेतोवृत्तिविषेशाभासमनाभासं 

शैवं केवलशान्तं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम्  ||

traiviShTapa-ripu-vIraghnam kShitibhAraghnam bhavaroghnam

kaivalyam navanItAhAramanAhAram bhuvanAhAram

vaimalya-sphuTa-chetovruttiviSheshAbhAsam-anAbhAsam

shaivam kevalashAntam praNamata govindam paramAnandam  (3)

Bow down to Govinda, the Supreme Bliss, who is the destroyer of the enemies of the three worlds, the burden of the Earth, and the disease of worldly existence. He is the absolute state of liberation, who eats fresh butter yet does not require food, and sustains the universe. His pure, clear consciousness is beyond perception. He embodies the nature of Shiva and absolute tranquility.

गोपालं प्रभुलीलाविग्रहगोपालं कुलगोपालं 

गोपीखेलनगोवर्धनधृतिलीलालालितगोपालम् |

गोभिर्निगदित गोविन्दस्फुटनामानं बहुनामानं 

गोपीगोचरपथिकं  प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम्  ||

gopAlam prabhulIlAvigrahagopAlam kulagopAlam

gopIkhelanagovardhanadhruti lIlA-lAlita-gopAlam

gobhirnigadita govinda-sphuTa-nAmAnam bahunAmAnam

gopIgocharapathikam  praNamata govindam paramAnandam  (4)

Bow down to Govinda, the Supreme Bliss, who is the protector of cows and the embodiment of divine play, the protector of the family (the yAdava race). He is adored for his playful pastimes with the Gopis and holding up Govardhan. Clearly named Govinda by the cows, he has many names. He is the traveler on the path frequented by the Gopis (always accompanies the gopis and the gopas).

गोपीमण्डलगोष्ठीभेदं भेदावस्थमभेदाभं 

शश्वद्गोखुरनिर्धूतोद्गतधूलीधूसरसौभाग्यम् |

श्रद्धाभक्तिगृहीतानन्दमचिन्त्यं चिन्तितसद्भावं 

चिन्तामणिमहिमानं प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम्  ||

gopImaNDala-ghoShTIbhrdam bhedAvasthamabhedAbham

shaShwadgokhura-nirdhUtodgata-dhUlIdhUsara saubhAgyam

shraddAbhaktigruhItAnandam-achintyam chintita-sadbhAvam

chintAmNimahimAnam praNamata govindam paramAnandam  (5)

Bow down to Govinda, the Supreme Bliss, who is surrounded by the groups of Gopis, experiencing differences and appearing as one. He is covered with the dust continuously stirred by the hooves of cows, considered fortunate and auspicious. Held by faith and devotion, he is the inconceivable bliss and contemplated true nature, with the greatness of a Chintamani gem.

स्नानव्याकुलयोशिद्वस्त्रमुपादायागमुपारूढं 

व्यादित्सन्तिरथ  दिग्वस्त्रा  ह्युपदातुमुपाकर्षन्तम्  |

निर्धूतद्वयशोकविमोहं बुद्धं  बुद्धेरन्तस्थं 

सत्तामात्रशरीरं  प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ||

snAnavyAkulayoshidvastramupAdAyAgamupArUDham

vyAditsantiratha digvastrA hyupadAtumupAkarShantam

nirdhUta-dvaya-shoka-vimoham buddham buddherantastham

sattA-mAtra-sharIram praNamata govindam paramAnandam  (6)

Bow down to Govinda, the Supreme Bliss, who took the clothes of bathing women and climbed a tree. He made those women, who tried to get back their clothes, come near Him. He is free from duality, sorrow, and delusion, the enlightened one residing within the intellect, whose body is pure existence.

कान्तं कारणकारणमादिमनादिं कालमनाभासं  

कालिन्दीगतकालियशिरसि सुनृत्यन्तं मुहुरत्यन्तम् |

कालं कालकलातीतं कलिताशेषं कलिदोषघ्नम् 

कालत्रयगतिहेतुं  प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ||

kAntam kAraNa-kAraNam-Adim-anAdim kAlamanAbhAsam

kAlindI-gata-kAliya-shirasi sunrutyantam muhuratyantam

kAlam kAlakalAtItam kalitAseSham kalidoShaghnam

kAlatrayagatihetum praNamata govindam paramAnandam  (7)

Bow down to Govinda, the Supreme Bliss, who is beloved and charming, the cause of all causes, beginningless and beyond time. He danced beautifully again and again on the head of (serpent) Kaliya in the Yamuna (river). He is time and beyond the measures of time, comprehending everything, and the destroyer of the faults/ills/evils of Kali Yuga. He is the cause of movement through the three phases of time (past, present, future).

वृन्दावनभुवि वृन्दारकगण वृन्दाराध्यं वन्देऽहं  

कुन्दाभामलमन्दस्मेरसुधानन्दं सुह्रुदानन्दम् |

वन्द्येशेषमहामुनिमानसवन्द्यानन्दपदद्वन्द्वं 

वन्द्याशेषगुणाब्धिं  प्रणमत गोविन्दं परमानन्दम् ||

vrundAvanabhuvi vrundArakagaNa vrundArAdhyam vandeham

kundAbhAmala-manda-smera-sudhAnandam suhrudAnandam

vandyesheSha-mahA-muni-mAnasa-vandyAnanda-pada-dwandwam

vandyAsheShaguNAbdhim praNamata govindam paramAnandam  (8)

Bow down to Govinda, the Supreme Bliss who, in the land of Vrindavan, is worshipped by the cowherds and who has a pure gentle smile like a Kunda (Jasmine) flower, who brings nectar-like bliss and joy to his friends, whose two feet are worshipped by the great sages that are worshipped by us all, and who is the ocean of all virtues.

गोविन्दाष्टकमेतदधीते गोविन्दार्पितचेता यो 

गोविन्दाच्युत माधव विष्णो गोकुलनायक कृष्णेति  |

गोविन्दाङ्घ्रिसरोजध्यानसुधाजलधौतसमस्ताघो 

गोविन्दं परमानन्दामृतमन्तःस्थं स तमभ्येति  ||

govindAShTakam-etad-adhIte govindArpitachetA yo

govindAchyuta mAdhava viShNo gokulanAyaka kruShNeti

govindAnghri-saroja-dhyAna-sudhAjala-dhauta-samastAgho

govindam paramAnandAmrutam-antahstham sa tam-abhyeti (9)

He who reads this Govinda Ashtakam with a mind dedicated to Govinda, who thinks of Govinda, Acyuta, Madhava, Vishnu, as Gokula’s leader (Gokulanaayaka), Krishna, with all sins washed away by the nectar of meditation on Govinda's lotus feet, attains Govinda, the Supreme Bliss, who dwells within as nectar.

||  इति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्य विरचितं  श्रीगोविन्दाष्टकं  संपूर्णम्  ||