Mukunda-Mālā-Stotram

ghuśyate yasya nagare

ranga-yātrā dine-dine |

tamaham śirasā vande

rājānām kulaśekharaṁ ||

I bow to King Kulashekhara, in whose land pilgrims come to see Lord Ranganatha everyday.

śrī-vallabheti vara-deti dayā-pareti

bhakta-priyeti bhava-luṇṭhana-kovideti |

nātheti nāga-śayaneti jagan-nivāsety

ālāpanaḿ prati-dinaṁ kuru me mukunda || 1 ||

O my Lord! You are the only one who can deliver me. Please make me capable of praising You every day by chanting your Divine Names such as: Sri Vallabha (the One who is dear to Maha-Lakshmi), Varada (the giver of boons), Dayapara (He who is Merciful), Bhakta-priya (He who is dear to His devotees), Bhava-lunthana-kovida (He who can break the bonds of samsara), Natha (the Supreme Lord Himself), Naga-sayana (He who rests on the snake Ādiśeṣa), and Jagan-nivasa (the One who pervades this universe).

jayatu jayatu devo devakī-nandano ‘yaṁ

jayatu jayatu kṛṣṇo vṛṣṇi-vaṁśa-pradīpaḥ |

jayatu jayatu megha-śyāmalaḥ komalāńgo

jayatu jayatu pṛthvī-bhāra-nāśo mukundaḥ || 2 ||

All glories to the son of Devaki, Krishna, who belongs to the Vrishni dynasty. All glories to Him who is as dark as a rain cloud and who has a beautiful body. All glories to Mukunda who lightens the burden of the Earth.

mukunda mūrdhnā praṇipatya yāce

bhavantaṁ ekāntaṁ iyantam arthaṁ |

avismṛtis tvac-caraṇāravinde

bhave bhave me ‘stu bhavat-prasādāt || 3 ||

O Mukunda! I bow my head and beg You to fulfil one desire of mine: in this life and in future ones, I should, by Your mercy, always remember You and never forget Your Lotus Feet.

nāhaḿ vande tava caraṇayor dvandvam advandva-hetoḥ

kumbhīpākaṁ gurum api hare nārakaṁ nāpanetuṁ |

ramyā-rāmā-mṛdu-tanu-latā nandane nāpi rantuṁ

bhāve bhāve hṛdaya-bhavane bhāvayeyaṁ bhavantaṁ || 4 ||

O Lord I do not bow before Your Holy Feet, to be saved from the dualities of material existence, nor to be protected from the Kumbhipaka hell (a hell where one is roasted in boiling oil). I do not pray to You to enjoy heavenly gardens or the bodies of beautiful women. I am only praying that, birth after birth, I am able to remember You in the core of my heart.

nāsthā dharme na vasu-nicaye naiva kāmopabhoge

yad yad bhāvyaṁ tad bhavatu bhagavan pūrva-karmānurūpaṁ |

etat prārthyaṁ mama bahu mataṁ janma-janmāntare ‘pi

tvat-pādāmbhoruha-yuga-gatā niścalā bhaktir astu || 5 ||

I have no interest in just fulfilling dharmic principles, nor in the collection of wealth and assets, nor in passion and making love. For what has been decided by You, will come to me in the form of karmas of the past. But I do have one soulful prayer to Thee, my Lord, in this birth and what follows: let me have unwavering devotion to Your Lotus Feet.

divi vā bhuvi vā mamāstu vāso

narake vā narakāntaka prakāmaṁ |

avadhīrita-śāradāravindau

caraṇau te maraṇe’pi cintayāmi || 6 ||

Lord, who is the killer of Narakasura (the demon who ruled hell and held 16,000 women as prisoners)! Let me be in this world, or in the heavens or even in hell, but let me remember until death Your Feet which surpass the beauty of a lotus growing in the spring season.

kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam

adyaiva me viśatu mānasa-rāja-haṁsaḥ |

prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ

kaṇṭhāvarodhana-vidhau smaraṇaṁ kutas te || 7 ||

When the soul is ready to depart, bile, air and phlegm will choke my throat. How will I ever remember Your Holy Name? Please therefore place my mind, which is like a royal swan, in the cage of Your Lotus Feet.

cintayāmi hariṁ eva santataṁ

manda manda hāsitānanāmbujam |

nanda-gopa-tanayaṁ parāt param

nāradādi-muni-vṛnda-vanditam || 8 ||

I always think of Hari, whose joyful smile adorns His lotus face. He is the son of Nanda- gopa, and the Truth of truths, who is worshipped by great sages like Narada.

kara-caraṇa-saroje kāntiman-netra-mīne

śrama-muṣi bhuja-vīci-vyākule ‘gādha-mārge |

hari-sarasi vigāhyāpīya tejo-jalaughaṁ

bhava-maru-parikhinnaḥ khedamadya tyajāmi || 9 ||

I am exhausted by this material world, so let me drink the water from the pond of Hari and cast aside my worries in His glory. In this pond, His hands and Feet are the lotus flowers, and His shining eyes are the beautiful fish. His arms remove waves of agitation, fatigue and intense illness, relieving one of all tiredness.

sarasija-nayane saśaṅkha-cakre

murabhidi mā viramasva citta rantum |

sukhataram aparaṁ na jātu jāne

hari-caraṇa-smaraṇāmṛtena tulyam || 10 ||

O mind, never stop thinking of Him, who has lotus eyes, bears the Śaṅkha and Cakra, and killed the asura called Mura. For I do not know any other pleasure as great as remembering the nectar-like Feet of Sri Hari.

mābhīr manda-mano vicintya bahudhā yamīś ciraṁ yātanāḥ

nāmī naḥ prabhavanti pāpa-ripavaḥ svāmī nanu śrīdharaḥ |

ālasyaṁ vyapanīya bhakti-sulabhaṁ dhyāyasva nārāyaṇam

lokasya vyasanāpanodana-karo dāsasya kiṁ na kṣamaḥ || 11 ||

O my foolish idiotic mind, do not worry and think upon the pains that Yamaraj will give. How can your enemies and sin ever touch you? Is not your Master the great Lord Sridhara? Abandon all hesitation, and pray to Lord Narayana who can easily be attained through devotion. Is there anything that the great remover of the world’s troubles will not do for His servant?

bhava-jaladhi-gatānāṁ dvandva-vātāhatānāṁ

suta-duhitṛ-kalatra-trāṇa-bhārārditānām |

viṣama-viṣaya-toye majjatām āplavānāṁ

bhavatu śaraṇam eko viṣṇu-poto narāṇām || 12 ||

People in this ocean of samsara are tossed, here and there, by the cyclones of love and hate. Carrying the burden of son, daughter and wife, drowning in this troublesome sea of attachments, they have no boat to save them. Surrender to Lord Vishnu is the only way they can be rescued.

bhava-jaladhim agādhaṁ dustaraṁ nistareyaṁ

katham aham iti ceto mā sma gāḥ kātaratvam |

sarasija-dṛśi deve tāvakī bhaktir ekā

naraka-bhidi niṣaṇṇā tārayiṣyaty avaśyam || 13 ||

O mind! Do not worry about how you can cross this deep ocean of material existence. Single-minded devotion to the Lord who killed the demon Naraka will certainly take you across without fail.

tṛṣṇā-toye madana-pavanoddhūta-mohormi-māle

dārāvarte tanaya-sahaja-grāha-saṅghākule ca |

saṁsārākhye mahati jaladhau majjatāṁ nas tri-dhāman

pādāmbhoje varada bhavato bhakti-nāvaṁ prayaccha || 14 ||

O Lord, we are drowning in this ocean of birth and death, which is filled with the water of material attachment, with many waves created by the wind of desire, with whirlpools which are wives, with shoals that are our children and brothers, and sharks which are our numerous other relatives. O Lord, please give me the boat of devotion that will save me and take me to Your Feet.

mā drākṣaṁ kṣīṇa-puṇyān kṣaṇam api bhavato bhakti-hīnān padābje

mā śrauṣaṁ śrāvya-bandhaṁ tava caritam apāsyānyad-ākhyāna-jātam |

mā smārṣaṁ mādhava tvām api bhuvana-pate cetasāpahnuvānān

mā bhūvaṁ tvat-saparyā-vyatikara-rahito janma-janmāntare’pi || 15 ||

O Lord! Do not let my glances fall on those who do not have devotion to Your Feet. Do not let me hear any other thing, except the stories of Your glorious deeds. Let me not pay attention to those who do not think of You, O Madhava. Allow me instead to serve You, birth after birth.

jihve kīrtaya keśavaṁ mura-ripuṁ ceto bhaja śrīdharam

pāṇi-dvandva-samarcayācyuta-kathāḥ śrotra-dvaya tvaṁ śṛṇu |

kṛṣṇaṁ lokaya locana-dvaya harer gacchāṅghri-yugmālayam

jighra ghrāṇa mukunda-pada-tulasīṁ mūrdhan namādhokṣajam || 16||

O tongue, sing the praises of Keshava. O mind, praise the Lord who killed Mura. O hands, serve the Lord Sridhara. O ears, hear the stories extolling Acyuta. O eyes, see always Lord Krishna. O feet, go to the temples of Hari. O nose, smell the Tulsi, from the Feet of Lord Mukunda. O head, bow before Lord Adhokshaja (the One beyond our senses).

he lokāḥ śrīnuta prasuti-marana-vyadhes cikitsaṁ imam

yoga-jñaḥ samudaharanti munayo yaṁ yajñavalkyadayah |

antar-jyotir ameyaṁ ekam amṛtaṁ kṛṣṇākhyam āpīyatām

tat pitaṁ paramauṣadhaṁ vitanute nirvanam atyantikam || 17 ||

Listen people of the world! Hear the solution to birth, death and disease. This has been told by great sages such as Yajnavalkya (from the Upanishads) who are immersed in divine realisation: within you there is one supreme Light, the immortal and immeasurable Krishna. Take this nectar. When it is drunk, it will give you final liberation which is complete and eternal.

he martyāḥ paramaṁ hitaṁ śrīnuta vo vakṣyami saṅkṣepataḥ

saṁsārarnavam apad-urmi-bahulaṁ samyak pravisya sthitaḥ |

nana-jñanam apasya cetasi namo nārāyaṇayety amum

mantraṁ sa-pranavaṁ pranāma-sahitaṁ pravartayadhvaṁ muhuḥ || 18 ||

Listen people of this world! Hear what is really good for you. In the clearest possible way I will tell you: you are all drowning in the ocean of samsara. Its waves bring nothing but troubles and dangerous situations. So, abandon all other kinds of knowledge, chant continuously in your mind ‘om namo narayanaya’, and bow before your Lord with love.

pṛthvī-reṇur aṇuḥ payāṁsi kaṇikāḥ phalguḥ sphuliṅgo laghuḥ

tejo niḥśvasanaṁ marut tanutaraṁ randhraṁ su-sūkṣmaṁ nabhaḥ |

kṣudrā rudra-pitāmaha-prabhṛtayaḥ kiṭāḥ samastāḥ surāḥ

dṛṣṭe yatra sa tāvako vijayate bhūma-avadhūtāvadhiḥ || 19 ||

Once the Lord has been seen, this Earth becomes just a particle of dust. The oceans become a single droplet. The raging fires become tiny sparks. The blowing winds become just a faint breath. All space becomes a small hole. The lords, Shiva and Brahmā, become lesser manifestations, and all the Devas become like tiny insects. The magnificence of Lord Mukunda transcends all kinds of limitations.

baddhenāñjalinā natena śirasā gātraiḥ sa-romodgamaiḥ

kaṇṭhena svara-gadgadena nayanenodgīrṇa-bāṣpāmbunā |

nityaṁ tvac-caraṇāravinda-yugala-dhyānāmṛtāsvādinām

asmākaṁ sarasīruhākṣa satataṁ sampadyatāṁ jīvitam || 20 ||

Lord! Please allow our lives to be fully immersed in You. With bowed head and joined hands, we pray for Your grace and protection. Our body is thrilled, with hairs standing on end, and with a choked voice we repeat Your Names. With deep devotion, our eyes are drowning in tears of joy due to meditating on the nectar of Your Lotus Feet.

he gopālaka he kṛpā-jalanidhe he sindhu-kanyā-pate

he kaṁsāntaka he gajendra-karuṇā-pārīṇa he mādhava |

he rāmānuja he jagat-traya-guro he puṇḍarīkākṣa māṁ

he gopījana-nātha pālaya paraṁ jānāmi na tvāṁ vinā || 21 ||

Hey Gopala! O ocean of mercy! O husband of Lakshmi, the daughter of the sea. O slayer of Kamsa. O Lord who showered mercy on the king of elephants. O Madhava! O younger brother of Balarāma! O Lord of the three worlds! O lotus-eyed Lord of the gopīs! Come to save me, for I know of no one greater than You.

bhaktāpāya-bhujaṅga-gāruḍa-maṇis trailokya-rakṣā-maṇiḥ

gopī-locana-cāṭakāmbuda-maṇiḥ saundarya-mudrā-maṇiḥ |

yaḥ kānta-maṇi-rukmiṇī-ghana-kuca-dvandvaika-bhūṣā-maṇiḥ

śreyo deva-śikhā-maṇir diśatu no gopāla-cūḍā-maṇiḥ || 22 ||

O jewel, like Garuda (who protects us from the snake of worldly life). O jewel, taking care of all the three worlds. O jewel, attracting the chataka bird-like eyes of the gopīs. O jewel, set in all rings and beauty! You are the only jewel on the chest of Rukmini, who Herself is a jewel among Your wives. You are the crown jewel of all the gods. Hey Gopala, You Yourself are the supreme jewel. Please show us the way.

śatru-cchedaika-mantraṁ sakalaṁ upaniṣad-vākya-sampūjya-mantraṁ

saṁsārottāra-mantraṁ samupacita-tamasaḥ saṅgha-niryāṇa-mantram |

sarvaiśvaryaika-mantraṁ vyasana-bhujaga-sandaṣṭa-santrāṇa-mantraṁ

jihve śrī-kṛṣṇa-mantraṁ japa japa satataṁ janma-sāphalya-mantram || 23 ||

The Holy Name of Krishna is the mantra which takes away all obstacles, it is the essence of all the great statements of the Upanishads, and it rescues us from samsara. This mantra drives away the darkness of ignorance, grants us freedom and mastery, and cures the snake bite of worldly worries. And so, O tongue, always chant the Name of Sri Krishna and gain the fruit of life itself.

vyāmoha-praśamauṣadhaṁ muni-mano-vṛtti-pravṛtty-auṣadhaṁ

daityendrārti-karauṣadhaṁ tri-bhuvane sañjīvanaikauṣadham |

bhaktātyanta-hitauṣadhaṁ bhava-bhaya-pradhvaṁsanaikauṣadhaṁ

śreyaḥ-prāpti-karauṣadhaṁ piba manaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-divyauṣadham || 24 ||

This Name of Sri Krishna is the medicine that cures worldly desires, inspires the minds of sages to meditate, overpowers the Daitya (Asuras), and gives life to the three worlds. It bestows unlimited blessings upon devotees of the Lord, and cures the fear of material existence. This holy medicine of Sri Krishna’s Name brings all glory!

āmnāyābhyasanāny araṇya-ruditaṁ veda-vratāny anv-aham

medas-cheda-phalāni pūrta-vidhayaḥ sarve hutaṁ bhasmani |

tīrthānām avagāhanāni ca gaja-snānaṁ vinā yat-pada-

dvandvāmbhoruha-saṁsmṛtiṁ vijayate devaḥ sa nārāyaṇah || 25 ||

All glory to Lord Narayana! Without remembering Him, all recitation of holy words is but a cry in the forest, observing the severe penances of the Vedas is just a way of losing weight, holy sacrifices are nothing but pouring ghee into ashes, and bathing in holy rivers is just the same as the bath of an elephant.

śrīman-nāma procya nārāyaṇākhyaṁ

ke na prāpur vāñchitaṁ pāpino’pi |

hā naḥ pūrvaṁ vāk-pravṛttā na tasmin

tena prāptaṁ garbha-vāsādi-duḥkham || 26 ||

By calling aloud the Name of Lord Narayana, even the worst sinner is blessed with his desires. If only we had used the power of speech in this way, we would have saved ourselves from so many miseries, such as living in the womb.

maj-janmanaḥ phalaṁ idaṁ madhu-kaitabhāre

mat-prārthanīya-mad-anugraha eṣa eva |

tvad-bhṛtya-bhṛtya-paricāraka-bhṛtya-bhṛtya-

bhṛtyasya bhṛtya iti māṁ smara loka-nātha || 27 ||

O Lord who killed Madhu and Kaitabha! O Lord of the world! The fruit of my life, and the greatest mercy You could show me, would be to make me a servant of the servant, of Your servant’s servant, who is the servant who serves You.

nāthe naḥ puruṣottame tri-jagatām ekādhipe cetasā

sevye svasya padasya dātari sure nārāyaṇe tiṣṭhati |

yaṁ kañcit puruṣādhamaṁ katipaya-grāmeśam alpārtha-daṁ

sevāyai mṛgayāmahe naram aho mūkā varākā vayam || 28 ||

Our Lord Narayana, the Supreme Person, who alone rules the three worlds, who can be served by absorbing our mind in Him, has personally appeared before us to share His heavenly abode. Yet we shamefully beg lowly men, who rule a few villages, for petty rewards and service. What foolish people we are!

madana parihara sthitiṁ madīye

manasi mukunda-padāravinda-dhāmni |

hara-nayana-kṛśānunā kṛśo’si

smarasi na cakra-parākramaṁ murāreḥ || 29 ||

O Kamadeva, get away from my mind, for it is occupied by the Lotus Feet of Mukunda. You have already been burnt by the fire of Lord Shiva’s glance. So, why have you forgotten the cakra of Lord Murari?

tattvaṁ bruvāṇāni paraṁ parasmāt

madhu kṣarantīva sataṁ phalāni |

pravartaya prāñjalir asmi jihve

nāmāni nārāyaṇa-gocarāṇi || 30 ||

My dear tongue, I pray to you with hands together: Chant the Names of Lord Narayana. They describe the supreme absolute Truth. Dripping with sweet honey, they give the utmost pleasure.

idaṁ śarīraṁ pariṇāma-peśalaṁ

pataty avaśyaṁ śata-sandhi-jarjaraṁ |

kim auṣadhaṁ pṛcchasi mūḍha durmate

nirāmayaṁ kṛṣṇa-rasāyaṇaṁ piba || 31 ||

This body is constantly changing. It is attractive in youth, but will one day fall, after its hundred joints stiffen due to old age. Why are you in search of so many other medicines? You fool, just drink the elixir that is Lord Krishna.

dārāvārākara-vara-sutā te tanūjo viriñciḥ

stotā vedas tava sura-gaṇā bhṛtya-vargaḥ prasādaḥ |

muktir māyā jagad avikalaṁ tāvakī devakī te

mātā mitraṁ bala-ripu-sutas tvayyato ‘nyanna jāne || 32 ||

Your wife is the daughter of the sea, and Your son is Brahmā, who created the world. The Vedas sing Your praises, the Devas are Your attendants, and liberation from this world is Your grace. Devaki is Your mother, and Arjuna, the invincible enemy, is Your friend. For these reasons I have no interest in anyone else but You.

kṛṣṇo rakṣatu no jagat-traya-guruḥ kṛṣṇaṁ namasyāmyahaṁ

kṛṣṇenāmara-śatravo vinihatāḥ kṛṣṇāya tubhyaṁ namaḥ |

kṛṣṇādeva samutthitaṁ jagad idaṁ kṛṣṇasya dāso’smyahaṁ

kṛṣṇe tiṣṭhati sarvam etad akhilaṁ he kṛṣṇa rakṣasva māṁ || 33 ||

May Krishna, the Teacher of the three worlds, protect us. Let us constantly bow down before Krishna. Krishna has killed all our enemies in this universe. Salutations to Krishna! All the world has come from Krishna. I am the humble servant of Krishna. All the world is within Krishna. O Krishna, protect me forever.

tat tvaṁ prasīda bhagavan kuru mayy anāthe

viṣṇo kṛpāṁ parama-kāruṇikaḥ khila tvam |

saṁsāra-sāgara-nimagnam ananta dīnam

uddhartum arhasi hare puruṣottamo’si || 34 ||

Hey Bhagavān! Shower Your grace on me. You are Vishnu, who is the most merciful. This helpless soul is drowning in the endless ocean of material life, and You alone can save me. O Hari! You are the Purushottama – The Supreme Person.

namāmi nārāyaṇa-pāda-paṅkajaṁ

karomi nārāyaṇa-pūjanaṁ sadā |

vadāmi nārāyaṇa-nāma nirmalaṁ

smarāmi nārāyaṇa-tattvam avyayam || 35 ||

At every moment I bow down to the Lotus Feet of Narayana, I perform worship to Narayana, I recite the pure Names of Narayana, and I meditate on the infallible Truth of Narayana.

śrī-nātha nārāyaṇa vāsudeva

śrī-kṛṣṇa bhakta-priya cakra-pāṇe |

śrī-padmanābhācyuta kaitabhāre

śrī-rāma padmākṣa hare murāre || 36 ||

Sri Natha (Lord of Lakshmi), Narayana, Vasudeva, Sri Krishna, Bhakta-priya (beloved of Your devotees), Chakrapani (wielder of the holy wheel), Sri Padmanabha (the One who has the lotus coming from His navel), Acyuta (the Immovable), Kaitabhare (slayer of the demon Kaitabha), Sri Rama, Padmaksha (Lotus-eyed Lord), Hari, Murari (He who killed Mura)!

ananta vaikuṇṭha mukunda kṛṣṇa

govinda dāmodara mādhaveti |

vaktuṁ samartho’pi na vakti kaścit

aho janānāṁ vyasanābhimukhyam || 37 ||

O Ananta (Infinite One), Vaikuntha, Mukunda, Krishna, Govinda, Damodara (He who was tied by a rope in His belly), Madhava (the One who is sweet)! All of us can call You by any of these Names, but we never take the chance. See how eager we all are to fall from grace!

dhyāyanti ye viṣṇum anantam avyayam

hṛt-padma-madhye satataṁ vyavasthitam |

samāhitānāṁ satatābhaya-pradaṁ

te yānti siddhiṁ paramāṁ ca vaiṣṇavīm || 38 ||

The Lord, who is present in the core of the heart, grants fearlessness to those who fix their minds upon Him. He who meditates on Vishnu, the limitless and imperishable, will reach the perfection of what it is to be a Vaishnava.

kṣīra-sāgara-taraṅga-śīkarā-

sāra-tārakita-cāru-mūrtaye |

bhogi-bhoga-śayanīya-śāyine

mādhavāya madhu-vidviṣe namaḥ || 39 ||

All glories to Madhava, the slayer of Madhu! He rests on the serpent Ananta, and is decorated by the spray of drops from the Ocean of Milk, adorning Him like a cluster of stars.

yasya priyau śruti-dharau kavi-loka-vīrau mitre dvi-janma-vara-padma-

śarāv abhūtām |tenāmbujākṣa-caraṇāmbuja-ṣaṭ-padena rājñā kṛtā kṛtir iyaṁ

kulaśekhareṇa || 40 ||

This poem was written by King Kulashekhara. He has two dear friends who are heroes among the poets and learned in the scriptures. They are like two beautiful lotus flowers growing amongst the twice born. The king offers this like a bumble bee hovering around the Lotus Feet of the lotus-eyed Lord.