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Mantra · A Chera king's 40 Sanskrit verses asking Mukunda for one gift

Mukundamala Stotram

श्रीवल्लभेति वरदेति दयापरेति भक्तप्रियेति भवलुण्ठनकोविदेति । नाथेति नागशयनेति जगन्निवासेत्यालापिनं प्रतिदिनं कुरु मां मुकुन्द ॥

Also known as Shrivallabheti Varadeti

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

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What the Mukundamala Stotram is

The Mukundamala Stotram, the "garland for Mukunda", is a Sanskrit hymn of forty verses addressed to Krishna, whom it calls by many names: Mukunda, Hari, Narayana, Madhava and the son of Devaki. Its author is Kulashekhara Alvar, the Chera king of Kerala counted among the twelve Alvars, and the only Alvar whose poetry survives in Sanskrit as well as Tamil; he signs the work in the closing verse as King Kulashekhara, a bee at the lotus feet of the lotus-eyed Lord. The verses do not tell a story. They move between petition and self-reproach: the poet asks for unbroken remembrance in every birth, refuses heaven and even release as rewards, scolds his own mind and tongue, pictures worldly life as a sea crossed only by the boat of devotion, and turns in Verse 18 to urge every listener toward Om Namo Narayanaya. The metres change from verse to verse.

The king who would be a temple step

The Sri Vaishnava hagiographies make Kulashekhara a king born at Tiruvanchikkulam in the Chera country under the star Punarvasu in the month of Masi, the star of Rama, and tradition counts him an incarnation of the Kaustubha gem on Vishnu's chest. According to tradition his devotion kept breaking through his royal duties. Hearing a recital of the Ramayana reach the moment when Rama faced the demons Khara and Dushana alone, he is said to have risen and ordered his army to march to Rama's side, sitting down only when the reciter told him the battle was already won. Another account tells how jealous ministers blamed his devotee guests for a jewel missing from the shrine; the king put his hand into a pot holding a cobra to prove their innocence, and the snake left him unharmed. In the end he gave up the throne and went to Srirangam, where the Mukundamala is said to have been completed. His wish to lie as a step before the Lord gave the inner threshold of the Tirumala sanctum the name Kulashekhara Padi. Scholars generally identify the poet with Kulashekhara Varma, the ninth-century dramatist-king of Mahodayapuram, which would fit the closing verse's mention of two Brahmin friends who were poets.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiश्रीवल्लभेति वरदेति दयापरेति भक्तप्रियेति भवलुण्ठनकोविदेति । नाथेति नागशयनेति जगन्निवासेत्यालापिनं प्रतिदिनं कुरु मां मुकुन्द ॥

Tamilஶ்ரீவல்லபேதி வரதேதி தயாபரேதி பக்தப்ரியேதி பவலுண்டநகோவிதேதி । நாதேதி நாகஶயநேதி ஜகந்நிவாஸேத்யாலாபிநம் ப்ரதிதிநம் குரு மாம் முகுந்த ॥

Teluguశ్రీవల్లభేతి వరదేతి దయాపరేతి భక్తప్రియేతి భవలుణ్ఠనకోవిదేతి । నాథేతి నాగశయనేతి జగన్నివాసేత్యాలాపినం ప్రతిదినం కురు మాం ముకున్ద ॥

Kannadaಶ್ರೀವಲ್ಲಭೇತಿ ವರದೇತಿ ದಯಾಪರೇತಿ ಭಕ್ತಪ್ರಿಯೇತಿ ಭವಲುಣ್ಠನಕೋವಿದೇತಿ । ನಾಥೇತಿ ನಾಗಶಯನೇತಿ ಜಗನ್ನಿವಾಸೇತ್ಯಾಲಾಪಿನಂ ಪ್ರತಿದಿನಂ ಕುರು ಮಾಂ ಮುಕುನ್ದ ॥

Malayalamശ്രീവല്ലഭേതി വരദേതി ദയാപരേതി ഭക്തപ്രിയേതി ഭവലുണ്ഠനകോവിദേതി । നാഥേതി നാഗശയനേതി ജഗന്നിവാസേത്യാലാപിനം പ്രതിദിനം കുരു മാം മുകുന്ദ ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationśrīvallabheti varadeti dayāpareti bhaktapriyeti bhavaluṇṭhanakovideti | nātheti nāgaśayaneti jagannivāsetyālāpinaṃ pratidinaṃ kuru māṃ mukunda ||

“O Mukunda, make me one who calls out to you every day: Beloved of Shri, Giver of boons, Compassionate one, Lover of devotees, Expert at ending the cycle of birth, Lord, One who rests on the serpent, Dwelling place of the world.”

श्रीवल्लभेति: śrīvallabheti — O beloved of Shri
वरदेति: varadeti — O giver of boons
दयापरेति: dayāpareti — O compassionate one
भक्तप्रियेति: bhaktapriyeti — O lover of devotees
भवलुण्ठनकोविदेति: bhavaluṇṭhanakovideti — O one skilled in plundering worldly bondage
नाथेति: nātheti — O Lord
नागशयनेति: nāgaśayaneti — O one who rests on the serpent
जगन्निवासेत्यालापिनं: jagannivāsetyālāpinaṃ — O dwelling of the world, (so) calling out
प्रतिदिनं: pratidinaṃ — every day
कुरु: kuru — make
मां: māṃ — me
मुकुन्द: mukunda — O Mukunda

Mukundamala Stotram lyrics in full

The forty verses as printed in the South Indian Sri Vaishnava tradition, ending with the author's own signature verse.

All 41 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Mukundamala Stotram PDFAll 41 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

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Verse 1

श्रीवल्लभेति वरदेति दयापरेति भक्तप्रियेति भवलुण्ठनकोविदेति ।
नाथेति नागशयनेति जगन्निवासेत्यालापिनं प्रतिदिनं कुरु मां मुकुन्द ॥

O Mukunda, make me one who calls out to you every day: Beloved of Shri, Giver of boons, Compassionate one, Lover of devotees, Expert at ending the cycle of birth, Lord, One who rests on the serpent, Dwelling place of the world.

Verse 2

जयतु जयतु देवो देवकीनन्दनोऽयं जयतु जयतु कृष्णो वृष्णिवंशप्रदीपः ।
जयतु जयतु मेघश्यामलः कोमलाङ्गो जयतु जयतु पृथ्वीभारनाशो मुकुन्दः ॥

Victory, victory to this God, the son of Devaki. Victory, victory to Krishna, the lamp of the Vrishni clan. Victory, victory to the tender-limbed one, dark as a rain cloud. Victory, victory to Mukunda, who removes the burden of the earth.

Verse 3

मुकुन्द मूर्ध्ना प्रणिपत्य याचे भवन्तमेकान्तमियन्तमर्थम् ।
अविस्मृतिस्त्वच्चरणारविन्दे भवे भवे मेऽस्तु भवत्प्रसादात् ॥

O Mukunda, bowing my head to you, I ask you for this one thing alone: by your grace, in birth after birth, may I never forget your lotus feet.

Verse 4

नाहं वन्दे तव चरणयोर्द्वन्द्वमद्वन्द्वहेतोः कुम्भीपाकं गुरुमपि हरे नारकं नापनेतुम् ।
रम्या रामा मृदुतनुलता नन्दने नापि रन्तुं भावे भावे हृदयभवने भावयेयं भवन्तम् ॥

O Hari, I do not worship your two feet to gain freedom from all opposites, nor to escape the dreadful hell of Kumbhipaka, nor to enjoy the lovely, soft-limbed maidens of the heavenly garden. I ask only that in every state of being I may hold you in the dwelling of my heart.

Verse 5

नास्था धर्मे न वसुनिचये नैव कामोपभोगे यद् भाव्यं तद् भवतु भगवन्पूर्वकर्मानुरूपम् ।
एतत्प्रार्थ्यं मम बहुमतं जन्मजन्मान्तरेऽपि त्वत्पादाम्भोरुहयुगगता निश्चला भक्तिरस्तु ॥

I have no longing for religious merit, for heaps of wealth, or for the enjoyment of pleasures. O Lord, let whatever must happen happen according to my past deeds. This alone is my cherished prayer: in this birth and every birth after it, may I have unwavering devotion to your two lotus feet.

Verse 6

दिवि वा भुवि वा ममास्तु वासो नरके वा नरकान्तक प्रकामम् ।
अवधीरितशारदारविन्दौ चरणौ ते मरणेऽपि चिन्तयामि ॥

O slayer of Naraka, let my dwelling be in heaven, on earth or even in hell, as you will. Even at the hour of death I will meditate on your feet, which outshine the lotuses of autumn.

Verse 7

कृष्ण त्वदीयपदपङ्कजपञ्जरान्तमद्यैव मे विशतु मानसराजहंसः ।
प्राणप्रयाणसमये कफवातपित्तैः कण्ठावरोधनविधौ स्मरणं कुतस्ते ॥

O Krishna, let the royal swan of my mind enter the cage of your lotus feet this very day. When life is departing and the throat is choked with phlegm, wind and bile, how could I remember you then?

Verse 8

चिन्तयामि हरिमेव सन्ततं मन्दमन्दहसिताननाम्बुजम् ।
नन्दगोपतनयं परात्परं नारदादिमुनिवृन्दवन्दितम् ॥

I meditate always on Hari alone, whose lotus face wears a gentle smile, the son of the cowherd Nanda, higher than the highest, worshipped by Narada and the host of sages.

Verse 9

करचरणसरोजे कान्तिमन्नेत्रमीने श्रममुषि भुजवीचिव्याकुलेऽगाधमार्गे ।
हरिसरसि विगाह्यापीय तेजोजलौघं भवमरुपरिखिन्नः खेदमद्य त्यजामि ॥

Hari is a fathomless lake whose lotuses are his hands and feet, whose fish are his shining eyes, whose waves are his arms, and which takes away all weariness. Worn out in the desert of worldly life, I plunge into it, drink deep of its flood of radiance, and today cast off my fatigue.

Verse 10

सरसिजनयने सशङ्खचक्रे मुरभिदि मा विरमस्व चित्त रन्तुम् ।
सुखतरमपरं न जातु जाने हरिचरणस्मरणामृतेन तुल्यम् ॥

O mind, do not stop delighting in the lotus-eyed slayer of Mura who holds the conch and discus. I know of nothing more joyful, nothing equal to the nectar of remembering Hari's feet.

Verse 11

माभीर्मन्दमनो विचिन्त्य बहुधा यामीश्चिरं यातना नामी नः प्रभवन्ति पापरिपवः स्वामी ननु श्रीधरः ।
आलस्यं व्यपनीय भक्तिसुलभं ध्यायस्व नारायणं लोकस्य व्यसनापनोदनकरो दासस्य किं न क्षमः ॥

O dull mind, do not be afraid by brooding again and again on the long torments sent by Yama. These enemies, our sins, have no power over us, for our master is Shridhara. Shake off laziness and meditate on Narayana, who is easily reached through devotion. He who removes the troubles of the whole world, can he not help his own servant?

Verse 12

भवजलधिगतानां द्वन्द्ववाताहतानां सुतदुहितृकलत्रत्राणभारार्दितानाम् ।
विषमविषयतोये मज्जतामप्लवानां भवतु शरणमेको विष्णुपोतो नराणाम् ॥

People are cast into the ocean of worldly life, battered by the winds of pleasure and pain, weighed down by the burden of protecting sons, daughters and wife, and sinking without a raft in the treacherous waters of sense objects. For them, may Vishnu alone be the ship of refuge.

Verse 13

भवजलधिमगाधं दुस्तरं निस्तरेयं कथमहमिति चेतो मा स्म गाः कातरत्वम् ।
सरसिजदृशि देवे तावकी भक्तिरेका नरकभिदि निषण्णा तारयिष्यत्यवश्यम् ॥

O mind, do not lose heart asking how you will ever cross this deep, hard-to-cross ocean of worldly life. Your devotion alone, fixed on the lotus-eyed Lord who slew Naraka, will surely carry you across.

Verse 14

तृष्णातोये मदनपवनोद्धूतमोहोर्मिमाले दारावर्ते तनयसहजग्राहसङ्घाकुले च ।
संसाराख्ये महति जलधौ मज्जतां नस्त्रिधामन् पादाम्भोजे वरद भवतो भक्तिनावं प्रयच्छ ॥

We are sinking in the great ocean called worldly life, whose water is craving, whose rows of waves are delusion whipped up by the wind of desire, whose whirlpool is one's wife, and which swarms with crocodiles in the form of sons and brothers. O Lord of the three abodes, giver of boons, grant us the boat of devotion to your lotus feet.

Verse 15

मा द्राक्षं क्षीणपुण्यान्क्षणमपि भवतो भक्तिहीनान्पदाब्जे मा श्रौषं श्राव्यबन्धं तव चरितमपास्यान्यदाख्यानजातम् ।
मा स्मार्षं माधव त्वामपि भुवनपते चेतसापह्नुवानान् मा भूवं त्वत्सपर्याव्यतिकररहितो जन्मजन्मान्तरेऽपि ॥

May I not look even for a moment on those of spent merit who lack devotion to your lotus feet. May I not listen to any other tale, setting aside the story of your deeds that deserves to be heard. O Madhava, Lord of the worlds, may I not even think of those who deny you in their hearts. In no birth may I be without the service of worshipping you.

Verse 16

जिह्वे कीर्तय केशवं मुररिपुं चेतो भज श्रीधरं पाणिद्वन्द्व समर्चयाच्युतकथाः श्रोत्रद्वय त्वं शृणु ।
कृष्णं लोकय लोचनद्वय हरेर्गच्छाङ्घ्रियुग्मालयं जिघ्र घ्राण मुकुन्दपादतुलसीं मूर्धन् नमाधोक्षजम् ॥

O tongue, sing of Keshava, the foe of Mura. O mind, worship Shridhara. O two hands, worship him. O two ears, listen to the stories of Achyuta. O two eyes, look upon Krishna. O two feet, go to the temple of Hari. O nose, smell the tulasi at Mukunda's feet. O head, bow to Adhokshaja.

Verse 17

हे लोकाः शृणुत प्रसूतिमरणव्याधेश्चिकित्सामिमां योगज्ञाः समुदाहरन्ति मुनयो यां याज्ञवल्क्यादयः ।
अन्तर्ज्योतिरमेयमेकममृतं कृष्णाख्यमापीयतां तत्पीतं परमौषधं वितनुते निर्वाणमात्यन्तिकम् ॥

O people, hear this cure for the disease of birth and death, which sages skilled in yoga such as Yajnavalkya teach. Drink deeply of the one immeasurable inner light, the nectar called Krishna. The verse says that this supreme medicine, once drunk, brings final and lasting liberation.

Verse 18

हे मर्त्याः परमं हितं शृणुत वो वक्ष्यामि सङ्क्षेपतः संसारार्णवमापदूर्मिबहुलं सम्यक् प्रविश्य स्थिताः ।
नानाज्ञानमपास्य चेतसि नमो नारायणायेत्यमुं मन्त्रं सप्रणवं प्रणामसहितं प्रावर्तयध्वं मुहुः ॥

O mortals, listen: I will tell you briefly what is truly good for you, who have fallen deep into the ocean of worldly life, full of waves of misfortune. Put aside all your various knowledge and repeat in your mind, again and again, with Om and with a bow, this mantra: Namo Narayanaya.

Verse 19

पृथ्वीरेणुरणुः पयांसि कणिकाः फल्गुः स्फुलिङ्गो लघुस्तेजो निःश्वसनं मरुत् तनुतरं रन्ध्रं सुसूक्ष्मं नभः ।
क्षुद्रा रुद्रपितामहप्रभृतयः कीटाः समस्ताः सुरा दृष्टे यत्र स तावको विजयते भूमावधूतावधिः ॥

Once your greatness is seen, the earth is a speck of dust, the waters are droplets, fire is a small, feeble spark, the wind is a faint breath, and the sky is a tiny pinhole; Rudra, Brahma and all the gods become small as insects. Victory to that boundless glory of yours, which knows no limit.

Verse 20

बद्धेनाञ्जलिना नतेन शिरसा गात्रैः सरोमोद्गमैः कण्ठेन स्वरगद्गदेन नयनेनोद्गीर्णबाष्पाम्बुना ।
नित्यं त्वच्चरणारविन्दयुगलध्यानामृतास्वादिनामस्माकं सरसीरुहाक्ष सततं सम्पद्यतां जीवितम् ॥

O lotus-eyed Lord, may our life always be spent with folded hands, bowed head, hair standing on end, a voice choked with feeling and eyes pouring tears, ever tasting the nectar of meditation on your two lotus feet.

Verse 21

हे गोपालक हे कृपाजलनिधे हे सिन्धुकन्यापते हे कंसान्तक हे गजेन्द्रकरुणापारीण हे माधव ।
हे रामानुज हे जगत्त्रयगुरो हे पुण्डरीकाक्ष मां हे गोपीजननाथ पालय परं जानामि न त्वां विना ॥

O cowherd, O ocean of mercy, O husband of the daughter of the ocean, O slayer of Kamsa, O one whose compassion rescued the king of elephants, O Madhava, O younger brother of Balarama, O teacher of the three worlds, O lotus-eyed one, O Lord of the cowherd women, protect me. I know no one but you.

Verse 22

भक्तापायभुजङ्गगारुडमणिस्त्रैलोक्यरक्षामणिर्गोपीलोचनचातकाम्बुदमणिः सौन्दर्यमुद्रामणिः ।
यः कान्तामणिरुक्मिणीघनकुचद्वन्द्वैकभूषामणिः श्रेयो देवशिखामणिर्दिशतु नो गोपालचूडामणिः ॥

He is the Garuda gem against the serpent of his devotees' troubles, the protecting jewel of the three worlds, the jewel of a rain cloud for the chataka birds that are the eyes of the gopis, the seal-jewel of beauty, and the one ornament on the bosom of Rukmini, jewel among women. May that crest jewel of the gods, the crest jewel of cowherds, grant us what is good.

Verse 23

शत्रुच्छेदैकमन्त्रं सकलमुपनिषद्वाक्यसम्पूज्यमन्त्रं संसारोत्तारमन्त्रं समुचिततमसः सङ्घनिर्याणमन्त्रम् ।
सर्वैश्वर्यैकमन्त्रं व्यसनभुजगसन्दष्टसन्त्राणमन्त्रं जिह्वे श्रीकृष्णमन्त्रं जप जप सततं जन्मसाफल्यमन्त्रम् ॥

O tongue, chant again and again, without pause, the mantra of Shri Krishna. The verse calls it the one mantra that cuts down enemies, the mantra honoured by every word of the Upanishads, the mantra that lifts one across worldly life, the mantra that drives out the gathered mass of darkness, the one mantra of all prosperity, the mantra that saves those bitten by the serpent of misfortune, and the mantra that makes a birth fruitful.

Verse 24

व्यामोहप्रशमौषधं मुनिमनोवृत्तिप्रवृत्त्यौषधं दैत्येन्द्रार्तिकरौषधं त्रिजगतां सञ्जीवनैकौषधम् ।
भक्तात्यन्तहितौषधं भवभयप्रध्वंसनैकौषधं श्रेयःप्राप्तिकरौषधं पिब मनः श्रीकृष्णदिव्यौषधम् ॥

O mind, drink the divine medicine that is Shri Krishna. The verse calls it the medicine that calms delusion, the medicine that turns the sages' minds toward him, the medicine that brings grief to the demon kings, the one life-giving medicine of the three worlds, the medicine that is wholly good for devotees, the one medicine that destroys the fear of worldly life, and the medicine that brings the highest good.

Verse 25

आम्नायाभ्यसनान्यरण्यरुदितं वेदव्रतान्यन्वहं मेदश्छेदफलानि पूर्तविधयः सर्वे हुतं भस्मनि ।
तीर्थानामवगाहनानि च गजस्नानं विना यत्पदद्वन्द्वाम्भोरुहसंस्मृतीर्विजयते देवः स नारायणः ॥

Without remembrance of his two lotus feet, the study of scripture is a cry in the wilderness, daily Vedic vows only reduce one's fat, works of public charity are offerings poured into ashes, and bathing at holy places is like an elephant's bath. Victory to that God, Narayana.

Verse 26

श्रीमन्नाम प्रोच्य नारायणाख्यं के न प्रापुर्वाञ्छितं पापिनोऽपि ।
हा नः पूर्वं वाक्प्रवृत्ता न तस्मिंस्तेन प्राप्तं गर्भवासादिदुःखम् ॥

By uttering the blessed name Narayana, which sinners did not gain what they desired? Alas, in the past our speech never turned to that name, and so we have suffered the pain of dwelling in the womb and all the rest.

Verse 27

मज्जन्मनः फलमिदं मधुकैटभारे मत्प्रार्थनीयमदनुग्रह एष एव ।
त्वद्भृत्यभृत्यपरिचारकभृत्यभृत्यभृत्यस्य भृत्य इति मां स्मर लोकनाथ ॥

O foe of Madhu and Kaitabha, this is the fruit of my birth, this alone is the grace I pray for: O Lord of the world, think of me as the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the attendant of the servant of your servant.

Verse 28

नाथे नः पुरुषोत्तमे त्रिजगतामेकाधिपे चेतसा सेव्ये स्वस्य पदस्य दातरि परे नारायणे तिष्ठति ।
यं कञ्चित्पुरुषाधमं कतिपयग्रामेशमल्पार्थदं सेवायै मृगयामहे नरमहो मूढा वराका वयम् ॥

While our Lord stands ready, the Supreme Person, sole ruler of the three worlds, the supreme Narayana who is served by the mind alone and who gives away his own abode, we go looking to serve some worthless man, the master of a few villages who gives little. Alas, how foolish and wretched we are.

Verse 29

मदन परिहर स्थितिं मदीये मनसि मुकुन्दपदारविन्दधाम्नि ।
हरनयनकृशानुना कृशोऽसि स्मरसि न चक्रपराक्रमं मुरारेः ॥

O Kama, god of desire, give up your place in my mind, which is the home of Mukunda's lotus feet. You were already wasted away by the fire of Shiva's eye. Do you not remember the might of the discus of Mura's foe?

Verse 30

तत्त्वं ब्रुवाणानि परं परस्मात् मधु क्षरन्तीव सतां फलानि ।
प्रावर्तय प्राञ्जलिरस्मि जिह्वे नामानि नारायणगोचराणि ॥

O tongue, with folded hands I beg you: keep repeating the names that speak of Narayana. They declare the truth higher than the highest, and they are the fruits of the good that seem to drip with honey.

Verse 31

इदं शरीरं परिणामपेशलं पतत्यवश्यं श्लथसन्धिजर्जरम् ।
किमौषधैः क्लिश्यसि मूढ दुर्मते निरामयं कृष्णरसायनं पिब ॥

This body, pleasing only until it changes, will surely fall, its joints loosened and worn out. O foolish, misguided one, why torment yourself with medicines? Drink the elixir of Krishna, which the verse says brings freedom from disease.

Verse 32

दारा वाराकरवरसुता ते तनूजो विरिञ्चः स्तोता वेदस्तव सुरगणो भृत्यवर्गः प्रसादः ।
मुक्तिर्माया जगदविकलं तावकी देवकी ते माता मित्रं बलरिपुसुतस्त्वय्यतोऽन्यन्न जाने ॥

Your wife is the noble daughter of the ocean, your son is Brahma, your praise-singer is the Veda, your servants are the host of gods, and liberation is your gift. The whole world is your Maya, Devaki is your mother, and Arjuna, son of Indra, is your friend. Therefore I know nothing other than you.

Verse 33

कृष्णो रक्षतु नो जगत्त्रयगुरुः कृष्णं नमस्याम्यहं कृष्णेनामरशत्रवो विनिहताः कृष्णाय तस्मै नमः ।
कृष्णादेव समुत्थितं जगदिदं कृष्णस्य दासोऽस्म्यहं कृष्णे तिष्ठति सर्वमेतदखिलं हे कृष्ण रक्षस्व माम् ॥

May Krishna, teacher of the three worlds, protect us; I bow to Krishna. By Krishna the enemies of the gods were slain; salutations to that Krishna. From Krishna alone this world arose; I am the servant of Krishna. In Krishna all of this rests. O Krishna, protect me.

Verse 34

तत्त्वं प्रसीद भगवन् कुरु मय्यनाथे विष्णो कृपां परमकारुणिकः किल त्वम् ।
संसारसागरनिमग्नमनन्त दीनमुद्धर्तुमर्हसि हरे पुरुषोत्तमोऽसि ॥

So be gracious, Lord. O Vishnu, show mercy to me, who have no protector, for you are indeed supremely compassionate. O endless one, O Hari, you should lift up this wretched one sunk in the ocean of worldly life, for you are the Supreme Person.

Verse 35

नमामि नारायणपादपङ्कजं करोमि नारायणपूजनं सदा ।
वदामि नारायणनाम निर्मलं स्मरामि नारायणतत्त्वमव्ययम् ॥

I bow to the lotus feet of Narayana. I always worship Narayana. I speak the pure name of Narayana. I remember the imperishable truth that is Narayana.

Verse 36

श्रीनाथ नारायण वासुदेव श्रीकृष्ण भक्तप्रिय चक्रपाणे ।
श्रीपद्मनाभाच्युत कैटभारे श्रीराम पद्माक्ष हरे मुरारे ॥

O Lord of Shri, Narayana, Vasudeva, Shri Krishna, beloved of devotees, bearer of the discus, Shri Padmanabha, Achyuta, foe of Kaitabha, Shri Rama, lotus-eyed one, Hari, foe of Mura.

Verse 37

अनन्त वैकुण्ठ मुकुन्द कृष्ण गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति ।
वक्तुं समर्थोऽपि न वक्ति कश्चिदहो जनानां व्यसनाभिमुख्यम् ॥

Though able to say Ananta, Vaikuntha, Mukunda, Krishna, Govinda, Damodara, Madhava, hardly anyone says them. Alas, how people turn toward their own ruin.

Verse 38

ध्यायन्ति ये विष्णुमनन्तमव्ययं हृत्पद्ममध्ये सततं व्यवस्थितम् ।
समाहितानां सतताभयप्रदं ते यान्ति सिद्धिं परमां तु वैष्णवीम् ॥

Those who meditate on Vishnu, the endless and imperishable, who always dwells in the lotus of the heart and always grants fearlessness to the focused, attain, the verse says, the supreme perfection that belongs to Vishnu.

Verse 39

क्षीरसागरतरङ्गशीकरासारतारकितचारुमूर्तये ।
भोगिभोगशयनीयशायिने माधवाय मधुविद्विषे नमः ॥

Salutations to Madhava, the foe of Madhu, who reclines on the coils of the serpent, his lovely form starred with the spray showered from the waves of the ocean of milk.

Verse 40

यस्य प्रियौ श्रुतिधरौ कविलोकवीरौ मित्रे द्विजन्मवरपद्मशरावभूताम् ।
तेनाम्बुजाक्षचरणाम्बुजषट्पदेन राज्ञा कृता कृतिरियं कुलशेखरेण ॥

This work was composed by King Kulashekhara, a bee at the lotus feet of the lotus-eyed Lord, whose two dear friends, eminent Brahmins, were masters of the scriptures and heroes among poets.

Closing

इति श्रीकुलशेखरेण विरचिता मुकुन्दमाला सम्पूर्णा ॥

Thus ends the Mukundamala composed by Shri Kulashekhara.

The syllable people get wrong

In Verse 1, bhavaluṇṭhanakovideti (one skilled in plundering bhava, worldly bondage) is often softened to 'luntan'; the ṇṭh is a retroflex, aspirated t with the tongue curled back, so say bha-va-LUN-tha-na-ko-vi-DAY-ti, with the n also retroflex.

When the Mukundamala Stotram is chanted

Weekday. Thursday

Festival. Kulashekhara Alvar's birth star, Punarvasu in Masi

Questions

Kulashekhara Alvar, a Chera king of Kerala usually placed in the ninth century, wrote it and names himself in Verse 40. He also composed the Perumal Tirumozhi, 105 Tamil pasurams in ten decads that form part of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. Scholars generally identify him with Kulashekhara Varma, the king remembered as the author of the Sanskrit plays Tapatisamvarana and Subhadradhananjaya, though the hymn's own verses say nothing about his reign.

The form printed here, from the South Indian Sri Vaishnava editions, has forty verses beginning 'shrivallabheti varadeti' and ending with the author's signature. An older printing gives a shorter recension of thirty-four verses in a different order, opening 'vande mukundam', and some popular books expand the hymn to about fifty-four. Sri Vaishnava books also print an extra verse in praise of Kulashekhara before Verse 1; it was added by later admirers and is not part of his text.

These are the opening words of Verse 7. The poet asks that the royal swan of his mind enter the cage formed by Krishna's lotus feet this very day. The second half gives the reason for the hurry: at the moment of death, when the throat is choked, how could anyone remember the Lord then? The image plays on the swan's legendary home among lotuses, and the verse is one of the most often quoted from the hymn.

Verse 4 says he does not bow to Hari's feet to escape hell, to win freedom from opposites, or to enjoy the maidens of the heavenly garden, but only to keep the Lord in the house of his heart in birth after birth. Verse 5 lets past karma bring whatever it must, asking only for unwavering devotion. Verse 6 adds that he will dwell in heaven, on earth or in hell as the Lord wills, provided he thinks of those feet even at death.

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Mukundamala Stotram

What the Mukundamala Stotram is

The king who would be a temple step

The mantra, in six scripts

Mukundamala Stotram lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Mukundamala Stotram is chanted

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

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