Shree Mukundaashtakam

I posted Shree Mukundaashtakam, a beautiful piece of simple poetry in eight stanzas, a few days ago..

It is titillatingly sweet, mellifluous, and I have felt, the prayer carries a devotee of Krishna to hitherto unknown heights of ecstasy.

I did not give the translation then.. In fact I had posted translations of some portions earlier, but I could not locate my old posts..

The prayer, in fact covers the most beautiful moments in the life of Krishna the child, Krishna the naughty boy, Krishna the protector of the cattle of Yadavaas and the darling of the Cows and Cowherds.

Krishna I love you..

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श्री मुकुन्दाष्टकम्

करारविन्देन पदारविन्दम् मुखारविन्दे विनिवेशयन्तम्।

वटस्य पत्रस्य पुटे शयानम् बालम् मुकुन्दम् मनसा स्मरामि॥१॥

संहृत्य लोकान् वटपत्रमध्ये शयानमाध्यन्तविहीनरूपम्।

सर्वेश्वरम् सर्वहितावतारम् बालम् मुकुन्दम् मनसा स्मरामि॥२॥

आलोक्यमातुर्मुखमादरेण स्तन्यम् पिबन्तम् सरसीरुहाक्षम्।

सच्चिन्मयम् देवमनन्तरूपम् बालम् मुकुन्दम् मनसा स्मरामि॥३॥

इन्दीवरश्यामलकोमलाङ्गम् इन्द्रादिदेवार्चितपादपद्मम्।

सन्तानकल्पद्रुममाश्रितानाम् बालम् मुकुन्दम् मनसा स्मरामि॥ ४॥

कळिन्दजान्तःस्थितकाळियस्य फणाग्ररङ्गे नटनप्रियम् तम्।

तद्पुच्छहस्तम् शरदिन्दुवक्त्रम् बालम् मुकुन्दम् मनसा स्मरामि॥५॥

शिक्ये निधायाज्यपयोदधीनि बहिर्ग्गतायाम् व्रजनायिकायाम्।

भुक्त्वा यदेष्टम् कपटेन सुप्तम् बालम् मुकुन्दम् मनसा स्मरामि॥६॥

लम्बाळकम् लम्बितहारयष्टिम् शृङ्गारलीलाङ्कुर दन्तपङ्क्तिम्।

बिम्बाधरम् पूरित वेणुनादम् बालम् मुकुन्दम् मनसा स्मरामि॥७॥

उलूखले बद्धमुदारचौर्यम् उत्तुङ्गयुग्मार्जुन भङ्गलीलम्।

उत्फुल्लपद्मायत चारुनेत्रम् बालम् मुकुन्दम् मनसा स्मरामि॥८॥

ज्ञानप्रदम् पापहरम् पवित्रम् नित्यम् मुकुन्दाष्टकमादरेण।

सकृत् पठेद्यः स लभेत धर्मम् श्रियम् च विद्याम् च यशस्च मुक्तिम्॥

śrī mukundāṣṭakam

karāravindena padāravindam mukhāravinde viniveśayantam|

vaṭasya patrasya puṭe śayānam bālam mukundam manasā smarāmi||1||

saṁhṛtya lokān vaṭapatramadhye śayānamādhyantavihīnarūpam|

sarveśvaram sarvahitāvatāram bālam mukundam manasā smarāmi||2||

ālokyamāturmukhamādareṇa stanyam pibantam sarasīruhākṣam|

saccinmayam devamanantarūpam bālam mukundam manasā smarāmi||3||

indīvaraśyāmalakomalāṅgam indrādidevārcitapādapadmam|

santānakalpadrumamāśritānām bālam mukundam manasā smarāmi|| 4||

kaḻindajāntaḥsthitakāḻiyasya phaṇāgraraṅge naṭanapriyam tam|

tadpucchahastam śaradinduvaktram bālam mukundam manasā smarāmi||5||

śikye nidhāyājyapayodadhīni bahirggatāyām vrajanāyikāyām|

bhuktvā yadeṣṭam kapaṭena suptam bālam mukundam manasā smarāmi||6||

lambāḻakam lambitahārayaṣṭim śṛṅgāralīlāṅkura dantapaṅktim|

bimbādharam pūrita veṇunādam bālam mukundam manasā smarāmi||7||

ulūkhale baddhamudāracauryam uttuṅgayugmārjuna bhaṅgalīlam|

utphullapadmāyata cārunetram bālam mukundam manasā smarāmi||8||

jñānapradam pāpaharam pavitram nityam mukundāṣṭakamādareṇa|

sakṛt paṭhedyaḥ sa labheta dharmam śriyam ca vidyām ca yaśasca muktim||

shrii mukundaaSTakam

karaaravindena padaaravindam mukhaaravinde viniveshayantam.

vaTasya patrasya puTe shayaanam baalam mukundam manasaa smaraami..1..

saMhR^itya lokaan vaTapatramadhye shayaanamaadhyantavihiinaruupam.

sarveshvaram sarvahitaavataaram baalam mukundam manasaa smaraami..2..

aalokyamaaturmukhamaadareNa stanyam pibantam sarasiiruhaakSam.

sacchinmayam devamanantaruupam baalam mukundam manasaa smaraami..3..

indiivarashyaamalakomalaa~Ngam indraadidevaarchitapaadapadmam.

santaanakalpadrumamaashritaanaam baalam mukundam manasaa smaraami.. 4..

kaLindajaantaHsthitakaaLiyasya phaNaagrara~Nge naTanapriyam tam.

tadpucchhahastam sharadinduvaktram baalam mukundam manasaa smaraami..5..

shikye nidhaayaajyapayodadhiini bahirggataayaam vrajanaayikaayaam.

bhuktvaa yadeSTam kapaTena suptam baalam mukundam manasaa smaraami..6..

lambaaLakam lambitahaarayaSTim shR^i~Ngaaraliilaa~Nkura dantapa~Nktim.

bimbaadharam puurita veNunaadam baalam mukundam manasaa smaraami..7..

uluukhale baddhamudaarachauryam uttu~Ngayugmaarjuna bha~Ngaliilam.

utphullapadmaayata chaarunetram baalam mukundam manasaa smaraami..8..

j~naanapradam paapaharam pavitram nityam mukundaaSTakamaadareNa.

sakR^it paThedyaH sa labheta dharmam shriyam cha vidyaam cha yashascha muktim..

1 I meditate upon that wonderful boy Mukunda

who lies as if asleep over the leaf of a peepul tree (floating in the eternal waters of the deluge) 

holding His attractive foot resembling a lotus to his petite red lips resembling another lotus, holding the foot in place with his beautiful hand which too look like yeat another lotus.

2..I meditate upon that wonderful boy Mukunda

who is lying at the centre of a peepul leaf, having drawn unto himself the entire universe ( at the time of deluge) for he is eternal and without any beginning or any end (so that the beings in the universe would survive withing Him during the deluge). 

He is the lord and master of everything.. He has manifested as Krishna the Mukunda just for the well being of everyone..

3..I meditate upon that wonderful boy Mukunda who is lying in the lap of his mother Yashoda, and glancing at her face with extreme respect and love as he is drinking her milk.. He is the one who is manifested in all that is manifest and un-manifest.. He is the foremost among the Gods.. He is manifesting himself in an endless form..

4..I meditate upon that wonderful boy Mukunda who is having the colour of a shining black lotus, who is worshipped by the diving beings with Indra in the lead, who is the wish yielding tree (Kalpadruma) who bestows on his devotees bright and healthy progenies

5..I meditate upon that wonderful boy Mukunda who is happily dancing on the huge stage formed by the hood of the venomous snake Kaliya who has been residing in the recesses of Yamuna or Kalindi the daughter of Kalinda, I meditate upon the boy who holds firmly the tail of that serpant and gives a laugh resembling the lustre of the full moon in the autumn season

6..I meditate upon that wonderful boy Mukunda, who pretends as if he is sleeping, after having eating stealthily to his heart’s content butter, ghee and curds which were kept in the suspended ropes securely by his mother while she went out of the house.. (Matha Yasodha has placed the butter etc. in a high rope suspension believing that the glutton that is Krishna would not be able to reach it and steal it..)

7..I meditate upon that wonderful boy Mukunda, who is sporting long curly hair, who is wearing long garlands of flowers, whose evenly formed shining teeth when he smiles invites all and makes them lose their senses upon him ( in Sringaara Rasa), whose voluptuous attractive lips fill that beautiful flute with unearthly music

8..I meditate upon that wonderful boy Mukunda, who was once tied to a large wooden mortar ( to prevent him from doing his pranks and stealing butter ) and ran dragging the mortar stuck between two huge upright arjuna trees uprooting them ( the two trees were actually two celestials who were turned into trees by a curse and got relieve when this naughty fellow uprooted the trees) and the eyes of this cute child resembles two fully blown lotuses..

A devotee who reads at least once a day,this octet on Mukunda 

which will endow us with all knowledge ( in fact the creation, sustenance and destruction handled as if by fun by Krishna is seen narrated here), which will destroy all our since, which is very pure, will become righteous, prosperous and learned and will attain great fame in life and attain emancipation in the life hereafter..