Madhurashtakam in Kannada
ಮಧುರಾಷ್ಟಕಮ್
Madhurashtakam is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn to Lord Krishna by Shri Vallabhacharya, founder of the Pushti Marg. Below is the complete Madhurashtakam in Kannada script, every line also in English letters, with the meaning of each verse in simple English.
- Kannada script
- 8 verses
- 4 min
- Shri Vallabhacharya
- Best on Wednesday
Recite line by line, listen, count with a mala. The reader opens in Kannada.
ಅಧರಂ ಮಧುರಂ ವದನಂ ಮಧುರಂ ನಯನಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಹಸಿತಂ ಮಧುರಮ್। Adharam Madhuram Vadanam Madhuram Nayanam Madhuram Hasitam Madhuram
ಹೃದಯಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಗಮನಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇರಖಿಲಂ ಮಧುರಮ್॥ Hridayam Madhuram Gamanam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram
Meaning
His lips are sweet, his face is sweet, his eyes are sweet, his smile is sweet. His heart is sweet, his walk is sweet. Everything about the Lord of Sweetness is sweet.
- ಅಧರಂ Adharam
- lips
- ಮಧುರಂ Madhuram
- sweet
- ವದನಂ Vadanam
- face
- ನಯನಂ Nayanam
- eyes
- ಹಸಿತಂ Hasitam
- smile, laughter
- ಹೃದಯಂ Hridayam
- heart
- ಗಮನಂ Gamanam
- gait, the way he walks
- ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇಃ Madhuradhipateh
- of the Lord of sweetness
- ಅಖಿಲಂ Akhilam
- everything, the whole
ವಚನಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಚರಿತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ವಸನಂ ಮಧುರಂ ವಲಿತಂ ಮಧುರಮ್। Vachanam Madhuram Charitam Madhuram Vasanam Madhuram Valitam Madhuram
ಚಲಿತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಭ್ರಮಿತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇರಖಿಲಂ ಮಧುರಮ್॥ Chalitam Madhuram Bhramitam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram
Meaning
His words are sweet, his deeds are sweet, his garments are sweet, his graceful pose is sweet. His movements are sweet, his wanderings are sweet. Everything about the Lord of Sweetness is sweet.
- ವಚನಂ Vachanam
- words, speech
- ಮಧುರಂ Madhuram
- sweet
- ಚರಿತಂ Charitam
- conduct, life-story
- ವಸನಂ Vasanam
- garments
- ವಲಿತಂ Valitam
- the graceful bend of his body
- ಚಲಿತಂ Chalitam
- movements
- ಭ್ರಮಿತಂ Bhramitam
- wandering, roaming
- ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇಃ Madhuradhipateh
- of the Lord of sweetness
- ಅಖಿಲಂ Akhilam
- everything
ವೇಣುರ್ಮಧುರೋ ರೇಣುರ್ಮಧುರಃ ಪಾಣಿರ್ಮಧುರಃ ಪಾದೌ ಮಧುರೌ। Venur Madhuro Renur Madhurah Panir Madhurah Padau Madhurau
ನೃತ್ಯಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಸಖ್ಯಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇರಖಿಲಂ ಮಧುರಮ್॥ Nrityam Madhuram Sakhyam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram
Meaning
His flute is sweet, the dust of his feet is sweet, his hands are sweet, his feet are sweet. His dance is sweet, his friendship is sweet. Everything about the Lord of Sweetness is sweet.
- ವೇಣುಃ Venur
- flute
- ಮಧುರಃ Madhurah
- sweet
- ರೇಣುಃ Renur
- dust (of his feet)
- ಪಾಣಿಃ Panir
- hand
- ಪಾದೌ Padau
- his two feet
- ಮಧುರೌ Madhurau
- (both) sweet
- ನೃತ್ಯಂ Nrityam
- dance
- ಸಖ್ಯಂ Sakhyam
- friendship
- ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇಃ Madhuradhipateh
- of the Lord of sweetness
- ಅಖಿಲಂ Akhilam
- everything
ಗೀತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಪೀತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಭುಕ್ತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಸುಪ್ತಂ ಮಧುರಮ್। Geetam Madhuram Peetam Madhuram Bhuktam Madhuram Suptam Madhuram
ರೂಪಂ ಮಧುರಂ ತಿಲಕಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇರಖಿಲಂ ಮಧುರಮ್॥ Rupam Madhuram Tilakam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram
Meaning
His singing is sweet, his drinking is sweet, his eating is sweet, his sleeping is sweet. His form is sweet, his tilak is sweet. Everything about the Lord of Sweetness is sweet.
- ಗೀತಂ Geetam
- song, singing
- ಮಧುರಂ Madhuram
- sweet
- ಪೀತಂ Peetam
- drinking (also read as his yellow garment)
- ಭುಕ್ತಂ Bhuktam
- eating
- ಸುಪ್ತಂ Suptam
- sleeping
- ರೂಪಂ Rupam
- form, beauty
- ತಿಲಕಂ Tilakam
- tilak mark on the brow
- ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇಃ Madhuradhipateh
- of the Lord of sweetness
- ಅಖಿಲಂ Akhilam
- everything
ಕರಣಂ ಮಧುರಂ ತರಣಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಹರಣಂ ಮಧುರಂ ರಮಣಂ ಮಧುರಮ್। Karanam Madhuram Taranam Madhuram Haranam Madhuram Ramanam Madhuram
ವಮಿತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಶಮಿತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇರಖಿಲಂ ಮಧುರಮ್॥ Vamitam Madhuram Shamitam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram
Meaning
His deeds are sweet, his saving grace is sweet, his stealing is sweet, his play is sweet. What he gives forth is sweet, his stillness is sweet. Everything about the Lord of Sweetness is sweet.
- ಕರಣಂ Karanam
- deeds, actions
- ಮಧುರಂ Madhuram
- sweet
- ತರಣಂ Taranam
- carrying devotees across, deliverance
- ಹರಣಂ Haranam
- stealing (butter, and hearts)
- ರಮಣಂ Ramanam
- play, delight
- ವಮಿತಂ Vamitam
- what he gives forth, his generosity
- ಶಮಿತಂ Shamitam
- calmness, his stillness
- ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇಃ Madhuradhipateh
- of the Lord of sweetness
- ಅಖಿಲಂ Akhilam
- everything
'Vamitam' and 'shamitam' are read in several ways by commentators; we give a common devotional reading.
ಗುಂಜಾ ಮಧುರಾ ಮಾಲಾ ಮಧುರಾ ಯಮುನಾ ಮಧುರಾ ವೀಚೀ ಮಧುರಾ। Gunja Madhura Mala Madhura Yamuna Madhura Vichi Madhura
ಸಲಿಲಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಕಮಲಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇರಖಿಲಂ ಮಧುರಮ್॥ Salilam Madhuram Kamalam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram
Meaning
His gunja-berry necklace is sweet, his garland is sweet, the Yamuna is sweet, her waves are sweet. Her water is sweet, her lotuses are sweet. Everything about the Lord of Sweetness is sweet.
- ಗುಂಜಾ Gunja
- his necklace of gunja berries
- ಮಧುರಾ Madhura
- sweet
- ಮಾಲಾ Mala
- garland
- ಯಮುನಾ Yamuna
- the river Yamuna
- ವೀಚೀ Vichi
- waves
- ಸಲಿಲಂ Salilam
- water
- ಕಮಲಂ Kamalam
- lotus
- ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇಃ Madhuradhipateh
- of the Lord of sweetness
- ಅಖಿಲಂ Akhilam
- everything
ಗೋಪೀ ಮಧುರಾ ಲೀಲಾ ಮಧುರಾ ಯುಕ್ತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಮುಕ್ತಂ ಮಧುರಮ್। Gopi Madhura Leela Madhura Yuktam Madhuram Muktam Madhuram
ದೃಷ್ಟಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಶಿಷ್ಟಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇರಖಿಲಂ ಮಧುರಮ್॥ Drishtam Madhuram Shishtam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram
Meaning
The gopis are sweet, his play is sweet, union with him is sweet, release by him is sweet. His glance is sweet, his gracious ways are sweet. Everything about the Lord of Sweetness is sweet.
- ಗೋಪೀ Gopi
- the gopis, cowherd maidens
- ಮಧುರಾ Madhura
- sweet
- ಲೀಲಾ Leela
- divine play
- ಯುಕ್ತಂ Yuktam
- union, being with him
- ಮುಕ್ತಂ Muktam
- release, liberation
- ದೃಷ್ಟಂ Drishtam
- his glance
- ಶಿಷ್ಟಂ Shishtam
- courtesy, gracious conduct
- ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇಃ Madhuradhipateh
- of the Lord of sweetness
- ಅಖಿಲಂ Akhilam
- everything
ಗೋಪಾ ಮಧುರಾ ಗಾವೋ ಮಧುರಾ ಯಷ್ಟಿರ್ಮಧುರಾ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿರ್ಮಧುರಾ। Gopa Madhura Gavo Madhura Yashtir Madhura Srishtir Madhura
ದಲಿತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಫಲಿತಂ ಮಧುರಂ ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇರಖಿಲಂ ಮಧುರಮ್॥ Dalitam Madhuram Phalitam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram
Meaning
The cowherd boys are sweet, the cows are sweet, his staff is sweet, his creation is sweet. His subduing of evil is sweet, the fruit he grants is sweet. Everything about the Lord of Sweetness is sweet.
- ಗೋಪಾ Gopa
- the cowherd boys, his friends
- ಮಧುರಾ Madhura
- sweet
- ಗಾವಃ Gavo
- the cows
- ಯಷ್ಟಿಃ Yashtir
- his herding staff
- ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಃ Srishtir
- creation
- ದಲಿತಂ Dalitam
- his crushing (of the wicked)
- ಫಲಿತಂ Phalitam
- fruition, the fruits he grants
- ಮಧುರಾಧಿಪತೇಃ Madhuradhipateh
- of the Lord of sweetness
- ಅಖಿಲಂ Akhilam
- everything
About Madhurashtakam
Shri Vallabhacharya (1479–1531) was a philosopher and saint from a Telugu family. He taught the path of Pushti, loving surrender to Krishna by grace, and his tradition is centred on Shrinathji at Nathdwara. Tradition says he composed Madhurashtakam after a vision of the child Krishna. The hymn is short and repeats itself almost like a children's song, yet its lines cover Krishna's whole Vrindavan life: his face and form, his play, his flute, the Yamuna, the gopis and the cows.
Questions
Is this the same Madhurashtakam that is sung in Hindi?
Yes. These are the same Sanskrit words, written in Kannada letters so you can read them aloud. It is a transliteration, not a translation into Kannada. The meaning of each verse is given in English.
How was the Kannada text prepared?
We keep one checked Devanagari edition (Madhurashtakam of Shri Vallabhacharya; text as given by sanskritdocuments.org (madhurst.itx), cross-checked against Sanskrit Wikisource (मधुराष्टकम्), shlokam.org and JKYog) and write it in Kannada letters with fixed spelling rules, so every verse matches the original letter for letter. The English-letter line is the common singing spelling.