Posted on 20 Oct 2026. 
Share
ŚRĪ KṚṢṆĀVATĀRĀṢṬAKAM
श्री कृष्णावताराष्टकम्
[Eight Verses on the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Incarnation of God Vishnu]
ॐ नमो नारायणाय । ॐ नमो विष्णवे ।
Oṃ Namo Nārāyaṇāya । Oṃ Namo Viṣṇave ।
[Salutations to God Narayana, Who is God Vishnu]
अनेकासुरध्वंसकार्याय साक्षा, त्स्वयं विष्णुमेवागतं पिञ्छमौलिम् ।
अभिज्ञापरीक्षाकृते वेणुपाणिं, भजे नाथ नारायणं वासुदेवम् ॥1॥
Anekāsuradhvaṃsakāryāya sākṣāt,
Svayaṃ viṣṇumevāgataṃ piñchamaulim ।
Abhijñāparīkṣākṛte veṇupāṇiṃ,
Bhaje Nātha Nārāyaṇaṃ Vāsudevam ॥1॥
[For the purpose of killing several demons, God Vishnu Himself came down to the earth as the human incarnation as God Krishna. God Krishna was wearing a peacock feather on the head and possessing a flute in the hands as two extra items, which were not present with God Vishnu. These new items were possessed by God Vishnu while coming as God Krishna, just to test the devotees of God Vishnu whether they can identify Him as God Vishnu or not. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of God Krishna, the son of Vasudeva.]
स्वयं विष्णुरेवेति सन्दर्शयन्तं, भवे ह्येव शङ्खादि बाहून्दधानम् ।
नदीतारणे छत्रभूतादिशेषं, भजे नाथ नारायणं वासुदेवम् ॥2॥
Svayaṃ viṣṇureveti sandarśayantaṃ,
Bhave hyeva śaṅkhādi bāhūndadhānam ।
Nadītāraṇe chatrabhūtādiśeṣaṃ,
Bhaje Nātha Nārāyaṇaṃ Vāsudevam ॥2॥
[While God Krishna was born, He was born like God Vishnu with four hands possessing conch shell, rotating wheel, mace and lotus flower. While God Krishna was taken in a basket by Vasudeva, the Adisesha directly followed Him by spreading His heads above God Krishna. By these signs, God Krishna is identified as God Vishnu Himself at the time of the birth itself. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of God Krishna, the son of Vasudeva.]
अनूह्यानि कुर्वन्त मेवेह बाल्ये, शिलावर्ष गोवर्धनोद्धारणाद्यैः ।
महिम्ना मपारार्णवं पूर्णदैवं, भजे नाथ नारायणं वासुदेवम् ॥3॥
Anūhyāni kurvanta meveha bālye,
Śilāvarṣa govardhanoddhāraṇādyaiḥ ।
Mahimnā mapārārṇavaṃ pūrṇadaivaṃ,
Bhaje Nātha Nārāyaṇaṃ Vāsudevam ॥3॥
[In childhood itself, You expressed Yourself as the ultimate God Vishnu by doing unimaginable events called miracles like lifting up Govardhana hill when Indra rained heavily with hailstones (water condensed ice balls) for seven days continuously while You were seven years old only. You, God Krishna, are the fullest form of God and the infinite ocean of miracles. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of God Krishna, the son of Vasudeva.]
मुनी न्गोपिका रूपिण स्तर्पयन्तं, महाप्रेम धारां सदा ऽऽश्लिष्यराधाम् ।
नटन्तं च बृन्दावने वेणुगानं, भजे नाथ नारायणं वासुदेवम् ॥4॥
Munī ngopikā rūpiṇa starpayantaṃ,
Mahāprema dhārāṃ sadā ''śliṣyarādhām ।
Naṭantaṃ ca bṛndāvane veṇugānaṃ,
Bhaje Nātha Nārāyaṇaṃ Vāsudevam ॥4॥
[The Sages came in the form of Gopikas and You satisfied them with Your illusory forms. You directly embraced Goddess Radha, the unbroken stream of love, throughout the dance. You danced in the Brundavanam garden by singing on the flute. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of God Krishna, the son of Vasudeva.]
किरीटे चलत्पिञ्छ मालोलरश्मिं, करे वेणुना सूचयन्तं नराय ।
स्वगीतार्थतत्त्वं स्वकैवल्यमार्गं, भजे नाथ नारायणं वासुदेवम् ॥5॥
Kirīṭe calatpiñcha mālolaraśmiṃ,
Kare veṇunā sūcayantaṃ narāya ।
Svagītārthatattvaṃ svakaivalyamārgaṃ,
Bhaje Nātha Nārāyaṇaṃ Vāsudevam ॥5॥
[You were driving the chariot of Arjuna by controlling the belts of the horses of the chariot while the peacock feather on Your crown was vibrating. While preaching the Gita to Arjuna, You were using the flute in Your hand as the directing stick to explain the essence of Your own divine song called the Bhagavad-Gita, which is the path to reach You. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of God Krishna, the son of Vasudeva.]
विधीशादि देवाकरं विश्वरूपं, जगज्जङ्गमस्थावरं दर्शयन्तम् ।
अतीतं स्वयंभूत मप्यूहदूरं, भजे नाथ नारायणं वासुदेवम् ॥6॥
Vidhīśādi devākaraṃ viśvarūpaṃ,
Jagajjaṅgamasthāvaraṃ darśayantam ।
Atītaṃ svayaṃbhūta mapyūhadūraṃ,
Bhaje Nātha Nārāyaṇaṃ Vāsudevam ॥6॥
[You were showing Your cosmic vision to Arjuna, which contains God Brahma and God Shiva along with other divine deities and angels, including the movable and immovable items of all the creation. You Yourself created Yourself, yet, You were beyond imagination. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of God Krishna, the son of Vasudeva.]
कुचेलाय बाल्ये मृषावादिने ऽपि, समस्तं प्रदातुं समुद्युक्तमेव ।
दयाप्रेमराशिं व्रजस्त्रीषु लोलं, भजे नाथ नारायणं वासुदेवम् ॥7॥
Kucelāya bālye mṛṣāvādine 'pi,
Samastaṃ pradātuṃ samudyuktameva ।
Dayāpremarāśiṃ vrajastrīṣu lolaṃ,
Bhaje Nātha Nārāyaṇaṃ Vāsudevam ॥7॥
[Kucela told a lie to You in Your childhood by stealing some edible Bengal gram grains and eating Your share also. In spite of such serious sin of Kucela, You gave him immense wealth, whatever You possessed with You. You were the mountain of kindness and love. You are always interested in Gopikas, the born sages, to give them salvation. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of God Krishna, the son of Vasudeva.]
अकर्तुं च कर्तुं विकर्तुं समर्थं, स्वमेकं पतिं बोधयन्तं शरण्यम् ।
उदङ्काय विश्वस्वरूपं सृजन्तं, भजे नाथ नारायणं वासुदेवम् ॥8॥
Akartuṃ ca kartuṃ vikartuṃ samarthaṃ,
Svamekaṃ patiṃ bodhayantaṃ śaraṇyam ।
Udaṅkāya viśvasvarūpaṃ sṛjantaṃ,
Bhaje Nātha Nārāyaṇaṃ Vāsudevam ॥8॥
[You were capable of not doing a thing, doing a thing in a particular way and also doing the same thing in a different way. Your preachings clearly show that You are the only Lord to be surrendered. You created cosmic vision for the third time and showed it to the Sage Udanka to develop faith in him. I worship such Lord Narayana, who is in the form of God Krishna, the son of Vasudeva.]
इदं श्रीवासुदेवस्य, काश्यपेन कृतं पठन् ।
अष्टकं विष्णुकैवल्यं, साक्षादेव समश्नुते ॥
Idaṃ Śrīvāsudevasya, Kāśyapena kṛtaṃ paṭhan ।
Aṣṭakaṃ Viṣṇukaivalyaṃ, Sākṣādeva samaśnute ॥
[If this prayer on God Krishna written by Shri Datta Swami, who was born in Kaashyapa gotra, is recited by any devotee, such devotee will reach God Vishnu directly.]
★ ★ ★ ★ ★