Gōvinda Salahennanu — Kanaka Dasa's plea to Govinda, naming His ten avatars and surrendering at the feet of Kaginele Adikeshava.
Verse 1 — गोविंद सलहॆन्ननु
गोविंद सलहॆन्ननु
goviṃda salahènnanu
Govinda, protect me!
Verse 2 — सदानंदा गोविंद सलहॆन्ननु
सदानंदा गोविंद सलहॆन्ननु
sadānaṃdā goviṃda salahènnanu
O ever-blissful Govinda, protect me!
Verse 3 — गोविंद सलहॆन्न कुमुद लोचन
गोविंद सलहॆन्न कुमुद लोचन
goviṃda salahènna kumuda locana
Protect me, Govinda, lotus-eyed one!
Verse 4 — निन्न सेवकरडिय सेवकनय्य हरिये
निन्न सेवकरडिय सेवकनय्य हरिये
ninna sevakaraḍiya sevakanayya hariye
I am the servant at Your servants' feet, O Hari!
Verse 5 — तमन संहरिसि वेदव तंदॆ गोविंद
तमन संहरिसि वेदव तंदॆ गोविंद
tamana saṃharisi vedava taṃdè goviṃda
You struck down the darkness-demon and brought back the Vedas, Govinda!
Verse 6 — अमररिगॆ ऒलिदु अमृतवनित्तॆ गोविंद
अमररिगॆ ऒलिदु अमृतवनित्तॆ गोविंद
amararigè òlidu amṛtavanittè goviṃda
Pleased with the gods, You granted them the nectar of immortality!
Verse 7 — रमणिय तंदॆ वरह रूपि गोविंद
रमणिय तंदॆ वरह रूपि गोविंद
ramaṇiya taṃdè varaha rūpi goviṃda
You who lifted the earth as the Boar, for Lakshmi's sake!
Verse 8 — भ्रमिसि कंभदॊळु उद्भविसिदॆ गोविंद
भ्रमिसि कंभदॊळु उद्भविसिदॆ गोविंद
bhramisi kaṃbhadòl̤u udbhavisidè goviṃda
You burst forth from the pillar, to the demon's bewilderment!
Verse 9 — क्षमॆयनॆळॆय ब्रह्मचारि आदॆ गोविंद
क्षमॆयनॆळॆय ब्रह्मचारि आदॆ गोविंद
kṣamèyanèl̤èya brahmacāri ādè goviṃda
You came as the celibate dwarf asking for three strides of earth!
Verse 10 — समरदल् अखिल राजर कॊंदॆ गोविंद
समरदल् अखिल राजर कॊंदॆ गोविंद
samaradal akhila rājara kòṃdè goviṃda
In battle You slew all the arrogant kings!
Verse 11 — कमलाक्ष कडल कट्टिद दिट्ट गोविंद
कमलाक्ष कडल कट्टिद दिट्ट गोविंद
kamalākṣa kaḍala kaṭṭida diṭṭa goviṃda
O lotus-eyed hero, You bridged the ocean!
Verse 12 — ममतॆयॊळ् इळॆय गोगळ काय्दॆ गोविंद
ममतॆयॊळ् इळॆय गोगळ काय्दॆ गोविंद
mamatèyòl̤ il̤èya gogal̤a kāydè goviṃda
With tenderness You guarded the earth's cows and herds!
Verse 13 — रमणियरिगॆ ऒलिदु बत्तलॆ निंतॆ गोविंद
रमणियरिगॆ ऒलिदु बत्तलॆ निंतॆ गोविंद
ramaṇiyarigè òlidu battalè niṃtè goviṃda
Pleased by the maidens, You stood bare before them!
Verse 14 — अमित वाहन गोविंद
अमित वाहन गोविंद
amita vāhana goviṃda
O Govinda, whose steed is beyond all measure!
Verse 15 — निंदिपरिगॆ शमननंतिह गोविंद
निंदिपरिगॆ शमननंतिह गोविंद
niṃdiparigè śamananaṃtiha goviṃda
To those who scorn You, You are Death itself!
Verse 16 — इंगडलॊळु रमिसि निद्रिप गोविंद
इंगडलॊळु रमिसि निद्रिप गोविंद
iṃgaḍalòl̤u ramisi nidripa goviṃda
You sport and slumber on the milky ocean!
Verse 17 — अरियदंतॆ विमल ज्योति गोविंद
अरियदंतॆ विमल ज्योति गोविंद
ariyadaṃtè vimala jyoti goviṃda
The stainless light that no one fully knows!
Verse 18 — अच्युत सर्वोत्तमने चिन्मय गोविंद
अच्युत सर्वोत्तमने चिन्मय गोविंद
acyuta sarvottamane cinmaya goviṃda
O infallible one, highest of all, pure consciousness!
Verse 19 — अचल मुक्ति क्रमव भोदिप गोविंद
अचल मुक्ति क्रमव भोदिप गोविंद
acala mukti kramava bhodipa goviṃda
You teach the steady path to liberation!
Verse 20 — सतत कायो कमलालिंगित गोविंद
सतत कायो कमलालिंगित गोविंद
satata kāyo kamalāliṃgita goviṃda
Ever protecting, O one embraced by Lakshmi!
Verse 21 — भकुतियिंद नमोयॆंबे दशावतारद गोविंद
भकुतियिंद नमोयॆंबे दशावतारद गोविंद
bhakutiyiṃda namoyèṃbe daśāvatārada goviṃda
With devotion I bow — Namo to the Govinda of the ten avatars!
Verse 22 — नर बॊंबॆगळ माडि कुणिसुवॆ गोविंद
नर बॊंबॆगळ माडि कुणिसुवॆ गोविंद
nara bòṃbègal̤a māḍi kuṇisuvè goviṃda
You make dolls of men and make them dance!
Verse 23 — नरर नोडि नोडि नगुतिप्पॆ गोविंद
नरर नोडि नोडि नगुतिप्पॆ गोविंद
narara noḍi noḍi nagutippè goviṃda
Gazing at mankind, You smile on and on!
Verse 24 — अरियदंतखिळदॊळगिप्पॆ नी गोविंद
अरियदंतखिळदॊळगिप्पॆ नी गोविंद
ariyadaṃtakhil̤adòl̤agippè nī goviṃda
Unknown, You abide within all things!
Verse 25 — परम पावननॆंब बिरुदुळ्ळ गोविंद
परम पावननॆंब बिरुदुळ्ळ गोविंद
parama pāvananèṃba birudul̤l̤a goviṃda
Yours is the title — Supremely Pure!
Verse 26 — परमात्म करिय मेघव पोल्व गोविंद
परमात्म करिय मेघव पोल्व गोविंद
paramātma kariya meghava polva goviṃda
O Supreme Self, dark as the rain-cloud!
Verse 27 — परम पुरुषोत्तम नीने गोविंद
परम पुरुषोत्तम नीने गोविंद
parama puruṣottama nīne goviṃda
You alone are the highest of beings!
Verse 28 — करिराज करियलदहि बंदॆ गोविंद
करिराज करियलदहि बंदॆ गोविंद
karirāja kariyaladahi baṃdè goviṃda
You rushed to the elephant-king's cry!
Verse 29 — मॊरॆ हॊक्क भकुतर सलहोदॆ गोविंद
मॊरॆ हॊक्क भकुतर सलहोदॆ गोविंद
mòrè hòkka bhakutara salahodè goviṃda
You sheltered the devotees who cried out for refuge!
Verse 30 — अरियनु नानु निन्नवनैय्य गोविंद
अरियनु नानु निन्नवनैय्य गोविंद
ariyanu nānu ninnavanaiyya goviṃda
I know nothing — I am Yours, Govinda!
Verse 31 — गरुड वाहन गोविंद
गरुड वाहन गोविंद
garuḍa vāhana goviṃda
O Govinda, who rides Garuda!
Verse 32 — निन्नरसियु अरियदंतिहॆ गोविंद
निन्नरसियु अरियदंतिहॆ गोविंद
ninnarasiyu ariyadaṃtihè goviṃda
Even Your queen cannot fully know You!
Verse 33 — सतत निन्न स्मरणॆगैवॆनो गोविंद
सतत निन्न स्मरणॆगैवॆनो गोविंद
satata ninna smaraṇègaivèno goviṃda
Grant that I remember You ceaselessly!
Verse 34 — सासिर कोटि सुरर पॊरॆव गोविंद
सासिर कोटि सुरर पॊरॆव गोविंद
sāsira koṭi surara pòrèva goviṃda
You shelter a thousand crore gods!
Verse 35 — गंगॆय पडॆद चरण निर्गुण गोविंद
गंगॆय पडॆद चरण निर्गुण गोविंद
gaṃgèya paḍèda caraṇa nirguṇa goviṃda
O attributeless one, whose feet hold the Ganga!
Verse 36 — मुक्तियु निन्न चरणवल्लवे गोविंद
मुक्तियु निन्न चरणवल्लवे गोविंद
muktiyu ninna caraṇavallave goviṃda
Is not liberation itself Your feet?!
Verse 37 — श्री वैकुंठ पुरदल्लिरुव गोविंद
श्री वैकुंठ पुरदल्लिरुव गोविंद
śrī vaikuṃṭha puradalliruva goviṃda
O Govinda dwelling in glorious Vaikuntha!
Verse 38 — शरणु सिरि वर कागिनॆलॆ आदिकेशव श्री कृष्ण
शरणु सिरि वर कागिनॆलॆ आदिकेशव श्री कृष्ण
śaraṇu siri vara kāginèlè ādikeśava śrī kṛṣṇa
I surrender to Sri Krishna, the blessed Adikeshava of Kaginele!
About Gōvinda Salahennanu
Gōvinda Salahennanu is a Kannada devaranama, composed by Kanaka Dāsa, addressed to Krishna — a Devaranama. It is presented here in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, each verse with its English meaning. Source text: raocollectionssongs.blogspot.com.
A Haridasa saint-poet of Karnataka and disciple of Vyāsatīrtha, celebrated for his socially reformist devaranamas and works such as the Haribhaktisāra, composed under the signature "Ādikeśava" / "Kāginele Ādikeśava".
What is Gōvinda Salahennanu and what does it mean?
Gōvinda Salahennanu is a Kannada devaranama (devotional hymn), composed by Kanaka Dāsa, addressed to Krishna, of 38 verses. On Avabodhak every verse is shown with its English meaning, so you can understand the text line by line as you read.
How do I pronounce Gōvinda Salahennanu correctly?
Avabodhak presents Gōvinda Salahennanu in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, Telugu, Tamil alongside IAST Roman transliteration that marks every long vowel (ā, ī, ū) and conjunct consonant. Reading the Devanagari text with the IAST line lets you follow the exact pronunciation syllable by syllable, and the guided practice mode replays it line by line.
What is the word-by-word meaning of Gōvinda Salahennanu?
Avabodhak pairs each verse of Gōvinda Salahennanu with its English meaning, and the practice view breaks lines into individual words — so you learn what each word means, not just the overall sense.
Who composed Gōvinda Salahennanu?
Gōvinda Salahennanu is attributed to Kanaka Dāsa.
In which scripts can I read Gōvinda Salahennanu?
Gōvinda Salahennanu is available in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, Telugu, Tamil on Avabodhak, each with English meaning and IAST transliteration.
Can I chant or practice Gōvinda Salahennanu online?
Yes — Avabodhak offers a free reading view plus guided practice and word-puzzle modes to help you chant and memorise Gōvinda Salahennanu.