Madhurashtakam

Roman (IAST) lyrics with meaning · composed by Śrī Vallabhācārya · stotra · 17 verses

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Also available in: Devanagari Kannada Telugu Tamil

madhurashtakam

madhurashtakam

Verse 1 — madhurāṣṭakam

madhurāṣṭakam

The Aṣṭakam of Sweetness — eight verses on all-sweet Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of Madhurā (by Vallabhācārya).

Verse 2 — adharaṃ madhuraṃ vadanaṃ madhuraṃ, nayanaṃ…

adharaṃ madhuraṃ vadanaṃ madhuraṃ, nayanaṃ madhuraṃ hasitaṃ madhuram |

Sweet are his lips, sweet his face, sweet his eyes, sweet his smile;

Verse 3 — hṛdayaṃ madhuraṃ, gamanaṃ madhuraṃ,…

hṛdayaṃ madhuraṃ, gamanaṃ madhuraṃ, madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram

sweet his heart, sweet his gait — all about the Lord of sweetness is sweet.

Verse 4 — vasanaṃ madhuraṃ, caritaṃ madhuraṃ, vacanaṃ…

vasanaṃ madhuraṃ, caritaṃ madhuraṃ, vacanaṃ madhuraṃ valitaṃ madhuram

Sweet his garment, sweet his deeds, sweet his speech, sweet his graceful bend;

Verse 5 — calitaṃ madhuraṃ, bhramitaṃ madhuraṃ,…

calitaṃ madhuraṃ, bhramitaṃ madhuraṃ, madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram

sweet his moving, sweet his wandering — all about the Lord of sweetness is sweet.

Verse 6 — veṇarmadhuro reṇurmadhuraḥ pāṇirmadhuraḥ pādau…

veṇarmadhuro reṇurmadhuraḥ pāṇirmadhuraḥ pādau madhurau

Sweet his flute, sweet the dust of his feet, sweet his hand, sweet his feet;

Verse 7 — nṛtyaṃ madhuraṃ sakhyaṃ madhuraṃ…

nṛtyaṃ madhuraṃ sakhyaṃ madhuraṃ madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram

sweet his dance, sweet his friendship — all about the Lord of sweetness is sweet.

Verse 8 — gītaṃ madhuraṃ pītaṃ madhuraṃ, bhuktaṃ madhuraṃ…

gītaṃ madhuraṃ pītaṃ madhuraṃ, bhuktaṃ madhuraṃ suptaṃ madhuram

Sweet his song, sweet his drinking, sweet his eating, sweet his sleeping;

Verse 9 — rūpaṃ madhuraṃ tilakaṃ madhuraṃ…

rūpaṃ madhuraṃ tilakaṃ madhuraṃ madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram

sweet his form, sweet his tilaka — all about the Lord of sweetness is sweet.

Verse 10 — karaṇaṃ madhuraṃ, taraṇaṃ madhuraṃ, haraṇaṃ…

karaṇaṃ madhuraṃ, taraṇaṃ madhuraṃ, haraṇaṃ madhuraṃ, ramaṇaṃ madhuram

Sweet his doing, sweet his rescuing, sweet his stealing, sweet his loving;

Verse 11 — vamitaṃ madhuraṃ, śamitaṃ madhuraṃ,…

vamitaṃ madhuraṃ, śamitaṃ madhuraṃ, madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram

sweet his casting-off, sweet his calming — all about the Lord of sweetness is sweet.

Verse 12 — guñjā madhurā mālā madhurā yamunā madhurā vīcī…

guñjā madhurā mālā madhurā yamunā madhurā vīcī madhurā

Sweet the guñjā-berries, sweet the garland, sweet the Yamunā, sweet its waves;

Verse 13 — salilaṃ madhuraṃ, kamalaṃ madhuraṃ…

salilaṃ madhuraṃ, kamalaṃ madhuraṃ madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram

sweet its water, sweet the lotus — all about the Lord of sweetness is sweet.

Verse 14 — gopī madhurā līlā madhurā, rādhā madhurā…

gopī madhurā līlā madhurā, rādhā madhurā milanaṃ madhuram

Sweet the gopī, sweet his play, sweet Rādhā, sweet their union;

Verse 15 — dṛṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ śiṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ…

dṛṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ śiṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram

sweet his glance, sweet his grace — all about the Lord of sweetness is sweet.

Verse 16 — gopā madhurā gāvo madhurā, yaṣṭirmadhurā…

gopā madhurā gāvo madhurā, yaṣṭirmadhurā sṛṣṭirmadhurā

Sweet the cowherds, sweet the cows, sweet his staff, sweet his creation;

Verse 17 — dalitaṃ madhuraṃ, phalitaṃ madhuraṃ,…

dalitaṃ madhuraṃ, phalitaṃ madhuraṃ, madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram

sweet his crushing of foes, sweet his fruit-giving — all about the Lord of sweetness is sweet.

About Madhurashtakam

Madhurashtakam is a Sanskrit stotra, composed by Śrī Vallabhācārya, addressed to Krishna — a Ashtakam. It is presented here in Devanagari, Roman (IAST), Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, each verse with its English meaning. Source text: Sanskrit Wikisource.

Founder of the Puṣṭimārga and the Śuddhādvaita school, a Vaiṣṇava ācārya devoted to Kṛṣṇa and composer of the Madhurāṣṭakam.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Madhurashtakam?

Madhurashtakam is an eight-verse hymn on the "sweetness" (mādhurya) of Kṛṣṇa by Śrī Vallabhācārya, opening with "Adharaṃ Madhuraṃ Vadanaṃ Madhuraṃ" — "His lips are sweet, his face is sweet" — each verse cataloguing a different aspect of Kṛṣṇa's divine charm.

Who composed the Madhurashtakam?

Madhurashtakam is attributed to Śrī Vallabhācārya, the founder of the Puṣṭimārga tradition. The hymn is a hallmark of the Mādhurya-rasa (sweet-devotion) school, where the devotee is captivated by Kṛṣṇa's beauty as a doorway to love.

What is the meaning of Adhara Madhuram Vadana Madhuram?

"Adharaṃ Madhuraṃ Vadanaṃ Madhuraṃ" is the opening of Madhurashtakam: "His lips are sweet, his face is sweet." Each subsequent line adds another sweet feature — eyes, smile, gait, form — until the entire being of Kṛṣṇa is a cascade of sweetness.

How do I read the Madhurashtakam on Avabodhak?

Every verse of Madhurashtakam is shown in Devanagari, Roman (IAST) and English meaning. Free to read, no login required; the practice view replays the hymn for chanting or memorising.