These immortal verses were composed by a prince of the Chera dynasty called Kulashekara Azhwar (Called Kula shekara perumal in Kerala)He was also called Mudaliyandan Nambi . He was one of the., 12 sages of the Bhakthi cult of Vaishnavism called Azhwars.These sages were the minstrels of God who traveled from place to place and sang the praise of Lord Vishnu.The devotion to God expressed in these verses is unparallel in any world literature..


Mukunda Mala


Vandhe mukunda maravindha dalayathaksham,
Kundhendu sankha dasanam Sishu gopa vesham,
Indradhi deva gana vandhitha pada peetham,
Vridhavanalaya maham Vasudeva soonum, *

Sri Vallabhethi Varadhethi Dhaya Parethi,
Bhakthi priyethi Bhavaluntana kovidhethi,
Nathedhi, Naga sayanethi, Jagannivasa,
Thyalapinam prathi dinam kuru maam mukunda., 1

Jayathu jayathu devo devaki nandhanoyam,
Jayathu jayathu krishno vrishni vamsa pradheepa,
Jayathu jayathu megha syamala komalango,
Jayathu jayathu prithvi bhara naso mukunda., 2

Mukunda, murdhna prani pathya yache,
Bhavantha mekantha miyantha martham,
Avismrithi swacharanaravinde,
Bhave bhave meastha bhavat prasadath. 3

Sri Govinda padhombhoja,
Madhuna Mahadbutham,
Yath Payino na munchanthi,
Munchanthi yadhpaina. *

Naham vandhe thave charanayor dwndwamadwandha mahatho.
Kumbhi pakam guru mapi hare, narakam napanothum,
Ramya rama mrudhthu thanu latha anandhanena apirama
Bhave bhave hridaya bhavane bhaveyayam bhavantham. 4

Nastha dharmenavasu nichaye naiva kamopabhoghe,
Yadyath bhavyam bhavathu bhagawan poorva karmanuroopam,
Ethath prarthyam mama bahumatham janma janamathoropi,
Twatpadambhoruha yuga gatha nischala bhakthirasthu. 5

Divi va bhuvi va mamastu vaso
Narake va narakantaka prakamam
Avadhirita-sarada aravindau
Charanau the marane api chintayami., 6

Chintayami harim eva santatam
Manda-hasa-muditananambujam
Nanda-gopa-tanayam parat param
Naradadi-muni-vrinda-vanditam., 7

Kara-charana-saroje kantiman-netra-mine
Srama-mushi bhuja-vichi-vyakule agadha-marge
Hari-sarasi vigahyapiya tejo-jalaugham
Bhava-maru-parichinnah klesam adya tyajami., 8

Sarasija-nayane sa-sankha-chakre
Mura-bhidi ma viramasva chitta rantum
Sukha-taram aparam na jathu jane
Hari-charana-smarana amrithena tulyam., 9

Mabhir manda-mano vichintya bahudha yamis chiram yatana
Naivami prabhavanti papa-ripavah svami nanu sridharah
Alasyam vyapaniya bhakti-sulabham dhyayasva narayanam
Lokasya vyasanapanodana-karo dasasya kim na kshamah., 10

Bhava-jaladhi-gathanam dvandva-vata hatanam
Suta-duhitru-kalatra-thrana-bhararditanam
Vishama-vishaya-thoye majjatam aplavanam
Bhavati saranam eko vishnu-poto naranam. 11

Bhava-jaladhim agadham dustharam nisthareyam
Katham aham ithi cheto ma sma gah katharathvam
Sarasija-drisi deve tharaki bhaktir eka
Naraka-bhidi nishanna tarayishyaty avasyam., 12

Trishna-toye madana-pavanoddhuta-mohormi-male
Daravarte tanaya-sahaja-graha-sanghakule cha
Samsarakhye mahati jaladhau majjatam nas tri-dhaman
Padambhoje vara-da bhavato bhakti-navam prayaccha., 13

Prithvi-renur anuh payamsi kanikah phalguh sphulingo laghus
Tejo nihsvasanam marut tanu-taram randhram su-sukshmam nabhah
Kshudra rudra-pitamaha-prabhritayah kinah samastah sura
Drishte yatra sa tarako vijayate sri-pada-dhuli-kanah., 14

He! lokah srinutha prasuthi-marana-vyadhes chikitsam imam
Yoga-jnah samudaharanti munayo yam yajnavalkyadayah
Antar-jyothir ameyam ekam amritham krishnakhyam apiyatam
Tat pitam paramaushadham vitanute nirvanam atyantikam., 15

He! martyah paramam hitham srinutha vo vakshyami sankshepatah
Samsararnavam apad-urmi-bahulam samyak pravisya sthitah
Nana-jnanam apasya chetasi namo narayanayety amum
Mantram sa-pranavam pranama-sahitam pravartayadhvam muhuh., 16 

Nathe nah purushottame tri-jagatam ekadhipe chetasa
Sevye svasya padasya dathari pare narayane thishthati
Yam kinchit purushadhamam kathipaya-gramesam alpartha-dam
Sevayai mrigayamahe naram aho mudha varaka vayam., 17

Baddhenanjalina nathena sirasa gatraih sa-romodgamaih
Kanthena svara-gadgadena nayanenodgirna-bashpambuna
Nityam tvachranaravinda-yugala-dhyanamritasvadinam
Asmakam sarasiruhaksha satatam sampadyatam jivitam., 18

Yat krishna-pranipatha-dhuli-dhavalam thath varshma thad vai siras
Thea nethre tamasojjhite su-ruchire yabhyam harir drisyathe
Sa buddhir vimalendu-sankha-dhavala ya madhava-dhyayini
Sa jihvamrita-varshiti prati-padam ya stauti narayanam., 19

Jihve kirthaya kesavam mura-ripum cheto bhaja sridharam
Pani-dvandva samarchayachyuta-kathah srotra-dvaya thvam srunu
Krishnam lokaya lochana-dvaya harer gacchanghri-yugamalayam
Jighra ghrana mukunda-pada-tulasim murdhan namadhokshajam., 20 

Amnayabhyasanany aranya-ruditham veda-vrathany anv-aham
Medas-cheda-phalani purtha-vidhayah sarvam hutam bhasmani
Tirthanam avagahanani cha gaja-snanam vina yat-pada-
Dvandvambhoruha-samsmritim vijayate devah sa narayanah., 21

Madana parihara sthitim madhiye
Manasi mukunda-padaravinda-dhamni
Hara-nayana-krisanuna kriso 'si
Smarasi na chakra-parakramam murarer. 22

Nathe dhathari bhogi-bhoga-sayane narayane madhave
Deve devaki-nandane sura-vare chakrayudhe sarangini
Lilasesha-jagat-prapancha-jathare visvesvare sridhare
Govinde kuru chitta-vrittim achalam anyais tu kim vartanai., 23

Ma draksham kshina-punyan kshanam api bhavato bhakti-hinan padabje
Ma srausham sravya-bandham tava charitam apasyanyad akhyana-jatam
Ma smarsham madhava tvam api bhuvana-pathe chetasapahnuvanan
Ma bhuvam tvat-saparya-vyatikara-rahito janma-janmantare api., 24

Maj-janmanah phalam idam madhu-kaitabhare
Math-prarthaniya-mad-anugraha esha eva
Tvad-bhrithya-bhrithya-paricharaka-bhrithya-bhrithya-
Bhrithyasya bhrithya iti mam smara loka-natha., 25

Tattvam bruvanani param paras tan
Madhu ksharantiva mudavahani
Pravartaya pranjalir asmi jihve
Namani narayana-gocharani., 26

Namami Narayana-pada-pankajam
Karomi narayana-pujanam sada
Vadami narayana-nama nirmalam
Smarami narayana-tattvam avyayam., 27

Sri-natha narayana vasudeva
Sri-krishna bhakta-priya chakra-pane
Sri-padmanabhachyuta kaitabhare
Sri-rama padmaksha hare murare., 28


Ananta vaikuntha mukunda krishna
Govinda damodara madhaveti
Vaktum samartho api na vakthi kaschid
Aho jananam vyasanabhimukhyam., 29

Bhaktapaya-bhujanga-garuda-manis trailokya-raksha-manir
Gopi-lochana-chatakambuda-manih saundarya-mudra-manih
Yah kanta-mani-rukmini-ghana-kucha-dvandvaika-bhusha-manih
Sreyo deva-sikha-manir disathu no gopala-chuda-manih., 30

Satru-cchedaika-mantram sakalam upanishad-vakya-sampujya-mantram
Samsaroccheda-mantram samuchita-tamasah sangha-niryana-mantram
Sarvaisvaryaika-mantram vyasana-bhujaga-sandashta-santhrana-mantram
Jihve sri-krishna-mantram japa japa sathatham janma-saphalya-mantram., 31 

Vyamoha-prasam aushadham muni-mano-vritti-pravritty-aushadham
Daityendrarti-karaushadham tri-bhuvane sanjivanaikaushadham
Bhaktatyanta-hitaushadham bhava-bhaya-pradhvamsanaikaushadham
Sreyah-prapti-karaushadham piba manah sri-krishna-divyaushadham., 32

Krishna tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantam
Adyaiva me visatu manasa-raja-hamsah
Prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih
Kanthavarodhana-vidhau smaranam kutas te., 33

Chetas chintaya kirthayasva rasane namri-bhava thvam siro
Hastav anjali-samputam rachayatam vandasva dirgham vapuh
Atman samsraya pundarika-nayanam nagachalendra-sthitam
Dhanyam punya-tamam thad eva paramam daivam hi sat-siddhaye., 34

Srunvan janardana-katha-guna-kirtanani
Dehe na yasya pulakodgama-roma-rajih
Nothpadyathe nayanayor vimalambu-mala
Dhik tasya jivitam aho purushadhamasya., 35

Andhasya me hritha-viveka-maha-dhanasya
Chauraih prabho balibhir indriya-namadheyaih
Mohandha-kupa-kuhare vinipatitasya
Devesa dehi kripanasya karavalambam., 36

Idam sariram parinama-pesalam
Pathaty avasyam satha-sandhi-jarjaram
Kim aushadham pricchasi mudha durmate
Niramayam krishna-rasayanam piba., 37

Ascharyam ethad dhi manushya-loke
Sudham parityajya visham pibanti
Namani narayana-gocharani
Tyaktvanya-vacah kuhakah pathanti., 38

Tyajantu bandhavah sarve
Nindantu guravo janah
Tathapi paramanando
Govindo mama jivanam., 39

Sathyam brovami manujah svayam urdhva-bahur
Yo yo mukunda narasimha janardaneti
Jivo japaty anu-dinam marane rane va
Pashana-kashtha-sadrisaya dadaty abhishtam., 40

Narayanaya nama ity amum eva mantram
Samsara-ghora-visha-nirharanaya nityam
Srinvanthu bhavya-matayo yatayo anuragad
Ucchais taram upadisamy aham urdhva-bahuh., 41

Chittam naiva nivarthate kshanam api sri-krishna-padambujat
Nindantu priya-bandhava guru-jana grihnanthu munchantu va
Durvadam parighoshayantu manuja vamse kalanke astu va
Tadrik prema-dharanuraga-madhuna mattaya manam tu me., 42

Krishno rakshatu no jagat-traya-guruh krishnam namadhvam sada
Krishnenakhila-satravo vinihatah krishnaya tasmai namah
Krishnad eva samutthitam jagad idam krishnasya daso asmy aham
Krishne tishthati visvam etad akhilam he krishna rakshasva mam., 43

Hey gopalaka,Hey kripa-jalanidHe ,Hey sindhu-kanya-pate
Hey kamsantaka,Hey gajendra-karuna-parina, Hey madhava
Hey ramanuja,Hey jagat-traya-guro,Hey pundarikaksha mam
Hey gopijana-natha palaya param janami na tvam vina., 44

Dara varakara-vara-sutha the tanujo virincih
Stotra vedas tava sura-gana bhritya-vargah prasadah
Mukthir maya jagad avikalam tavaki devaki thwa
Mata mithram bala-ripu-sutas tat tvad anyam na jane., 45

Pranamam isasya sirah-phalam vidhus
Tad-archanam prani-phalam divaukasah
Manah-phalam tad-guna-tattva-chintanam
Vacah-phalam tad-guna-kirtanam budhah., 46

Sriman-nama prochya narayanakhyam
Ke na prabhur vanchitam papino api
Ha nah purvam vak-pravritta na tasmims
Tena praptam garbha-vasadi-duhkham., 47

Dhyayanti ye vishnum anantam avyayam
Hrit-padma-madhye satatam vyavasthitam
Samahitanam satatabhaya-pradam
Te yanti siddhim paramam tu vaishnavim., 48

Tat tvam prasida bhagavan kuru mayy anathe
Vishno kripam parama-karunikah khalu tvam
Samsara-sagara-nimagnam ananta dinam
Uddhartum arhasi hare purushottamo asi., 49

Kshira-sagara-tarangarasikara-
Sara-tarakita-charu-murtaye
Bhogi-bhoga-sayaniya-saayine
Madhavaya madhu-vidvishe namah., 50

Alam alam alam eka praninam patakanam
Nirasana-vishaye ya krishna krishneti vani
Yadi bhavati mukunde bhaktir ananda-sandra
Karatala-kalina sa moksha-samrajya lakshmih., 51

Yasya priyau sruti-dharau kavi-loka-virau
Mitrau dvi-janma-vara-padma-sarav abhutam
Tenambujaksha-charanambuja-shat-padena
Rajna krita kritir iyam kulasekharena., 52

Mukunda-malam pathatam naranam
Asesha-saukhyam labhate na kah svit
Samasta-papa-kshayam etya dehi
Prayati vishnoh paramam padam tat., 53