In2-MeC

Helsinki, Finland
4 October 2004

Mukunda-mala Stotram
by King Kulasekhara

krsna tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantam
adyaiva me viata manasa-raja-hamsah
prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih
kanthavarodhana-vidhau smaranam kutas te

This, the 33rd verse of the Mukunda-mala Stotram, was a great favorite of Srila Prabhupada. Below are translations for all 53 verses of this ancient and beautiful Sanskrit poem.

TEXT 1

O Mukunda, my Lord! Please let me become a constant reciter of Your names, addressing You as Sri-vallabha ("He who is very dear to Lak�mi"), Varada ("the bestower of benedictions"), Dayapara ("He who is causelessly merciful"), Bhakta-priya ("He who is very dear to His devotees"), Bhava-lunahana-kovida ("He who is expert at plundering the status quo of repeated birth and death"), Natha ("the Supreme Lord"), Jagan-nivasa ("the resort of the cosmos,") and Naga-sayana ("the Lord who lies down on the serpent bed").

TEXT 2

All glories to this Personality of Godhead known as the son of Srimati Devakidevi! All glories to Lord Sri Krsna, the brilliant light of the Vrsni dynasty! All glories to the Personality of Godhead, the hue of whose soft body resembles the blackish color of a new cloud! All glories to Lord Mukunda, who removes the burdens of the earth!

TEXT 3

O Lord Mukunda! I bow down my head to your Lordship and respectfully ask you to fulfill this one desire of mine: that in each of my future births I will, by your Lordship's mercy, always remember and never forget Your lotus feet.

TEXT 4

O Lord Hari, it is not to be saved from the dualities of material existence or the grim tribulations of the Kumbh�p�ka hell that I pray to your lotus feet. Nor is my purpose to enjoy the soft-skinned beautiful women who reside in the gardens of heaven. I pray to Your lotus feet only so that I may remember You alone in the core of my heart, birth after birth.

TEXT 5

O my Lord! I have no attachment for religiosity, or for accumulating wealth, or for enjoying sense gratification. Let these come as they inevitably must, in accordance with my past deeds. But I do pray for this most cherished boon: birth after birth, let me render unflinching devotional service unto your two lotus feet.

TEXT 6

O Lord, killer of the demon Naraka! Let me reside either in the realm of the demigods, in the world of human beings, or in hell, as You please. I pray only that at the point of death I may remember Your two lotus feet, whose beauty defies that of the lotus growing in the Sarat season.

TEXT 7

I always think of Lord Hari, whose joyful lotus face bears a gentle smile. Although He is the son of the cowherd Nanda, He is also the supreme Absolute Truth worshiped by great sages like Narada.

TEXT 8

The desert of material existence has exhausted me. But today I will cast aside all troubles by diving into the lake of Lord Hari and drinking freely of the abundant water of His effulgence. The lotuses in that lake are His hands and feet, and the fish are His brilliant shining eyes. That lakes water relieves all fatigue and is agitated by the waves His arms create. Its current flows deep beyond fathoming.

TEXT 9

O mind, please never stop taking pleasure in thinking of the Mura demons destroyer, who has lotus eyes and bears the conch and disc weapons. Indeed, I know of nothing else that gives such extreme pleasure as meditating on Lord Haris divine feet.

TEXT 10

O foolish mind, stop your fearful fretting about the extensive torments dealt out by Yamaraja. How can your enemies, the sinful reactions you have accrued, even touch you? After all, is your master not the Supreme Lord, the husband of goddess Sri? Cast aside all hesitation and concentrate your thoughts on Lord Narayana, whom one very easily attains through devotional service. What can that dispeller of the whole worlds troubles not do for His own servant?

TEXT 11

The people in this vast ocean of birth and death are being blown about by the winds of material dualities. As they flounder in the perilous waters of sense indulgence, with no boat to help them, they are sorely distressed by the need to protect their sons, daughters, and wives. Only the boat that is Lord Visnu can save them.

TEXT 12

Dear mind, do not bewilder yourself by anxiously thinking How can I cross this fathomless and impassable ocean of material existence? There is one who can save you--Devotion. If you offer her to the lotus-eyed Lord, the killer of Narakasura and the destroyer of hell, she will carry you across this ocean without fail.

TEXT 13

O Lord of the three worlds, we are drowning in the vast ocean of samsara, which is filled with the waters of material hankering, with many waves of illusion whipped up by the winds of lust, with whirlpools of wives, and with vast schools of sharks and other sea monsters who are our sons and brothers. O giver of all benedictions, please grant me a place on the boat of devotion that is Your lotus feet.

TEXT 14

Once our savior has been seen, the whole earth becomes like a mere speck of dust, all the waters of the ocean become mere droplets, the totality of fire becomes an insignificant spark, the winds become just a faint sigh, and the expanse of space becomes a tiny hole. Great lords like Rudra and Grandfather Brahma become insignificant, and all the demigods become like small insects. Indeed, even one particle of dust from our Lords feet conquers all.

TEXT 15

O people, please hear of this treatment for the disease of birth and death! It is the name of Krsna. Recommended by expert yogis steeped in wisdom, such as Yaj�avalkya, this boundless, eternal inner light is the best medicine, for when drunk it bestows complete and final liberation. Just drink it!

TEXT 16

O mortal beings, you have submerged yourselves fully in the ocean of material existence and are now standing deep within it. Please hear as I briefly tell you how to attain your supreme benefit. Just put aside your various attempts at gaining knowledge and instead begin constantly chanting this mantra: om namo narayanaya.

TEXT 17

Our master, the Personality of Godhead Narayana, who alone rules the three worlds, whom one can serve in meditation, and who happily shares His personal domain, has manifested Himself before us. Yet still we beg for the service of some minor lord of a few villages, some lowly person who can only meagerly reward us. Alas, what foolish wretches we are!

TEXT 18

O lotus-eyed Lord, please sustain our lives as we constantly relish the nectar of meditating on Your lotus feet, with our palms prayerfully joined, our heads bowed down, and our bodily hair standing up in jubilation.

TEXT 19

That head is the loftiest which is white with dust from bowing down to Lord Krsna. Those eyes are the most beautiful which darkness has abandoned after they have seen Lord Hari. That intelligence is spotless like the white glow of the moon or a conchshell which concentrates on Lord Madhava. And that tongue rains down nectar which constantly glorifies Lord Narayana.

TEXT 20

O tongue, praise the glories of Lord Ke�ava. O mind, worship the enemy of Mura. O hands, serve the Lord of Sri. O ears, hear the topics of Lord Acyuta. O eyes, gaze upon Sri Krsna. O feet, go to the temple of Lord Hari. O nose, smell the tulasi buds on Lord Mukunda's feet. O head, bow down to Lord Adhoksaja.

TEXT 21

All glories to Lord Narayana! Without remembrance of His lotus feet, recitation of scripture is merely useless crying in the wilderness, regular observance of severe vows enjoined in the Vedas is no more than a way to lose weight, execution of prescribed pious duties is like pouring oblations onto ashes, and bathing at various holy sites is no better than an elephant's bath.

TEXT 22

O Cupid, abandon your residence in my mind, which is now the home of Lord Mukunda's lotus feet. You have already been incinerated by Lord Siva's fiery glance, so why do you neglect Lord Murari's disc?

TEXT 23

Think only of your master and sustainer, the Supreme Lord, who is known as Narayana and Madhava and who lies on the body of the serpent Ananta. He is the darling son of Devaki, the hero of the demigods, and the Lord of the cows, and He holds a conchshell and the bow Sarnga. What will you gain by thinking of anything else?

TEXT 24

O Madhava, please do not let me even glance at those whose pious credits are so depleted that they have no devotion for Your lotus feet. Please do not let me be distracted from listening to the worthy narrations of Your pastimes and become interested in other topics. Please, O Lord of the universe, let me pay no attention to those who avoid thinking of You, and let me never be unable to serve You in some menial way, birth after birth.

TEXT 25

O enemy of Madhu and Kaitabha, O Lord of the universe, the perfection of my life and the most cherished mercy You could show me would be for You to consider me the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Your servant.

TEXT 26

My dear tongue, I stand before you with joined palms and beg you to recite the names of Lord Narayana. These names describing the Supreme Absolute Truth bring great pleasure, as if exuding honey.

TEXT 27

At every moment I bow down to the lotus feet of Narayana, I perform worship to Narayana, I recite the pure name of Narayana, and I re�ect on the infallible truth of Narayana.

TEXTS 28-29

O Srinatha, Narayana, Vasudeva, divine Krsna, O kind friend of Your devotees! O Cakrapani, Padmanabha, Acyuta, Kaitabhari, Rama, Padmak�a, Hari, Murari! O Ananta, Vaikuthha, Mukunda, Krsna, Govinda, Damodara, Madhava! Although all people can address You, still they remain silent. Just see how eager they are for their own peril!

TEXT 30

He is the jewel riding on the back of Garuda, who carries away the Lord's devotees on his wings. He is the magic jewel protecting the three worlds, the jewellike cloud attracting the Cataka-bird eyes of the gopis, and the jewel among all who gesture gracefully. He is the only jeweled ornament on the ample breasts of Queen Rukmini, who is herself the jewel of beloved consorts. May that crown jewel of all gods, the best of the cowherds, grant us the supreme benediction.

TEXT 31

O tongue, please constantly chant the mantra composed of Sri Krsna's names. This is the only mantra for destroying all enemies, the mantra worshiped by every word of the Upanisads, the mantra that uproots samsara, the mantra that drives away all the darkness of ignorance, the mantra for attaining infinite opulence, the mantra for curing those bitten by the poisonous snake of worldly distress, and the mantra for making one's birth in this world successful.

TEXT 32

O mind, please drink the transcendental medicine of Sri Krsna's glories. It is the perfect medicine for curing the disease of bewilderment, for inspiring sages to engage their minds in meditation, and for tormenting the mighty Daitya demons. It alone is the medicine for restoring the three worlds to life and for bestowing unlimited blessings on the Supreme Lord's devotees. Indeed, it is the only medicine that can destroy one's fear of material existence and lead one to the attainment of the supreme good.

TEXT 33

O Lord Krsna, at this moment let the royal swan of my mind enter the tangled stems of the lotus of Your feet. How will it be possible for me to remember You at the time of death, when my throat will be choked up with mucus, bile, and air?

TEXT 34

O mind, think of the lotus-eyed Lord who reclines on the mountainlike serpent Ananta. O tongue, glorify Him. O head, bow down to Him. O hands, join your palms in supplication to Him. O body, offer outstretched obeisances to Him. O heart, take full shelter of Him. That Supreme Lord is the topmost Deity. It is He alone who is all-auspicious and supremely purifying, He alone who awards eternal perfection.

TEXT 35

One who hears descriptions of Lord Janardana's pastimes and glorious qualities but whose bodily hair fails to bristle in ecstasy and whose eyes fail to �ood with tears of pure love such a person is indeed the most degraded rascal. What a condemned life he leads!

TEXT 36

O Lord, the powerful thieves of my senses have blinded me by stealing my most precious possession, my discrimination, and they have thrown me deep into the pitch-dark well of delusion. Please, O Lord of lords, extend Your hand and save this wretched soul.

TEXT 37

This body's beauty is fleeting, and at last the body must succumb to death after its hundreds of joints have stiffened with old age. So why, bewildered fool, are you asking me for medication? Just take the Krsna elixir, the one cure that never fails.

TEXT 38

The greatest wonder in human society is this: People are so incorrigible that they reject the life-giving nectar of Lord Narayana's names and instead drink poison by speaking everything else.

TEXT 39

Let my relatives all abandon me and my superiors condemn me. Still, the supremely blissful Govinda remains my life and soul.

TEXT 40

O mankind, with arms raised high I declare the truth! Any mortal who chants the names Mukunda, Nrsimha, and Janardana day after day, even in battle or when facing death, will come to regard his most cherished ambitions as no more valuable than a stone or a block of wood.

TEXT 41

Raising my arms, I utter this compassionate advice as loudly as I can: If those in the renounced order want to be delivered from the terrible, poisonous condition of material life, they should have the good sense to constantly hear the mantra, om namo narayanaya.

TEXT 42

My mind cannot turn from Sri Krsna's lotus feet, even for a moment. So let my dear ones and other relatives criticize me, my superiors accept or reject me as they like, the common people spread evil gossip about me, and my family's reputation be sullied. For a madman like me, it is honor enough to feel this flood of love of Godhead, which brings such sweet emotions of attraction for my Lord.

TEXT 43

May Krsna, the spiritual master of the three worlds, protect us. Continually bow down to Krsna. Krsna has killed all our enemies. Obeisances to Krsna. From Krsna alone this world has come into being. I am the servant of Krsna. This entire universe rests within Krsna. O Krsna, please protect me!

TEXT 44

O young cowherd boy! O ocean of mercy! O husband of Laksmi, the ocean's daughter! O killer of Kamsa! O merciful benefactor of Gajendra! O Madhava! O younger brother of Rama! O spiritual master of the three worlds! O lotus-eyed Lord of the gop�s! I know no one greater than You. Please protect me.

TEXT 45

Your wife is the beautiful daughter of the ocean, and Your son is Lord Brahma. The Vedas are Your panegyrist, the demigods comprise Your company of servants, and liberation is Your pleasure, while this entire universe is a display of Your magic power. Srimati Devaki is Your mother, and Arjuna, the son of Bala's enemy, is Your friend. For these reasons I have no interest in anyone but You.

TEXT 46

The wise inhabitants of the heavenly regions know that the perfection of the head is to offer prostrate obeisances to the Supreme Lord, the perfection of the life-breath is to worship the Lord, the perfection of the mind is to ponder the details of His transcendental qualities, and the perfection of speech is to chant the glories of His qualities.

TEXT 47

What person, even if he be most sinful, has ever said aloud the blessed name Narayana and failed to fulfill his desires? But we, alas, never used our power of speech in that way, and so we had to suffer such miseries as living in a womb.

TEXT 48

The unlimited and infallible Visnu, who is always present within the lotus of the heart, grants fearlessness to those who fix their intelligence upon Him. The devotees who meditate on Him will reach the supreme perfection of the Vaisnavas.

TEXT 49

O Supreme Lord, O Visnu, You are the most compassionate. So now please show me Your favor and bestow Your mercy upon this helpless soul. Kindly uplift this wretch who is drowning in the ocean of material existence. O Lord Hari, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TEXT 50

Obeisances to Lord Madhava, enemy of the Madhu demon. His beautiful form, lying on the couch of the serpent Ananta, is speckled by the shower of spray from the milk ocean's waves.

TEXT 51

By themselves the words "Krsna, Krsna" are sufficient to drive away the sins of all living beings. Anyone who possesses devotion for Lord Mukunda that is densely imbued with ecstasy holds in the palms of his hands the gifts of liberation, worldly influence, and splendor.

TEXT 52

This work was composed by King Kulasekhara, a bee at the lotus feet of the lotus-eyed Lord. The king's two beloved friends are the twin lotus stems of Brahmanahood, expert Vedic scholars renowned as leaders of the community of poets.

TEXT 53

Who among those who recite this Mukunda-mala will not achieve complete happiness? An embodied being who chants these prayers will have all his sinful reactions eradicated and proceed straight to the supreme abode of Lord Visnu.

<< Back