Achyutashtakam (Achyutam Keshavam): Meaning

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1. Verse 1

   अच्युतं केशवं रामनारायणं कृष्णदामोदरं वासुदेवं हरिम् । श्रीधरं माधवं गोपिकावल्लभं जानकीनायकं रामचन्द्रं भजे ॥

   acyutaṃ keśavaṃ rāmanārāyaṇaṃ kṛṣṇadāmodaraṃ vāsudevaṃ harim । śrīdharaṃ mādhavaṃ gopikāvallabhaṃ jānakīnāyakaṃ rāmacandraṃ bhaje ॥

   अच्युतम्	acyutam	Achyuta, the one who never falls
   दामोदरम्	dāmodaram	Damodara, bound with a rope at the waist
   गोपिकावल्लभम्	gopikāvallabham	beloved of the gopis
   जानकीनायकम्	jānakīnāyakam	lord of Janaki (Sita)

   मैं अच्युत, केशव, राम, नारायण, कृष्ण, दामोदर, वासुदेव, हरि, श्रीधर, माधव, गोपियों के प्रिय, जानकीनाथ रामचंद्र को भजता हूँ।

   I worship Achyuta, Keshava, Rama, Narayana, Krishna, Damodara, Vasudeva, Hari, Shridhara, Madhava, beloved of the gopis, lord of Janaki, Ramachandra.

   The famous opening line. Achyuta means "one who never falls"; Keshava is "of beautiful hair"; Damodara is "one with a rope around his belly", from the story of Yashoda tying the child Krishna to a mortar; Vasudeva is the son of Vasudeva; Shridhara bears Lakshmi; and "lord of Janaki" is Ram, husband of Sita.

2. Verse 2

   अच्युतं केशवं सत्यभामाधवं माधवं श्रीधरं राधिकाराधितम् । इन्दिरामन्दिरं चेतसा सुन्दरं देवकीनन्दनं नन्दजं सन्दधे ॥

   acyutaṃ keśavaṃ satyabhāmādhavaṃ mādhavaṃ śrīdharaṃ rādhikārādhitam । indirāmandiraṃ cetasā sundaraṃ devakīnandanaṃ nandajaṃ sandadhe ॥

   सत्यभामाधवम्	satyabhāmādhavam	lord of Satyabhama
   राधिकाराधितम्	rādhikārādhitam	worshipped by Radha
   इन्दिरामन्दिरम्	indirāmandiram	home of Lakshmi
   देवकीनन्दनम्	devakīnandanam	son of Devaki

   मैं अच्युत, केशव, सत्यभामा के स्वामी, माधव, श्रीधर, राधिका द्वारा आराधित, लक्ष्मी के निवास, मन को सुंदर लगने वाले, देवकी-नंदन, नंद-नंदन को हृदय में धारण करता हूँ।

   I hold in my heart Achyuta, Keshava, Satyabhama's lord, Madhava, Shridhara, worshipped by Radhika, the abode of Lakshmi, lovely to the mind, Devaki's son, Nanda's son.

   More names of Krishna: lord of Satyabhama, one of his queens; worshipped by Radhika (Radha); Indira-mandira, the home of Lakshmi (Indira); Devakinandana, Devaki's son; and Nandaja, son of Nanda, who raised him in Gokul.

3. Verse 3

   विष्णवे जिष्णवे शङ्खिने चक्रिणे रुक्मिणीरागिणे जानकीजानये । वल्लवी वल्लभायार्चिता यात्मने कंस विध्वंसिने वंशिने ते नमः ॥

   viṣṇave jiṣṇave śaṅkhine cakriṇe rukmiṇīrāgiṇe jānakījānaye । vallavī vallabhāyārcitā yātmane kaṃsa vidhvaṃsine vaṃśine te namaḥ ॥

   शङ्खिने	śaṅkhine	to the bearer of the conch
   चक्रिणे	cakriṇe	to the bearer of the discus
   रुक्मिणीरागिणे	rukmiṇīrāgiṇe	to the beloved of Rukmini
   वंशिने	vaṃśine	to the flute player

   विष्णु, विजयी, शंख और चक्र धारण करने वाले, रुक्मिणी के प्रिय, जानकी के पति, ग्वालिनों द्वारा पूजित, आत्मस्वरूप, कंस का नाश करने वाले, बाँसुरी बजाने वाले, आपको नमस्कार।

   To Vishnu, the victorious, bearer of the conch and discus, beloved of Rukmini, husband of Janaki, worshipped by the cowherd women, the Self, destroyer of Kamsa, player of the flute: salutations to you.

   A salutation that moves between Vishnu's forms: bearer of the conch and discus, loved by Rukmini (Krishna's chief queen), husband of Janaki (Ram), worshipped by the cowherd women, destroyer of Kamsa, player of the flute.

4. Verse 4

   कृष्ण गोविन्द हे राम नारायण श्रीपते वासुदेवाजित श्रीनिधे । अच्युतानन्त हे माधवाधोक्षज द्वारकानायक द्रौपदीरक्षक ॥

   kṛṣṇa govinda he rāma nārāyaṇa śrīpate vāsudevājita śrīnidhe । acyutānanta he mādhavādhokṣaja dvārakānāyaka draupadīrakṣaka ॥

   अजित	ajita	O unconquered one
   अधोक्षज	adhokṣaja	Adhokshaja, beyond the senses
   द्वारकानायक	dvārakānāyaka	lord of Dwaraka
   द्रौपदीरक्षक	draupadīrakṣaka	protector of Draupadi

   हे कृष्ण, गोविंद, राम, नारायण, श्रीपति, वासुदेव, अजित, श्रीनिधि; अच्युत, अनंत, माधव, अधोक्षज, द्वारकानाथ, द्रौपदी के रक्षक।

   O Krishna, Govinda, Rama, Narayana, lord of Shri, Vasudeva, unconquered, treasure of Shri; Achyuta, endless, Madhava, Adhokshaja, lord of Dwaraka, protector of Draupadi.

   A string of names in the vocative. Adhokshaja is a name of Vishnu often explained as "beyond the senses". The verse ends with two of Krishna's roles in the Mahabharata: lord of Dwaraka and protector of Draupadi, whom he saved from humiliation in the Kaurava court.

5. Verse 5

   राक्षसक्षोभितः सीतया शोभितो दण्डकारण्यभूपुण्यताकारणः । लक्ष्मणेनान्वितो वानरैः सेवितोऽगस्त्यसम्पूजितो राघवः पातु माम् ॥

   rākṣasakṣobhitaḥ sītayā śobhito daṇḍakāraṇyabhūpuṇyatākāraṇaḥ । lakṣmaṇenānvito vānaraiḥ sevito'gastyasampūjito rāghavaḥ pātu mām ॥

   दण्डकारण्य	daṇḍakāraṇya	the Dandaka forest
   वानरैः	vānaraiḥ	by the vanaras
   राघवः	rāghavaḥ	Raghava, Ram

   जिन्हें राक्षसों ने क्षुब्ध किया, जो सीता के साथ शोभित हैं, जिन्होंने दंडकारण्य की भूमि को पवित्र किया, जो लक्ष्मण के साथ हैं, वानरों द्वारा सेवित और अगस्त्य द्वारा पूजित हैं, वे राघव मेरी रक्षा करें।

   He who was angered by the demons, who shines with Sita, who made the Dandaka forest holy, accompanied by Lakshmana, served by the vanaras, worshipped by Agastya: may Raghava protect me.

   This verse is about Ram's exile: he was troubled by the rakshasas, graced by Sita, made the Dandaka forest holy by living there, was accompanied by Lakshmana and served by the vanaras, and was honoured by the sage Agastya, whom he visited in the forest.

6. Verse 6

   धेनुकारिष्टकोऽनिष्टकृद्द्वेषिणां केशिहा कंसहृद्वण्शिकावादकः । पूतनाकोपकः सूरजाखेलनो बालगोपालकः पातु मां सर्वदा ॥

   dhenukāriṣṭako'niṣṭakṛddveṣiṇāṃ keśihā kaṃsahṛdvaṇśikāvādakaḥ । pūtanākopakaḥ sūrajākhelano bālagopālakaḥ pātu māṃ sarvadā ॥

   केशिहा	keśihā	slayer of Keshi
   पूतनाकोपकः	pūtanākopakaḥ	who angered Putana
   सूरजाखेलनः	sūrajākhelanaḥ	who played at the Yamuna
   बालगोपालकः	bālagopālakaḥ	the boy cowherd

   धेनुक और अरिष्ट को मारने वाले, द्वेषियों का अनिष्ट करने वाले, केशी को मारने वाले, कंस का वध करने वाले, बाँसुरी बजाने वाले, पूतना पर कोप करने वाले, यमुना तट पर खेलने वाले बाल-गोपाल सदा मेरी रक्षा करें।

   Slayer of Dhenuka and Arishta, bringer of harm to those who hate, slayer of Keshi, killer of Kamsa, player of the flute, who angered Putana, who played on the Yamuna's bank, the boy cowherd: may he protect me always.

   This verse recalls Krishna's childhood in Braj: he killed the demons Dhenuka (who took the form of a donkey), Arishta and Keshi (a horse), destroyed Kamsa, and dealt with Putana, the demoness who came to poison him as a baby. Suraja, "the daughter of the Sun", is the Yamuna, where he played.

7. Verse 7

   विद्युदुद्योतवत्प्रस्फुरद्वाससं प्रावृडम्भोदवत्प्रोल्लसद्विग्रहम् । वन्यया मालया शोभितोरःस्थलं लोहिताङ्घ्रिद्वयं वारिजाक्षं भजे ॥

   vidyududyotavatprasphuradvāsasaṃ prāvṛḍambhodavatprollasadvigraham । vanyayā mālayā śobhitoraḥsthalaṃ lohitāṅghridvayaṃ vārijākṣaṃ bhaje ॥

   विद्युत्	vidyut	lightning
   प्रावृडम्भोद	prāvṛḍambhoda	monsoon cloud
   वन्यया मालया	vanyayā mālayā	with the forest garland
   वारिजाक्षम्	vārijākṣam	lotus-eyed

   मैं उन कमल-नयन को भजता हूँ, जिनका वस्त्र बिजली की चमक जैसा दमकता है, जिनका शरीर वर्षा के मेघ जैसा शोभित है, जिनका वक्ष वनमाला से सुशोभित है, और जिनके दोनों चरण लाल हैं।

   I worship the lotus-eyed one, whose garment flashes like lightning, whose body glows like a rain cloud of the monsoon, whose chest is adorned with a garland of forest flowers, whose two feet are red.

   A description of Krishna's form: his yellow garment flashes like lightning against his body, dark as a monsoon cloud; on his chest is the vanamala, the garland of forest flowers; his feet are red and his eyes are like lotuses.

8. Verse 8

   कुञ्चितैः कुन्तलैर्भ्राजमानाननं रत्नमौलिं लसत्कुण्डलं गण्डयोः । हारकेयूरकं कङ्कणप्रोज्ज्वलं किङ्किणीमञ्जुलं श्यामलं तं भजे ॥

   kuñcitaiḥ kuntalairbhrājamānānanaṃ ratnamauliṃ lasatkuṇḍalaṃ gaṇḍayoḥ । hārakeyūrakaṃ kaṅkaṇaprojjvalaṃ kiṅkiṇīmañjulaṃ śyāmalaṃ taṃ bhaje ॥

   कुन्तलैः	kuntalaiḥ	with locks of hair
   कुण्डलम्	kuṇḍalam	earrings
   किङ्किणी	kiṅkiṇī	small bells
   श्यामलम्	śyāmalam	the dark one

   मैं उन श्यामल प्रभु को भजता हूँ, जिनका मुख घुंघराले केशों से दमकता है, जिनके सिर पर रत्न-मुकुट और गालों पर चमकते कुंडल हैं, जो हार, बाजूबंद और कंगनों से उज्ज्वल और करधनी की घंटियों से सुंदर हैं।

   I worship that dark one, whose face shines with curling locks, with a jewelled crown and earrings gleaming on his cheeks, radiant with necklace, armlets and bracelets, lovely with tinkling bells.

   More of his adornment: curling locks around his face, a jewelled crown, earrings shining on his cheeks, a necklace, armlets, bracelets and a belt of small bells. He is called shyamala, the dark one.

9. Verse 9

   अच्युतस्याष्टकं यः पठेदिष्टदं प्रेमतः प्रत्यहं पूरुषः सस्पृहम् । वृत्ततः सुन्दरं कर्तृ विश्वम्भरस्तस्य वश्यो हरिर्जायते सत्वरम् ॥

   acyutasyāṣṭakaṃ yaḥ paṭhediṣṭadaṃ premataḥ pratyahaṃ pūruṣaḥ saspṛham । vṛttataḥ sundaraṃ kartṛ viśvambharastasya vaśyo harirjāyate satvaram ॥

   अष्टकम्	aṣṭakam	the octet
   प्रेमतः	premataḥ	with love
   विश्वम्भरः	viśvambharaḥ	sustainer of the universe
   वश्यः	vaśyaḥ	under the control of

   जो मनुष्य प्रेम और लगन से प्रतिदिन यह इष्ट देने वाला, छंद में सुंदर अच्युताष्टक पढ़ता है, विश्व का भरण करने वाले हरि शीघ्र ही उसके वश में हो जाते हैं।

   Whoever, with love and longing, recites daily this beautiful Achyutashtakam, which grants what is wished for, Hari, who supports the universe, quickly comes under that person's loving control.

   The phalashruti: whoever recites this octet daily with love and longing soon wins the heart of Hari, who sustains the universe (Vishvambhara). Devotional texts often speak of God coming "under the control" of the devotee's love.