The Krishnaya Vasudevaya mantra lyrics offer a prayer of surrender to Lord Krishna, addressing Him as Vasudeva, Hari, Paramatma and Govinda. Found in the Srimad Bhagavatam, this verse praises the Lord as the remover of His surrendered devotees’ suffering. Below are the complete Sanskrit lyrics, English transliteration, Hindi and English meanings, and the story behind this prayer.
Krishnaya Vasudevaya Mantra Lyrics in Sanskrit
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने ।
प्रणतक्लेशनाशाय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः ॥
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 10.73.16
The original Bhagavatam verse begins with “कृष्णाय.” Some popular recitations add “ॐ” before it. The original text also uses the compound “प्रणतक्लेशनाशाय,” transliterated as praṇata-kleśa-nāśāya.
Krishnaya Vasudevaya Mantra Lyrics in English
Krishnaya Vasudevaya Haraye Paramatmane,
Pranata Klesha Nashaya Govindaya Namo Namah.
Sanskrit transliteration with pronunciation marks:
kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya haraye paramātmane
praṇata-kleśa-nāśāya govindāya namo namaḥ
The English letters above help readers recite the Sanskrit prayer. The translation below explains its meaning.
Krishnaya Vasudevaya Mantra Meaning
Hindi Meaning
वासुदेव के पुत्र भगवान श्रीकृष्ण, हरि, परमात्मा और गोविन्द को बारंबार नमस्कार है। वे अपनी शरण में आए हुए भक्तों के दुखों का नाश करते हैं।
English Meaning
I offer repeated obeisances to Lord Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, who is Hari, the Supreme Soul and Govinda. He destroys the suffering of those who surrender to Him.
The prayer expresses reverence for Krishna and faith in His shelter. Its central phrase, pranata-klesha-nashaya, describes Him as the destroyer of the distress of those who have surrendered to Him.
Word-by-Word Meaning
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| कृष्णाय | Krishnaya | To Lord Krishna |
| वासुदेवाय | Vasudevaya | To the son of Vasudeva |
| हरये | Haraye | To the Supreme Lord, Hari |
| परमात्मने | Paramatmane | To the Supersoul |
| प्रणत | Pranata | Those who have surrendered |
| क्लेश | Klesha | Distress or suffering |
| नाशाय | Nashaya | To the destroyer |
| गोविन्दाय | Govindaya | To Govinda |
| नमो नमः | Namo Namah | Repeated obeisances |
Together, these words offer repeated respects to Lord Krishna and acknowledge Him as the shelter of His devotees. The meanings follow the Sanskrit synonyms given with Srimad Bhagavatam 10.73.16.
Where Is the Krishnaya Vasudevaya Mantra Found?
This prayer appears in Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 73, Verse 16, within the prayers of the kings freed from Jarasandha’s imprisonment.
Jarasandha had imprisoned 20,800 kings. After their release, they stood before Lord Krishna with folded hands and offered prayers. Their long imprisonment had weakened their bodies, but seeing the Lord brought them great joy.
The kings recognised how pride in wealth and royal power had distracted them from spiritual life. They prayed for the ability to remember Krishna’s lotus feet, even while passing through repeated birth and death.
Within these prayers, they recited “Krishnaya Vasudevaya,” offering repeated obeisances to the Lord who removes His surrendered devotees’ distress. This context helps explain the verse’s emphasis on humility, remembrance and surrender.
How to Recite Krishnaya Vasudevaya Mantra
For someone learning this prayer, the following approach can make recitation easier:
- Read the Sanskrit or Roman lyrics slowly. Become familiar with each word before increasing your pace.
- Practise one line at a time. Learn the first line, then add the second and recite them together.
- Listen to your pronunciation. Give each word enough time rather than rushing through the verse.
- Remember the meaning. Reflect on offering respects to Krishna and taking shelter of Him.
- Include it in your prayers. Choose a quiet moment when you can recite attentively.
Pronunciation Points to Remember
- Vasudevaya: The marked transliteration is vāsudevāya. The “ā” indicates a long vowel.
- Haraye: Read it as ha-ra-ye, keeping the final “ye” clear.
- Paramatmane: Read it as pa-ra-māt-ma-ne.
- Pranata-klesha-nashaya: Read the phrase together. The hyphens help show the parts of the Sanskrit compound.
The verse itself does not prescribe a fixed repetition count, time or direction for recitation. Any specific practice received from your spiritual teacher should be followed according to that guidance.
Conclusion
The Krishnaya Vasudevaya mantra is a short prayer with a clear devotional meaning: repeated obeisances to Lord Krishna, who shelters those who surrender to Him. Learning its words along with their meaning helps us recite with understanding and remember the humility expressed by the liberated kings.
Adapted from the Gupt Vrindavan Dham blog: Krishnaya Vasudevaya Mantra Lyrics in Sanskrit, English.
