Sri Madhurashtakam

Sri Madhurashtakam is the slokam composition in prayer to and in praise of Lord Sri Krishna. The term “Madhura” means honey or sweet. In this slokam, Sri Krishna is appreciated as the personification of sweetness.

Sri Madhurashtakam was composed by Sri Vallabha Acharya. He had brought out the philosophy of Pushti Marg, which meant the unconditional devotion and service towards Lord Sri Krishna.

Sri Madhurashtakam conceptualizes the various aspects of the devotion such as singing the praise of Sri Krishna, remembering Sri Krishna, having the darshan of Sri Krishna and doing service for Sri Krishna.

The slokam contains eight stanzas each depicting the loveliness and sweetness of Lord Sri Krishna.

The Devanagari & English Scripts and a simple English translation are provided in the narrative.

Sri Madhurashtakam

अधरं मधुरं वदनं मधुरं
नयनं मधुरं हसितं मधुरं
हृदयं मधुरं गमनं मधुरं
मधुरधिपतेर अखिलं मधुरं (1)
aDharaM maDhuraM vadhanaM maDhuraM
nayanaM maDhuraM hasithaM maDhuraM
hrudhayaM maDhuraM gamanaM maDhuraM
maDhura-aDhipather akhilaM maDhuraM
Sri Krishna’s lips are sweet: His face is enchanting;
His eyes are sweet; His pleasant smile is sweet;
His kind heart is sweet; His walking pace is gracious;
He is the Lord of sweetness; Everything about Him is the sweetest.

वचनं मधुरं चरितं मधुरं
वसनं मधुरं वलितं मधुरं
चलितं मधुरं भ्रमितं मधुरं
मधुरधिपतेर अखिलं मधुरं (2)
vachanaM maDhuraM charithaM maDhuraM
vasanaM maDhuraM valithaM maDhuraM
chalithaM maDhuraM BhramithaM maDhuraM
maDhura-aDhipather akhilaM maDhuraM
Sri Krishna’s utterances are sweet; His doings and character are sweet;
His costumes are fascinating; His posture is sweet;
His movements are graceful and sweet; His strolling is sweet;
He is the Lord of sweetness; Everything about Him is the sweetest.

वेणुर्मधुरो रेणुर्मधुरः
पाणिर्मधुरः पादौ मधुरौ
नृत्यं मधुरं सख्यं मधुरं
मधुरधिपतेर अखिलं मधुरं (3)
veNur-maDhuro reNur-maDhurah
paaNir-maDhurah paadhau maDhurau
nruthyaM maDhuraM sakhyaM maDhuraM
maDhura-aDhipather akhilaM maDhuraM
Sri Krishna playing the flute is sweet; The dust beneath His feet is sweet;
His protective hands are sweet; His holy feet are sweet;
His dance is sweet; His companionship is sweet;
He is the Lord of sweetness; Everything about Him is the sweetest.

गितं मधुरं पीतं मधुरं
भुक्तं मधुरं सुप्तं मधुरं
रूपं मधुरं तिलकं मधुरं
मधुरधिपतेर अखिलं मधुरं (4)
githaM maDhuraM peethaM maDhuraM
BhukthaM maDhuraM supthaM maDhuraM
roopaM maDhuraM thilakaM maDhuraM
maDhura-aDhipather akhilaM maDhuraM
Sri Krishna’s singing is sweet; His drinking is sweet;
His intaking of food is sweet; His napping is sweet;
His appearance is sweet; His tilak on His forehead is sweet;
He is the Lord of sweetness; Everything about Him is the sweetest.

करणं मधुरं तरणं मधुरं
हरणं मधुरं रमणं मधुरं
वमितं मधुरं शमितं मधुरं
मधुरधिपतेर अखिलं मधुरं (5)
karaNaM maDhuraM tharaNaM maDhuraM
haraNaM maDhuraM ramaNaM maDhuraM
vamithaM maDhuraM shamithaM maDhuraM
maDhura-aDhipather akhilaM maDhuraM
Sri Krishna’s activities are sweet; His conquests are sweet;
His stealing (of hearts) is sweet; His divine act of loving is sweet;
His offerings are sweet; His expression is sweet;
He is the Lord of sweetness; Everything about Him is the sweetest.

गुञ्जा मधुरा माला मधुरा
यमुना मधुरा वीची मधुरा
सलिलं मधुरं कमलं मधुरं
मधुरधिपतेर अखिलं मधुरं (6)
gunjaa maDhuraa maalaa maDhuraa
yamunaa maDhuraa veechee maDhuraa
salilaM maDhuraM kamalaM maDhuraM
maDhura-aDhipather akhilaM maDhuraM
Sri Krishna’s gunja berries in His garland are sweet; His garland is sweet;
The Yamuna* river is sweet; Yamuna’s rippling waves are sweet;
Yamuna’s water is sweet; The lotuses in Yamuna are sweet;
He is the Lord of sweetness; Everything about Him is the sweetest.

*Yamuna is prominent as Sri Krishna had played with His friends in Her banks.

गोपी मधुरा लीला मधुरा
युक्तं मधुरं मुक्तं मधुरं
दृष्टं मधुरं शिष्टं मधुरं
मधुरधिपतेर अखिलं मधुरं (7)
gopee maDhuraa leela maDhuraa
yukthaM maDhuraM mukthaM maDhuraM
DhruShtaM maDhuraM shiShtaM maDhuraM
maDhura-aDhipather akhilaM maDhuraM
Sri Krishna’s Gopis (Girl devotees) are sweet; His playing with them is sweet;
His meeting of His friends is sweet; His deliverances are sweet;
His sideway glances are sweet; His decorum is sweet;
He is the Lord of sweetness; Everything about Him is the sweetest.

गॊपा मधुरा गावॊ मधुरा
यष्टिर्मधुरा सृष्टिर्मधुरा
दलितं मधुरं फलितं मधुरं
मधुरधिपतेर अखिलं मधुरं (8)
gopaa maDhuraa gaavoo maDhuraa
yaShtir-maDhuraa sruShtir-maDhuraa
dhalithaM maDhuraM phalithaM maDhuraM
maDhura-aDhipather akhilaM maDhuraM
Sri Krishna’s cowherd friends are sweet; His cows are sweet;
His herding stick is sweet; His creation is sweet;
His destruction (of evil) is sweet; His achievements are sweet;
He is the Lord of sweetness; Everything about Him is the sweetest.