Ashtak · Sanskrit
मधुराष्टकम्
Madhurashtakam
The sublime eight-verse Sanskrit hymn by Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya celebrating the absolute, all-pervading sweetness of Lord Krishna.
Read & reflect
अधरं मधुरं वदनं मधुरं नयनं मधुरं हसितं मधुरम् । हृदयं मधुरं गमनं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ १ ॥
वचनं मधुरं चरितं मधुरं वसनं मधुरं वलितं मधुरम् । चलितं मधुरं भ्रमितं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ २ ॥
वेणुर्मधुरो रेणुर्मधुरः पाणिर्मधुरः पादौ मधुरौ । नृत्यं मधुरं सख्यं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ३ ॥
गीतं मधुरं पीतं मधुरं भुक्तं मधुरं सुप्तं मधुरम् । रूपं मधुरं तिलकं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ४ ॥
करणं मधुरं तरणं मधुरं हरणं मधुरं रमणं मधुरम् । वमितं मधुरं शमितं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ५ ॥
गुञ्जा मधुरा माला मधुरा यमुना मधुरा वीची मधुरा । सलिलं मधुरं कमलं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ६ ॥
गोपी मधुरा लीला मधुरा युक्तं मधुरं मुक्तं मधुरम् । दृष्टं मधुरं शिष्टं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ७ ॥
गोपा मधुरा गावो मधुरा यष्टिर्मधुरा सृष्टिर्मधुरा । दलितं मधुरं फलितं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ८ ॥
Roman reading aid
Adharam Madhuram Vadanam Madhuram Nayanam Madhuram Hasitam Madhuram | Hridayam Madhuram Gamanam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram || 1 || Vachanam Madhuram Charitam Madhuram Vasanam Madhuram Valitam Madhuram | Chalitam Madhuram Bhramitam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram || 2 || Venur Madhuro Renur Madhurah Panir Madhurah Padau Madhurau | Nrityam Madhuram Sakhyam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram || 3 || Geetam Madhuram Peetam Madhuram Bhuktam Madhuram Suptam Madhuram | Roopam Madhuram Tilakam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram || 4 || Karanam Madhuram Taranam Madhuram Haranam Madhuram Ramanam Madhuram | Vamitam Madhuram Shamitam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram || 5 || Gunja Madhura Mala Madhura Yamuna Madhura Veechee Madhura | Salilam Madhuram Kamalam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram || 6 || Gopi Madhura Leela Madhura Yuktam Madhuram Muktam Madhuram | Drishtam Madhuram Shishtam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram || 7 || Gopa Madhura Gavo Madhura Yashtir Madhura Srishtir Madhura | Dalitam Madhuram Phalitam Madhuram Madhuradhipater Akhilam Madhuram || 8 ||
English meaning
English Translation: His lips are sweet, His face is sweet, His eyes are sweet, His smile is sweet; His heart is sweet, His gait is sweet — everything pertaining to the Lord of Sweetness is entirely sweet! || 1 || His words are sweet, His character is sweet, His garments are sweet, His posture is sweet; His movements are sweet, His wandering is sweet — everything of the Lord of Sweetness is sweet! || 2 || His flute is sweet, the dust of His holy feet is sweet, His hands are sweet, His feet are sweet; His divine dance is sweet, His friendship is sweet — everything of the Lord of Sweetness is sweet! || 3 || His song is sweet, His yellow silk attire is sweet, His eating is sweet, His resting is sweet; His enchanting form is sweet, the sacred mark upon His forehead is sweet — everything of the Lord of Sweetness is sweet! || 4 || His actions are sweet, His saving grace is sweet, His stealing of hearts is sweet, His divine play is sweet; His offerings are sweet, His tranquil serenity is sweet — everything of the Lord of Sweetness is sweet! || 5 || His berry garland is sweet, His flower garlands are sweet, the river Yamuna is sweet, her gentle ripples are sweet; Her sacred water is sweet, her lotus blossoms are sweet — everything of the Lord of Sweetness is sweet! || 6 || The Gopis of Vraja are sweet, His divine pastimes are sweet, union with Him is sweet, liberation is sweet; His glances are sweet, His courtesy is sweet — everything of the Lord of Sweetness is sweet! || 7 || The cowherd boys are sweet, the cows are sweet, His pastoral staff is sweet, His creation is sweet; His vanquishing of demons is sweet, His fulfillment is sweet — everything pertaining to the Lord of Sweetness is entirely sweet! || 8 || Devotional Significance: Composed in the 15th century by Vallabhacharya, founder of the Pushtimarg tradition, Madhurashtakam is celebrated worldwide as the pinnacle of devotional aesthetics, declaring that God in His absolute form is pure divine sweetness.