Madhurāṣṭakam
Madhurāṣṭakam is a popular devotional hymn composed by the 15th-century saint Śrī Vallabhācārya, glorifying the boundless sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The term “Madhura” means “sweet,”. Each stanza celebrates Kṛṣṇa’s divine attributes—His lips, eyes, smile, dress, pastimes, and even His flute, garlands, and the river Yamunā are described as sweet. The hymn portrays Lord Kṛṣṇa as the “Emperor of Sweetness,” emphasizing His transcendental beauty, charm, and divine nature.
अधरं मधुरं वदनं मधुरं नयनं मधुरं हसितं मधुरं
हृदयं मधुरं गमनं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्
adharaṃ madhuraṃ vadanaṃ madhuraṃ
nayanaṃ madhuraṃ hasitaṃ madhuraṃ
hṛdayaṃ madhuraṃ gamanaṃ madhuraṃ
madhurādhi-pater akhilaṃ madhuram
SYNONYMS
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 and everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!
वचनं मधुरं चरितं मधुरं वसनं मधुरं वलितं मधुरं
चलितं मधुरं भ्रमितं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्
vacanaṃ madhuraṃ caritaṃ madhuraṃ
vasanaṃ madhuraṃ valitaṃ madhuraṃ
calitaṃ madhuraṃ bhramitaṃ madhuraṃ
madhurādhi-pater akhilaṃ madhuram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
His words are sweet, His character is sweet, His dress is sweet, His belly-folds are sweet, His movements are sweet, His wandering is sweet and everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!
वेणुर्मधुरो रेणुर्मधुरः पाणिर्मधुरः पादौ मधुरौ
नृत्यं मधुरं सख्यं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्
veṇur madhuro reṇur madhuraḥ
pāṇir madhuraḥ pādau madhurau
nṛtyaṃ madhuraṃ sakhyaṃ madhuraṃ
madhurādhi-pater akhilaṃ madhuram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
His flute is sweet, His foot-dust is sweet, His hands are sweet, His feet are sweet, His dancing is sweet, His friendship is sweet and everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!
गीतं मधुरं पीतं मधुरं भुक्तं मधुरं सुप्तम्मधुरं
रूपं मधुरं तिलकं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्
gītaṃ madhuraṃ pītaṃ madhuraṃ
bhuktaṃ madhuraṃ suptam madhuraṃ
rūpaṃ madhuraṃ tilakaṃ madhuraṃ
madhurādhi-pater akhilaṃ madhuram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
His singing is sweet, His yellow clothes are sweet, His eating is sweet, His sleeping is sweet, His beauty is sweet, His tilaka is sweet and everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!
करणं मधुरं तरणं मधुरं हरणं मधुरं स्मरणं मधुरं
वमितं मधुरं शमितं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्
karaṇaṃ madhuraṃ taraṇaṃ madhuraṃ
haraṇaṃ madhuraṃ smaraṇaṃ madhuraṃ
vamitaṃ madhuraṃ śamitaṃ madhuraṃ
madhurādhi-pater akhilaṃ madhuram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
His deeds are sweet, His liberating (saving jīvas from the repeated cycle of birth and death) is sweet, His stealing is sweet, His remembrance is sweet, His oblations are sweet, His tranquility is sweet and everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!
गुञ्जा मधुरा माला मधुरा यमुना मधुरा वीची मधुरा
सलिलं मधुरं कमलं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्
guñjā madhurā mālā madhurā
yamunā madhurā vīcī madhurā
salilaṃ madhuraṃ kamalaṃ madhuraṃ
madhurādhi-pater akhilaṃ madhuram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
His gunja-berry necklace is sweet, His flower garland is sweet, His Yamuna river is sweet, His ripples are sweet, His water is sweet, His lotuses are sweet and everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!
गोपी मधुरा लीला मधुरा युक्तं मधुरं मुक्तं मधुरं
दृष्टं मधुरं शिष्टं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्
gopī madhurā līlā madhurā
yuktaṃ madhuraṃ muktaṃ madhuraṃ
dṛṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ śiṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ
madhurādhi-pater akhilaṃ madhuram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
His gopis (cowherd girls) are sweet, His pastimes are sweet, His deliverance is sweet, His sight is sweet, His courtesy is sweet and everything is sweet the Emperor of Sweetness!
गोपा मधुरा गावो मधुरा यष्टिर्मधुरा सृष्टिर्मधुरा
दलितं मधुरं फलितं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्
gopā madhurā gāvo madhurā
yaṣṭir madhurā sṛṣṭir madhurā
dalitaṃ madhuraṃ phalitaṃ madhuraṃ
madhurādhi-pater akhilaṃ madhuram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
His gopas (cowherd boys) are sweet, His cows are sweet, His staff is sweet, His creation is sweet, His trampling is sweet, His fruitfulness is sweet and everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!
