Śrī Bāla-Mukundāṣṭakam
Sri Bala-Mukunda-Astakam

 

Bala Mukunda Vatapathra Sayee

Text 1

करारविन्देन पदारविन्दं
मुखारविन्दे विनिवेशयन्तम् ।
वटस्य पत्रस्य पुटे शयानं
बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥१॥

karāravindena padāravindaṁ
mukhāravinde viniveśayantam ।
vaṭasya patrasya puṭe śayānaṁ
bālaṁ mukundaṁ manasā smarāmi ॥1॥

The one who keeps his lotus like feet on his lotus like mouth with his lotus like hand, I think of Balamukundan who sleeps on the vata pathra leaf. (1)

Bala Mukunda Vatapathra Sayee

Text 2

संहृत्य लोकान् वटपत्रमध्ये
शयानमाद्यन्तविहीनरूपम् ।
सर्वेश्वरं सर्वहितावतारं
बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥२॥

saṁhṛtya lokān vaṭapatramadhye
śayānamādyantavihīnarūpam ।
sarveśvaraṁ sarvahitāvatāraṁ
bālaṁ mukundaṁ manasā smarāmi ॥2॥

The one who sleeps on the vata pathra after the dissolution of the worlds, the one whose form is without beginning or end, the one who is Lord of all, I think of Balamukundan who incarnated for the good of all. (2)

Gopal with cow

Text 3

इन्दीवरश्यामलकोमलाङ्गं
इन्द्रादिदेवार्चितपादपद्मम् ।
सन्तानकल्पद्रुममाश्रितानां
बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥३॥

indīvaraśyāmalakomalāṅgaṁ
indrādidevārcitapādapadmam ।
santānakalpadrumamāśritānāṁ
bālaṁ mukundaṁ manasā smarāmi ॥3॥

The one who has a beautiful body that is dark like the cerulean blue lotus, the one whose lotus feet is worshipped by Indra and other devas, I think of Balamukundan who is like the kalpaka vriksha tree giving santhana-bagyam to those who bow to Him. (3)

Balamukundan

Text 4

लम्बालकं लम्बितहारयष्टिं
शृङ्गारलीलाङ्कितदन्तपङ्क्तिम् ।
बिम्बाधरं चारुविशालनेत्रं
बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥४॥

lambālakaṁ lambitahārayaṣṭiṁ
śṛṅgāralīlāṅkitadantapaṅktim ।
bimbādharaṁ cāruviśālanetraṁ
bālaṁ mukundaṁ manasā smarāmi ॥4॥

The one who has locks of hair falling in front of his face, the one who wears a long hanging chain, the one whose teeth rows shine with the nectar of shringaram, the one whose lips are like the red bimba fruit (kovai), I think of Balamukundan who has long and beautiful eyes. (4)

Balamukundan Text 5

शिक्ये निधायाद्यपयोदधीनि
बहिर्गतायां व्रजनायिकायाम् ।
भुक्त्वा यथेष्टं कपटेन सुप्तं
बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥५॥

śikye nidhāyādya payodadhīni
bahirgatāyāṁ vrajanāyikāyām ।
bhuktvā yatheṣṭaṁ kapaṭena suptaṁ
bālaṁ mukundaṁ manasā smarāmi ॥5॥

The time when Yashoda has gone out after keeping milk, curds in the pot, the one who sleeps falsely after eating all this, I think of this Balamukundan. (5)

Kaliya Krishna

Text 6

कलिन्दजान्तस्थितकालियस्य
फणाग्ररङ्गे नटनप्रियन्तम् ।
तत्पुच्छहस्तं शरदिन्दुवक्त्रं
बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥६॥

kalindajāntasthitakāliyasya
phaṇāgraraṅge naṭanapriyantam ।
tatpucchahastaṁ śaradinduvaktraṁ
bālaṁ mukundaṁ manasā smarāmi ॥6॥

From the rock of Kalindhi, the one who has the desire of dancing on the hoods of the snake kaliyan, the one who has the tip of the tail of kaliyan in his hand, the one whose face is like the moon during sarathrithu (december month), I think of this Balamukundan. (6)

Nalakuvara - Manigriva

Text 7

उलूखले बद्धमुदारशौर्यं
उत्तुङ्गयुग्मार्जुन भङ्गलीलम् ।
उत्फुल्लपद्मायत चारुनेत्रं
बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥७॥

ulūkhale baddhamudāraśauryaṁ
uttuṅgayugmārjuna bhaṅgalīlam ।
utphullapadmāyata cārunetraṁ
bālaṁ mukundaṁ manasā smarāmi ॥7॥

The one who is tied to a round boulder, the one who is great, the one who has the playfullness of pushing two Maruthamaram (Arjuna-Trees) to the ground, the one who has eyes like a bloomed red lotus, I think of this Balamukundan. (7)

Balamukundan sucking milk

Text 8

आलोक्य मातुर्मुखमादरेण
स्तन्यं पिबन्तं सरसीरुहाक्षम् ।
सच्चिन्मयं देवमनन्तरूपं
बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥८॥

ālokya māturmukhamādareṇa
stanyaṁ pibantaṁ sarasīruhākṣam ।
saccinmayaṁ devamanantarūpaṁ
bālaṁ mukundaṁ manasā smarāmi ॥8॥

The one who looks affectionately at the mother's face while sucking milk from her breasts, the one who has eyes like the red lotus, the one whose form is Truth, Intelligence and the one who has other forms and is a Lord, I think of this Balamukundan. (8)

|| iti śrī bālamukundāṣṭakam‌ sampūrṇam‌ ||
- thus ends the 8-verse hymn called śrī
bālamukundāṣṭakam -

 

Yasoda Krishna
Yasoda Krishna
Yasoda Krishna
Krishna butter thief

Yasoda loves Krishna loves Yasoda
Krishna butter thief
Balamukundan  Parrot

 

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One of most delightful manifestation of Lord Krishna is his appearance as the ever lovable child Bal Gopal. What captures one's imagination is the paradox that this little innocent prankster, whose aim in life seems to revolve around making mischief of all kinds starting from stealing butter to breaking water pots perched on the heads of ladies of Vrindaban, is actually the Lord of all creation! But then, the Supreme Lord is a merciful and benevolent Lord. He takes on the aspect of a sweet child, so that our devotion to Him finds expression as pure love without a feeling of intimidation lurking somewhere behind.

Love for children is a universal human instinct. And as far as children go, Bal Gopal, the Supreme Lord in his child manifestation, has it all that would make one scoop the little fellow up in one's arms and cuddle him. An entrancing smiling face, a unparalleled knack for naughtiness, using Bambi-eyes to get out of trouble, keeping the blessed citizens of Vrindaban always entertained through his antics and vanquishing a few demons along the way - this beautiful child has the makings of a superstar indeed!