Bala Mukundashtakam

  (The octet on the child who gives immortal bliss)

                             Translated by

                         P.R.Ramachander

 

(Among the several forms of devotion in Hinduism, possibly one of the most easy is that of loving him as if he is your baby. This devotional hymn oin Lord Krishna follows that approach. Lord Krishna is supposed to sleep on a leaf of a banyan tree and float on the surging waters of final deluge. He is supposed to hold his feet by his hand and put his toe in to his mouth. This hymn in its first stanza brings this image of Lord Krishna and then goes on to describe the adventures of this God Child as a baby. The first stanza of this great prayer also occurs in Sri Krishna Karnamrutha, a great book by a poet called Leela Shuka. It is not known whether he is the author of this prayer also.)

 

Kararavindena padaravindham,

Mukharavinde vinivesayantham,

Vatasya pathrasya pute sayanam,

Balam mukundam mansa smarami.       1

 

With my mind I think of that child Mukunda*,

Who with his lotus like hand catches his lotus like feet,

And brings it near his lotus like face and steals our heart,

And sleeps peacefully on a banyan leaf.

 

                                         *He who gives immortal bliss.

 

Samhruthya lokaan vatapathramadhye,

Sayanamadhyantha viheena roopam,

Sarveshwaram sarva hithavatharam,

Balam mukundam manasa smarami.              2

 

 

With my mind I think of that  child Mukunda,

Who after dissolution of the earth,

Sleeps on the middle of  leaf of  a banyan tree ,

Whose form has neither end nor beginning,

Who is the god of all ,

And who is the incarnation of good for all.

 

Indeevara shyamala komalangam,

Indrathi devarchitha pada padmam,

Santhana kalpa druma masrithanaam,

Balam mukundam manasa smarami.              3

 

 

With my mind I think of that  child Mukunda,

Who has a pretty  dark mien ,

With the colour of a blue lotus,

Whose lotus like feet is worshipped,

By all devas and Indra their king,

And who is the wish giving tree,

Blessing progeny to those who pray for it.

 

Lambhalakam lambhitha harayashtim,

Srungara leelangitha dantha panktheem,

Bimbadaram  charu vilasa nethram,

Balam mukundam manasa smarami.              4

 

 

With my mind I think of that  child Mukunda,

Who has locks of his hair falling all over his face,

Who wears long pretty hanging chains,

Who has rows  of  nectar like teeth that shine with love,

Who has reddish lips like the Bimba fruit,

And who has very pretty captivating eyes.

 

Sikhye nithayadhya payothatheeni,

Bahirgadayam vraja naykayam,

Bukthwa yadeshtam kapatena suptham,

Balam mukundam manasa smarami.              5

 

 

With my mind I think of that  child Mukunda,

Who acts as if he is sleeping, after eating,

Butter Sufficient to meet his desire,

When Yasoda had gone out,

After keeping milk, and curd in a pot.

 

 

Kalindajantha sthitha Kaiyasya,

Phanagrange natana priyantham,

Thath pucha hastham saradindu vakthram,

Balam mukundam manasa smarami.              6

 

 

With my mind I think of that  child Mukunda,

Who has got a face like the autumn moon,

And who while he was on the stone in river Kalindhi,

Desires to dance on the hood of the snake Kaalinga,

Holding his tail by one of his hands.

 

Ulookhale badha mudhara souryam,

Uthunga padmarjuna bhanga leelam,

Uthphulla padmayatha charu nethram,

Balam mukundam manasa smarami.              7

 

 

With my mind I think of that  child Mukunda,

Who is tied to a mortar,

Who is charitable and heroic,

Who broke the twin Arjuna trees playfully,

And whose eyes are like fully open red lotus.

 

Alokhya maadur mukha madarena,

Sthanyam pibhantham sasareehuaksham,

Sachinmayam , devamanantharoopam,

Balam mukundam manasa smarami.              8

 

 

With my mind I think of that  child Mukunda,

Who lovingly looks at his mother’s face,

When he drinks milk from her,

Who is having eyes like the lotus flower,

Who is the unalloyed form of truth,

And who is the God with limitless form.