Hymn-Shri Govinda Damodara Stotram on Lord Krishna (M. Venkataraman)

Glimpses from Indian spirituality, mythology and way of life.

Shri Govinda Damodara Stotram

This stotram is composed by Shri Bilvamangalacharya. Krishna who is the incarnation of Vishnu has many names and the poet in this composition glorifies the name of Krishna as "Govinda, Damodara and Madhava" To mention a few:

When Dussasana caught her hair and clothing before the assembled Kauravas and Pandavas, Draupadi, having no one to support, cried out, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

When Rama went to the forest due to his father’s order, along with Lakshmana and Sita, His mother cried, "O Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

When Sita was taken away from the forest by the ten-headed Ravana, she cried, "O Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

When the elephant Gajendra was caught by his foot and pulled into the water, he called out incessantly, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

Though desiring to sell milk, curd, butter, etc., the mind of a young gopīka was so absorbed in the lotus feet of Krishna that instead of calling out "milk for sale," she bewilderedly shouted, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

After waking up early in the morning, having completed their ritualistic duties, and at the end of their Vedic chanting, the best of the learned priests always loudly chant, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

With long, matted hair and bodies purified by eating only leaves, water, and air, the sages sit beneath the trees and chant, "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

O my tongue, just always worship these beautiful, enchanting names of "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!" which destroy all the obstacles of the devotees.

At last, the poet laments saying:

Alas! Even though anyone is able to chant these beautiful names, still no one does. Alas! How determined people are for their own undoing! O tongue, just drink the nectar of these names "Govinda, Damodara, Madhava!"

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