Dwarkadhish Stotram
द्वारकाधीश स्तोत्रम्
What is the Dwarkadhish Stotram?
Dwarkadhish Stotram The Dwarkadhish Stotram is the eight-verse Krishnashtakam (Vasudeva Sutam Devam), the Sanskrit hymn traditionally sung to Krishna in his form as Dwarkadhish, the King of Dwarka. Attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, its eight verses each close with 'Krishnam vande jagadgurum' and are chanted at the Dwarka temple, especially at dawn and on Janmashtami.
At the Dwarkadhish temple on the Gujarat coast, Krishna is worshipped not as the cowherd boy of Vrindavan but as a crowned king, the ruler of the golden city of Dwarka. The hymn most often raised before him there is the Krishnashtakam, opening with the words Vasudeva sutam devam. Its eight verses move image by image over Krishna’s form, from his dark rain-cloud complexion to the conch and discus in his hands, and each one ends by bowing to him as jagadguru, the teacher of all worlds.There is no single separate scripture titled a ‘Dwarkadhish Stotram’ in the classical collections. What devotees at Dwarka actually recite is this authentic Krishnashtakam, addressed here to the Lord of Dwarka. The sixth verse, which names Rukmini at Krishna’s side, ties the hymn directly to Dwarka, where she reigns as his chief queen.
Dwarkadhish Stotram Lyrics (Sanskrit & English)
The verses below are the Krishnashtakam (Vasudeva Sutam Devam) in the standard public-domain recension. Tap a verse to read its meaning in plain English.
Vasudeva sutam devam kamsa chanura mardanam
Devaki paramanandam krishnam vande jagadgurum
वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम् ।
देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥
Meaning
I bow to the divine son of Vasudeva, who ended the tyranny of Kamsa and the wrestler Chanura, the endless joy of mother Devaki. To that Krishna, teacher of every world, I offer my reverence.
Atasi pushpa sankasham hara nupura shobhitam
Ratna kankana keyuram krishnam vande jagadgurum
अतसीपुष्पसङ्काशं हारनूपुरशोभितम् ।
रत्नकङ्कणकेयूरं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥
Meaning
His body carries the soft blue sheen of the flax flower, set off by chest garlands and singing anklets, by jewelled bangles at the wrist and bands on the arms. To that Krishna, teacher of every world, I offer my reverence.
Kutilalaka samyuktam purna chandra nibhananam
Vilasat kundala dharam krishnam vande jagadgurum
कुटिलालकसंयुक्तं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननम् ।
विलसत्कुण्डलधरं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥
Meaning
Curling locks frame a face as calm and bright as the full moon, and earrings flash as he moves. To that Krishna, teacher of every world, I offer my reverence.
Mandara gandha samyuktam charu hasam chatur bhujam
Barhi pinchhava chudangam krishnam vande jagadgurum
मन्दारगन्धसंयुक्तं चारुहासं चतुर्भुजम् ।
बर्हिपिञ्छावचूडाङ्गं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥
Meaning
The scent of mandara blossoms clings to him, his smile is gentle, his four arms wide, and a peacock feather rests in his crown. To that Krishna, teacher of every world, I offer my reverence.
Utphulla padma patraksham nila jimuta sannibham
Yadavanam shiroratnam krishnam vande jagadgurum
उत्फुल्लपद्मपत्राक्षं नीलजीमूतसन्निभम् ।
यादवानां शिरोरत्नं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥
Meaning
His eyes are wide as a lotus in full bloom, his complexion the deep blue of a rain-heavy cloud, and among the Yadavas he shines like the jewel set at the crown. To that Krishna, teacher of every world, I offer my reverence.
Rukmini keli samyuktam pitambara sushobhitam
Avapta tulasi gandham krishnam vande jagadgurum
रुक्मिणीकेलिसंयुक्तं पीताम्बरसुशोभितम् ।
अवाप्ततुलसीगन्धं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥
Meaning
In the glad company of Rukmini, robed in yellow silk and touched with the fragrance of tulasi, he holds court at Dwarka. To that Krishna, teacher of every world, I offer my reverence.
Gopikanam kucha dvandva kunkumankita vakshasam
Shri niketam maheshvasam krishnam vande jagadgurum
गोपिकानां कुचद्वन्द्वकुङ्कुमाङ्कितवक्षसम् ।
श्रीनिकेतं महेष्वासं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥
Meaning
His broad chest still bears the kumkum left by the loving embrace of the gopis, he is the resting place of Shri herself and a mighty wielder of the bow. To that Krishna, teacher of every world, I offer my reverence.
Shrivatsankam mahoraskam vana mala virajitam
Shankha chakra dharam devam krishnam vande jagadgurum
श्रीवत्साङ्कं महोरस्कं वनमालाविराजितम् ।
शङ्खचक्रधरं देवं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥
Meaning
The Shrivatsa mark rests on his wide chest, the long forest garland sways over it, and in his hands he holds the conch and the discus. To that divine Krishna, teacher of every world, I offer my reverence.
Phalashruti
Krishnashtakam idam punyam pratar utthaya yah pathet
Koti janma kritam papam smaranena vinashyati
कृष्णाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत् ।
कोटिजन्मकृतं पापं स्मरणेन विनश्यति ॥
Meaning
Whoever rises at dawn and recites this sacred Krishnashtakam finds that the wrongs gathered across countless lifetimes are dissolved in the very act of remembering him.
Meaning & Significance
The hymn works like a slow circling of the deity from head to foot. It begins with his story, the child of Vasudeva and Devaki who broke the grip of Kamsa, and then lingers on what the eye sees: the flax-flower blue of his skin, the moon-calm face, the earrings, the peacock feather, the yellow silk, the conch and discus. Read as a Dwarkadhish hymn, the emphasis falls on Krishna the sovereign rather than the child. He stands beside Rukmini, garlanded and crowned, receiving worship as a king receives his court.
The refrain Krishnam vande jagadgurum is the spine of the whole prayer. Whatever the verse has just described, beauty, ornament, or power, it returns each time to the same act of bowing, and to the same title: not merely a local king of Dwarka but the guru of all worlds. The closing verse turns from praise to promise, telling the reciter that faithful morning remembrance quietly clears the weight of past wrongdoing.
How to Chant the Dwarkadhish Stotram
- Settle and face the image – Sit before a picture or murti of Dwarkadhish, or turn your thoughts toward Dwarka, and take a few slow breaths to steady the mind.
- Begin with the first verse – Open with 'Vasudeva sutam devam' and keep an even, unhurried pace so each word is clear.
- Hold the refrain – Let the closing line 'Krishnam vande jagadgurum' land fully at the end of every verse, bowing inwardly as you say it.
- Read the meaning once – On a first reading, pause after each verse to take in its sense, then recite it again purely as sound.
- Close with the phalashruti – Finish with the ninth verse and a short moment of silence, offering the recitation to the Lord of Dwarka.
What Are the Benefits of Chanting?
Devotees turn to this hymn for both inner steadiness and a felt nearness to Krishna as Dwarkadhish.
- A daily anchor of devotion: A short, complete act of worship that fits easily into a morning routine.
- Focus on Krishna's kingly form: Draws the mind to Dwarkadhish, Krishna crowned as ruler, rather than only the playful child.
- Calm and concentration: The steady refrain and measured verses help settle a restless mind before the day begins.
- A sense of release: The closing verse frames the practice as a quiet unburdening of past regret through remembrance.
- Fitting for Janmashtami: A ready hymn for Krishna's birth celebration and for temple morning seva.
- Easy to learn: Eight short verses sharing one refrain make it simple to memorise and pass on.
Who Composed This Stotram?
The verses recited here are the Krishnashtakam, widely known by its first words Vasudeva sutam devam and traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. It is one of the most familiar Krishna hymns across India and is sung at many Krishna shrines, including the Dwarkadhish temple at Dwarka in Gujarat, where Krishna is worshipped as the King of Dwarka.
A note on the title: the classical Sanskrit collections do not preserve a separate composition literally named the ‘Dwarkadhish Stotram’. When people ask for a Dwarkadhish stotra, the hymn actually chanted before the deity is this Krishnashtakam, addressed to Krishna in his Dwarka form. We present the authentic text as it is, with its Dwarka connection made explicit in the sixth verse, where Rukmini, Krishna’s chief queen at Dwarka, stands at his side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Dwarkadhish Stotram a separate scripture from the Krishnashtakam?
No. There is no distinct classical text titled 'Dwarkadhish Stotram' in the standard Sanskrit collections. The hymn sung to Krishna as Dwarkadhish is the Krishnashtakam ('Vasudeva Sutam Devam'), which is what appears on this page, addressed to the Lord of Dwarka.
Who composed this hymn?
It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, the eighth-century philosopher and hymn-writer. Like many devotional stotras of that era, it has been passed down and recited for centuries and is now in the public domain.
How many verses does it have?
Eight main verses, each ending with the refrain 'Krishnam vande jagadgurum', followed by a ninth phalashruti verse that describes the reward of reciting it at dawn.
What does 'Krishnam vande jagadgurum' mean?
It means 'I bow to Krishna, the teacher of all worlds'. Repeating it at the close of every verse keeps the whole hymn centred on reverence for Krishna as the universal guru.
When is the best time to recite it?
The final verse specifically recommends reciting it after rising at dawn. It is also chanted during morning temple darshan and is especially fitting on Janmashtami, Krishna's birth festival.
Why is it connected to Dwarka?
Dwarka is the coastal kingdom where Krishna reigns as Dwarkadhish, the King of Dwarka, alongside his queen Rukmini, who is named in the sixth verse. This hymn is among those regularly offered to him at the Dwarkadhish temple in Gujarat.
॥ जय द्वारकाधीश ॥