Achyutashtakam (Achyutam Keshavam)
Draft — pending review. This text has been sourced and translated per our editorial policy, but has not yet completed human review against sung versions. Wording may change.
verse 1
अच्युतं केशवं रामनारायणं कृष्णदामोदरं वासुदेवं हरिम् ।
Acyutaṃ keśavaṃ rāmanārāyaṇaṃ kṛṣṇadāmodaraṃ vāsudevaṃ harim |
Achyuta, Keshava, Rama-Narayana, Krishna-Damodara, Vasudeva, Hari,
श्रीधरं माधवं गोपिकावल्लभं जानकीनायकं रामचन्द्रं भजे
Śrīdharaṃ mādhavaṃ gopikāvallabhaṃ jānakīnāyakaṃ rāmacandraṃ bhaje
Shridhara, Madhava, beloved of the gopis, lord of Janaki: Ramachandra I worship.
verse 2
अच्युतं केशवं सत्यभामाधवं माधवं श्रीधरं राधिकाराधितम् ।
Acyutaṃ keśavaṃ satyabhāmādhavaṃ mādhavaṃ śrīdharaṃ rādhikārādhitam |
Achyuta, Keshava, husband of Satyabhama, Madhava, Shridhara, worshipped by Radhika,
इन्दिरामन्दिरं चेतसा सुन्दरं देवकीनन्दनं नन्दनं सन्दधे
Indirāmandiraṃ cetasā sundaraṃ devakīnandanaṃ nandanaṃ sandadhe
the dwelling place of Indira, beautiful to contemplate, the delight of Devaki, the giver of joy: on him I fix my mind.
verse 3
विष्णवे जिष्णवे शङ्खिने चक्रिणे रुक्मिणिऱागिणे जानकीजानये ।
Viṣṇave jiṣṇave śaṅkhine cakriṇe rukmiṇiṟāgiṇe jānakījānaye |
To Vishnu, to the ever-victorious, to the bearer of the conch, to the bearer of the discus, to the one enamoured of Rukmini, to the husband of Janaki,
वल्लवीवल्लभायाऽर्चितायात्मने कंसविध्वंसिने वंशिने ते नमः
Vallavīvallabhāyā'rcitāyātmane kaṃsavidhvaṃsine vaṃśine te namaḥ
to the beloved of the cowherd women, to the worshipped Self, to the destroyer of Kamsa, to the bearer of the flute: salutations to you.
verse 4
कृष्ण गोविन्द हे राम नारायण श्रीपते वासुदेवाजित श्रीनिधे ।
Kṛṣṇa govinda he rāma nārāyaṇa śrīpate vāsudevājita śrīnidhe |
Krishna, Govinda, O Rama, Narayana, lord of Shri, Vasudeva, unconquered one, treasury of prosperity,
अच्युतानन्त हे माधवाधोक्षज द्वारकानायक द्रौपदीरक्षक
Acyutānanta he mādhavādhokṣaja dvārakānāyaka draupadīrakṣaka
Achyuta, Ananta, O Madhava, Adhokshaja, lord of Dvaraka, protector of Draupadi.
verse 5
राक्षसक्षोभितः सीतया शोभितो दण्डकारण्यभूपुण्यताकारणः ।
Rākṣasakṣobhitaḥ sītayā śobhito daṇḍakāraṇyabhūpuṇyatākāraṇaḥ |
He who was harried by the rakshasas, who shone with Sita at his side, who made the soil of the Dandaka forest holy,
लक्ष्मणेनान्वितो वानरैः सेवितोऽगस्त्यसम्पूजितो राघवः पातु माम्
Lakṣmaṇenānvito vānaraiḥ sevito'gastyasampūjito rāghavaḥ pātu mām
accompanied by Lakshmana, served by the vanaras, honoured by Agastya: may Raghava protect me.
verse 6
धेनुकारिष्टकोऽनिष्टकृद्द्वेषिणां केशिहा कंसहृद्वंशिकावादकः ।
Dhenukāriṣṭako'niṣṭakṛddveṣiṇāṃ keśihā kaṃsahṛdvaṃśikāvādakaḥ |
Slayer of Dhenuka and Arishta, bringer of ruin to those who hate him, killer of Keshi, taker of Kamsa's life, player of the flute,
पूतनाकोपकः सूरजाखेलनो बालगोपालकः पातु माम् सर्वदा
Pūtanākopakaḥ sūrajākhelano bālagopālakaḥ pātu mām sarvadā
the undoing of Putana, who sported on the banks of the Yamuna, the young cowherd boy: may he always protect me.
verse 7
विद्युदुद्योतवत्प्रस्फुरद्वाससं प्रावृडम्भोदवत्प्रोल्लसद्विग्रहम् ।
Vidyududyotavatprasphuradvāsasaṃ prāvṛḍambhodavatprollasadvigraham |
Whose garment flashes like a burst of lightning, whose body gleams like a monsoon rain-cloud,
वन्यया मालया शोभितोरःस्थलं लोहिताङ्घ्रिद्वयं वारिजाक्षं भजे
Vanyayā mālayā śobhitoraḥsthalaṃ lohitāṅghridvayaṃ vārijākṣaṃ bhaje
whose chest is adorned with a garland of forest flowers, whose two feet are red, whose eyes are lotuses: him I worship.
verse 8
कुञ्चितैः कुन्तलैर्भ्राजमानाननं रत्नमौलिं लसत्कुण्डलं गण्डयोः ।
Kuñcitaiḥ kuntalairbhrājamānānanaṃ ratnamauliṃ lasatkuṇḍalaṃ gaṇḍayoḥ |
Whose face shines framed by curling locks, wearing a jewelled crown, with earrings glittering at his cheeks,
हारकेयूरकं कङ्कणप्रोज्ज्वलं किङ्किणीमञ्जुलं श्यामलं तं भजे
Hārakeyūrakaṃ kaṅkaṇaprojjvalaṃ kiṅkiṇīmañjulaṃ śyāmalaṃ taṃ bhaje
wearing necklace and armlets, brilliant with bracelets, lovely with tinkling waist-bells, dark of hue: him I worship.
verse 9
अच्युतस्याष्टकं यः पठेदिष्टदं प्रेमतः प्रत्यहं पूरुषः सस्पृहम् ।
Acyutasyāṣṭakaṃ yaḥ paṭhediṣṭadaṃ premataḥ pratyahaṃ pūruṣaḥ saspṛham |
Whoever recites daily, with love and longing, this Ashtaka of Achyuta that grants what is desired,
वृत्ततः सुन्दरं कर्तृ विश्वम्भरस्तस्य वश्यो हरिर्जायते सत्वरम्
Vṛttataḥ sundaraṃ kartṛ viśvambharastasya vaśyo harirjāyate satvaram
beautiful in its metre: for that person Hari, the sustainer of the world, is swiftly won over.
colophon
इति श्रीशङ्कराचार्यविरचितम् अच्युताष्टकं सम्पूर्णम्॥
Iti śrīśaṅkarācāryaviracitam acyutāṣṭakaṃ sampūrṇam
Thus ends the Achyutashtakam, composed by Shri Shankaracharya.
Sourced and cross-checked against two independent sources; our meanings are written in our own words, never copied. Personal, devotional use — including printing and sharing short excerpts with attribution — is free and encouraged.