Krishna Janmashtami

This is the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, a sacred chant from the Hindu Vaishnava tradition. It is a simple, repetitive invocation of the divine names meant to focus the mind and awaken love for God.

A beloved Hindu aarti praising Lord Jagdish (Vishnu/Krishna) as supreme protector, sung during evening worship to invoke blessings and express devotion.

This is a short devotional couplet (a doha) from the Bhakti tradition that declares the Guru to be greater than even God (Govind), because the Guru is the one who shows the way to the divine.

A beloved Sanskrit hymn of eight verses celebrating every detail of Krishna's being as sweet — his face, voice, flute, and even the river Yamuna.

Gaudiya Vaishnava invocation prayers honoring the guru, Rupa Goswami, Radha-Krishna, the Vaishnavas and the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

A traditional Hindu aarti praising Krishna as Kunj Bihari, describing his beauty, flute-play, and presence in Vrindavan.

Eight verses and a closing benefit verse that honor Vishnu as Krishna and Rama by listing his divine names, chanted for blessings and protection.

Eight Gaudiya Vaishnava verses attributed to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, teaching humility, chanting Krishna's names, and complete surrender to God.

A popular Sanskrit bhajan stringing together sacred names of Vishnu, Rama and Krishna, sung from verse 1 of the Achyutashtakam.

A forty-verse hymn glorifying Krishna's divine pastimes, recited by devotees seeking his protection, love, and liberation.

A devotional hymn of eight verses glorifying Lord Krishna as Damodara, recounting his childhood pastime of being tied by Mother Yashoda.

Eight verses by Srinivasa Acharya glorifying the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan who established pure devotional practices.

A short call-and-response kirtan chanting Krishna's names Govind, Gopal and Radha Raman for group singing and remembrance.

A devotional aarti to Shree Shyam Baba (Khatu Shyam), a form of Krishna, describing his divine form and the blessings he grants his devotees.

Eight verses and a closing benefit verse call on Vishnu by many names, each verse ending with a plea to Shripati to calm all sorrow.

Eight verses on the power of the name Achyuta, citing Draupadi and the elephant Gajendra, by the poet-saint Sridhara Venkatesa (traditionally dated c. 1635–1720).

This is a devotional poem that joyfully declares every aspect of Lord Krishna and his surroundings to be sweet. It is meant to fill the reader with a sense of divine love and wonder.

A loving aarti to Banke Bihari, the playful child form of Krishna worshipped at Vrindavan's Banke Bihari temple, offered with lamps and song.

Eight verses and a closing benefit verse in praise of Advaita Acharya, whose loving cries are said to have called Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to appear.

A devotional aarti praising Radha, beloved of Krishna, for her beauty, wisdom, and compassion as the world's divine mother.

A forty-verse Hindi chalisa to Khatu Shyam (Barbarik), worshipped in Kali Yuga as the support of the defeated; recited for blessings and relief.

Eight verses, ending in meditation on the lotus feet of Advaita Acharya, attributed to Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.

A simple Ram bhajan whose refrain says God's name alone is true in this world, calling him both Ram and Shyam.

Ghalin Lotangan, the Marathi prayer sung after aarti: a stanza by Sant Namdev, Sanskrit surrender verses, the Hare Rama mantra and Ganesha's Morya call.

This is a devotional song that celebrates the two beloved names of God in Hinduism — Rama and Krishna (also called Shyam) — praising their equal power, love, and grace.

A joyful devotional song (bhajan) in Hindi that calls upon Lord Krishna by many of his beloved names, celebrating his beauty, playful childhood, and divine nature.

A bhajan celebrating the saint Meerabai's ecstatic love for Krishna — leaving royal life to sing his praises in the streets, facing persecution with acceptance.

A playful Braj bhajan picturing little Krishna (Madan Gopal) among small cows and cowherd boys of Vrindavan.

Jaya Radha-Madhava, a Gaudiya Vaishnava song attributed to Bhaktivinoda Thakura, praising Krishna's names and Vrindavan pastimes.

A joyful Janmashtami bhajan celebrating Nanda's household at Krishna's birth, with the refrain 'Jai Kanhaiya Lal ki'.

Krishna Ashtakam: eight Sanskrit verses of praise, each ending 'Krishnam vande jagadgurum', and a ninth verse on the fruit of reciting it.

A devotional song by the poet-saint Mirabai, expressing her longing for Krishna to reside in her eyes, describing his dark beauty, flute, and ornaments.

Annamacharya's Sanskrit kirtana on infant Krishna as Gopalabala, with jingling waist-bells and butter in hand, worshipped at Tirumala.

A joyful bhajan inviting the Lord to come as Ram, Shyam, Shiva, Vishnu or Ganesha, each with consort and emblem.

A folk bhajan of Shiva as the wandering yogi who comes to Yashoda's door in Gokul, seeking a glimpse of baby Krishna.

A guided devotional chant that takes the listener on a mental pilgrimage through Braj, repeating the name of Radha.

A Hindi film bhajan celebrating that Krishna's flute and love belong equally to Radha and to the devotee-saint Meera.

A Bengali Gaudiya Vaishnava song asking who is a true Vaishnava, ending in humble surrender at Krishna's feet.

Bhagavad Gita 2.47: you have a right to action alone, never to its fruits, so act without making results your motive or clinging to inaction.

This iconic Kabir doha teaches that the Guru is bowed to first, even before God, since it is the Guru's grace that reveals the Divine.

The Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali: 108 names of Lord Krishna, from his Gokula childhood to the Gita, chanted on Janmashtami and in daily Vaishnava worship.

Vishnu's thousand names, taught by Bhishma to Yudhishthira in Mahabharata Anushasana Parva, chapter 149, in 108 verses.

The immortal 15th-century Gujarati hymn composed by saint-poet Narsinh Mehta, revered globally as Mahatma Gandhi's favourite prayer and an anthem of compassionate humanity.