The Krishnashtami Vow

Verse 1 (garuda.1.131.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । ब्रह्मन् भाद्रपदे मासि शुक्लाष्टम्यामुपोषितः । दूर्वां सौरीं गणेशं च फलपुष्पैः शिवं यजेत्

brahmovāca brahman bhādrapade māsi śuklāṣṭamyāmupoṣitaḥ dūrvāṁ saurīṁ gaṇeśaṁ ca phalapuṣpaiḥ śivaṁ yajet

Brahma said: O Brahmin, having fasted on the bright eighth day of Bhadrapada, one should worship Durva grass, the Sun, Ganesha, and Shiva with fruits and flowers.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.131.2)

फलव्रीह्यादिभिः सर्वैः शम्भवेनमः शिवाय च । त्वं दूर्वेऽमृतजन्मासि ह्यष्टमी सर्वकामभाक्

phalavrīhyādibhiḥ sarvaiḥ śambhavenamaḥ śivāya ca tvaṁ dūrve'mṛtajanmāsi hyaṣṭamī sarvakāmabhāk

With fruits, rice-grains and all such offerings, worshipping while saying salutation to Shambhu, to Shiva, and O Durva, you are born of nectar, this eighth day grants every desire.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.131.3)

अनग्निपक्वमश्नीयान्मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया । । कृष्णाष्टम्यां च रोहिण्यामर्धरात्रेऽर्चनं हरेः

anagnipakvamaśnīyānmucyate brahmahatyayā kṛṣṇāṣṭamyāṁ ca rohiṇyāmardharātre'rcanaṁ hareḥ

One who eats only food not cooked over fire is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin. On the Krishna-Ashtami, when joined with the Rohini asterism, one should worship Hari at midnight.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.131.4)

कार्या विद्धापि सप्तम्या हन्ति पापं त्रिजन्मनः । उपोषितोऽर्चयेन्मन्त्रैस्तिथि भान्ते च पारणम्

kāryā viddhāpi saptamyā hanti pāpaṁ trijanmanaḥ upoṣito'rcayenmantraistithi bhānte ca pāraṇam

This should be performed even when the eighth tithi is touched by the seventh; it destroys the sin of three births. Having fasted, one should worship with mantras and break the fast when the tithi ends at sunrise.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.131.5)

योगाय योगपतये योगेश्वराय योगसम्भवाय गोविन्दाय नमोनमः । (स्नानमन्त्रः) यज्ञाय यज्ञेश्वराय यज्ञपतये गोविन्दाय नमोनमः

yogāya yogapataye yogeśvarāya yogasambhavāya govindāya namonamaḥ (snānamantraḥ) yajñāya yajñeśvarāya yajñapataye govindāya namonamaḥ

Salutation, salutation to Govinda, who is Yoga, the Lord of Yoga, the Master of Yoga, the Source of Yoga — this is the bathing mantra. Salutation, salutation to Govinda, who is Sacrifice, the Lord of Sacrifice, the Master of Sacrifice.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.131.6)

(अर्चनम०)विश्वाय विश्वेश्वराय विश्वपतये गोविन्दाय नमोनमः । (शयन०)सर्वाय सर्वेश्वराय सर्वेताय सर्वसम्भवाय गोविन्दाय नमोनमः

(arcanama0)viśvāya viśveśvarāya viśvapataye govindāya namonamaḥ (śayana0)sarvāya sarveśvarāya sarvetāya sarvasambhavāya govindāya namonamaḥ

Salutation to Govinda, who is the Universe, the Lord of the Universe, the Master of the Universe — this is the worship mantra. Salutation to Govinda, who is All, the Lord of All, the Goal of All, the Source of All — this is the mantra for laying the deity to rest.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.131.7)

स्थण्डिले पूजयेद्देवं सचन्द्रां रोहिणीं तथा । शङ्खे तोयं समादाय सपुष्पफलचन्दनम्

sthaṇḍile pūjayeddevaṁ sacandrāṁ rohiṇīṁ tathā śaṅkhe toyaṁ samādāya sapuṣpaphalacandanam

One should worship the god on a sacred altar-ground, together with the moon and the Rohini asterism; taking water in a conch, along with flowers, fruit, and sandal-paste —

Verse 8 (garuda.1.131.8)

जानुभ्यामवनीं गत्वा चन्द्रायार्घ्यं निवेदयेत् । क्षीरोदार्णवसंभूत ! अत्रिनेत्रसमुद्भव !

jānubhyāmavanīṁ gatvā candrāyārghyaṁ nivedayet kṣīrodārṇavasaṁbhūta ! atrinetrasamudbhava !

kneeling upon the ground, one should offer arghya to the moon: O you who arose from the Ocean of Milk! O you born from the eye of Atri!

Verse 9 (garuda.1.131.9)

गृहाणार्घ्यं शशाङ्केश (मं) रोहिण्या सहितो मम । श्रियै च वसुदेवाय नन्दाय च बलाय च

gṛhāṇārghyaṁ śaśāṅkeśa (maṁ) rohiṇyā sahito mama śriyai ca vasudevāya nandāya ca balāya ca

Accept this offering, O Lord of the moon, together with Rohini, from me — then offerings of arghya are given to Shri, to Vasudeva, to Nanda, and to Bala.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.131.10)

यशोदायै ततो दद्यादर्घ्यं फलसमन्वितम् । अनन्तं (घं) वामनं शौरिं वैकुष्ठं पुरुषोत्तमम्

yaśodāyai tato dadyādarghyaṁ phalasamanvitam anantaṁ (ghaṁ) vāmanaṁ śauriṁ vaikuṣṭhaṁ puruṣottamam

Then arghya together with fruit should be given to Yashoda; one worships Vishnu under the names Ananta, Vamana, Shauri, Vaikuntha, Purushottama —

Verse 11 (garuda.1.131.11)

वासुदेवं हृषीकेशं माधवं मधुसूदनम् । वराहं पुण्डरीकाक्षं नृसिंहं दैत्यसूदनम्

vāsudevaṁ hṛṣīkeśaṁ mādhavaṁ madhusūdanam varāhaṁ puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ nṛsiṁhaṁ daityasūdanam

Vasudeva, Hrishikesha, Madhava, Madhusudana, Varaha, Pundarikaksha, Nrisimha, the Slayer of Demons —

Verse 12 (garuda.1.131.12)

दामोदरं पद्मनाभं केशवं गारुडध्वजम् । गोविन्दमच्युतं देवमनन्तम पराजितम्

dāmodaraṁ padmanābhaṁ keśavaṁ gāruḍadhvajam govindamacyutaṁ devamanantama parājitam

Damodara, Padmanabha, Keshava, he whose banner bears Garuda, Govinda, Achyuta, the God, Ananta, the Unconquered —

Verse 13 (garuda.1.131.13)

अधोक्षजं जगद्वीजं सर्गस्थित्यन्तकारणम् । अनादिनिधनं विष्णुं त्रिलोकेशं त्रिविक्रमम्

adhokṣajaṁ jagadvījaṁ sargasthityantakāraṇam anādinidhanaṁ viṣṇuṁ trilokeśaṁ trivikramam

Adhokshaja, the Seed of the Universe, the Cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution, Vishnu without beginning or end, the Lord of the three worlds, Trivikrama —

Verse 14 (garuda.1.131.14)

नारायणं चतुर्बाहुं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् । पीतम्बरधरं दिव्यं वनमालाविभूषितम्

nārāyaṇaṁ caturbāhuṁ śaṅkhacakragadādharam pītambaradharaṁ divyaṁ vanamālāvibhūṣitam

Narayana, the four-armed, bearer of conch, discus, and mace, clad in yellow silk, the divine one, adorned with a forest-garland —

Verse 15 (garuda.1.131.15)

श्रीवत्साङ्कं जगद्धाम श्रीपतिं श्रीधरं हरिम् । यं देवं देवकी देवी वसुदेवादजीजनत्

śrīvatsāṅkaṁ jagaddhāma śrīpatiṁ śrīdharaṁ harim yaṁ devaṁ devakī devī vasudevādajījanat

marked with the Shrivatsa, the abode of the universe, the Lord of Shri, Shridhara, Hari — that god whom the goddess Devaki bore from Vasudeva —

Verse 16 (garuda.1.131.16)

भौमस्य ब्रह्मणो गुप्त्यै तस्मै ब्रह्मात्मने नमः । नामान्येतानि संकीर्त्य गत्यर्थं प्रार्थयेत्पुनः

bhaumasya brahmaṇo guptyai tasmai brahmātmane namaḥ nāmānyetāni saṁkīrtya gatyarthaṁ prārthayetpunaḥ

for the protection of dharma on earth — salutation to him whose very self is Brahman. Having recited these names, one should again pray for the goal of liberation —

Verse 17 (garuda.1.131.17)

त्राहि मां देवदेवेश ! हरे ! संसारसागरात् । त्राहि मां सर्वपापघ्न ! दुःखशोकार्णवात्प्रभो !

trāhi māṁ devadeveśa ! hare ! saṁsārasāgarāt trāhi māṁ sarvapāpaghna ! duḥkhaśokārṇavātprabho !

Save me, O Lord of the Gods of gods, O Hari, from the ocean of worldly existence! Save me, O destroyer of all sin, from the ocean of grief and sorrow, O Lord!

Verse 18 (garuda.1.131.18)

देवकीनन्दन ! श्रीश ! हरे ! संसारसागरात् । दुर्वृत्तांस्त्रायसे विष्णो ! ये स्मरन्ति सकृत्सकृत्

devakīnandana ! śrīśa ! hare ! saṁsārasāgarāt durvṛttāṁstrāyase viṣṇo ! ye smaranti sakṛtsakṛt

O son of Devaki, Lord of Shri, O Hari — from the ocean of worldly existence, O Vishnu, you save even the wicked who remember you but once, again and again.

Verse 19 (garuda.1.131.19)

सोऽहं देवातिदुर्वृत्तस्त्राहि मां शोकसागरात् । पुष्कराक्ष ! निमग्नोऽहं मह्तयज्ञानसागरे

so'haṁ devātidurvṛttastrāhi māṁ śokasāgarāt puṣkarākṣa ! nimagno'haṁ mahtayajñānasāgare

I too am one exceedingly wicked, O God; save me from the ocean of sorrow. O Lotus-eyed one, I am sunk in the great ocean of ignorance.

Verse 20 (garuda.1.131.20)

त्राहि मां देवदेवेश ! त्वामृतेऽन्यो न रक्षिता । स्वजन्म वासुदेवाप गोब्राह्मणहिताय च

trāhi māṁ devadeveśa ! tvāmṛte'nyo na rakṣitā svajanma vāsudevāpa gobrāhmaṇahitāya ca

Save me, O Lord of the Gods of gods, for other than you there is no protector — Vasudeva took his own birth for the good of cows and Brahmins —

Verse 21 (garuda.1.131.21)

जगद्धिताय कृष्णाय गोविन्दाय नमोनमः । शान्तिरस्तु शिवं चास्तु धनविख्यातिराज्यभाक्

jagaddhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namonamaḥ śāntirastu śivaṁ cāstu dhanavikhyātirājyabhāk

and for the good of the world — salutation, salutation to Krishna, to Govinda. May there be peace, may there be well-being, and may the votary share in wealth, fame, and kingdom.