वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्। देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम्॥
vasudevasutaṁ devaṁ kaṁsacāṇūramardanam । devakīparamānandaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ vande jagadgurum ॥
Meaning of Vasudevasutaṁ Devaṁ Kaṁsacāṇūramardanam
I bow to Lord Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, the embodiment of divinity, the destroyer of Kansa and Chanura, the source of supreme joy to Mother Devaki, and the master of the universe.
Word by word
- वसुदेवसुतम्vasudevasutam
the son of Vasudeva
वसुदेव + सुत
Appears as वसुदेवसुतं before देवं.
- देवम्devam
the divine one, God
देव
- कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्kaṁsacāṇūramardanam
the destroyer of Kansa and Chanura
कंस + चाणूर + √मृद्
- देवकीपरमानन्दम्devakīparamānandam
the supreme joy of Devaki
देवकी + परम + आनन्द
- कृष्णम्kṛṣṇam
Krishna
कृष्ण
- वन्देvande
I bow to, I revere
√वन्द्
- जगद्गुरुम्jagadgurum
the teacher of the world
जगत् + गुरु
Commentary
This verse gathers several identities of Krishna into a single act of reverence. He is remembered through his relationships as Vasudeva's son and Devaki's supreme joy, through his victory over Kansa and Chanura, and through the spiritual title jagadguru, teacher of the world. The verb vande, ‘I bow’, makes the stanza a direct expression of devotion rather than merely a description of divine attributes. Its movement from family bonds to the universal title jagadguru presents Krishna as at once intimately beloved and worthy of reverence by the whole world. Reciting it can therefore become a simple practice of remembering courage, loving connection, and guidance while placing them within devotion to the divine.
Sources and textual variants
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More subhashitams on Devotion
View topic pageसुखोपविष्टास्ते तत्र पुण्यां चक्रुः कथामिमाम्। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामारोग्यं मूलमुत्तमम्॥
sukhopaviṣṭās te tatra puṇyāṃ cakruḥ kathām imām । dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇām ārogyaṃ mūlam uttamam ॥
Charaka Samhita presents good health as the foremost foundation for pursuing dharma, prosperity, desire and liberation.
अनादिरप्रमेयश्च अरूपश्च जयाजयः। लोकरूपो जगन्नाथः विश्वकर्मन्नमो नमः॥
anādir aprameyaś ca arūpaś ca jayājayaḥ । lokarūpo jagannāthaḥ viśvakarman namo namaḥ ॥
A verse from the Vishwakarma Ashtakam bows to the beginningless, immeasurable and formless Lord who appears as the world itself.
मुदाकरात्तमोदकं सदा विमुक्तिसाधकं कलाधरावतंसकं विलासिलोकरक्षकम्। अनायकैकनायकं विनाशितेभदैत्यकं नताशुभाशुनाशकं नमामि तं विनायकम्॥
mudākarāttamodakaṁ sadā vimuktisādhakaṁ kalādharāvataṁsakaṁ vilāsilokarakṣakam । anāyakaikanāyakaṁ vināśitebhadaityakaṁ natāśubhāśunāśakaṁ namāmi taṁ vināyakam ॥
A devotional verse praising Vinayaka as the giver of liberation, protector of the world, and swift destroyer of misfortune.