Hari Namashtakam

[Octet on Lord Hari]
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Sri Kesavachyutha mukunda Radangapane,
Govinda, madhava Janardhana dhanavare,
Narayanamarapathe, srijagannivasa,
Jihve japethi sathatham Maduraksharani. 1

Hey toungue, always repeat the sweet letters,
Kesava*, Achyutha, Mukunda, He who holds the wheel,
Govinda, Madhava, Janardhana, killer of asuras,
Narayana, lord of devas, and he who lives all over the universe.
* For meaning of these names look in Vishnu Sahasranama translation.

Sri deva deva, madhusudhana, saranga pane,
Damodhararnva nikethana, Kaida bhaare,
Viswambharabharana bhooshitha bhumipala,
Jihve japethi sathatham Maduraksharani. 2

Hey toungue, always repeat the sweet letters,
Lord of lords, killer of Madhu, He holds Saranga,
Damodhara, he who sleeps on the sea, enemy of Kaidabha,
He who dresses with universe and the king who is well ornamented.

Sri Padma lochana, gada dhara, Padmanabha,
Padmesha padma pada pavana, padma pane,
Peethambara ambara ruche ruchiravathara,
Jihve japethi sathatham Maduraksharani. 3

Hey toungue, always repeat the sweet letters,
He who has eyes like lotus, he who holds the mace,
He who has lotus on his belly, He who is the Lord of Lakshmi,
He who has soft feet like the lotus, he who holds a lotus,
He who wears yellow silk, he who wears the sky and
He who has very interesting incarnations.

Srikantha kousthubha dhararthi harabjapane,
Vishno, Trivikrama, maheedhara, dharma setho,
Vaikunta vasa, vasudhadhipa, Vasudeva,
Jihve japethi sathatham Maduraksharani. 4

Hey toungue, always repeat the sweet letters,
Consort of Sri, holder of Kousthubha, killer of troubles,
Holder of lotus flower, Vishnu, Trivikrama, lifter of earth,
Bridge to Dharma, He who lives in Vaikunta,
King of the earth, Son of Vasudeva.

Sri Narasimha Narakanthaka, kanthamurthe,
Lakshmipathe, garudavahana, sesha sayin,
Kesi pranasana, sukesi kireeta moule,
Jihve japethi sathatham Maduraksharani. 5

Hey toungue, always repeat the sweet letters,
Narasimha, killer of hell, loved God,
Lord of Lakshmi, rider of eagle, he who sleeps on Sesha,
Stealer of life of Kesi and Leader of those praised by women.

Sri vathsa lanchana, surarshabha shankapane,
Kalpantha varidhi vihara hare murare,
Yagnesa yagnamaya yagnabhugadhi deva,
Jihve japethi sathatham Maduraksharani. 6

Hey toungue, always repeat the sweet letters,
He who has the mark of Sri Vathsa and lord of the devas holding a conch,
He who is the Vishnu who killed Mura and he who would play in the water at deluge,
He Who is the god of Yagna* and is full of yagna and is the primeval God who enjoys Yagna.
* Fire sacrifice.

Sri Rama ravana ripo,raghu vamsa ketho,
Sithapathe, dasaradathmaja, Rajasimha,
Sugreevamithra mruga vedhana chapa bane,
Jihve japethi sathatham Maduraksharani. 7

Hey toungue, always repeat the sweet letters,
Rama who is the enemy of Ravana, the star of the clan of Raghu,
Lord of Sita, son of Dasaratha, lion among kings,

Sri Krishna vrushnivara yadhava radhikesa,
Govardhanodharana kamsa vinasa soure,
Gopala venu dhara pandu suthaika bandho,
Jihve japethi sathatham Maduraksharani. 8

Hey toungue, always repeat the sweet letters,
Krishna, the blessing of Vrushni clan, cowherd, lord of Radha,
He who lifted Govardhana, He who killed Kamsa,
Gopala, He who holds the flute and friend of the sons of Pandu.

Ithyashtakam Bhagavatha sathatham naro yo,
Namangitham patathi nithya mananya chetha,
Vishno param padamupaithi punarna jathu,
Mathu payodhara rasam pibadeeha sathyam. 9

That man who reads this octet of the names,
Of God daily with mind focused on reading,
Would attain the ultimate place of Vishnu,
And would truly never, ever drink mother’s milk.