The principal Krishna mantras and shlokas, with line-by-line meanings and, where it is known, the source each one comes from.
Below are the main mantras and shlokas addressed to Lord Krishna. Each is given with its meaning and, where the source is established, its textual origin — several of these are commonly misattributed, and those cases are noted.
1. Hare Krishna Maha Mantra
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Source: The Kali-Santarana Upanishad. Because it is composed of sixteen names, it is also called the Shodasha-nama Maha Mantra.
Meaning: Hare addresses the divine energy of the Lord — in the Gaudiya understanding, Radha. Krishna and Rama are names of the Lord. The mantra is not a request but an address: it calls on the Lord and his energy by name.
Tradition: Its spread is owed above all to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534), born at Nabadwip in Bengal. Nam-sankirtan — congregational chanting of the divine name — is the central practice of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition he founded, and the lineage from which ISKCON descends.
2. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.
Source: The twelve-syllable dvadashakshara mantra, recurring throughout the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Meaning: Om — the primordial sound. Namo — I bow. Bhagavate — to the Lord possessed of the six divine attributes. Vasudevaya — to Krishna, son of Vasudeva.
The simplest of the Krishna mantras and the usual starting point for beginners.
3. Krishna Gayatri Mantra
Om Damodaraya Vidmahe,
Rukmini Vallabhaya Dhimahi,
Tanno Krishnah Prachodayat.
Meaning: We know Damodara; we meditate on the beloved of Rukmini; may that Krishna impel us.
Damodara means “bound at the waist by a rope” — a reference to Yashoda binding the child Krishna.
Note: this is a deity-gayatri composed in the Gayatri metre. It is distinct from the Gayatri Mantra proper, which is Rigveda 3.62.10.
4. Krishna Beeja Mantra
Om Kleem Krishnaya Namah.
Meaning: Kleem is the seed syllable associated with attraction and love. Krishnaya Namah — salutations to Krishna.
Seed-syllable mantras are traditionally received through initiation from a teacher rather than taken up independently.
5. Vasudeva Sutam Devam
Vasudeva Sutam Devam,
Kamsa Chanura Mardanam,
Devaki Paramanandam,
Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum.
Meaning: I salute Krishna, the divine son of Vasudeva, destroyer of Kamsa and Chanura, the supreme joy of Devaki, the teacher of the world.
A well-known dhyana shloka. It is sometimes described as part of the Krishnashtakam, though it is most often recited as an independent verse.
6. Krishnaya Vasudevaya
Krishnaya Vasudevaya,
Haraye Paramatmane,
Pranata Klesha Nashaya,
Govindaya Namo Namah.
Meaning: To Krishna, son of Vasudeva; to Hari, the Supreme Self; to the destroyer of the afflictions of those who bow to him; to Govinda, salutations again and again.
Note: this verse is often labelled the “Dwadasha Nama Stotram”. That stotra enumerates twelve names of Krishna and is a separate composition; this is a distinct and widely recited shloka.
7. Sri Krishna Sharanam Mamah
Sri Krishnah Sharanam Mamah.
Meaning: Lord Krishna is my refuge.
Source: The foundational mantra of the Pushtimarg sampradaya established by Vallabhacharya. It expresses complete surrender.
8. Bhagavad Gita 4.7–8
Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya, Glanir Bhavati Bharata,
Abhyutthanam Adharmasya, Tadatmanam Srijamyaham. (4.7)
Paritranaya Sadhunam, Vinashaya Cha Dushkritam,
Dharma Samsthapanarthaya, Sambhavami Yuge Yuge. (4.8)
Meaning: Whenever righteousness declines and unrighteousness rises, O Bharata, I bring myself forth. To protect the good, to destroy the wicked, and to re-establish dharma, I come into being age after age.
Source: Bhagavad Gita, chapter 4, verses 7 and 8 — among the most frequently quoted lines in the Gita, and Krishna’s own statement of why he appears.
Two Names Commonly Confused
Govindashtakam and Bhaja Govindam are not the same work. Both are attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, but they are separate compositions. The Govindashtakam begins “Satyam jnanam anantam nityam”; Bhaja Govindam (also called Moha Mudgara) is an independent poem. Presenting lines from the two combined as a single mantra is an error that circulates widely online.
The “Dwadasha Nama Stotram” enumerates twelve names of Krishna. The well-known verse “Krishnaya Vasudevaya” is not part of it, though it is often given that label.
How to Chant
- Sit in a clean, quiet place. A mala helps with both count and rhythm.
- 108 repetitions is customary; 11 or 21 is a reasonable starting point.
- Early morning or evening suits most people.
- Thursdays and Janmashtami are considered especially auspicious.
- Consistency and attention matter more than perfect pronunciation.
Chanting is a devotional practice. It is not a treatment for illness, nor a guaranteed remedy for financial or personal difficulty.
See also: Krishna and Radha Krishna and Krishna Bhagwan ki Aarti.
Frequently Asked Questions About Krishna Mantras
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What is the source of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra?
The Hare Krishna Maha Mantra comes from the Kali-Santarana Upanishad, which presents it as the chant suited to the present age, the Kali Yuga. Because it is made up of sixteen names, Hare, Krishna and Rama repeated, it is also called the Shodasha-nama Maha Mantra.
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What does Hare mean in the Hare Krishna mantra?
In the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Hare is the vocative form addressing the divine energy of the Lord, understood in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition as Radha. The mantra is therefore an address rather than a request: it calls on the Lord and his energy by name, sixteen times in all.
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Who spread the Hare Krishna mantra?
The Hare Krishna mantra was spread above all by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534), born at Nabadwip in Bengal, who made nam-sankirtan, the congregational chanting of the divine name, the central practice of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. In 1966 A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founded ISKCON in New York, carrying the chant worldwide.
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Which Krishna mantra is best for beginners?
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya is the Krishna mantra most often recommended for beginners, because it is short, simple to pronounce and needs no initiation. This twelve-syllable dvadashakshara mantra recurs throughout the Srimad Bhagavatam and means I bow to the Lord Vasudeva.
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Is the Krishna Gayatri the same as the Gayatri Mantra?
No. The Krishna Gayatri, Om Damodaraya Vidmahe, Rukmini Vallabhaya Dhimahi, Tanno Krishnah Prachodayat, is a deity-gayatri composed in the gayatri metre. The Gayatri Mantra proper is a separate Rigvedic verse, Rigveda 3.62.10, addressed to Savitr, the sun.
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How many times should a Krishna mantra be chanted?
Krishna mantras are customarily chanted 108 times, counted on a japa mala of 108 beads, often made of tulsi wood in Vaishnava practice. Beginning with 11 or 21 repetitions is perfectly reasonable, and tradition values steady daily practice and attention above the number of repetitions.
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What does Sri Krishna Sharanam Mamah mean?
Sri Krishnah Sharanam Mamah means Lord Krishna is my refuge. It is the foundational mantra of the Pushtimarg sampradaya established by Vallabhacharya around the turn of the 16th century, and it expresses complete surrender to Krishna.
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What does Bhagavad Gita 4.7 mean?
Bhagavad Gita 4.7 and 4.8, beginning Yada yada hi dharmasya, are Krishna’s declaration that whenever righteousness declines and unrighteousness rises, he manifests himself to protect the good, destroy the wicked and re-establish dharma in every age. They are among the most quoted verses of the Gita.
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Are Govindashtakam and Bhaja Govindam the same?
No. Govindashtakam and Bhaja Govindam are both attributed to Adi Shankaracharya but are separate compositions. The Govindashtakam, an eight-verse hymn, begins Satyam jnanam anantam nityam, while Bhaja Govindam, also called Moha Mudgara, is an independent poem urging the seeker to turn from worldly attachment to devotion.
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Can seed-syllable mantras be chanted without initiation?
Traditionally, beeja or seed-syllable mantras such as Om Kleem Krishnaya Namah are received through initiation from a teacher rather than taken up independently. Simple name-mantras, such as the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra and Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, may be chanted by anyone.
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When is the best time to chant Krishna mantras?
Krishna mantras are traditionally chanted in the early morning, especially during Brahma Muhurta before dawn, or in the evening. Thursdays and Krishna Janmashtami are considered especially auspicious, and the Ekadashi days of each lunar fortnight are also important in Vaishnava practice.
