govindāṣṭakam

He who is Truth, Knowledge, and Infinite; who is Eternal, beyond the sky, and the Supreme Ether. He who playfully crawls in the courtyards of the cowherd settlement; who is effortless yet the source of all effort. He who manifests in various forms through Maya, yet is Himself formless, being the very form of the universe. He who is the Lord of the Earth, the protector of the helpless—bow down to that Govinda, who is Supreme Bliss.

He who feigned childhood fear when Yashoda scolded him for eating dirt. He who, when his mouth was opened, revealed the entire universe consisting of fourteen worlds. He who is the foundational pillar of the three worlds, encompassing all yet remaining unseen by those without devotion. He who is the Lord of the worlds and the Supreme Lord—bow down to that Govinda, who is Supreme Bliss.

He who is the destroyer of the enemies of the gods, the remover of the burden of the Earth, and the healer of the disease of worldly existence. He who is the embodiment of liberation, who accepts butter as an offering yet is beyond all material sustenance, being the sustenance of the universe itself. He who is reflected in the hearts of those with pure thoughts, yet remains beyond reflection. He who is auspicious, peaceful, and absolute—bow down to that Govinda, who is Supreme Bliss.

He who is the protector of the cows, the Lord whose divine form is meant for divine play, and the protector of the lineage. He who is cherished by the Gopis, who held up Govardhana Hill, and who is the protector of the cowherd community. He whose name "Govinda" was clearly uttered by the cows, and who is known by many names. He who is beyond the reach of the Gopis' mundane perception—bow down to that Govinda, who is Supreme Bliss.

He who differentiates the gatherings of the Gopis, yet exists as one in the state of non-duality. He whose beauty is enhanced by the dust raised by the hooves of the cows. He who is attained through faith and devotion, who is inconceivable yet exists as the essence of all contemplation. He who possesses the glory of the wish-fulfilling gem—bow down to that Govinda, who is Supreme Bliss.

He who took the clothes of the bathing Gopis and climbed the tree, and who drew them near when they, wanting their clothes, approached him while unclothed. He who has cast away duality, sorrow, and delusion; who is the awakened consciousness residing within the intellect. He whose body is pure existence—bow down to that Govinda, who is Supreme Bliss.

He who is the Beloved, the cause of all causes, the beginningless beginning, and the splendor of time itself. He who repeatedly and skillfully danced upon the heads of the serpent Kaliya in the Yamuna river. He who is Time, yet transcends the divisions of time; who contains everything and destroys the impurities of the Kali Age. He who is the cause of all occurrences in the past, present, and future—bow down to that Govinda, who is Supreme Bliss.

He whose body is worshipped by the hosts of gods in the land of Vrindavana. He who possesses a pure, jasmine-like smile that exudes the nectar of joy and brings delight to his friends. He whose pair of lotus feet are worshipped by the minds of all the great sages. He who is an ocean of all auspicious qualities—bow down to that Govinda, who is Supreme Bliss.