Mukundamala
Navaneeta Krishna, 19th century Thanjavur painting.
Information
ReligionHinduism
AuthorKulasekhara Alvar
LanguageSanskrit
Verses40

The Mukundamala (Sanskrit: मुकुन्दमाला, romanized: Mukundamālā)[1] is a Sanskrit hymn composed by the Hindu poet-saint Kulasekhara,[2][3] seventh of the twelve Alvars of the Sri Vaishnava tradition.[4] Comprising 40 verses, the hymn is addressed to the deity Krishna.

Description

Scholars identify Kulasekhara as one of the earliest Chera/Kulasekhara rulers of Kodungallur (Mahodaya Pura) in modern-day Kerala.[2][4] The hymns of the Mukundamala ask Mukunda, another name for Krishna, to give the unworthy author freedom from samsara. It describes the misery of the soul trapped in this world and exhorts that Krishna is the only means of salvation. The exploits of the deity are also described in the work. The hymn was completed at the Ranganathaswamy Temple of Srirangam.[5]

Hymns

The first hymn of the Mukundamala extols Vishnu's various attributes:[6]

śrī-vallabheti vara-deti dayā-pareti
bhakta-priyeti bhava-luṇṭhana-kovideti
nātheti nāga-śayaneti jagan-nivāsety
ālāpinaṁ prati-dinaṁ kuru māṁ mukunda

O, Mukunda! make me your glory great oft recount,
As Laksmi's consort dear, as the bestower bounteous,
As the all-merciful, as the great friend of the devout,
As the deft destroyer of earthly bondage, as my sole support
As the one lying on the serpent couch in sweet repose,
As the all-pervading Lord of the universe.

— Mukundamala, Verse 1

The second hymn of the work directly addresses Vishnu's incarnation of Krishna:[7]

jayatu jayatu devo devakī-nandano ’yaṁ
jayatu jayatu kṛṣṇo vṛṣṇi-vaṁśa-pradīpaḥ
jayatu jayatu megha-śyāmalaḥ komalāṅgo
jayatu jayatu pṛthvī-bhāra-nāśo mukundaḥ

Victory, Victory unto Devaki’s celestial darling,
Victory, Victory unto Krsna, the beacon-light of Vrsni’s clan,
Victory, Victory unto Him, the cloud-hued, of body charming,
Victory, Victory unto Mukunda who rid clean The Earth of its unwholesome burden.

— Mukundamala, Verse 2

See also

References

  1. ↑ Srivastava, Dr Vishnulok Bihari; Srivastava, Vishnulok Bihari (2009). Dictionary of Indology. Pustak Mahal. p. 297. ISBN 978-81-223-1084-9.
  2. 1 2 Noburu Karashima (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 143.
  3. ↑ Devadevan, Manu V. (3 December 2020). The 'Early Medieval' Origins of India. Cambridge University Press. p. 230. ISBN 978-1-108-49457-1.
  4. 1 2 Narayanan, M. G. S. Perumāḷs of Kerala. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 65-66, 95-96, 383-5, 436.
  5. ↑ Vemsani, Lavanya (13 June 2016). Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. p. 156. ISBN 978-1-61069-211-3.
  6. ↑ Makarand Joshi. Mukunda Mala Of Sri Kulashekhar Alwar Sanskrit English By Satya Murthi Iyengar 1987. p. 2.
  7. ↑ Makarand Joshi. Mukunda Mala Of Sri Kulashekhar Alwar Sanskrit English By Satya Murthi Iyengar 1987. p. 5.
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