108 Names of Shri Krishna Chant
The 108 Names of Shri Krishna is a sacred enumeration of Krishna's divine attributes, epithets, and roles across Vedic literature and Puranic tradition. Each name encodes a specific aspect of Krishna's cosmic nature—from 'Krishnaya' (the dark one, symbolic of the infinite) to 'Parabrahmane' (the supreme absolute reality). These names span his incarnation stories: his birth as Devaki's son, his childhood exploits in Brindavan, his role as charioteer in the Bhagavad Gita, and his divine governance as Dwarka's king. Chanting them systematically creates a complete spiritual portrait of the deity.
Krishna represents the divine play (leela) of the Absolute—the reconciliation of transcendence and immanence. In Bhagavata Purana and Brahma Samhita, Krishna is recognized as Param Brahman (ultimate reality) who freely descends into human form to guide humanity. His 108 names reflect both his cosmic grandeur ('Ananta'—infinite, 'Kotisuryasamaprabhaya'—brilliant as a billion suns) and his intimate accessibility ('Yashodavatsalaya'—beloved of Yashoda, 'Govinda'—nourisher of cows). This duality—supreme power expressed through personal devotion—makes Krishna worship uniquely transformative across Hindu spiritual traditions.
Chant the 108 Names daily, ideally after sunrise or during evening meditation, as part of your sadhana (spiritual practice). Each repetition opens deeper layers of Krishna consciousness. Begin with 3 rounds and gradually increase to 27 or 108 repetitions. Use mala beads for counting. The practice works best with sincere devotion (bhakti) rather than mechanical recitation. Many traditions recommend pairing the chant with Krishna's image or deity for enhanced focus. Morning chanting energizes your day with divine grace; evening practice purifies the mind before sleep.
Curated by The Mahakatha Team · Original Composition: Mahakatha · Lyric: Traditional / Vaishnava
108 Names of Shri Krishna Chant
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ॐ कृष्णाय नमः। ॐ कमलानाथाय नमः। ॐ वासुदेवाय नमः। ॐ सनातनाय नमः।
om krishnaya namah| om kamalanathaya namah| om vasudevaya namah| om sanatanaya namah|
The One Who is of dark complexion
The Consort of Goddess Lakshmi
The Son of Vasudeva
The Divine Presence in all three ages of time
ॐ वसुदेवात्मजाय नमः। ॐ पुण्याय नमः। ॐ लीलामानुषविग्रहाय नमः। ॐ श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभधराय नमः।
om vasudevatmajaya namah| om punyaya namah| om lilamanushavigrahaya namah| om shrivatsakaustubhadharaya namah|
The Son of Vasudeva
The highly virtuous
The One who took human form to show his divine play
The One wearing Shrivatsa and Kaustubha gems
ॐ यशोदावत्सलाय नमः। ॐ हरिये नमः। ॐ चतुर्भुजात्तचक्रासिगदा नमः। ॐ सङ्खाम्बुजायुदायुधाय नमः।
om yashodavatsalaya namah| om hariye namah| om chaturbhujattachakrasigada namah| om shankhambujayudayudhaya namah|
The beloved Son of Yashoda
The Lord of nature
Whose four arms bear divine weapons like the discus, the sword,
The mace and the conch
ॐ देवकीनन्दनाय नमः। ॐ श्रीशाय नमः। ॐ नन्दगोपप्रियात्मजाय नमः। ॐ यमुनावेगसंहारिणे नमः।
om devakinandanaya namah| om shriyaya namah| om nandagopapriyatmajaya namah| om yamunavegasamharine namah|
The Son of Devaki
The Consort of Goddess Lakshmi
The Beloved Son of King Nanda
The Tamer of the Yamuna river
ॐ बलभद्रप्रियानुजाय नमः। ॐ पूतनाजीवितहराय नमः। ॐ शकटासुरभञ्जनाय नमः। ॐ नन्दव्रजजनानन्दिने नमः।
om balabhadrapriyanujaya namah| om putanajivitaharaya namah| om shakatasurabhanjanaya namah| om nandavrajajananandine namah|
The younger brother of Balarama
The One who drains the life out of Demoness Putana
The Destroyer of Demon Shakatasura
The Joy of Nanda and the folk of Braja
ॐ सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहाय नमः। ॐ नवनीतविलिप्ताङ्गाय नमः। ॐ नवनीतनटाय नमः। ॐ मुचुकुन्दप्रसादकाय नमः।
om sachchidanandavigrahaya namah| om navanitaviliptangaya namah| om navanitanatanaya namah| om muchukundaprasadakaya namah|
The Eternal, Immortal and Indestructible One
One with a butter-smeared body
The One Who dances with joy for butter
The Blesser of King Muchukunda
ॐ षोडशस्त्रीसहस्रेशाय नमः। ॐ त्रिभङ्गिने नमः। ॐ मधुराकृतये नमः। ॐ शुकवागमृताब्धीन्दवे नमः।
om shodashastrisahasreshaya namah| om tribhangine namah| om madhurakritaye namah| om shukavagamritabdhindave namah|
The Lord of sixteen thousand women
The One with three beautiful curves
The One with a charming form
The 'Ocean of Nectar' in the words of Sage Shuka
ॐ गोविन्दाय नमः। ॐ योगिनां पतये नमः। ॐ वत्सवाटचराय नमः। ॐ अनन्ताय नमः।
om govindaya namah| om yoginam pataye namah| om vatsavatacharaya namah| om anantaya namah|
The Beloved of cows
The Lord of Yogis
The Loving Grazer of calves
The Infinite One
ॐ धेनुकासुरभञ्जनाय नमः। ॐ तृणीकृततृणावर्ताय नमः। ॐ यमलार्जुनभञ्जनाय नमः। ॐ उत्तलोत्तालभेत्रे नमः।
om dhenukasurabhanjanaya namah| om trinikritatrinavartaya namah| om yamalarjunabhanjanaya namah| om uttalottalabhetre namah|
The Slayer of Demon Dhenuka
The Slayer of Demon Trinivarta
The One Who broke Yamala and Arjuna, the cursed twin trees
The Destroyer of towering Tala trees
ॐ तमालश्यामलाकृतिये नमः। ॐ गोपगोपीश्वराय नमः। ॐ योगिने नमः। ॐ कोटिसूर्यसमप्रभाय नमः।
om tamalashyamalakritiye namah| om gopagopishvaraya namah| om yogine namah| om kotisuryasamaprabhaya namah|
The One as dark-skinned as the Tamala tree
The Lord of all cowherds and cowherdesses
The Supreme Yogi
The One who radiates like millions of suns
ॐ इलापतये नमः। ॐ परंज्योतिषे नमः। ॐ यादवेन्द्राय नमः। ॐ यदूद्वहाय नमः।
om ilapataye namah| om paramjyotishe namah| om yadavendraya namah| om yadudvahaya namah|
The Master of Knowledge
The Supreme Source of Light
The Lord of the Yadavas
The Leader of the Yadus
ॐ वनमालिने नमः। ॐ पीतवसने नमः। ॐ पारिजातापहारकाय नमः। ॐ गोवर्धनाचलोद्धर्त्रे नमः।
om vanamaline namah| om pitavasane namah| om parijatapaharakaya namah| om govarthanachaloddhartre namah|
The One wearing a garland of wildflowers
The One draped in glowing yellow clothes
The One who stole a Parijata tree
The One who lifted the Govardhana Hill
ॐ गोपालाय नमः। ॐ सर्वपालकाय नमः। ॐ अजाय नमः। ॐ निरञ्जनाय नमः।
om gopalaya namah| om sarvapalakaya namah| om ajaya namah| om niranjanaya namah|
The Guardian of cows
The Guardian of the Universe
The One who is beyond birth
The One who is unblemished
ॐ कामजनकाय नमः। ॐ कञ्जलोचनाय नमः। ॐ मधुघ्ने नमः। ॐ मथुरानाथाय नमः।
om kamajanakaya namah| om kanjalochanaya namah| om madhughne namah| om mathuranathaya namah|
The One who creates desires in the mind
The One with lotus eyes
The Slayer of Demon Madhu
The Lord of Mathura
ॐ द्वारकानायकाय नमः। ॐ बलिने नमः। ॐ बृन्दावनान्तसञ्चारिणे नमः। ॐ तुलसीदामभूषणाय नमः।
om dvarakanayakaya namah| om baline namah| om brindavanantasancharine namah| om tulasidamabhushanaya namah|
The Hero of Dwaraka
The Most Powerful of all
The One Who Strolls across Vrindavana
The One wearing a garland of Tulsi leaves
ॐ स्यमन्तकमणेर्हर्त्रे नमः। ॐ नरनारायणात्मकाय नमः। ॐ कुब्जाकृष्णाम्बरधराय नमः। ॐ मायिने नमः।
om syamantakamanerhartre namah| om naranarayanatmakaya namah| om kubjakrishnambaradharaya namah| om mayine namah|
The One who stole the Syamantaka gem
The One Who is human and god
The One Kubja smeared with sandalwood
The One who is elusive
ॐ परमपूरुषाय नमः। ॐ मुष्टिकासुरचाणूरमल्लयुद्धविशारदाय नमः। ॐ संसारवैरिणे नमः। ॐ कंसारये नमः।
om paramapurushaya namah| om mushtikasurachanuramallayuddhavisharadaya namah| om sansaravairine namah| om kansaraye namah|
The Supreme Being
The Valiant Slayer of Demons Mushtika and Chanura
The Enemy of worldly confines
The Enemy of King Kamsa
ॐ मुरारये नमः। ॐ नाराकान्तकाय नमः। ॐ अनादिब्रह्मचारिणे नमः। ॐ कृष्णाव्यसनकर्षकाय नमः।
om muraraye namah| om narakantakaya namah| om anadibrahmacharine namah| om krishnavyasanakarshakaya namah|
The Slayer of the Demon Mura
The Ender of Demon Naraka
The Eternal Celibate
The Savior of Draupadi
ॐ शिशुपालशिरश्छेत्रे नमः। ॐ दुर्योधनकुलान्तकाय नमः। ॐ विदुराक्रूरवरदाय नमः। ॐ विश्वरूपप्रदर्शकाय नमः।
om shishupalashirashchhetre namah| om duryodhanakulantakaya namah| om vidurakruravaradaya namah| om vishvarupapradarshakaya namah|
The One who beheaded Shishupala
The Ender of Duryodhana's Dynasty
The Granter of boons to Vidura and Akrura
The One who reveals his cosmic form
ॐ सत्यवाचे नमः। ॐ सत्यसङ्कल्पाय नमः। ॐ सत्यभामारताय नमः। ॐ जयिने नमः।
om satyavache namah| om satyasankalpaya namah| om satyabhamarataya namah| om jayine namah|
The Speaker of Truth
The One with True Resolve
The Beloved of Satyabhama
The Ever-Victorious
ॐ सुभद्रापूर्वजाय नमः। ॐ विष्णवे नमः। ॐ भीष्ममुक्तिप्रदायकाय नमः। ॐ जगद्गुरवे नमः।
om subhadrapurvajaya namah| om vishnave namah| om bhishmamuktipradayakaya namah| om jagadgurave namah|
The Brother of Subhadra
The Master of the Universe
The One Who Liberated Bhishma
The Guru of the Universe
ॐ जगन्नाथाय नमः। ॐ वेणुनाद विशारदाय नमः। ॐ वृषभासुरविध्वंसिने नमः। ॐ बाणासुरकरान्तकाय नमः।
om jagannathaya namah| om venunada visharadaya namah| om vrishabhasuravidhvansine namah| om banasurakarantakaya namah|
The Lord of the entire Universe
The Divine Flute Maestro
The Destroyer of the Demon Vrishabha
The Destroyer of Banasura
ॐ युधिष्ठिरप्रतिष्ठात्रे नमः। ॐ बर्हिबर्हावतंसकाय नमः। ॐ पार्थसारथये नमः। ॐ अव्यक्ताय नमः।
om yudhishthirapratishthatre namah| om barhibarhavatamsakaya namah| om parthasarathaye namah| om avyaktaya namah|
The kingmaker of Yudhishthira
The One who adorns peacock feathers
The One who leads Arjuna's chariot
The Formless One
ॐ गीतामृतमहोदधये नमः। ॐ कालीयफणिमाणिक्यरञ्जितश्रीपदाम्बुजाय नमः। ॐ दामोदराय नमः। ॐ यज्ञभोक्त्रे नमः।
om gitamritamahodadhaye namah| om kaliyaphanimanikyaranjitashripadambujaya namah| om damodaraya namah| om yajnabhoktre namah|
The Ocean of Bhagavad Gita wisdom
The One whose lotus feet bear the gems of serpent Kaliya
The One Who cannot be contained
The Acceptor and Blesser of sacred offerings
ॐ दानवेन्द्रविनाशकाय नमः। ॐ नारायणाय नमः। ॐ परब्रह्मणे नमः। ॐ पन्नगाशनवाहनाय नमः।
om danavendravinashakaya namah| om narayanaya namah| om parabrahmane namah| om pannagashanavahanaya namah|
The Slayer of the Lord of Demons
The Supreme Soul
The Supreme God
The One who has Garuda as his mount
ॐ तीर्थकृते नमः। ॐ जलक्रीडा समासक्त गॊपीवस्त्रापहाराकाय नमः। ॐ पुण्यश्लोकाय नमः ॐ वॆदवॆद्याय नमः।
om tirthakrite namah| om jalakrida samasakta gopivastrapaharakaya namah| om punyashlokaya namah om vedavedyaya namah|
The Creator of all sacred places
The Mischievous One who hides the Gopis' clothes as they bathe in the river
The One whose chants bring boons
The One revered in the Vedas
ॐ दयानिधये नमः। ॐ सर्वभूतात्मकाय नमः। ॐ सर्वग्रहरूपिणे नमः। ॐ परात्पराय नमः।
om dayanidhaye namah| om sarvabhutatmakaya namah| om sarvagraharupine namah| om paratparaya namah|
The ocean of compassion
The origin of every place of pilgrimage
The All-Embodying One
The Supreme One
॥ इति श्रीकृष्ण अष्टोत्तरशतनामावलिः सम्पूर्णा ॥
|| iti shrikrishna ashtottarashatanamavalih sampurna ||
Thus ends the chanting of the 108 names of Krishna.
How to Chant 108 Names of Shri Krishna Chant
- 1
Find a quiet, clean space
Sit in a comfortable, undisturbed environment. Face east or north if possible. You may light incense or a candle to set a contemplative atmosphere.
- 2
Settle into a comfortable posture
Sit cross-legged on the floor or upright in a chair. Keep the spine erect and place the hands on the knees with palms facing upward.
- 3
Take three cleansing breaths
Inhale slowly through the nose, hold briefly, and exhale completely. Repeat three times to calm the mind and prepare for mantra recitation.
- 4
Begin chanting 108 Names of Shri Krishna Chant
Chant the mantra clearly and with devotion — aloud, in a whisper, or silently. Use a mala (108 beads) to count repetitions. Aim for a consistent, unhurried rhythm throughout the session.
- 5
Rest in stillness
After completing your chanting, sit quietly for two to five minutes. Allow the vibration of the mantra to settle within. Close the practice with a moment of gratitude.
Benefits of 108 Names of Shri Krishna Chant
-
Awakens divine love (bhakti) and emotional connection to Krishna consciousness, transforming the chanter's heart toward devotion and surrender.
Source: Bhagavata Purana, Book 10
-
Removes fear and negative thought patterns by invoking Krishna's constant protection and cosmic oversight of all beings.
Source: Bhagavad Gita 18.66 — Traditional interpretation
-
Purifies the mind and intellect (sattva guna), clearing mental agitation and restoring inner peace through mantra resonance.
Source: Upanishads & Mantra Shastra traditions
-
Attracts divine grace (prasada) and blessings by aligning personal consciousness with Krishna's omniscient presence.
Source: Traditional practice across Vaishnavism
-
Deepens meditation and concentration by anchoring the mind on Krishna's 108 divine names and cosmic roles.
Source: Yoga Sutras & devotional sadhana texts
Story & Symbolism
The 108 Names of Shri Krishna crystallize across multiple layers of Vedic and Puranic literature, with roots stretching back to the Upanishads and Bhagavata Purana. While the Bhagavata Purana (10th Book) narrates Krishna's life in exquisite detail, generating the basis for these epithets, the formal enumeration of 108 sacred names developed through medieval Vaishnavite theology and devotional literature. Scholars and saints like Adi Shankara, Ramanuja, and later bhakti poets systematized these names, drawing from Krishna's diverse roles: the dark infinite ('Krishnaya'), the butter-thief of Brindavan ('Navanitanatha'), the cosmic charioteer ('Parthasarathaye'), and the supreme absolute ('Parabrahmane'). This systematic organization reflects a comprehensive spiritual map of Krishna consciousness.
Krishna himself embodies the paradox of transcendence and immanence—simultaneously the supreme, formless Brahman and the intimate, playful deity accessible to all seekers. The Brahma Samhita explicitly declares Krishna as Param Brahman, the ultimate source of all existence. The 108 names honor this duality by encompassing both cosmic grandeur (his dominion over infinite universes, his four-armed divine form) and tender intimacy (his love for Radha, his childhood pranks, his protection of Arjuna). Each name functions as a meditation gateway, inviting the chanter to contemplate one facet of divine reality. The number 108 itself amplifies this spiritual intention: 1 represents existence, 0 symbolizes the infinite void and potential, and 8 denotes infinity and cosmic cycles. Together, 108 encodes the complete spiritual journey from individual consciousness to cosmic unity.
Over centuries, the 108 Names practice became standardized across Vaishnavite traditions—from Gaudiya Vaishnavism emphasizing Krishna's rasa lila (divine play) to Sri Vaishnavism focusing on his role as Narayana. Today, this chant remains a cornerstone of Hindu devotional practice globally, appearing in temples, ashrams, and homes as both a worship ritual and a meditation tool for spiritual transformation.
How to Use in Daily Life
Morning Devotion
Chant the 108 Names immediately after sunrise while facing east, ideally before sunrise meditation. This energizes your day with Krishna's protective grace and aligns your consciousness with divine intelligence for 24 hours of clarity and compassion.
Meditation Practice
Use the chant as your primary meditation anchor, sitting quietly with mala beads. Focus intently on each name's meaning and Krishna's presence. This deepens mental focus, purifies chakras, and opens intuitive channels for spiritual insight and self-realization.
Evening Gratitude
Recite the names during evening prayer, reflecting on Krishna's presence throughout your day. This practice purifies mental impressions, transforms negativity into devotion, and prepares your consciousness for restful sleep infused with divine grace.
Before Sleep
Chant softly 3-7 times before bed to calm your mind and invoke Krishna's protective presence during sleep. This practice reduces anxiety, prevents nightmares, and allows your subconscious to absorb Krishna consciousness throughout the night.
Frequently Asked Questions
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