The ''Mukundamala'' () is a
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
hymn
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...
composed by the
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
poet-saint
Kulasekhara,
[Noburu Karashima (ed.), ''A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations.'' New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 143.] seventh of the twelve
Alvars
The Alvars () are the Tamil poet-saints of South India who espoused '' bhakti'' (devotion) to the Hindu preserver deity Vishnu, in their songs of longing, ecstasy, and service. They are venerated in Vaishnavism, which regards Vishnu as the ...
of the
Sri Vaishnava
Sri Vaishnavism () is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, predominantly practiced in South India. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god V ...
tradition.
[Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 65-66, 95-96, 383-5, 436.] Comprising 40 verses, the hymn is addressed to the deity
Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
.
Description
Scholars identify Kulasekhara as one of the earliest
Chera/Kulasekhara rulers of
Kodungallur (Mahodaya Pura) in modern-day
Kerala
Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
.
The hymns of the ''Mukundamala'' ask Mukunda, another name for
Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
, to give the unworthy author freedom from ''
samsara''. It describes the misery of the soul trapped in this world and exhorts that
Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
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
Srirangam is a neighbourhood in the city of Tiruchirappalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. A river island, Srirangam is bounded by the Kaveri River on one side and its distributary Kollidam on the other side. Considered as the first among ...
.
Hymns
The first hymn of the ''Mukundamala'' extols Vishnu's various attributes:
The second hymn of the work directly addresses Vishnu's incarnation of Krishna:
{{Blockquote, text=Victory, Victory unto Devaki’s celestial darling,
Victory, Victory unto Krsna, the beacon-light of Vrsni’s clan,
Victory, Victory unto Him, the dark-black cloud-hued, of body charming,
Victory, Victory unto Mukunda who rid clean The Earth of its unwholesome burden., title=Mukundamala, source=''Verse 2''
See also
* ''
Achyuta Shataka
The ''Achyuta Shataka'' () is a Prakrit hymn written by the Hindu philosopher Vedanta Desika. Comprising 100 verses, the ''Achyuta Shataka'' extols Krishna, an avatar of the deity Vishnu. The hymn is composed in the arya metre. It is regarded to h ...
''
* ''
Madhurashtaka''
* ''
Gita Govinda
The ''Gita Govinda'' (; IAST: ''gītagovindam'') is a work composed by the 12th-century Hindu poet, Jayadeva. It describes the relationship between Krishna, Radha and ''gopis'' (female cow herders) of Vrindavan.
The ''Gita Govinda'' is organiz ...
''
References
External links
*
Mukundamala of Sri Kulashekhara Alvar Sanskrit-English by Satya Murthi Iyengar
*
Mukundalamala Stotra - Swami Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada
Sanskrit poetry
Vaishnava texts
Hindu texts