Original text
नमामि यमुनामहं सकलसिद्धिहेतुं मुदा मुरारिपदपङ्कजस्फुरदमन्दरेणूत्कटाम् । तटस्थनवकाननप्रकटमोदपुष्पाम्बुना सुरासुरसुपूजितस्मरपितुः श्रियं बिभ्रतीम् ॥ १॥ कलिन्दगिरिमस्तके पतदमन्दपूरोज्ज्वला विलासगमनोल्लसत्प्रकटगण्डशैलोन्नता । सघोषगतिदन्तुरा समधिरूढदोलोत्तमा मुकुन्दरतिवर्धिनी जयति पद्मबन्धोः सुता ॥ २॥ भुवं भुवनपावनीमधिगतामनेकस्वनैः प्रियाभिरिव सेवितां शुकमयूरहंसादिभिः । तरङ्गभुजकङ्कणप्रकटमुक्तिकावालुका नितम्बतटसुन्दरीं नमत कृष्णतुर्यप्रियाम् ॥ ३॥ अनन्तगुण भूषिते शिवविरञ्चिदेवस्तुते घनाघननिभे सदा ध्रुवपराशराभीष्टदे । विशुद्धमथुरातटे सकलगोपगोपीवृते कृपाजलधिसंश्रिते मम मनस्सुखं भावय ॥ ४॥ यया चरणपद्मजा मुररिपोः प्रियम्भावुका समागमनतोऽभवत् सकलसिद्धिदा सेवताम् । तया सदृशतामियात्कमलजा सपत्नीव य- द्धरिप्रियकलिन्दया मनसि मे सदा स्थीयताम् ॥ ५॥ नमोऽस्तु यमुने सदा तव चरित्रमत्यद्भुतं न जातु यमयातना भवति ते पयः पानतः । यमोऽपि भगिनीसुतान्कथमु हन्ति दुष्टानपि प्रियो भवति सेवनात्तव हरेर्यथा गोपिकाः ॥ ६॥ ममाऽस्तु तव सन्निधौ तनुनवत्वमेतावता न दुर्लभतमा रतिर्मुररिपौ मुकुन्दप्रिये । अतोऽस्तु तव लालना सुरधुनी परं सङ्गमा- त्तवैव भुवि कीर्तिता न तु कदापि पुष्टिस्थितैः ॥ ७॥ स्तुतिं तव करोति कः कमलजासपत्निप्रिये हरेर्यदनुसेवया भवति सौख्यमामोक्षतः । इयं तव कथाऽधिका सकलगोपिकासङ्गमः । स्मरश्रमजलाणुभिः सकलगात्रजैः सङ्गमः ॥ ८॥ तवाऽष्टकमिदं मुदा पठति सूरसूते सदा समस्तदुरितक्षयो भवति वै मुकुन्दे रतिः । तया सकलसिद्धयो मुररिपुश्च सन्तुष्यति स्वभावविजयो भवेद्वदति वल्लभः श्रीहरेः ॥ ९॥ इति श्रीवल्लभाचार्यविरचितं श्रीयमुनाष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ।
Transliteration
Namami yamunamaham sakalasiddhihetum muda Muraripadapankajasphuradamandarenutkatam | Tatasthanavakananaprakatamodapushpambuna Surasurasupujitasmarapituh shriyam bibhratim ||1|| Kalindagirimastake patadamandapurojjvala Vilasagamanollasatprakatagandashailonnata | Saghoshagatidantura samadhirudhadolottama Mukundarativardhini jayati padmabandhoh suta ||2|| Bhuvam bhuvanapavanimadhigatamanekasvanaih Priyabhiriva sevitam shukamayurahansadibhih | Tarangabhujakankanaprakatamuktikavaluka Nitambatatasundarim namata krishnaturyapriyam ||3|| Anantaguna bhushite shivaviranchidevastute Ghanaghananibhe sada dhruvaparasharabhishtade | Vishuddhamathuratate sakalagopagopivrite Kripajaladhisanshrite mama manassukham bhavaya ||4|| Yaya charanapadmaja muraripoh priyambhavuka Samagamanatobhavat sakalasiddhida sevatam | Taya sadrishatamiyatkamalaja sapatniva ya- Ddharipriyakalindaya manasi me sada sthiyatam ||5|| Namostu yamune sada tava charitramatyadbhutam Na jatu yamayatana bhavati te payah panatah | Yamopi bhaginisutankathamu hanti dushtanapi Priyo bhavati sevanattava hareryatha gopikah ||6|| Mamastu tava sannidhau tanunavatvametavata Na durlabhatama ratirmuraripau mukundapriye | Atostu tava lalana suradhuni param sangama- Ttavaiva bhuvi kirtita na tu kadapi pushtisthitaih ||7|| Stutim tava karoti kah kamalajasapatnipriye Hareryadanusevaya bhavati saukhyamamokshatah | Iyam tava kathadhika sakalagopikasangamah | Smarashramajalanubhih sakalagatrajaih sangamah ||8|| Tavashtakamidam muda pathati surasute sada Samastaduritakshayo bhavati vai mukunde ratih | Taya sakalasiddhayo muraripushcha santushyati Svabhavavijayo bhavedvadati vallabhah shrihareh ||9|| Iti shrivallabhacharyavirachitam shriyamunashtakam sampurnam |
Yamuna and the Pushtimarg
For the Pushtimarg, the Vaishnava path founded by Shri Vallabhacharya (1479–1531), Yamuna is not only a sacred river but one of Krishna's own beloveds, the river in which he played at Vraj. Vallabhacharya's Yamunashtakam is the first of his sixteen short works, the Shodasha Granth, and tradition says he composed it on the banks of the Yamuna at Mathura. Devotees recite it every morning and in Pushtimarg havelis it is part of daily seva.
What the verses say
- 1: "I bow joyfully to Yamuna, the cause of all siddhis", her sands sparkling with the dust of Murari's lotus feet, her water scented with flowers from new groves on her banks, carrying the splendour of Kamadeva's father (Krishna).
- 2: she falls from the summit of Kalinda mountain in a dazzling flood, playfully rushing over boulders, swinging as if on a palanquin, "increasing love for Mukunda": victory to the daughter of the Sun.
- 3: she purifies the world, attended by parrots, peacocks and swans as by companions; her waves are arms with bangles, her sands like pearls; bow to Krishna's fourth beloved.
- 4: adorned with endless qualities, praised by Shiva and Brahma, dark as rain-clouds, granter of the wishes of Dhruva and Parashara, surrounded by gopas and gopis at pure Mathura: "make my mind happy".
- 5–6: by meeting her, even the Ganga became dear to Krishna; there is never Yama's torment for one who drinks her water, for how could Yama strike his own sister's children?
- 7–8: a prayer for a new body near her that would make love for Krishna easy, and the praise that her story surpasses even the gopis' union with him.
- 9: whoever reads this ashtakam joyfully has all sins destroyed and love for Mukunda awakened, "says Vallabha, of Shri Hari".
When to recite it
- Every morning, after bathing, as Pushtimarg Vaishnavas do.
- On Yamuna Chhath (Chaitra shukla shashthi, Yamuna's birthday) and on Bhai Dooj / Yama Dwitiya, when bathing in the Yamuna is especially meritorious.
- On pilgrimage to Mathura, Vrindavan and Yamunotri.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote the Yamunashtakam?
Shri Vallabhacharya; the last verse is signed "vadati Vallabhah Shri Hareh". Adi Shankaracharya also wrote a different Yamunashtakam.
Why does it have nine verses if it is an ashtakam?
Eight verses of praise and a ninth phalashruti describing the fruit of recitation, a common pattern.
Why is Yamuna Yama's sister?
Both are children of Surya. The hymn reasons that Yama cannot punish those who drink his sister's water.
Why is Yamuna called Krishna's fourth beloved?
In Pushtimarg theology she is counted among Krishna's principal consorts, the "turiya" (fourth) priya.
When is Yamuna Jayanti?
On Chaitra shukla shashthi, known as Yamuna Chhath.
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