Kaaran Shatakam: Krishna as the Cause of All Causes
Kaaran Shatakam (कारण षटकम्) - Sanskrit Text
मम जीवनस्य जीवनम्
उद्भाषितं नित्यशोभनम्
त्वमेव देवं त्वमेव सर्वम्
हृदि स्थिते सदा धारणम्
हे कृष्ण हे माधव हे देव त्वम्
सर्व कारणस्य कारणम् ॥ १॥
मम हृदयस्य हृदयम्
सत्भाषितं नित्य सदयम्
त्वमेव पूर्णं त्वमेव स्वर्णम्
प्रेमम् आनंदं अद्भुदयम्
हे कृष्ण हे माधव हे देव त्वम्
सर्व कारणस्य कारणम् ॥ २॥
मम विचारस्य विचारम्
सद्भाव हृद्भाव संचारम्
त्वमेव सत्यं त्वमेव नित्यम्
स्मृति ज्ञानं सर्व आधारम्
हे कृष्ण हे माधव हे देव त्वम्
सर्व कारणस्य कारणम् ॥ ३॥
मम शरीरस्य आधारम्
त्वमेक नित्य निराधारम्
त्वमेव धर्मं त्वमेव कर्मम्
सर्वसूत्रस्य सूत्रधारम्
हे कृष्ण हे माधव हे देव त्वम्
सर्व कारणस्य कारणम् ॥ ४॥
मम सर्व सुख दायकम्
नित्यसुधा वेणु गायकम्
त्वमेव कर्ता त्वमेव धर्ता
माता पिता आत्मनायकम्
हे कृष्ण हे माधव हे देव त्वम्
सर्व कारणस्य कारणम् ॥ ५॥
मम दिव्य नन्दनंदनम्
आनंदकंद सुचंदनम्
त्वमेव स्वामी हे अन्तर्यामी
सर्व हृदयस्य स्पंदनम्
हे कृष्ण हे माधव हे देव त्वम्
सर्व कारणस्य कारणम् ॥ ६॥
॥ इति श्री कृष्णदासः विरचित कारण षटकम् सम्पूर्णम् ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
mama jīvanasya jīvanam, udbhāṣitaṁ nityaśobhanam
tvameva devaṁ tvameva sarvam, hṛdi sthite sadā dhāraṇam
he kṛṣṇa he mādhava he deva tvam, sarva kāraṇasya kāraṇam ॥1॥
(Each verse closes with the refrain: he kṛṣṇa he mādhava he deva tvam, sarva kāraṇasya kāraṇam - "O Krishna, O Madhava, O Lord, You are the Cause of all causes.")
Meaning
This six-verse hymn addresses Sri Krishna as the ultimate cause behind every effect in creation. The devotee declares that the Lord is the life of his life, the heart of his heart, the thought within his thoughts, the support of his body, the giver of all joy, and the very pulse of every heartbeat. The recurring refrain - "You are the cause of all causes" - echoes the Vedantic vision of Krishna as the parama-kāraṇa, the primal source from which all things arise and to which all things return.
About this Stotra
Kaaran Shatakam is a modern devotional composition attributed to a poet who signs himself "Sri Krishnadas." Although not part of the classical Puranic corpus, it follows the time-honoured pattern of bhakti stotras: short rhyming lines, a fixed refrain, and an ascending meditation on the deity as the foundation of one's inner and outer life. Its theme - Krishna as sarva-kāraṇasya kāraṇam - is drawn directly from the Brahma Samhita and the Bhagavad Gita, where the Lord is described as the unborn origin of all that exists.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
Reciting this hymn cultivates ananyatā - single-pointed dependence on the Divine. By repeatedly affirming "You are my life, my heart, my support," the devotee gently dissolves ego-centred striving and rests in surrender. Regular chanting steadies a restless mind, deepens devotional feeling, and reminds the practitioner that every cause they chase ultimately rests in one supreme Cause.
Astrological Relevance
Krishna is the presiding deity of an enlightened, luminous mind and is closely associated with Budha (Mercury) - the karaka of intelligence and speech - and with the strengthening of a well-placed Moon for emotional steadiness. Those experiencing a weak or afflicted Moon, Mercury-related communication troubles, or a difficult Ketu period (which governs detachment and surrender) benefit from Krishna-centred recitation. Because the hymn dwells on the "cause behind causes," it is especially soothing during phases when one feels buffeted by circumstances beyond control, such as Sade Sati or a Rahu Mahadasha.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Sit before an image of Sri Krishna, light a lamp, and offer a flower or tulsi leaf. Recite all six verses slowly, letting the refrain settle into the breath. Repeat the full hymn three or eleven times. Close with a moment of silent surrender, mentally placing your concerns at the Lord's feet.
Best Day & Time
Wednesday (linked to Krishna and Mercury) and Friday are ideal, as is the Brahma Muhurta before dawn. Janmashtami and Ekadashi are especially auspicious for extended recitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kaaran Shatakam an ancient scripture?
No. It is a modern bhakti composition by a poet who signs himself "Sri Krishnadas." Its imagery and refrain, however, draw faithfully on classical Vaishnava theology of Krishna as the cause of all causes.
Do I need initiation to recite it?
No initiation is required. It is a simple, open devotional hymn that any sincere devotee may chant.
What does "sarva kaaranasya kaaranam" mean?
It means "the cause of all causes" - an affirmation that Krishna is the ultimate origin and support of everything that exists.
Six verses that rest in Krishna as the ultimate ground
The phrase sarva-kaaranasya kaaranam - the cause of all causes - is among the most philosophically resonant descriptions of Krishna in the bhakti tradition, expressing not just his supremacy but the idea that all of existence flows from and returns to him as its very source. The Kaaran Shatakam distils this vision into six heartfelt verses, each approaching the mystery of Krishna's causality from a slightly different angle while maintaining an undercurrent of deep surrender. The rasa is shanta and dasya blended - a peaceful recognition of one's smallness before the infinite, combined with the warmth of devotion to a personal Lord who is at once utterly transcendent and intimately present.
This stotra is particularly suited for quiet morning recitation or the closing of an evening puja, when the devotee wishes to anchor the mind in first principles before engaging with the day, or to release the day's concerns back to their source before rest. In the Jyotish tradition, Krishna as the supreme cause is especially contemplated during periods governed by Ketu - the planet of dissolution, surrender, and moksha-oriented inquiry - where this kind of hymn supports the natural inward movement that Ketu's energy invites. What makes the Kaaran Shatakam enduring is its simplicity: it does not argue for Krishna's greatness but simply rests in it, verse after verse, inviting the chanter into the same stillness.