Mantras

Shri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali: 108 Names of Krishna

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Astro Logics Admin

18 August 2026 · 7 min read

Shri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali: 108 Names of Krishna

One hundred and eight names, one inexhaustible love

The practice of chanting 108 names - an ashtottara shatanamavali - is one of the most intimate acts of devotion in the Hindu tradition. Unlike a narrative stotra, the namavali invites the devotee to rest, one breath at a time, on each epithet: every name is a doorway into a different dimension of the deity's nature. For Krishna, whose presence spans the mischievous child of Gokul, the charioteer of the Bhagavad Gita, and the formless absolute, these 108 names traverse an extraordinary range - tenderness, courage, wisdom and silence. Devotees believe that to speak each name attentively is to touch, however briefly, the quality of consciousness that name describes.

The Shri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali is traditionally chanted on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and especially on Janmashtami and the Ekadashi tithis sacred to Vaishnava observance. In the Jyotish tradition, Krishna is associated with Chandra (the Moon) - born under the Moon's influence at midnight - as well as with Jupiter, the planet of wisdom and grace. The namavali's later names, which point toward Krishna as the formless Brahman, give the recitation an arc that moves from the personal beloved to the universal. This movement - from a name on the lips to a silence in the heart - is precisely the rasa intended: madhura bhakti, the sweet devotion that gently dissolves the boundary between lover and beloved.

Shri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali (108 Names) - Sanskrit Text

ॐ कृष्णाय नमः। (1)
ॐ कमलनाथाय नमः। (2)
ॐ वासुदेवाय नमः। (3)
ॐ सनातनाय नमः। (4)
ॐ वसुदेवात्मजाय नमः। (5)
ॐ पुण्याय नमः। (6)
ॐ लीलामानुषविग्रहाय नमः। (7)
ॐ श्रीवत्सकौस्तुभधराय नमः। (8)
ॐ यशोदावत्सलाय नमः। (9)
ॐ हरये नमः। (10)
ॐ चतुर्भुजात्तचक्रासिगदाय नमः। (11)
ॐ शङ्खाम्बुजायुधाय नमः। (12)
ॐ देवकीनन्दनाय नमः। (13)
ॐ श्रीशाय नमः। (14)
ॐ नन्दगोपप्रियात्मजाय नमः। (15)
ॐ यमुनावेगासंहारिणे नमः। (16)
ॐ बलभद्रप्रियानुजाय नमः। (17)
ॐ पूतनाजीवितहराय नमः। (18)
ॐ शकटासुरभञ्जनाय नमः। (19)
ॐ नन्दव्रजजनानन्दिने नमः। (20)
ॐ सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहाय नमः। (21)
ॐ नवनीतविलिप्ताङ्गाय नमः। (22)
ॐ नवनीतनटनाय नमः। (23)
ॐ मुचुकुन्दप्रसादकाय नमः। (24)
ॐ षोडशस्त्रीसहस्रेशाय नमः। (25)
ॐ त्रिभङ्गिने नमः। (26)
ॐ मधुराकृतये नमः। (27)
ॐ शुकवागमृताब्दीन्दवे नमः। (28)
ॐ गोविन्दाय नमः। (29)
ॐ योगिनां पतये नमः। (30)
ॐ वत्सवाटिचराय नमः। (31)
ॐ अनन्ताय नमः। (32)
ॐ धेनुकासुरभञ्जनाय नमः। (33)
ॐ तृणीकृततृणावर्ताय नमः। (34)
ॐ यमलार्जुनभञ्जनाय नमः। (35)
ॐ उत्तालोत्तालभेत्रे नमः। (36)
ॐ तमालश्यामलाकृतये नमः। (37)
ॐ गोपगोपीश्वराय नमः। (38)
ॐ योगिने नमः। (39)
ॐ कोटिसूर्यसमप्रभाय नमः। (40)
ॐ इलापतये नमः। (41)
ॐ परस्मैज्योतिषे नमः। (42)
ॐ यादवेन्द्राय नमः। (43)
ॐ यदूद्वहाय नमः। (44)
ॐ वनमालिने नमः। (45)
ॐ पीतवाससे नमः। (46)
ॐ पारिजातापहारकाय नमः। (47)
ॐ गोवर्धनाचलोद्धर्त्रे नमः। (48)
ॐ गोपालाय नमः। (49)
ॐ सर्वपालकाय नमः। (50)
ॐ अजाय नमः। (51)
ॐ निरञ्जनाय नमः। (52)
ॐ कामजनकाय नमः। (53)
ॐ कञ्जलोचनाय नमः। (54)
ॐ मधुघ्ने नमः। (55)
ॐ मथुरानाथाय नमः। (56)
ॐ द्वारकानायकाय नमः। (57)
ॐ बलिने नमः। (58)
ॐ बृन्दावनान्तसञ्चारिणे नमः। (59)
ॐ तुलसीदामभूषणाय नमः। (60)
ॐ श्यमन्तकमणेर्हर्त्रे नमः। (61)
ॐ नरनारायणात्मकाय नमः। (62)
ॐ कुब्जाकृष्णाम्बरधराय नमः। (63)
ॐ मायिने नमः। (64)
ॐ परमपुरुषाय नमः। (65)
ॐ मुष्टिकासुरचाणूरमल्लयुद्धविशारदाय नमः। (66)
ॐ संसारवैरिणे नमः। (67)
ॐ कंसारये नमः। (68)
ॐ मुरारये नमः। (69)
ॐ नरकान्तकाय नमः। (70)
ॐ अनादिब्रह्मचारिणे नमः। (71)
ॐ कृष्णाव्यसनकर्शकाय नमः। (72)
ॐ शिशुपालशिरश्छेत्त्रे नमः। (73)
ॐ दुर्योधनकुलान्तकृते नमः। (74)
ॐ विदुराक्रूरवरदाय नमः। (75)
ॐ विश्वरूपप्रदर्शकाय नमः। (76)
ॐ सत्यवाचे नमः। (77)
ॐ सत्यसङ्कल्पाय नमः। (78)
ॐ सत्यभामारताय नमः। (79)
ॐ जयिने नमः। (80)
ॐ सुभद्रापूर्वजाय नमः। (81)
ॐ विष्णवे नमः। (82)
ॐ भीष्ममुक्तिप्रदायकाय नमः। (83)
ॐ जगद्गुरवे नमः। (84)
ॐ जगन्नाथाय नमः। (85)
ॐ वेणुनादविशारदाय नमः। (86)
ॐ वृषभासुरविध्वंसिने नमः। (87)
ॐ बाणासुरकरान्तकृते नमः। (88)
ॐ युधिष्ठिरप्रतिष्ठात्रे नमः। (89)
ॐ बर्हिबर्हावतंसकाय नमः। (90)
ॐ पार्थसारथये नमः। (91)
ॐ अव्यक्ताय नमः। (92)
ॐ गीतामृतमहोदधये नमः। (93)
ॐ कालीयफणिमाणिक्यरञ्जितश्रीपदाम्बुजाय नमः। (94)
ॐ दामोदराय नमः। (95)
ॐ यज्ञभोक्त्रे नमः। (96)
ॐ दानवेन्द्रविनाशकाय नमः। (97)
ॐ नारायणाय नमः। (98)
ॐ परब्रह्मणे नमः। (99)
ॐ पन्नगाशनवाहनाय नमः। (100)
ॐ जलक्रीडासमासक्तगोपीवस्त्रापहारकाय नमः। (101)
ॐ पुण्यश्लोकाय नमः। (102)
ॐ तीर्थकृते नमः। (103)
ॐ वेदवेद्याय नमः। (104)
ॐ दयानिधये नमः। (105)
ॐ सर्वभूतात्मकाय नमः। (106)
ॐ सर्वग्रहरूपिणे नमः। (107)
ॐ परात्पराय नमः। (108)

॥ इति श्रीकृष्णाष्टोत्तरशतनामावलिः सम्पूर्णा ॥

Transliteration (Roman/IAST)

oṁ kṛṣṇāya namaḥ · oṁ kamalanāthāya namaḥ · oṁ vāsudevāya namaḥ · oṁ sanātanāya namaḥ · oṁ vasudevātmajāya namaḥ · oṁ puṇyāya namaḥ · oṁ līlāmānuṣavigrahāya namaḥ … oṁ govindāya namaḥ … oṁ dāmodarāya namaḥ … oṁ nārāyaṇāya namaḥ … oṁ parātparāya namaḥ ॥

(Each of the 108 names is chanted as "Om [name] namah" - salutations to Krishna, the Lord of Lakshmi, the eternal Vasudeva, and so on through the litany.)

Meaning

This litany honours Sri Krishna by 108 names that trace His entire life and divine nature: the dark-hued beloved (Krishna), the son of Vasudeva and Devaki, the joy of Yashoda and the cowherds of Vraja; the slayer of demons Putana, Shakata, Dhenuka and Trinavarta; the lifter of Govardhana; the charmer who steals butter and hearts; the destroyer of Kamsa, Mura and the wicked; the teacher of the Bhagavad Gita ("the ocean of the nectar of the Gita"); the charioteer of Arjuna (Parthasarathi); and ultimately Narayana, Parabrahman, the Supreme beyond the supreme (Paratpara).

About this Namavali

The Shri Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali is one of the most cherished 108-name invocations in the Vaishnava tradition, drawn from the Bhagavata Purana and Mahabharata accounts of Krishna's life. The names move from His birth and childhood leelas in Gokul and Vrindavan, through His heroic deeds in Mathura and Dwarka, to His supreme role in the Kurukshetra war and His identity as the Para-Brahman. Reciting them is a compact pilgrimage through the whole of Krishna's avatar.

Significance & Spiritual Benefits

Chanting the 108 names is held to grant the fruits of devotion, remove obstacles and sins, and bestow peace, prosperity and protection. Because the names span Krishna as protector, teacher and Supreme Self, the namavali is suitable for every aim - from worldly success and the safeguarding of children to the deepest goal of liberation. It is commonly chanted as an archana with flowers or tulsi leaves, one offered at each name.

Astrological Relevance

Sri Krishna, as a purna-avatara of Vishnu, is invoked to strengthen Guru (Jupiter) - the karaka of wisdom, dharma and grace - and to soothe an afflicted Moon, since Krishna is born of the Chandra-vamsha (lunar dynasty) and quiets emotional turbulence. As Parthasarathi who steadied Arjuna's mind, His worship is a classic remedy during periods of confusion, fear or moral crisis, and during a challenging Moon or Jupiter dasha. Krishna devotion also harmonises Venus-related matters of love and relationships through the sweetness of His leela.

How to Chant (Vidhi)

Bathe and sit facing east or north before an image of Krishna. Light a lamp, keep tulsi leaves or flowers ready. Recite "Om [name] namah" for each of the 108 names, offering a leaf or flower at each. A round of the Hare Krishna mahamantra before and after enhances the worship. Conclude with the final name "Paratpara" and silent meditation.

Best Day & Time

Wednesday (Krishna) and Thursday (Guru), Ekadashi, and above all Janmashtami are the most auspicious. Early morning (Brahma Muhurta) or the evening lamp hour are the recommended times.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali?

It is a litany of 108 names of Sri Krishna, chanted as "Om [name] namah," tracing His life from infancy through His role as the teacher of the Gita and the Supreme Brahman.