AstrologgerKrishna Mantra
Krishna is approached as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and, in the bhakti traditions built around him, as the supreme being in his own right. Santan Gopal, covered elsewhere in this section, addresses him specifically as the child-giver; the mantras below are the broader ones chanted on Janmashtami and as a daily practice. As with the other deity mantras here, there is no single one — the family below serves different occasions.
The 4 Krishna Mantras
"Krishna Mantra" is not a single verse. These are the forms in traditional use, each with its own purpose and count.
| Form | Opening | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Gopal Mantra | ॐ क्लीं कृष्णाय गोविन्दाय गोपीजनवल्लभाय स् | 108, or as a fuller sadhana |
| Dwadashakshar Mantra | ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय | 108 daily |
| Krishna Gayatri Mantra | ॐ देवकीनन्दनाय विद्महे वासुदेवाय धीमहि। | 108 |
| Krishnaya Vasudevaya (Srimad Bhagavatam) | कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने। | — |
Gopal Mantra
ॐ क्लीं कृष्णाय गोविन्दाय गोपीजनवल्लभाय स्वाहा
Om Klīṁ Kṛṣṇāya Govindāya Gopījanavallabhāya Svāhā
The eighteen-syllable Gopal mantra. "Klīṁ" is the seed syllable carried through, and the names build on each other — Krishna, Govinda ("protector of cows"), and the beloved of the gopis — before closing with svāhā, the offering-syllable. This is the more involved, tantra-adjacent form, chanted in a fuller sadhana rather than a quick daily round.
Count: 108, or as a fuller sadhana
Dwadashakshar Mantra
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
The twelve-syllable mantra, addressed to him as Vasudeva, son of Vasudeva, and shared with Vishnu more broadly. This is the one usually given to a beginner — a plain salutation without a seed syllable attached.
Count: 108 daily
Krishna Gayatri Mantra
ॐ देवकीनन्दनाय विद्महे वासुदेवाय धीमहि। तन्नो कृष्णः प्रचोदयात्॥
Om Devakīnandanāya Vidmahe Vāsudevāya Dhīmahi, Tanno Kṛṣṇaḥ Prachodayāt.
Built on the Gayatri metre. It names him Devakinandana, "the joy of Devaki", his mother, and Vasudeva, his father's name, then asks that Krishna direct the intellect.
Count: 108
Krishnaya Vasudevaya (Srimad Bhagavatam)
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने। प्रणतः क्लेशनाशाय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः॥
Kṛṣṇāya Vāsudevāya Haraye Paramātmane, Praṇataḥ Kleśanāśāya Govindāya Namo Namaḥ.
A verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam, repeated as a prayer rather than counted on a mala. It names him Krishna, Vasudeva, Hari and the Supreme Self, then bows again to Govinda as the destroyer of the sorrows of those who surrender to him — "namo namah", the doubling itself a mark of how often this closing line is chanted on its own.
When and how to chant
Day: Thursday in the weekly cycle, and Janmashtami (Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami) the year's principal occasion
- Morning or evening — both are kept — with the midnight hour (the time tradition holds he was born) observed specifically on Janmashtami.
- A tulsi mala is traditional for Krishna, distinct from the rudraksha kept for Shiv; count in rounds of 108.
- Offer tulsi leaves, white flowers, and makhan-mishri (butter and sugar) or other milk sweets — fasting until midnight is widely kept on Janmashtami.
- Thursday is kept for him in the weekly cycle; Janmashtami, in the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada, is the year's principal occasion.
What tradition holds
Krishna is approached across a wide range of needs — tradition holds him equally reachable for protection, prosperity, relationships and devotion in its own right, which is part of why his mantras are so numerous and varied. The Gopal mantra and the Dwadashakshar are kept as ongoing sadhana, while the Bhagavatam verse is recited more informally, as a prayer said on its own. These are the reasons tradition gives for keeping them; they are not a claim about what any chant guarantees.
Watch and chant along
Related mantras
Frequently asked questions
What is the beej mantra of Krishna?
Klīṁ is the seed syllable, carried in the eighteen-syllable Gopal mantra — Om Klīṁ Kṛṣṇāya Govindāya Gopījanavallabhāya Svāhā. It is set out above with its Devanagari, transliteration and sense.
What is the full mantra of Krishnaya Vasudevaya?
Kṛṣṇāya Vāsudevāya Haraye Paramātmane, Praṇataḥ Kleśanāśāya Govindāya Namo Namaḥ — a verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam. It names him Krishna, Vasudeva, Hari and the Supreme Self, then bows to Govinda as the destroyer of sorrows.
What are all the mantras of Shri Krishna?
There is no single fixed set under that name. This page gives the ones most consistently published and chanted: the Gopal mantra, the Dwadashakshar (Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya), the gayatri, and the Bhagavatam verse above — each with Devanagari, transliteration and sense.
What is the favourite shloka of Shri Krishna?
Krishnaya Vasudevaya Haraye Paramatmane — the Bhagavatam verse above — is the one most widely repeated as a standalone prayer, distinct from the mantras counted on a mala.