Dharma’s Stotra to Kṛshṇa

This stotra is made of twenty-four sacred names of Śrī Kṛshṇa. It was sung by Dharma-deva (Dharma, righteousness in person) when he came out of the chest (vakshaḥsthala) of Kṛshṇa at the beginning of creation. Dharma fell flat before Kṛshṇa in a full daṇḍa-praṇāma and said these names with great devotion. It is found in the Brahma Khaṇḍa of the Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 3.

The setting

Dharma came out of the chest of Kṛshṇa. He was white, smiling and kind, free from hiṃsā (harm) and krodha (anger), the embodiment of all dharma. He bowed before Kṛshṇa in a full-body prostration (daṇḍa-praṇāma) and said these twenty-four names.

When he had finished, he greeted Brahmā, Vishṇu and Śiva. Then he took his seat at the command of Kṛshṇa.

The names

The text gives twenty-four names. Nineteen of them are listed here, in the order given:

  1. Śrī Kṛshṇa
  2. Vishṇu
  3. Vāsudeva
  4. Paramātmā
  5. Īśvara
  6. Govinda
  7. Paramānanda
  8. Advaita
  9. Akshara
  10. Acyuta
  11. Gokulānātha: master of the gopas of Gokula.
  12. Gopikānātha: master of the gopīs.
  13. Goshṭhavāsa: the one who lives in the goshṭha (cowshed).
  14. Govatsapuccha-dhārī: the one who holds the tail of the calf. This points to one of his childhood līlās.
  15. Go-madhyastha: present in the middle of the cows.
  16. Gopa-madhyastha: present in the middle of the gopas.
  17. Gopī-madhyastha: present in the middle of the gopīs.
  18. Pradhāna: the first, the chief one.
  19. Purushottama: the highest of all purushas.

The phalaśruti

Whoever says these twenty-four names on rising in the morning gets these fruits:

  • The reader lives in sukha (happiness).
  • The reader wins in all things (sarva-vijaya).
  • At the time of death, the reader is able to remember the name of Hari (Hari-nāma-smaraṇa).
  • Dharma goes with the reader always.
  • No leaning towards adharma ever rises.
  • The four purushārthas (dharma, artha, kāma and moksha) are as if in the reader’s hands.
  • At the sight of the one who recites this stotra, all pāpa (sin), fears and sorrows run away, as snakes run from Garuḍa.

Sources

  • Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 3