Disciple.

What is Thotaka Ashtakam?

Thotaka Ashtakam (also spelled Totakashtakam or Thotaka Aṣṭakam) is a Sanskrit devotional hymn composed by Totakacharya, one of the foremost disciples of Adi Shankaracharya. It consists of eight verses (aṣṭakam) written in a lyrical meter. The hymn is a tribute to Adi Shankaracharya’s grace and wisdom and expresses the devotee’s deep reverence and humble yearning for the Guru’s blessings. 

This hymn is widely sung in traditional Advaita Vedanta and Shankaracharya lineages during worship, pujas, and Guru shraddha (devotion to the spiritual teacher).

Thotaka refers to Totakacharya, the author of the hymn.

So Thotaka Aṣṭakam means “the eight-verse poem of Totaka.”” 

There’s a traditional story that Totakacharya was not academically gifted but was deeply devoted to his teacher. Adi Shankaracharya, to encourage him, bestowed wisdom upon him. Totakacharya then composed this hymn out of love and gratitude. 

Sample Opening Verse (from Sanskrit)

Here’s the first verse in Sanskrit (devanagari) — this is widely documented in traditional sources:

नयनिरितमानसभूमि: शिरसि प्रचलप्रचलाकशिखः ।

मुरलीध्वनिभिः सुरभिस्त्वरयन्

पशुपीविरहव्यसनं तिरयन् (1).

Each verse of Thotaka Ashtakam praises the Guru (Adi Shankaracharya) by describing his divine attributes and recounting the effect of his grace on the devotee. The central themes are:

 1. Reverence for the Guru

The hymns describe the teacher as the embodiment of supreme wisdom, whose very presence dispels ignorance and suffering.

2. Devotion, Not Scholarship

Totakacharya emphasizes that devotion and grace are greater than mere book knowledge. His own limitations in scholarship did not stop him from receiving the Guru’s blessings — highlighting that true spiritual progress is through devotion and the Guru’s grace.

 3. Inner Transformation

The verses speak of how the Guru transforms the heart and mind, much like how spiritual insight uproots the weeds of ego and delusion.

4. Path of Advaita (Non-Dual Wisdom)

Underlying the devotional exultation is the non-dual philosophy advaita, teaching that the self and the absolute (Brahman) are one, and the Guru reveals this truth. 

In short, the hymn is less about literal concepts and more an expression of bhakti (devotion) and guru-prapatti (surrender to the Guru) — common in Shankaracharya traditions.

Totakashtakam celebrates Adi Shankaracharya’s wisdom and benevolence.

It expresses devotional surrender and the profound transformation that comes from the Guru’s grace.

It teaches that pure devotion and grace are what liberate the mind more than intellectual prowess. L

This hymn is addressed to Adi Śaṅkarācārya by his disciple Śrī Totakācārya, overflowing with gratitude for the Guru’s grace.

Śrī Totakāṣṭakam

(Eight verses in praise of Adi Śaṅkarācārya)

Verse 1

Sanskrit (IAST)

viditākhila-śāstra-sudhā-jala-dhe

mahita-upaniṣat-kathitārtha-nidhe

bhava-bhaya-haraṃ tava suprasādaṃ

bhaja śaṅkara deśika me śaraṇam

O Śaṅkara, my revered Guru!

You are an ocean of the nectar of all scriptures,

The very treasury of the truths declared in the Upaniṣads.

Destroyer of the fear of worldly existence,

I seek refuge in your supreme grace.

Verse 2

karuṇā-varuṇālaya pālaya mām

bhava-sāgara-duḥkha-vidūna-hṛdām

racayākhila-darśana-tattva-vidāṃ

bhaja śaṅkara deśika me śaraṇam

O ocean of compassion, protect me!

My heart is tormented by the sorrows of worldly life.

You are the knower and revealer of the essence of all philosophies.

O Śaṅkara, my Guru, I take refuge in you.

Verse 3

bhavataḥ pada-yoḥ śaraṇaṃ karavāṇi

na hi me gatir anyā bhavānīśa jāni

anukampayā māṃ kuru deśika me

bhaja śaṅkara deśika me śaraṇam

At your sacred feet alone I take shelter,

For I know there is no other refuge for me.

Out of compassion, uplift me, O my Guru.

O Śaṅkara, I surrender unto you.

Verse 4

aviditākhila-śāstra-sudhā-jala-dhe

durita-kṣaya-kāraṇa he karuṇā-nidhe

bhava-bhītaṃ mām uddhara deśika me

bhaja śaṅkara deśika me śaraṇam

Though I am ignorant of the ocean of scriptural wisdom,

You are the compassionate one who destroys all sins.

Lift me up, who am terrified of worldly bondage.

O Śaṅkara, my Guru, I seek refuge in you.

Verse 5

na hi śaṅkara te śaraṇāgata-vatsala

bhava-duḥkha-tamohara bhāskara bhāsura

bhava-bhītaṃ mām uddhara deśika me

bhaja śaṅkara deśika me śaraṇam

O Śaṅkara, you are ever affectionate to those who surrender to you.

You shine like the sun, dispelling the darkness of worldly sorrow.

Rescue me, who am fearful of samsāra.

O Guru, I take refuge in you.

Verse 6

viditākhila-darśana-tattva-bodha

vicakṣaṇa he karuṇāika-sindho

kuru māṃ tava pāda-saroruha-bhaktaṃ

bhaja śaṅkara deśika me śaraṇam

O knower of the essence of all philosophies,

O wise one, ocean of boundless compassion!

Make me a devoted servant of your lotus feet.

O Śaṅkara, I surrender unto you.

Verse 7

bhava-duḥkha-janita-klamaṃ karuṇayā

bhava-bandha-vimocana-sādhu-dayayā

kuru māṃ tava pāda-parāyaṇaṃ

bhaja śaṅkara deśika me śaraṇam

Wearied by the sorrows born of worldly life,

Free me from bondage through your saintly compassion.

Make me wholly devoted to your feet.

O Śaṅkara, my Guru, I seek refuge in you.

Verse 8 (Phala Śruti – Concluding Verse)

totakena kṛtaṃ śaṅkarāṣṭakam etat

paṭhati ya iha bhaktyā sa labhate muktiṃ

bhaja śaṅkara deśika me śaraṇam

This Śaṅkarāṣṭakam was composed by Totaka.

Whoever recites it here with devotion attains liberation.

O Śaṅkara, my Guru, I take refuge in you.

Essence of Totakāṣṭakam

Guru-bhakti surpasses scholarship

Grace dissolves ignorance instantly

True knowledge flows from surrender

Adi Śaṅkara is seen as compassion incarnate

This hymn is especially powerful when chanted before study, during spiritual confusion, or on Guru Pūrṇimā.

Does.

 “Among thousands of men, one strives for perfection.”

— Bhagavad Gītā 7.3

In every sphere of life, the ratio of doers to followers remains quietly unequal. A handful act, while many watch; a few initiate, while the rest respond. Progress, change, and meaning are always born from this small band of doers—those who move despite uncertainty, who act without waiting for approval. The followers are not lesser; they give strength, continuity, and spread to what has been begun. Yet history, spirituality, and even daily life remind us that the first step is always taken by one. As the Gītā gently observes, among thousands, only one truly strives. The world moves forward not by numbers, but by the courage of those few who choose to do.

Doers ignite

Followers amplify.

Both are needed, but progress always begins with the doer.

Layer by layer.

 This extraordinary stone structure reveals how devotion was built layer by layer, both physically and spiritually. Every tier, every miniature carving, reflects patience, discipline, and a deep understanding of sacred geometry. Such monuments were never meant to impress only the eyes; they were designed to quiet the mind and draw attention inward. Standing before this masterpiece, one can sense how ancient builders used stone as a language of faith, telling stories without words. Even after centuries, the harmony, balance, and reverence carved into these walls continue to inspire awe and support the system.

This close-up captures the quiet poetry hidden within ancient stone carvings, where every curve, groove, and ornament speaks of devotion and discipline. The sculptor’s patience is visible in the finely etched details, created without modern tools yet filled with unmatched precision. These forms were shaped not just to be seen, but to be felt spiritually, guiding the viewer into reflection and reverence. Time has weathered the surface, but it has only deepened the character of the stone. Such craftsmanship reminds us that true art endures far beyond generations.

doubt delays us, but devotion never fails.

Reflections 

“I Have Shown You the Way” – A Reflection from the Lord’s Side

I have walked among you more than once.

I have come as king and as servant, as child and as charioteer, as cowherd and as ascetic. I have spoken in thunder and I have whispered through silence. I have shown you the path not through commands alone, but through living examples. Yet even now, I watch you struggle, forget, and fall short.

Do not think I am angry. I am not.

I am only endlessly patient, and quietly sorrowful.

I showed you righteousness through Rama. I showed you how to choose duty over desire, truth over comfort, and compassion over power. I accepted exile without bitterness. I upheld promises even when they broke my heart. Still, you justify your compromises by calling them “practical,” forgetting that dharma is often inconvenient.

I showed you love through Krishna. I laughed, I danced, I played, and I lifted mountains when faith wavered. I taught you that joy and devotion are not opposites. I stood on the battlefield and explained the deepest truths of existence in the simplest words. Yet you remember my miracles more than my message, my flute more than my Gita.

I showed you surrender through Prahlāda, patience through Harishchandra, generosity through Karna, and wisdom through the sages who owned nothing yet lacked nothing. Their lives were not meant to be admired from afar. They were meant to be mirrors.

Still, you ask me why peace eludes you.

You pray for strength, but avoid discipline.

You pray for wisdom, but resist silence.

You pray for guidance, but distrust conscience.

You pray for miracles, but ignore daily grace.

I have given you time, yet you rush.

I have given you abundance, yet you hoard.

I have given you companions, yet you divide.

I have given you scriptures, yet you argue over words and forget their spirit.

I do not expect perfection. I never did.

I only hoped you would try a little more sincerely.

I hoped that after seeing the futility of anger, you would pause before it consumes you again.

That after witnessing the cost of greed, you would choose contentment.

That after tasting devotion, you would not reduce it to ritual alone.

Every fall pains you more than it pains me.

Every lesson ignored delays your own peace.

Remember, I do not stand apart from you, measuring your failures. I walk beside you, waiting for the moment you pause, turn inward, and listen. Even when you forget me, I do not forget you.

When you stumble, I do not withdraw.

When you doubt, I do not abandon.

When you fall short, I wait.

Not because my expectations are low,

but because my love is immeasurable.

When you are ready to live even one teaching fully, rather than admire a thousand, you will find me there. Not in the heavens, not in temples alone, but quietly present in the choice you make when no one is watching.

I have shown you the way.

I am still showing you the way.

Walk—just a little more consciously—and you will see that I have never left your side.

अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति ।

नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥

— Bhagavad Gītā 4.40

Meaning:

The ignorant, the faithless, and the doubting soul fall away.

For the one who lives in doubt, there is neither this world nor the next, nor happiness.

This verse fits beautifully at the end, as the Lord’s final, gentle reminder: “I have taught you; doubt alone stands between you and peace.”

न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति

— Bhagavad Gītā 9.31

Meaning:

My devotee never perishes.

अटक्यो

कृष्णराज जी,

मेरो मन श्री गिरधर जी में अटक्यो ।

जाकी छवि देखत ही,

मेरो नैनन में बस गयो ॥

मोर मुकुट सिर सोहत है,

कुंडल झलमल कानन में ।

पीतांबर लहरातो है,

मन मोह्यो वृन्दावन में ॥

मुरली मधुर बजावत है,

सुर ताल सबै मन भावे ।

सुनत ही मीरा बावरी,

घर आँगन सब बिसरावे ॥

रैन दिना बस ध्यान धरूँ,

और न कछु सुख जाणूँ ।

मीरा के प्रभु गिरधर नागर,

How it should be.

 Inner Meaning of Tirumanjanam

Outwardly: bathing the Lord

Inwardly: cleansing ego, anger, desire, fear

Spiritually: reminding us that God allows Himself to be served so that the devotee may melt in love

Śrī Raṅganātha does not need the bath – we need the grace that flows through it.

Amṛta-prabhavam prabhā-prabhākara

Prahatā-dhvānta-lasad-vilāsa-jātam

Kamala-sthiti-kānta-kānti-kāyaṁ

Śrīraṅgeśam anucintayāmi nityam

Amṛta-prabhavam – Source of immortality, nectar itself

Prabhā-prabhākara – The sun that generates all radiance

Prahatā-dhvānta – One who destroys darkness (ignorance)

Lasad-vilāsa-jātam – Whose divine form shines with playful splendor

Kamala-sthiti – Abiding in Lakṣmī (the lotus-born Goddess)

Kānta-kānti-kāyam – Possessing a supremely beautiful, radiant body

Śrīraṅgeśam – The Lord of Śrīraṅgam

Anucintayāmi nityam – I meditate upon constantly

Flowing Meaning

I constantly meditate upon Śrī Raṅganātha,

the source of immortal nectar,

the radiant sun that destroys all darkness,

whose divine form shines with playful brilliance,

whose body glows with incomparable beauty,

and who eternally abides with Goddess Lakṣmī.

This verse beautifully suits Tirumanjanam, because it reminds us that:

Water cleanses the body

His grace cleanses ignorance

His radiance is not physical light, but jnāna-prakāśa

How to Chant During Tirumanjanam

Elongate vowels (ā, ī, ū)

Pause gently after every two words

Let the voice flow like the abhiṣekam water

Slight rise on the Lord’s name: Śrī–raṅ–ge–śam

Example pouring points:

Amṛta-prabhavam → water

Prabhā-prabhākara → milk

Prahatā-dhvānta → curd

Kamala-sthiti → sandal

Śrīraṅgeśam → final water / flower offering

Temple Bhāva Tip

Kaṭṭiyam is not singing, not śloka chanting either.

It is loving announcement to the Lord, as if saying:

“O Lord, now we pour… now we adore… now we surrender.”

Your voice should carry reverence, slowness, intimacy.

1.Śrīmatē Nārāyaṇāya namaḥ

2.Śrīmatē Rāmānujāya namaḥ

3.Amṛta–prabhavam…

4.Prabhā–prabhā–kara…

5.Prahatā–dhvānta…

6.Lasad–vi–lā–sa… jā–tam…

7.Kamala–sti–thi… kān–ta…

8.Kānti–kā–yam… su–śō–bha–nam…

9.Śrī–raṅ–ga–nā–tham…

10.Śrī–raṅ–ga–nā–tham…

11.Kā–vē–rī… tī–ra… vi–hā–ra…

12.Karu–ṇā… ra–sa… pūr–ṇa…

13.Pāl… a–bhi–ṣē–kam…

14.Tā–yi–r… a–bhi–ṣē–kam…

15.Nei… a–bhi–ṣē–kam…

16.San–da–na… a–bhi–ṣē–kam…

17.Pan–nīr… kun–gu–mam…

18.Di–vya… a–bhi–ṣē–kam…

19.Pā–pa–ṅgaḷ… pō–ga…

20.Tā–pa–ṅgaḷ… tī–ra…

21.A–di–yēn… u–ḷḷam…

22.Tū–ya–mai… ā–ga…

23.Śa–ra–ṇa–ga–tam…

24.Śa–ra–ṇa–ga–tam…

25.Śrī–raṅ–ge–śa…

26.Ēṟ–ṟa–ru–ḷāy… swā–mi…

27.A–nu–cin–ta–yā–mi… ni–tyam…

1–2 : Guru & sampradāya invocation

3–8 : Lord’s svarūpa (radiance, beauty, Lakṣmī sambandha)

9–12 : Śrīraṅgam & Kāverī sambandham

13–18 : Actual abhiṣekam substances (slow pouring)

19–22 : Removal of sins and inner cleansing

23–24 : Śaraṇāgati (total surrender)

25–27 : Acceptance prayer & silent contemplation.

Kaṭṭiyam is:

Neither śloka chanting nor singing

It is loving, declarative service

Each line may be stretched or shortened depending on the abhiṣekam flow

Śrīraṅganātha Tirumañjana Kattiyaṃ

śrīmate rāmānujāya namaḥ

śrīparāśarabhaṭṭāryaḥ śrīraṅgeśa-purohitaḥ ।

śrīvatsāṅka-sutaḥ śrīmān śreyase me’stu bhūyase ॥

amṛta-prabhavaṃ prabhā-prabhave

prahatādhvānta-lasad-vilāsajatam ।

sakalaṃ sakalānumoditaṃ sasinaṃ

tvāṃ kalayāmi raṅgarāja ॥ (1)

aniśaṃ kumudaṃ vikāsayantaṃ

śatataṃ pūrṇamaharnisam ca dṛśyam ।

anupaplavamaḍhya-raṅgarājam

candramasaṃ jano numanyam ॥ (2)

kuṅkuma-ruṇam udancitāṃ śriyām

komala-ruṇa-saroja-saṃsthitām ।

raṅga-mandira-tamonivāraṇam

saṅkate lopanadīdhitim janaḥ ॥ (3)

bhavantam śrīmantam hasita-kalikālaṅkṛtam

aśokaṃ kuvalaya-bhramara-hitām adyutsavākāram ।

sukha-sparśa-sisṛkṣayā pravanayā mahānanda-bhāritam

vasantaṃ raṅgeśaṃ prakaṭa-sumanaskaṃ manumahe ॥ (4)

satpakṣa-pātāt bhuvanāśrayatvāt

sānnidhya-vāsāt nibandhanatvāt ।

padmāśrayatvāc ca dhāraṇīnāṃ

haṃso yathā rājati raṅgarāja ॥ (5)

andhaścid asminn asamāna-dhāmani

chāyāṃ vitanvan vilasann ahanyām ।

apāṅga-līlā-smaraṇāt prahṛṣṭaḥ

sakheva raṅgaṃ prati mādhyam eti ॥ (6)

śrutismṛtībhyaṃ vyapadiśyamānaṃ

svayaṃ manojñam anuvartayāmi ।

samunnatāgādha-taraṃ samīḍhaṃ

tava avatāraṃ pathatāṃ param ॥ (7)

tadīya-raṅgeśa samarthyate janaḥ

ajal-jayanty uditeyam ātmā ।

amṛtāmayānāṃ nayanaiḥ prapātaiḥ

niyantṛ-saukhyam niśitaṃ tvadīyam ॥ (8)

kiṃ vā bahu niruktaiḥ kīrtana-bhiṣajaiḥ

nigamāṃś ca mañjuṃ raṅgarājāya manye ॥ (9)

śyāmaṃ maṇi-prabha-paṭaṃ kaṭakāñci-bhinnam

sattvāśrayaṃ raṅgarāja-mahīdharaṃ tam ।

sarvonnataṃ sakala-sattva-nivāsa-bhūtaṃ

sarvāntaraṃ ya iha bhāvayate sa dhanyaḥ ॥ (10)

saṃdṛṣṭa-saṅga-samādhisthitau pareśe

śāśvat-manās sphurati raṅga-manīṣā tvam ।

asakta-pūraṃ vidadhātam aneka-svarbhāvaiḥ

prasīdatāṃ kaluṇaṃ prakaṭātara-pītāmbaraṃ tvām ॥ (11)

bhavantaṃ manye’ham sura-sthairyam aṅgaiḥ

marakata-maṇi-raṃyaṃ ramyam anīka-yuktam ।

phala-niścita-gatam praspṛśad-gandhavāhaṃ

śiśiravirahajaṃ tuṃ prollasan-nīlakam ॥ (12)

sugama-jala-nidhiṃ tvāṃ manmahe raṅgarāja ॥ (13)

mañju-vara-vicitra-mṛdu-yarupaṃ aladharo

lalita-dhara-vilāsaṅko laṅghayann eva velām ।

vidhṛta-bhuvana-bhāro vīkṣya-se raṅganātha

aparā iva vapur-māna-pālanāyām ॥ (14)

nananavṛtti-viṣayaṃ netarāyāḥ prasannam

nanandayati samādhi-sthitam ajñaraṃyam ॥ (15)

tasmāt śravaṇa-vidhau jano hi manyate tvāṃ

sarvatra-sthitam ekam ॥ (16)

anekāśakhasitam asute bhṛtya-dattādhikāṃsam

tri-daśa-sukha-bhogaṃ supūrṇa-raṃyam ।

sumanasam etam suradṛśaṃ tvāṃ sudhīyo vadanti ॥ (17)

śrīmat-svarṇa-gadāṅkuśa-viśāla-sakthaṃ

śrī-kaustubha-sphurita-vakṣasi dāna-dakṣam ।

haṃsādi-sādṛśya-vilāsa-padavīṃ

tvāṃ manmahe surataruṃ dīpta-nātham ॥ (18)

adyāpi hṛdaye hallaka-pāda-lagnaṃ

vakṣaḥ-sthale nihita-raṅgarājaṃ ।

svacchanda-vāri-kamala-gandha-sāndram

maṇi-kāñcana-mayūkha-paraṃ paśyāmi ॥ (19)

brahmātma-niṣṭhā-vareṇa yogaḥ

kalayann pūjyāṅghri-bhāg utpannaḥ ।

mahāntaṃ stutvaṃ kathayann aham tvām

tvaṃ kalyabhedaṃ ca setu-tvam eva ॥ (20)

mṛgyaṃ dhyātātmakaṃ tvāṃ

uttīrya pṛthu-viṣaye raṅgarāja ।

bhūto bhūyāṃs tvam eva

saṃsāra-satruṃ kṣapayan ॥ (21)

jānāmi sarvada bhuvi nirmalaṃ tvāṃ

paśyāmi sura-sura-gaṇaṃ sumanovihāram ।

sat-siddha-caraṇa-samūha-niṣevyamāṇaṃ

tvāṃ raṅgarāja kalayāmi hi mandare’pi ॥ (22)

brahmātma-niṣṭhā-varasya yogaḥ

kalayann pūjyāṅghri-bhāg utpannaḥ ।

tvām eva vedamūla-pramāṇāt

etac ca siddhaṃ dhanur-ukta-tattvam ॥ (23)

ko’krośaḥ kasya gṛhaduḥkha-mātraṃ

bhojyaḥ śaktiḥ sudhīṣu yat ।

hanta tvat-pakṣa-pātī sa iti

nikhilam ॥ (24)

padmādhikṛta-laṅkita-śobha-bhūmiṃ

gambhīra-nādāgama-sāra-pūrṇam ।

saṃdhyādi-pālita-cāru-puṇyaṃ

bhakteśa-dhāmaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi ॥ (25)

māyā-mohaṃ meghanam agha-pūrṇaṃ

bhedaṃ raṅgādhipa manmahe ।

tvam mehaṃ me kutas tattvato’pi

kuta idaṃ veda-mūla-pramāṇāt ॥ (26)

saṃdṛśya sura-sundarāṇāṃ sumanovitāraṃ

sat-siddha-caraṇa-samūha-niṣevyamāṇam ।

saṃdṛṣṭa-cintita-sarārtha-saṃvidānaṃ

tvāṃ raṅgarāja kalayāmi hi mandare’pi ॥ (27)

iti śrīraṅganātha tirumañjana kattiyaṃ sampūrṇam

The Many Flutes of Shri Krishna.

Sanskrit Verses on the Divine Power of the Veṇu

Among all the divine ornaments of Shri Krishna, none is as intimate and overpowering as His flute. Crown, conch, discus, and mace proclaim His sovereignty, but the flute reveals His heart. Hence the Lord is remembered not merely as Krishna, but as Venugopāla, Murārīdhara, Murali Manohara, Bāṁsilāl—names born solely from His eternal companionship with the flute.

The Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (verses 122–123) gives a rare and detailed account of the various flutes used by Krishna, each corresponding to a particular rasa, audience, and divine intention.

The Three Principal Flutes

Veṇu is the smallest flute, about six inches long, with six holes. Sharp and piercing, it commands attention instantly.

Murali is about eighteen inches long, with four holes on the body and one at the end. Its sound is deep, flowing, and supremely enchanting.

Vaṁśī, about fifteen inches long with nine holes, produces layered melodies capable of awakening complex emotions.

The Bhāgavata Purāṇa captures the effect of this sound upon all beings:

वेणुं क्वणन्तं अरविन्ददलायताक्षं

बर्हावतंसमसिताम्बुदसुन्दराङ्गम् ।

कन्दर्पकोटिकमनीयविशेषशोभं

गोविन्दमादिपुरुषं तमहं भजामि ॥

(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.32.2)

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose lotus-petal eyes, peacock-feather crown, cloud-dark beauty, and flute-song surpass the charm of millions of Cupids.”

The Longer and Mystical Flutes

A longer Vaṁśī is known as Mahānanda or Sanmohinī, “the flute that utterly enchants.”

When longer still, it is called Ākarṣiṇī, “the attractor.”

When longer yet, it becomes Ānandinī, the giver of bliss, technically known as Vaṁśulī, especially dear to the cowherd boys.

Some flutes were made of hollow bamboo, others of marble, and some were adorned with jewels. A jeweled flute is called Sanmohinī, while a golden flute is known as Ākarṣiṇī—suggesting that even matter becomes conscious in Krishna’s hands.

Saralā and the Named Flutes

Among Krishna’s many flutes, Saralā is especially tender. It produces a low, soft tone, like the gentle call of a cuckoo at dawn. Krishna delights in playing Saralā in the rāgas Gauḍī and Garjarī, rāgas rich in gravity and longing.

Another flute with six holes is called Madanajhaṅkṛti, whose sound awakens the god of love himself.

Krishna’s Mahānanda flute is poetically described as a fish-hook, effortlessly capturing the heart and mind of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

The Gopīs describe the flute with awe and gentle envy:

अनयाराधितो नूनं भगवान् हरिरीश्वरः ।

यन्नो विहाय गोविन्दः प्रीतो यामनया अधुनाः ॥

(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.30.28)

“Surely this flute has worshiped the Lord perfectly in past lives, for Govinda now abandons us and follows it alone.”

The Eight Mystical Tunes of the Flute

Krishna’s flute is not music alone; it is cosmic command.

The first tune breaks the meditation of Brahmā and Śiva; even Ananta sways His thousand heads.

The second tune makes the Yamunā flow backward.

The third tune halts the moon in its course.

The fourth tune draws the cows of Vṛndāvana, who stand stunned in rapture.

The fifth tune summons the gopīs, who abandon all duties.

The sixth tune melts stones and ushers in autumn.

The seventh tune manifests all seasons at once.

The eighth tune is secret and exclusive.

The Bhāgavatam hints at this supreme call:

यदनुचरितलीलाकर्णपीयूषविप्रुट्

सकृददनविधूतद्वन्द्वधर्मा विनष्टाः ।

(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.35.11)

“One drop of the nectar of Krishna’s flute destroys all dualities within the heart.”

The eighth tune calls only Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The flute takes Her name. Hearing it, She runs toward Krishna, Her garments disordered, Her hair undone, Her kohl smeared—not drawn by sound, but by eternal love.

The Spiritual Secret of the Flute

The flute is hollow. It claims nothing. It surrenders completely to the breath of the Lord. That is why divine music flows through it.

नादब्रह्मेति विद्यान्ते

“Sound itself is Brahman,” declare the Upaniṣads—and Krishna reveals this truth through the veṇu.

Thus, Krishna is remembered not as a conqueror, but as a caller.

Not as a ruler, but as a lover.

Not with thunder, but with a flute.

And the soul, hearing that call, forgets everything else.