kuṅkumawith red scented powder;aktacovered;kāñcanagolden;abjalotus flower;garvapride;hāriremoving;gauragolden;bhāShe who is splendrous;pītanawith saffron;añcitamarked;abjaof the lotus flower;gandhasweet aroma;kīrtifame;nindibelittling;saurabhāShe who has the pleasant fragrance;ballavaof the cowherd men;īśaof the king (Nanda);sūnuof the Son (Kṛṣṇa);sarvaall;vāñcitathat which is desired;arthafor the purpose;sādhikāShe who fulfills;mahyamto me;ātmaHer own;pāda-padmaof the lotus feet;dāsya-dāthe giver of service;astumay become;rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
Translation
Her splendrous golden complexion steals the pride of a golden lotus flower anointed with a tinge of red kuṅkum powder. Her sweet fragrance mocks the fame of the aroma of a lotus flower sprinkled with saffron powder. She is fully qualified to fulfill all the desires of the son of the king of cowherd men. May Śrī Rādhikā bestow upon me the service of Her own lotus feet.
kauravindaof coral;kāntithe splendor;nindichastising;citraamazing and colorful;paṭṭa-śāṭikāShe who wears silken garments;kṛṣṇaKṛṣṇa;mattamaddened;bhṛṅgabumblebee;keliamorous pastimes;phullablossomed;puṣpaflower;vāṭikāShe who is a garden;kṛṣṇawith Kṛṣṇa;nityadaily;saṅgamaunion;arthafor the purpose;padma-bandhuthe friend of the lotus flowers (the sun god);rādhikāShe who is the worshipper;mahyamto me;ātmaHer own;pāda-padmaof the lotus feet;dāsya-dāthe giver of service;astumay become;rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
Translation
Her amazing and colorful silken garments make the splendor of coral feel ashamed. She is a garden of blossoming flowers where the maddened bumble-bee named Kṛṣṇa performs amorous pastimes. She worships the Sun-god daily in order to attain the continual association of Her beloved Kṛṣṇa. May Śrī Rādhikā bestow upon me the service of Her own lotus feet.
saukumāryawith youthful delicacy;sṛṣṭaprovided;pallavaof newly blossoming leaves;āliof the multitude;kīrtithe fame;nigrahāShe who negates;candrathe moon;candanasandalwood paste;utpalalotus flowers;induand camphor;sevyaworshipable by;śītacool;vigrahāShe whose form;svaHer own;abhimarśaby the touch;ballavīof the cowherd girls;īśaof the Lord (Kṛṣṇa);kāmaof the desires;tāpathe heat and distress;bādhikāShe who removes;mahyamto me;ātmaHer own;pāda-padmaof the lotus feet;dāsya-dāthe giver of service;astumay become;rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
Translation
Her charming youthful delicacy negates the fame of freshly-sprouted leaves. Her refreshing form is worthy of being served by the cooling moon, sandalwood paste, lotus flowers, and camphor. When She touches the master of the gopīs, She dispels the burning heat of His lusty desires. May Śrī Rādhikā bestow upon me the service of Her own lotus feet.
viśva-vandya-yauvatābhivanditāpi yā ramārūpa-navya-yauvanādi-saṁpadā na yat-samāśīla-hārda-līlayā ca sā yato 'sti nādhikāmahyam ātma-pāda-padma-dāsya-dāstu rādhikā
Word for word
viśvaby the universe;vandyaadored;yauvatāby the multitude of young gopīs;abhivanditāShe who is reverentially worshipped;apieven;yāShe who;ramāof the goddess of fortune;rūpabeauty;navya-yauvanapraiseworthy youthfulness;ādiand so forth;sampadāwith the opulences;nanot;yatto whom;samāShe who is equal;śīlaof nature;hārdaof pure love;līlayāby the pastimes;caand;sāShe;yataḥfrom whom;astithere is;nanot;adhikāanyone greater;mahyamto me;ātmaHer own;pāda-padmaof the lotus feet;dāsya-dāthe giver of service;astumay become;rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
Translation
Although the goddess of fortune Lakṣmī Devī is adored by other youthful goddesses, who are themselves glorified throughout all the universe, still she is nowhere near Śrī Rādhikā in the matter of beauty, praiseworthy youthfulness, or other divine feminine opulences. There is no one in the material or spiritual worlds superior to Rādhikā in the expression of naturally loving pastimes. May Śrī Rādhikā bestow upon me the service of Her own lotus feet.
rāsa-lāsyain the rāsa dance;gītasinging;narmajoking;sattranscendental;kalāin the arts;ālithe multitude;paṇḍitāShe who is very learned;premalove;ramyabeautiful;rūpaform;veśadress and ornaments;sattranscendental;guṇaof qualities;āliby the multitudes;maṇḍitāShe who is decorated;viśvaby the universe;navyato be praised;gopa-yoṣitof cowherd women;ālitaḥthan the multitude;apieven;yāwho;adhikāShe who is the best;mahyamto me;ātmaHer own;pāda-padmaof the lotus feet;dāsya-dāthe giver of service;astumay become;rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
Translation
She is very learned in many transcendental arts, such as performing in the rāsa dance, singing, and joking. She is decorated with many divine qualities, such as loving nature, exquisite beauty, and wonderful garments and ornaments. Even among the cowherd damsels of Vraja, who are praised by the entire universe, She is the best in every way. May Śrī Rādhikā bestow upon me the service of Her own lotus feet.
nityaeternal;navyayouthful;rūpabeauty;kelipastimes;kṛṣṇaof Kṛṣṇa;bhāvalove;sampadāShe who is endowed with the opulences;kṛṣṇaof Kṛṣṇa;rāgaby love;bandhawith bonds;gopa-yauvateṣuto the young gopīs;kampadāShe who causes trembling;kṛṣṇaof Kṛṣṇa;rūpabeautiful form;veśagarments and ornaments;kelipastimes;lagnaattached;sattranscendental;samādhikāShe who is engaged in meditation;mahyamto me;ātmaHer own;pāda-padmaof the lotus feet;dāsya-dāthe giver of service;astumay become;rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
Translation
She possesses the opulences of eternal youthful beauty, eternal pastimes, and eternal love for Kṛṣṇa. Her ecstatic feelings of love for Kṛṣṇa cause the gopīs, who are also in love with Kṛṣṇa, to tremble. She is always attached to meditating on Śrī Kṛṣṇa's beautiful form, ornaments, garments, and pastimes. May Śrī Rādhikā bestow upon me the service of Her own lotus feet.
svedaperspiring;kampatrembling;kaṇṭakastanding up of hairs on the body;aśrutears;gadgadachoking up of the voice;ādiand other symptoms of ecstasy;sañcitāShe who has accumulated;amarṣaimpatience;harṣajoy;vāmatācrookedness;ādiand others;bhāvaof ecstatic moods;bhuṣaṇāwith the ornaments;añcitāShe who is marked;kṛṣṇaof Kṛṣṇa;netrathe eyes;toṣidelighting;ratnajewels;maṇḍanaornaments;āliwith the multitudes;dādhikāShe who wears;mahyamto me;ātmaHer own;pāda-padmaof the lotus feet;dāsya-dāthe giver of service;astumay become;rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
Translation
She is graced with the eight ecstatic symptoms (sāttvika-bhāva), such as trembling, perspiring, standing up of bodily hairs, tears, faltering of the voice, and so forth. She is adorned with different ecstatic emotional ornaments, such as impatience, joy, contrariness, and so forth. She is decorated with beautiful jewels that give total delight to the eyes of Kṛṣṇa. May Śrī Rādhikā bestow upon me the service of Her own lotus feet.
yāShe who;kṣaṇa-ardhahalf a moment;kṛṣṇaŚrī Kṛṣṇa;viprayogaby separation;santataextended;uditaarisen;anekamany;dainyaof suffering;cāpalarestlessness;ādiand more;bhāvaecstasies;vṛndamultitudes;moditāShe who is excited;yatnawith great endeavor;labdhaattained;kṛṣṇaof Kṛṣṇa;saṅgaassociation;nirgatagone;akhilaall;ādhikāmental anguish;mahyamto me;ātmaHer own;pāda-padmaof the lotus feet;dāsya-dāthe giver of service;astumay become;rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
Translation
If She is apart from Kṛṣṇa for even half a moment, She becomes stricken with wretched suffering, restlessness, and a multitude of other ecstatic symptoms of separation. When She regains the association of Kṛṣṇa after some effort, then all Her anguish immediately vanishes. May Śrī Rādhikā bestow upon me the service of Her own lotus feet.
aṣṭakenaby these eight verses;yaḥwhoever;tuindeed;anenawith these;nautiglorifies;kṛṣṇa-vallabhāmShe who is dear to Kṛṣṇa;darśanein sight;apieven;śaila-jāShe who was born from the mountain (Pārvatī);ādiand others;yoṣitof women;ālifor multitudes;durlabhāmvery difficult to attain;kṛṣṇaof Kṛṣṇa;saṅgaby the association;nanditadelighted;ātmaHer own;dāsyaservice;sīdhuof the nectar;bhājanamthe recipient;tamto him;karotiShe makes;nanditajubilant;āligopī friends;sañcayāin the assembly;āśuquickly;sāShe;janamthat person;mahyamto me;ātmaHer own;pāda-padmaof the lotus feet;dāsya-dāthe giver of service;astumay become;rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
Translation
It is very difficult for Pārvatī and other exalted goddesses to attain even a glimpse of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, who is dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa. But if someone glorifies Her by reciting these eight verses, then She who is delighted by Kṛṣṇa's continuous association will grant the sweet nectar of Her personal service to that person, who thereby enters the assembly of Her similarly delighted girlfriends.
About Kunkumakta Kancanabja
A Sri Radhikashtakam, eight Sanskrit verses devoted solely to Radha, opening with imagery of vermilion (kunkuma) and golden lotus (kancanabja) describing her beauty — part of a long Vaishnava tradition of Radha-centered ashtaka prayers.
Kunkumakta Kancanabja was composed by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami. It appears in More Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas.
What is the meaning of Kunkumakta Kancanabja?
Her splendrous golden complexion steals the pride of a golden lotus flower anointed with a tinge of red kuṅkum powder. Her sweet fragrance mocks the fame of the aroma of a lotus flower sprinkled with saffron powder. She is fully qualified to fulfill all the desires of the son of the king of cowherd men. May Śrī Rādhikā bestow upon me the service of Her own lotus feet.
Where can I listen to Kunkumakta Kancanabja?
You can listen to 8 recordings of Kunkumakta Kancanabja on this page, including versions sung by HG Jai Sachinandana Prabhu, HG Shiksastakam Prabhu, HG Sivarama Prabhu, HG Amarendra Prabhu.
How many verses does Kunkumakta Kancanabja have?
Kunkumakta Kancanabja has 9 verses.
Can I download Kunkumakta Kancanabja as a PPT or PDF?
Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Kunkumakta Kancanabja — verse and translation on each slide — is available to download in both PowerPoint (.pptx) and PDF formats from this page, for use in kirtan or temple programs.
Audio courtesy of ISKCON Desire Tree. All glories to the devotee singers.