Pralaya Payodhi Jale
Sri Sri Dasavatara Stotra
Śrī Daśāvatāra-stotra — Pralaya Payodhi Jale
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9 versionsO Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of a fish! All glories to You! You easily acted as a boat in the form of a giant fish to give protection to the Vedas, which had sunk in the turbulent sea of devastation.
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of a tortoise! All glories to You! The great Mount Mandara rests upon Your gigantic back, which acts as a pivot for churning the ocean of milk and which has thus been marked with a large circular scarlike depression. In this way Your back has become most glorious.
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of a boar! All glories to You! The earth, which had sunk to the bottom of the Garbha Ocean, sits fixed upon the tip of Your tusk like a spot upon the moon.
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of a half-man, half-lion! All glories to You! With the wonderfully sharp nails on Your beautiful lotus hands You have ripped apart the wasplike body of Hiraṇyakaśipu.
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of a wonderful dwarf brāhmaṇa! All glories to You! With Your massive steps You deceive King Bali, and with the Ganges water emanating from the nails of Your lotus feet You deliver all living beings in this world.
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of Bhṛgupati [Paraśurāma]! All glories to You! You bathe the earth in the rivers of blood from the bodies of the demonic kṣatriyas You have slain. In this way you wash away the sins of the world and give relief to those who suffer in material existence
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of Rāmacandra! All glories to You! In the battle of Laṅkā You destroy the ten-headed demon Rāvaṇa and distribute his heads as a delightful offering to the presiding deities of the ten directions—a feat long desired by them all, whom that monster had much harassed.
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of plow-wielding Balarāma! All glories to You! On Your brilliant white body You wear garments colored like a fresh rain cloud and the river Yamunā, whom You frighten with the blows of Your plow.
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of Buddha! All glories to You! Your heart filled with compassion, you decry animal slaughter performed according to the scriptural rules of Vedic sacrifice.
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of Kalki! All glories to You! Like a comet bearing an indescribably terrifying sword, You annihilate the wicked barbarian kings at the end of Kali-yuga.
jaya jagadīśa hare...
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed these ten different incarnations! All glories to You! O readers, please hear this most excellent hymn by poet Jayadeva, for it bestows happiness and good fortune and is the best thing in this dark world.
O Lord Kṛṣṇa, I offer my obeisances unto You, who incarnate in these ten forms. In the form of Matsya You rescue the Vedas, as Kūrma You bear Mount Mandara on Your back, as Varāha You lift the earth on Your tusk, as Narasiṁha You tear open the chest of the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu, as Vāmana You trick King Bali, as Paraśurāma You slay all the wicked kṣatriyas, as Rāmacandra you defeat Rāvaṇa, the son of Pulastya, as Balarāma You carry a plow, as Lord Buddha You show compassion toward all, and as Kalki You kill the mlecchas.
About Pralaya Payodhi Jale
Jayadeva Gosvami's Dasavatara-stotra from the Gita-govinda, describing Vishnu's ten incarnations one by one — from the fish saving the Vedas at the dissolution of the universe through Buddha and the coming Kalki — a classical Sanskrit hymn still widely sung.
Frequently asked
Who wrote Pralaya Payodhi Jale?
Pralaya Payodhi Jale was composed by Jayadeva Goswami. It appears in Songs of Vaishnava Acaryas.
What is the meaning of Pralaya Payodhi Jale?
O Keśava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari who have assumed the form of a fish! All glories to You! You easily acted as a boat in the form of a giant fish to give protection to the Vedas, which had sunk in the turbulent sea of devastation.
Where can I listen to Pralaya Payodhi Jale?
You can listen to 9 recordings of Pralaya Payodhi Jale on this page, including versions sung by Srila Prabhupada, HG Swarupa Damodar Prabhu, HG Jai Sachinandana Prabhu, HG Sivarama Prabhu.
How many verses does Pralaya Payodhi Jale have?
Pralaya Payodhi Jale has 12 verses.
Can I download Pralaya Payodhi Jale as a PPT or PDF?
Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Pralaya Payodhi Jale — 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, ISKCON Devotees. All glories to the devotee singers.