sundarabeautiful;kuṇḍalaearrings;nainaeyes;viśālawide;galearound His neck;soheshines;vaijantī-mālāvictory-garland;yāwhich;chaviaura;kīof;balihārīexcellent
Translation
O Kṛṣṇa, You wear beautiful earrings, and You have lovely widened eyes. Around Your neck hangs the splendrous vaijantī flower garland. Your complexion is most excellent-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
kabahūṅsometimes;luṭa luṭasneaks and steals;dadhiyogurt;khāyoHe eats;kabahūṅsometimes;madhu-vanathe forest of Madhuvana;rāsathe rāsa-dance;racāyodesigns;nācataHe dances;vipina-vihārīwho sports in the woods
Translation
Sometimes You secretly plunder yogurt and eat it, and sometimes You design a rāsa-dance performance with the young gopīs in the forest of Madhuvana. There dances Vipina-Vihārī, You who love to sport in the forest-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
gvāla-bālacowherd boys;saṅgaalong with;dhenu carāitends the cows;vana-vanafrom forest to forest;brahmata phirewanders around;yadu-rāithe Lord of Yadu;kāṅdheon the shoulder;kāmara kārīcarrying blankets
Translation
You herd the cows in the company of the cowherd boys. You, the monarch of the Yadu dynasty, thus wander from forest to forest, carrying a blanket draped over Your shoulder-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
curā curā nava-nīta jo khāyo, vraja-vanitana pai nāma dharāyomākhana-cora murārī rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma
Word for word
curā curāsneaking and stealing;nava-nītafresh butter;jo khāyowho eats;vraja-vanitanathe women of Vraja;paicatching;nāma dharāyofixing the name;mākhana-corathe butter-thief;murārīthe enemy of Mura
Translation
Because You, O Murāri, repeatedly steal fresh butter from the homes of the women of Vraja and secretly eat it, they have named You 'Mākhan-Chor' (the butter thief)-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
eka-dinaone day;mānapuffed up;indraLord Indra;koto;mārayochastised;nakha uparaupon the fingernail;govardhanaGovardhana Hill;dhārayoheld;nama paḍayoearning the name;giridhārīlifter of the mountain
Translation
One day You curbed the pride of Indra by lifting the great mountain Govardhana upon the tip of Your fingernail, thus winning for Yourself the name Giridhārī-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
duryodhana ko bhoga na khāyo, rūkho sāga vidura ghara khāyoaise prema pujārī rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma
Word for word
duryodhana koto Duryodhana;bhogathe food;na khāyonot eating;rūkho sāgacoarse greens;viduraoffered by Vidura;gharain the home;khāyoate;aisethus;prema pujārīworshipped by love
Translation
You did not accept the sumptuous feast of the wicked Duryodhana, but took the coarse food offered by Your devotee Vidura. Therefore You are worshipped by love and not by mere rituals-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
karuṇā karashowing mercy;draupadīDraupadī;pukārīspreading;paṭacloth;lipaṭa gayewas covered;vana-vārīthe monarch of the forest;nirakha rahestood watching;nara nārīmen and women
Translation
To bestow mercy upon Draupadī, You, the Lord of the forest, supplied unlimited cloth to protect her from shame, while the assembly of men and women looked on-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
bhakta-bhaktathe individual devotees;sabaall;tumaneby You;tāredeliver;bināwithout;bhaktidevotion;hamawe;ṭhāḍestanding;dvāreby the door;lījoreceive;khabaranews;hamārīours
Translation
You deliver each of Your devotees in unique ways. Alas, we who are bereft of devotion are standing here outside Your door. Please favorably receive the news of our presence-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
arjuna ke ratha hāṅkana hāre, gītā ke upadeśa tumhārecakra-sudarśana-dhārī rādhe-śyāma śyāmā-śyāma
Word for word
arjuna keArjuna's;rathachariot;hāṅkanawar-cry;hāredefeated;gītā keof the Bhagavad-Gītā;upadeśainstruction;tumhāreYours;cakra-sudarśana-dhārīthe holder of the Sudarśana discus
Translation
You were the driver of Arjuna's chariot, and on the battlefield You gave Arjuna the instructions of the Bhagavad-gītā. During the fight You exhibited Your form as the wielder of the discus Sudarśana-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
About Sundara Kundala Naina
A traditional Hindi song (subtitled 'Jaya Madhava Madana Murari') describing Krishna's beautiful earrings and eyes, composed by Vasudeva Ghosa, one of the associate-poets of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Frequently asked
Who wrote Sundara Kundala Naina?
Sundara Kundala Naina was composed by Vasudeva Ghosa. It appears in More Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas.
What is the meaning of Sundara Kundala Naina?
O Kṛṣṇa, You wear beautiful earrings, and You have lovely widened eyes. Around Your neck hangs the splendrous vaijantī flower garland. Your complexion is most excellent-Rādhe-Śyāma, Śyāmā-Śyāma!
Where can I listen to Sundara Kundala Naina?
You can listen to 3 recordings of Sundara Kundala Naina on this page, including versions sung by HG Shiksastakam Prabhu, HG Radheshyam Prabhu, HG Jai Sachinandana Prabhu.
How many verses does Sundara Kundala Naina have?
Sundara Kundala Naina has 9 verses.
Can I download Sundara Kundala Naina as a PPT or PDF?
Yes. A ready-to-display slide deck for Sundara Kundala Naina — 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.
