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Krishna Mantra sanskrit

Om Sri Krishna Sharanam Mamah Mantra

Krishna — Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, the divine teacher of the Bhagavad Gita. Sharanam — "refuge," "shelter," "surrender" — from the Sanskrit root shar, meaning protection. Mamah — "mine" or "to me," indicating personal possession/belonging. Together: "Krishna is my refuge," or more deeply, "I have taken refuge in Krishna — he is mine and I belong to him."

This is a complete statement of spiritual surrender (sharanagati) in three words.

Sharanagati — the complete surrender to the divine — is the highest spiritual teaching of the Bhagavad Gita. In Chapter 18, verse 66, Krishna says: "Sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja" — "Abandon all other forms of duty; surrender to me alone as refuge." Krishna Sharanam Mamah is the practitioner's response to that invitation. It appears in the tradition of Pushti Marg (the path of grace), founded by Vallabhacharya, who taught that surrender (sharanagati) — not effort — is the way to divine grace. The mantra is also sung as a kirtan refrain across all Vaishnava traditions.

This mantra is particularly powerful as a kirtan — chanted in call-and-response with a group, building waves of devotional energy. It can also be used as a personal japa, chanted 108 times on a tulsi mala. In moments of anxiety, fear, or overwhelm, simply repeating "Krishna Sharanam Mamah" continuously can rapidly shift the inner state. It is also traditionally chanted at the end of a Bhagavata Saptah (seven-day recitation of the Bhagavatam) as the final closing mantra.

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Lyrics

Om Shri Krishna Sharanam Mamah

Word-by-Word Meaning

Sanskrit Meaning
Om Shri Krishna Lord Krishna
Sharanam Protection
Mamah Surrender

Benefits of Om Sri Krishna Sharanam Mamah Mantra

  • Activates the principle of sharanagati (surrender), which the Gita identifies as the highest spiritual path

    Source: Bhagavad Gita 18:66 — "Mam ekam sharanam vraja"

  • Dissolves anxiety and fear by establishing the felt sense of divine protection

    Source: Pushti Marg tradition — sharanagati as the practice of grace

  • Opens the heart to bhakti (devotional love), which is described as the most direct path to liberation

    Source: Bhagavata Purana — bhakti as supreme among spiritual paths

  • Creates a continuous inner refuge that can be accessed in any moment of distress

    Source: Traditional practice

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Krishna Sharanam Mamah?
Krishna Sharanam Mamah is a three-word mantra of complete surrender: "Krishna is my refuge." It is one of the most concentrated expressions of devotional surrender (sharanagati) in the Vaishnava tradition. The mantra distils the highest teaching of the Bhagavad Gita — Chapter 18, verse 66, where Krishna invites complete surrender — into a personal, first-person declaration: not just "Krishna is a refuge" but "Krishna is MY refuge." This personal claim (mamah — mine) is the essence of bhakti: a direct, intimate relationship between the devotee and the divine. It is practised in Pushti Marg, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, and across all Krishna-devotional traditions.
What does "Sharanam" mean?
Sharanam comes from the Sanskrit root shar (protection, shelter) and means refuge, shelter, or the act of taking shelter. In spiritual context, sharanam is the act of surrendering one's will, anxieties, and the burden of self-effort to the divine. Sharanagati — the practice of taking shelter — is described in the Vaishnava tradition as having six limbs: accepting what is favourable to devotion, rejecting what is unfavourable, firm faith that the Lord will protect, taking the Lord as the only refuge, submission of oneself, and humility. Krishna Sharanam Mamah encapsulates all six in a single breath: by saying these three words sincerely, the practitioner performs complete sharanagati.
How do I chant Krishna Sharanam Mamah?
As a japa (silent or whispered repetition): sit comfortably on a clean mat, hold a tulsi mala, and chant 108 times. Allow the words to dissolve into feeling — the feeling of actually being held, sheltered, protected by Krishna. As a kirtan (sung group practice): call-and-response format is most powerful — one person or group sings "Krishna Sharanam," the other responds "Mamah." The rhythm builds naturally and can be maintained for 20–30 minutes. In moments of crisis or strong emotion, simply repeat the mantra continuously under your breath — it functions as an immediate anchor. The mantra has no complex requirements; it only asks for sincerity.
What is the difference between chanting for surrender versus asking for something?
Most mantras are petitions — asking for obstacle removal, prosperity, wisdom, or protection. Krishna Sharanam Mamah is different: it makes no request. It is purely an act of surrender and relationship-claiming. This distinction is spiritually significant. When you chant "Krishna Sharanam Mamah," you are not asking Krishna for anything — you are declaring that you belong to him and that he is your refuge. The Pushti Marg tradition teaches that this unconditional surrender, without asking for specific outcomes, is what activates the fullest flow of divine grace. Krishna, having been claimed as refuge, naturally protects what belongs to him — including you.
Can Krishna Sharanam Mamah be chanted by non-Hindus or people of other faiths?
Yes. The principle of surrender to the divine — taking refuge in the highest power — is universal across all spiritual traditions. The word "Krishna" can be understood as the name given to the universal divine love and consciousness that different traditions describe differently. Many practitioners from diverse backgrounds find this mantra deeply resonant because it makes no theological demands — it simply asks you to surrender into trust. The experience of releasing into something larger than yourself is available to any sincere practitioner regardless of their tradition. The mantra's power lies not in doctrinal agreement but in the sincerity of the surrender it expresses.

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