Sri Krishna Dwadasha Nama Stotram is the slokam in praise of and as prayer to Lord Sri Krishna. The Slokam contains the description of twelve names of Lord Sri Krishna which denote His attributes.
This is from Sri Maha Bharatha. It is composed as the utterings of Arjuna praising the greatness of Sri Krishna in the presence of Sri Yashodha. The benefits of chanting this Slokam are embedded in the text itself.
The Slokam is presented in Devanagari and English Scripts with a simple English translation.
श्रुणुध्वं मुनयस्सर्वे गोपालस्य महात्मनः
अनन्तस्या प्रमेयस्य नामद्वाद शकस्त्ववम् (1)
shruNuDhvaM munayassarve gopaalasya mahaathmanah
ananthasyaa prameyasya naamadhvaadha shakasthvavam
Oh Sages! Please do listen to the twelve divine and holy names of the great Sri Gopala as uttered and chanted by Sri Adhi Sesha.
अर्जुनाय पूरा गीतं गोपालेन महात्मना
द्वारकायां प्रार्थ्यते यशोदाश्च सन्निधौ (2)
arjunaaya pooraa geethaM gopaalena mahaathmanaa
dhvaarakaayaaM praarThyathe yashodhaashcha sanniDhau
Arjuna had chanted and sung these twelve holy names in the presence of Sri Yashodha Devi at Dwaraka.
न्यासं / nyaasaM
अस्य श्रीक्रुष्ण दिव्य द्वादश नाम स्तोत्र महा मन्त्रस्य
फल्गुण ऋषिः अनुष्टुप् छन्दः
परमात्मा देवता ॐ बीजं
स्वाहायेति शक्तिः
श्री गोपाल क्रुष्ण प्रीत्यर्थे जपे विनियोगः (3)
asya shreekruShNa dhivya dhvaadhasha naama sthothra mahaa manthrasya
phalguNa RuShih anuShtup Chandhah
paramaathmaa dhevathaa Om beejaM
svaahaayaethi shakthih
shree gopaala kruShNa preethyarThe jape viniyogah
For the superior chanting of the twelve names of Lord Sri Krishna, Arjuna is the Rishi; Anushtup is the meter; Sri Krishna, the great soul is the presiding Deity; The beeja manthra is Om; Sri Svahaa is the Shakthi; This is being chanted to please Sri Gopala Krishna.
ध्यानम् / Dhyaanam
जानुम्भ्यामपि धावन्तं बाहुम्भ्यामति सुन्दरं
सकुण्ड लालकं बालं गोपालं चिन्तये दुषः (4)
jaanumbhyaamapi DhaavanthaM baahumbhyaamathi sundharaM
sakuNda laalakaM baalaM gopaalaM chinthaye dhuShah
In the morning, let my mind meditate on Sri Gopala who is the beautiful and handsome boy of excellent physique adorning ear ornaments.
मन्त्रं / manthraM
प्रथमं तु हरिं विद्याद् द्वितीयं केशवं तथा
तृतीयं पद्मनाभं च चतुर्थं वामनं तथा (5)
praThamaM thu hareem vidhyaadh dhvitheeyaM kaeshavaM thaThaa
thritheeyaM padhmanaabhaM cha chathurThaM vaamanaM thaThaa
Of the holy and divine names, the first is Sri Hari, the bestower of wisdom and education, the second is Sri Keshava who had killed the demon Keshi, the third is Sri Padmanabha who has lotus in His belly button and the fourth is Sri Vamana, the short.
पञ्चमं वेदगर्भं तु षष्ठं च मधुसूदनम्
सप्तमं वासुदेवं च वराहं चाऽष्टमं तथा (6)
panchamaM vedha-garbhaM thu ShaShtaM maDhu-soodhanam
sapthamam vaasudhevaM cha varaahaM cha(A)ShtamaM thaThaa
Of the holy and divine names, the fifth is Sri Vedha Garbha who has Vedas in His stomach, the sixth is Sri Madhu-sudhana, the destroyer of the demon madhu, the seventh is Sri Vasudeva who resides in the hearts and the eighth is Sri Varaha, the protector of earth.
नवमं पुण्डरीकाक्षं दशमं तु जनार्दनम्
कृष्णमेकादशं प्रोक्तं द्वादशं श्रीधरं तथा (7)
navamaM puNdareeka-akShaM dhashamaM janaardhanam
kruShNamae-kaadhashaM prokthaM dhvaadhashaM shreeDharaM thaThaa
Of the holy and divine names, the ninth is Sri Pundarikaksha, the God with lotus like eyes, the tenth is Sri Janardhana who is worshipped by all, the eleventh is Sri Krishna, the dark colored Lord and the twelfth is Sridhara, the God of wealth.
फलस्रुति / phalasruthi
एतानि द्वादश नामानि विष्णुप्रोक्ते विधीयते
सायं-सायं प्रातः पठेन्नित्यं तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु (8)
aethaani dhvaadhasha naamaani viShNuprokthae viDheeyathae
saayaM saayaM paathrathah paten-nithyaM thasya puNyaphalaM shruNuh
The Vishnu devotees who sincerely read and recite these twelve names in the evening of every day shall be blessed with all the virtuous benefits.
चान्द्रायण-सहस्राणि कन्यादानशतानि च
अश्वमेधसहस्राणि फलं प्राप्नोत्यसंशयः (9)
chaandhraayaNa sahasraaNi kanyaa-dhaana-shathaani cha
ashvameDha-sahasraaNi phalaM praapnothya-saMshayah
The sincere and devout reciting of this Slokam bestows virtuous benefits equal to the performing of thousand chandrayan vrat, giving away maiden girl in marriage and thousand ashva-medha yagnas. It alleviates all the troubles.
अमायां पौर्णमास्यां च द्वादश्यां तु विशेषतः
प्रातःकाले पठेन्नित्यं सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते (10)
amaayaaM paurNamaasyaaM cha dhvaadhashyaaM thu visheShathah
praathah kaalae paTen-nithyaM sarva-paapauh pramuchyathae
It is auspicious to read and recite this Slokam on Amavasya, Pournami and Dhvadhashi days. However, reading this in the early morning on daily basis shall result in alleviation of all sins.
इति श्रीमन्महाभारतेऽरण्यपर्वणि कृष्णद्वादशनामस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम्
ithi shreeman-mahaa-bharathae-(A)raNya-parvaNi kruShNa-dhasha-naama-sthothram sampoorNam
