Vasudevasutam Devam

वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम् ।
देवकी परमानन्दं कृष्णं वंदे जगद्गुरुम् ।।

vasudevasutaṃ devaṃ kaṃsacāṇūramardanam .
devakī paramānandaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ vaṃde jagadgurum ..

Son of Vasudeva, divine lord, the killer of Kamsa and Chaanura, the cause of supreme happiness of mother Devaki, we bow to Krishna, the Guru (teacher) of the universe.

Description

This is a prayer to Lord Krishna, as the Guru of the entire universe. It is the beginning verse of Krishnashtakam. This verse describes the four important people in the life of Sri Krishna who would soon reveal himself as the Jagad Guru. Those four individuals are Vasudeva and Devaki (his parents), Kamsa (His maternal uncle and evil adversary since birth) and Chanura, a formidable and evil wrestler. Krishna was separated from his parents at birth, had to deal with Kamsa who was out to kill him by any means possible and fight with and defeat Chanura when he was a mere boy. It was an intense struggle for survival since birth which was the preparation ground for the Lord and Guru of the Universe.

Vasudeva = Vasudeva, Sri Krishna’s father; Sutam = to the son (Sutaha = son); Devam = to the Lord/God; Kamsa = Kamsa, Krishna’s maternal uncle or mama; Chanoora = Chanoora, a wrestler in Kamsa’s court; Mardanam = to the one who killed; Devaki = Devaki, Krishna’s mother; Parama = immense; Anandam = to the one who caused joy; Krishnam = to Lord Krishna; Vande = I bow upon/I salute or namaskar; Jagat = world; Gurum = to the teacher.