Mukundamala
The Mukundamala is a Sanskrit hymn composed by the Hindu poet-saint Kulasekhara, seventh of the twelve Alvars of the Sri Vaishnava tradition. Comprising 40 verses, the hymn is addressed to the deity Krishna.
Description
Scholars identify Kulasekhara as one of the earliest Chera/Kulasekhara rulers of Kodungallur (Mahodaya Pura) in modern-day Kerala. The hymns of the Mukundamala ask Mukunda, another name for Krishna, to give the unworthy author freedom from samsara. It describes the misery of the soul trapped in this world and exhorts that Krishna is the only means of salvation. The exploits of the deity are also described in the work. The hymn was completed at the Ranganathaswamy Temple of Srirangam.Hymns
The first hymn of the Mukundamala extols Vishnu's various attributes:The second hymn of the work directly addresses Vishnu's incarnation of Krishna: