Shyama Sundara
/ˈʃjɑː.mə ˈsʊn.də.rə/noun
A Sanskrit epithet meaning “the dark or blue-black beautiful one,” commonly used for Krishna.
Did you know?In Vaishnava devotional poetry, Krishna’s dark-blue complexion is not treated as ominous but as a mystical, cosmic beauty that draws devotees toward him.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śyāma
“Dark-colored, black, dark blue, or dusk-colored”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
sundara
“Beautiful, lovely, handsome, or excellent”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śyāma-sundara
“The beautiful dark one; a poetic compound describing Krishna”
Medieval Sanskrit devotional literature
Sanskrit
Śyāmasundara
“A personal epithet of Krishna, especially in Vaishnava hymnody and theology”
Modern Indian languages
Hindi/Bengali and others
Shyāmsundar
“A devotional name for Krishna, often used as a personal name”
Modern English
English
Shyama Sundara
“A transliterated Sanskrit devotional name or title for Krishna”