Shiv Chalisa: Devanagari Text, Meaning and How It Is Recited

Opening doha

जय गणेश गिरिजा सुवन मंगल मूल सुजान।
कहत अयोध्यादास तुम देहु अभय वरदान॥

Jay ganesh girija suvan mangal mul sujana
Kahat ayodhyadas tum dehu abhay varadan

MeaningVictory to Ganesha, son of Girija (Parvati), the root of all that is auspicious, the wise one. Ayodhyadas says: give me freedom from fear as your gift.

Verse 1

जय गिरिजा पति दीन दयाला
सदा करत सन्तन प्रतिपाला॥

Jay girija pati din dayala
Sada karat santan pratipala

MeaningVictory to the Lord of Girija, kind to the poor, who always looks after the saints.

Verse 2

भाल चन्द्रमा सोहत नीके
कानन कुण्डल नागफनी के॥

Bhal chandrama sohat nike
Kanan kundal nagaphani ke

MeaningThe moon shines on your forehead, and the hoods of serpents are your earrings.

Verse 3

अंग गौर शिर गंग बहाये
मुण्डमाल तन छार लगाये॥

Ang gaur shir gang bahaye
Mundamal tan chhar lagaye

MeaningYour body is fair, the Ganga flows from your head, and you wear a garland of skulls with ash on your skin.

Verse 4

वस्त्र खाल बाघम्बर सोहे
छवि को देखि नाग मुनि मोहे॥

Vastr khal baghambar sohe
Chhavi ko dekhi nag muni mohe

MeaningA tiger skin is your clothing, and serpents and sages alike are charmed at the sight of you.

Verse 5

मैना मातु की हवे दुलारी
बाम अंग सोहत छवि न्यारी॥

Maina matu ki have dulari
Bam ang sohat chhavi nyari

MeaningMother Maina's dear daughter, Parvati, sits on your left, a lovely sight.

Verse 6

कर त्रिशूल सोहत छवि भारी
करत सदा शत्रुन क्षयकारी॥

Kar trishul sohat chhavi bhari
Karat sada shatrun kshayakari

MeaningThe trident in your hand looks mighty, and it always destroys enemies.

Verse 7

नन्दि गणेश सोहै तहँ कैसे
सागर मध्य कमल हैं जैसे॥

Nandi ganesh sohai tahan kaise
Sagar madhy kamal haim jaise

MeaningNandi and Ganesha look splendid beside you, like lotuses in the middle of the sea.

Verse 8

कार्तिक श्याम और गणराऊ
या छवि को कहि जात न काऊ॥

Kartik shyam aur ganarau
Ya chhavi ko kahi jat n kau

MeaningKartikeya, Shyam and the lord of the attendants stand with you, and no one can describe that sight.

Verse 9

देवन जबहीं जाय पुकारा
तब ही दुख प्रभु आप निवारा॥

Devan jabahim jay pukara
Tab hi dukh prabhu ap nivara

MeaningWhenever the gods went to you and called, you took their trouble away at once.

Verse 10

किया उपद्रव तारक भारी
देवन सब मिलि तुमहिं जुहारी॥

Kiya upadrav tarak bhari
Devan sab mili tumahim juhari

MeaningWhen the demon Taraka caused great harm, all the gods gathered and appealed to you.

Verse 11

तुरत षडानन आप पठायउ
लवनिमेष महँ मारि गिरायउ॥

Turat shadanan ap pathayau
Lavanimesh mahan mari girayau

MeaningYou sent six-faced Kartikeya without delay, and in a moment he struck the demon down.

Verse 12

आप जलंधर असुर संहारा
सुयश तुम्हार विदित संसारा॥

Ap jalandhar asur samhara
Suyash tumhar vidit samsara

MeaningYou destroyed the demon Jalandhar, and your good name is known across the world.

Verse 13

त्रिपुरासुर सन युद्ध मचाई
सबहिं कृपा कर लीन बचाई॥

Tripurasur san yuddh machai
Sabahim kripa kar lin bachai

MeaningYou fought Tripurasura, and in your kindness you saved everyone.

Verse 14

किया तपहिं भागीरथ भारी
पुरब प्रतिज्ञा तासु पुरारी॥

Kiya tapahim bhagirath bhari
Purab pratigya tasu purari

MeaningBhagirath performed great austerity, and you, destroyer of Tripura, kept the promise made to him earlier.

Verse 15

दानिन महँ तुम सम कोउ नाहीं
सेवक स्तुति करत सदाहीं॥

Danin mahan tum sam kou nahim
Sevak stuti karat sadahim

MeaningAmong givers there is none like you, and your servants always sing your praise.

Verse 16

वेद नाम महिमा तव गाई
अकथ अनादि भेद नहिं पाई॥

Ved nam mahima tav gai
Akath anadi bhed nahim pai

MeaningThe Vedas sing the glory of your name, yet they have not found the limit of you, who are beyond telling and have no beginning.

Verse 17

प्रकटी उदधि मंथन में ज्वाला
जरत सुरासुर भये विहाला॥

Prakati udadhi manthan mem jvala
Jarat surasur bhaye vihala

MeaningWhen the ocean was churned, a fire of poison rose, and the gods and demons were scorched and helpless.

Verse 18

कीन्ह दया तहँ करी सहाई
नीलकण्ठ तब नाम कहाई॥

Kinh daya tahan kari sahai
Nilakanth tab nam kahai

MeaningYou took pity there and helped them, and so you came to be called Neelkanth, the blue-throated one.

Verse 19

पूजन रामचन्द्र जब कीन्हा
जीत के लंक विभीषण दीन्हा॥

Pujan ramachandr jab kinha
Jit ke lank vibhishan dinha

MeaningWhen Ramachandra worshipped you, he won Lanka and gave it to Vibhishana.

Verse 20

सहस कमल में हो रहे धारी
कीन्ह परीक्षा तबहिं पुरारी॥

Sahas kamal mem ho rahe dhari
Kinh pariksha tabahim purari

MeaningRama laid out a thousand lotuses for the worship, and then you, the destroyer of Tripura, put him to the test.

Verse 21

एक कमल प्रभु राखेउ जोई
कमल नयन पूजन चहं सोई॥

Ek kamal prabhu rakheu joi
Kamal nayan pujan chaham soi

MeaningYou hid away one lotus, and the lotus-eyed Rama then wished to worship with his own eye.

Verse 22

कठिन भक्ति देखी प्रभु शंकर
भये प्रसन्न दिए इच्छित वर॥

Kathin bhakti dekhi prabhu shankar
Bhaye prasann die ichchhit var

MeaningSeeing his hard devotion, Lord Shankar was pleased and gave him the boon he wanted.

Verse 23

जय जय जय अनंत अविनाशी
करत कृपा सब के घटवासी॥

Jay jay jay anant avinashi
Karat kripa sab ke ghatavasi

MeaningVictory, victory, victory to you, endless and imperishable, who live in every heart and show kindness to all.

Verse 24

दुष्ट सकल नित मोहि सतावै
भ्रमत रहे मोहि चैन न आवै॥

Dusht sakal nit mohi satavai
Bhramat rahe mohi chain n avai

MeaningWicked people trouble me every day, and I wander about without finding peace.

Verse 25

त्राहि त्राहि मैं नाथ पुकारों
यहि अवसर मोहि आन उबारो॥

Trahi trahi maim nath pukarom
Yahi avasar mohi an ubaro

MeaningSave me, save me, I call to you, Lord. Come now and bring me out of this.

Verse 26

ले त्रिशूल शत्रुन को मारो
संकट से मोहि आन उबारो॥

Le trishul shatrun ko maro
Sankat se mohi an ubaro

MeaningTake up your trident and strike my enemies, and lift me out of my trouble.

Verse 27

मातपिता भ्राता सब कोई
संकट में पूछत नहिं कोई॥

Matapita bhrata sab koi
Sankat mem puchhat nahim koi

MeaningMother, father, brothers, everyone: in times of trouble no one asks after me.

Verse 28

स्वामी एक है आस तुम्हारी
आय हरहु मम संकट भारी॥

Svami ek hai as tumhari
Ay harahu mam sankat bhari

MeaningLord, you are my one hope. Come and take away my heavy trouble.

Verse 29

धन निर्धन को देत सदाहीं
जो कोई जांचे सो फल पाहीं॥

Dhan nirdhan ko det sadahim
Jo koi janche so phal pahim

MeaningYou give wealth to the poor without fail, and whoever asks of you receives the fruit.

Verse 30

अस्तुति केहि विधि करों तुम्हारी
क्षमहु नाथ अब चूक हमारी॥

Astuti kehi vidhi karom tumhari
Kshamahu nath ab chuk hamari

MeaningHow can I praise you properly? Forgive my fault now, Lord.

Verse 31

शंकर हो संकट के नाशन
मंगल कारण विघ्न विनाशन॥

Shankar ho sankat ke nashan
Mangal karan vighn vinashan

MeaningShankar, you destroy troubles, you bring good and remove obstacles.

Verse 32

योगी यति मुनि ध्यान लगावैं
शारद नारद शीश नवावैं॥

Yogi yati muni dhyan lagavaim
Sharad narad shish navavaim

MeaningYogis, ascetics and sages meditate on you, and Sharada and Narada bow their heads before you.

Verse 33

नमो नमो जय नमः शिवाय
सुर ब्रह्मादिक पार न पाय॥

Namo namo jay namah shivay
Sur brahmadik par n pay

MeaningSalutations, victory to you, Namah Shivaya. Even the gods led by Brahma cannot reach your limit.

Verse 34

जो यह पाठ करे मन लाई
ता पर होत है शम्भु सहाई॥

Jo yah path kare man lai
Ta par hot hai shambhu sahai

MeaningThe poem says that when a person reads this with a steady mind, Shambhu stands by them.

Verse 35

ऋणीयां जो कोई हो अधिकारी
पाठ करे सो पावन हारी॥

Riniyam jo koi ho adhikari
Path kare so pavan hari

MeaningThe poem says that a person who carries a debt, and is fit to recite, can read this and receive what they ask for.

Verse 36

पुत्र हीन कर इच्छा जोई
निश्चय शिव प्रसाद तेहि होई॥

Putr hin kar ichchha joi
Nishchay shiv prasad tehi hoi

MeaningA person who longs for a son: the poem says Shiva's grace will surely come.

Verse 37

पण्डित त्रयोदशी को लावे
ध्यान पूर्वक होम करावे॥

Pandit trayodashi ko lave
Dhyan purvak hom karave

MeaningCall a learned priest on the thirteenth day and have a fire offering made with attention.

Verse 38

त्रयोदशी ब्रत करे हमेशा
तन नहिं ताके रहे कलेशा॥

Trayodashi brat kare hamesha
Tan nahim take rahe kalesha

MeaningKeep the thirteenth-day fast always, and the poem says no suffering stays in the body.

Verse 39

धूप दीप नैवेद्य चढ़ावे
शंकर सम्मुख पाठ सुनावे॥

Dhup dip naivedy charhave
Shankar sammukh path sunave

MeaningOffer incense, a lamp and food, and recite this in front of Shankar.

Verse 40

जन्म जन्म के पाप नसावे
अन्तवास शिवपुर में पावे॥

Janm janm ke pap nasave
Antavas shivapur mem pave

MeaningThe poem says sins of many births are destroyed, and in the end the devotee finds a place in Shiva's city.

Verse 41

कहे अयोध्या आस तुम्हारी
जानि सकल दुख हरहु हमारी॥

Kahe ayodhya as tumhari
Jani sakal dukh harahu hamari

MeaningAyodhyadas says: my hope is in you; knowing all my sorrows, please take them away.

Closing doha 1

नित्त नेम कर प्रातः ही पाठ करौं चालीसा।
तुम मेरी मनोकामना पूर्ण करो जगदीश॥

Nitt nem kar pratah hi path karaum chalisa
Tum meri manokamana purn karo jagadish

MeaningEvery morning, as a daily practice, I read this chalisa. Fulfil my wishes, Lord of the world.

Closing doha 2

मगसर छठि हेमन्त ऋतु संवत चौसठ जान।
अस्तुति चालीसा शिवहि पूर्ण कीन कल्याण॥

Magasar chhathi hemant ritu samvat chausath jana
Astuti chalisa shivahi purn kin kalyan

MeaningIn the early winter season, on the sixth of the month of Margashirsha, in the year given as sixty-four, this chalisa in praise of Shiva was completed for the good of all.