Krishna Chalisa — Lyrics with Meaning

Doha

Banshi shobhit kar madhur, neel jalad tan Shyam | Arun adhar janu bimbaphal, nayan kamal abhiram ||

A sweet flute graces your hand, your body is dark like a rain cloud, your lips are red like the bimba fruit and your eyes are lovely as lotuses.

Doha

Poorn Indra arvind mukh, pitambar shubh saaj | Jai Manmohan Madan chhavi, Krishnachandra Maharaj ||

Your face is like the full moon and a lotus, and you wear fine yellow robes. Glory to you, Manmohan, beautiful as the god of love, King Krishnachandra.

Chaupai 1

Jai Yadunandan jai jagvandan | Jai Vasudev Devaki nandan ||

Glory to the joy of the Yadu clan, worshipped by the world; glory to the son of Vasudev and Devaki.

Chaupai 2

Jai Yashuda sut Nand dulare | Jai Prabhu bhaktan ke drig tare ||

Glory to Yashoda's son and Nand's darling; O Lord, you are the apple of your devotees' eyes.

Chaupai 3

Jai Natnagar naag nathaiya | Krishna Kanhaiya dhenu charaiya ||

Glory to the master dancer who tamed the serpent Kaliya, Krishna Kanhaiya who grazes the cows.

Chaupai 4

Puni nakh par Prabhu girivar dharo | Aao deenan kasht nivaro ||

O Lord, lift the Govardhan hill on your fingertip once again; come and remove the suffering of the humble.

Chaupai 5

Vanshi madhur adhar dhari terau | Hove poorn vinay yah merau ||

Put the sweet flute to your lips and play, so that this prayer of mine is fulfilled.

Chaupai 6

Aao Hari puni makhan chakho | Aaj laaj Bharat ki rakho ||

Come, Hari, taste butter once again, and protect the honour of Bharat today.

Chaupai 7

Gol kapol chibuk arunare | Mridu muskan mohini dare ||

Your cheeks are round, your chin is rosy, and your gentle smile casts a spell on all.

Chaupai 8

Rajit rajiv nayan vishala | Mor mukut Vaijantimala ||

Your large eyes are like lotuses; you wear a peacock-feather crown and the Vaijayanti garland.

Chaupai 9

Kundal shravan peet pat aachhe | Kati kinkini kachhni kachhe ||

Earrings adorn your ears, you wear fine yellow cloth, and around your waist are a belt of little bells and a tucked garment.

Chaupai 10

Neel jalaj sundar tanu sohe | Chhabi lakhi sur nar muniman mohe ||

Your beautiful body shines like a blue lotus; seeing it, gods, humans and sages are enchanted.

Chaupai 11

Mastak tilak alak ghunghrale | Aao Krishna bansuri wale ||

A tilak on your forehead and curly locks — come, O Krishna with the flute.

Chaupai 12

Kari pay paan Pootanahi taryo | Aka Baka Kagasur maryo ||

While drinking milk you freed Putana, and you slew Aghasur, Bakasur and the crow demon Kagasur.

Chaupai 13

Madhuvan jalat agin jab jwala | Bhai sheetal lakhatahin Nandlala ||

When a forest fire blazed in the woods of Vraj, it cooled the moment Nand's son looked at it.

Chaupai 14

Surpati jab Braj chadhyo risai | Moosar dhaar vaari varshai ||

When Indra, king of the gods, attacked Vraj in anger, he sent rain in streams as thick as pestles.

Chaupai 15

Lagat lagat Vraj chahan bahayo | Govardhan nakh dhaari bachayo ||

Just as Vraj was about to be swept away, you lifted Govardhan on your fingertip and saved everyone.

Chaupai 16

Lakhi Yasuda man bhram adhikai | Mukh manh chaudah bhuvan dikhai ||

When doubt grew in Yashoda's mind, you showed her all fourteen worlds inside your mouth.

Chaupai 17

Dusht Kans ati udham machayo | Koti kamal jab phool mangayo ||

The wicked Kans caused great trouble and demanded countless lotus flowers (from Kaliya's pool in the Yamuna).

Chaupai 18

Nathi Kaliyahin tab tum leenhen | Charan chihn dai nirbhay keenhen ||

Then you tamed the serpent Kaliya and, leaving your footprints on his hoods, made him free from fear.

Chaupai 19

Kari gopin sang raas vilasa | Sabki pooran kari abhilasha ||

You danced the raas with the gopis and fulfilled the longing of every one of them.

Chaupai 20

Ketik maha asur sanharyo | Kansahi kes pakadi dai maryo ||

You destroyed many great demons, and seized Kans by the hair and struck him down.

Chaupai 21

Maat-pita ki bandi chhudai | Ugrasen kahan raaj dilai ||

You freed your parents from prison and gave the kingdom back to Ugrasen.

Chaupai 22

Mahi se mritak chhahon sut layo | Matu Devaki shok mitayo ||

You brought back Devaki's six sons who had been killed, and wiped away her grief.

Chaupai 23

Bhaumasur Mur daitya sanhari | Laaye shat das sahas kumari ||

You slew Bhaumasur (Narakasur) and the demon Mur, and rescued sixteen thousand captive maidens.

Chaupai 24

Dai Bheemahin trin cheer sahara | Jarasindhu rakshas kahan mara ||

By splitting a blade of grass, you showed Bheem the way, and so Jarasandh was slain.

Chaupai 25

Asur Bakasur aadik maryo | Bhaktan ke tab kasht nivaryo ||

You slew demons like Bakasur and took away the troubles of your devotees.

Chaupai 26

Deen Sudama ke dukh taryo | Tandul teen moonth mukh daryo ||

You ended poor Sudama's hardship and lovingly ate three handfuls of the rice he brought.

Chaupai 27

Prem ke saag Vidur ghar maange | Duryodhan ke meva tyage ||

You turned down Duryodhan's rich dried fruits and asked for the simple greens cooked with love in Vidur's home.

Chaupai 28

Lakhi prem ki mahima bhari | Aise Shyam deen hitkari ||

You showed the great value of love; such is Shyam, friend of the humble.

Chaupai 29

Bharat ke Parath rath haanke | Liye chakra kar nahin bal thake ||

In the Mahabharat war you drove Arjun's chariot, and with the discus in hand your strength never tired.

Chaupai 30

Nij Gita ke gyan sunaye | Bhaktan hriday sudha varshaye ||

You spoke the wisdom of the Gita and poured nectar into your devotees' hearts.

Chaupai 31

Meera thi aisi matvali | Vish pi gayi bajakar tali ||

Meera was so lost in love for you that she drank poison while clapping and singing.

Chaupai 32

Rana bheja saanp pitari | Shaligram bane Banwari ||

The Rana sent her a snake in a basket, and Banwari turned it into a Shaligram stone.

Chaupai 33

Nij maya tum Vidhihin dikhayo | Ur te sanshay sakal mitayo ||

You showed Brahma your divine power and cleared every doubt from his heart.

Chaupai 34

Tab shat ninda kari tatkala | Jeevan mukt bhayo Shishupala ||

When Shishupal had insulted you a hundred times, you ended his life at once, and he attained liberation.

Chaupai 35

Jabahin Draupadi ter lagai | Deenanath laaj ab jaai ||

When Draupadi cried out, 'O Lord of the helpless, my honour is being lost',

Chaupai 36

Turtahi vasan bane Nandlala | Badhe cheer bhai ari munh kala ||

Nand's son at once became her garment; the sari kept growing and the wrongdoers were put to shame.

Chaupai 37

As anath ke nath Kanhaiya | Doobat bhanvar bachavai naiya ||

Such is Kanhaiya, protector of those with no one, who saves the boat sinking in a whirlpool.

Chaupai 38

Sundardas aas ur dhari | Daya drishti keejai Banwari ||

Sundardas, with hope in his heart, prays: O Banwari, look upon me with kindness.

Chaupai 39

Nath sakal mam kumati nivaro | Kshamahu begi apradh hamaro ||

O Lord, remove all my wrong thinking and quickly forgive my faults.

Chaupai 40

Kholo pat ab darshan deejai | Bolo Krishna Kanhaiya ki jai ||

Open the curtain now and let us see you. Say: glory to Krishna Kanhaiya!

Doha

Yah Chalisa Krishna ka, paath karai ur dhari | Ashta siddhi navnidhi phal, lahai padarath chari ||

Whoever recites this Krishna Chalisa with faith in their heart gains the eight powers, the nine treasures and all four goals of life — so this doha says.