Shiv Chalisa — Lyrics with Meaning

Doha

Jai Ganesh Girija suvan, mangal mool sujan | Kahat Ayodhyadas tum, dehu abhay vardan ||

Victory to Ganesh, son of Girija, the root of all good and full of wisdom. Ayodhyadas prays: grant me the blessing of fearlessness.

Chaupai 1

Jai Girija pati deen dayala | Sada karat santan pratipala ||

Victory to the husband of Girija, kind to the humble. You always protect and care for good people.

Chaupai 2

Bhal chandrama sohat neeke | Kanan kundal nagphani ke ||

The moon shines beautifully on your forehead, and your earrings are made of serpent hoods.

Chaupai 3

Ang gaur shir Gang bahaye | Mundmal tan kshar lagaye ||

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

Chaupai 4

Vastra khal baghambar sohe | Chhavi ko dekhi naag man mohe ||

The tiger skin you wear suits you well; even serpents are charmed by your form.

Chaupai 5

Maina matu ki have dulari | Bam ang sohat chhavi nyari ||

Parvati, the beloved daughter of Mother Maina, sits at your left side, a sight of rare beauty.

Chaupai 6

Kar trishul sohat chhavi bhari | Karat sada shatrun kshaykari ||

The trident in your hand looks magnificent; it always destroys the enemies of good.

Chaupai 7

Nandi Ganesh sohain tahan kaise | Sagar madhya kamal hain jaise ||

Nandi and Ganesh beside you look as lovely as lotuses blooming in the middle of the sea.

Chaupai 8

Kartik Shyam aur Ganrau | Ya chhavi ko kahi jaat na kau ||

No one can fully describe this sight of you with Kartikeya, Shyama (Parvati) and Ganesh.

Chaupai 9

Devan jabahin jaay pukara | Tab hi dukh Prabhu aap nivara ||

Whenever the gods called out to you, Lord, you removed their suffering at once.

Chaupai 10

Kiya upadrav Tarak bhari | Devan sab mili tumahin juhari ||

When the demon Tarak caused great trouble, all the gods together prayed to you.

Chaupai 11

Turat Shadanan aap pathayau | Lavnimesh mahan maari girayau ||

You at once sent six-faced Kartikeya, who struck Tarak down in the blink of an eye.

Chaupai 12

Aap Jalandhar asur sanhara | Suyash tumhar vidit sansara ||

You destroyed the demon Jalandhar, and the whole world knows this glory of yours.

Chaupai 13

Tripurasur san yuddh machai | Sabahin kripa kar leen bachai ||

You fought the demon Tripurasur and, in your kindness, saved everyone.

Chaupai 14

Kiya tapahin Bhagirath bhari | Purab pratigya tasu Purari ||

King Bhagirath did hard penance, and you, slayer of Tripura, fulfilled his vow by receiving the Ganga.

Chaupai 15

Danin mahan tum sam kou nahin | Sevak stuti karat sadahin ||

Among all givers there is none like you; your devotees always sing your praise.

Chaupai 16

Ved naam mahima tav gai | Akath anadi bhed nahin pai ||

The Vedas sing the glory of your name, yet you are beyond words and without beginning; no one has found your full secret.

Chaupai 17

Prakati udadhi manthan mein jwala | Jarat surasur bhaye vihala ||

During the churning of the ocean, a fire of poison rose up, and gods and demons alike were in agony.

Chaupai 18

Keenhi daya tahan kari sahai | Neelkanth tab naam kahai ||

Then you showed mercy, drank the poison and helped everyone; that is how you came to be called Neelkanth, the blue-throated one.

Chaupai 19

Poojan Ramchandra jab keenha | Jeet ke Lank Vibhishan deenha ||

When Shri Ram worshipped you, he went on to win Lanka and give it to Vibhishan.

Chaupai 20

Sahas kamal mein ho rahe dhari | Keenh pareeksha tabahin Purari ||

When Lord Vishnu was worshipping you with a thousand lotuses, you put him to the test.

Chaupai 21

Ek kamal Prabhu rakheu joi | Kamal nayan poojan chahan soi ||

You hid one lotus away; then Vishnu was ready to offer his own lotus-like eye in its place.

Chaupai 22

Kathin bhakti dekhi Prabhu Shankar | Bhaye prasann diye ichchhit var ||

Seeing such deep devotion, Lord Shankar was pleased and granted the boon that was wished for.

Chaupai 23

Jai jai jai anant avinashi | Karat kripa sab ke ghatvasi ||

Glory to you, endless and undying Lord; you live in every heart and bless all.

Chaupai 24

Dusht sakal nit mohi satavai | Bhramat rahaun mohi chain na avai ||

Evil forces and wrong thoughts trouble me every day; I keep wandering and find no peace.

Chaupai 25

Trahi trahi main Nath pukaro | Yehi avsar mohi aan ubaro ||

O Lord, I cry out 'save me, save me'; come now and lift me out of this.

Chaupai 26

Lai trishul shatrun ko maro | Sankat se mohi aan ubaro ||

Take up your trident, destroy the enemies, and rescue me from danger.

Chaupai 27

Maat-pita bhrata sab hoi | Sankat mein poochhat nahin koi ||

Mother, father and brothers are all there, yet in times of trouble no one comes to ask.

Chaupai 28

Swami ek hai aas tumhari | Aay harahu mam sankat bhari ||

O Lord, you are my only hope; come and take away my heavy troubles.

Chaupai 29

Dhan nirdhan ko det sada hin | Jo koi jaanche so phal pahin ||

You always give to the poor; whoever asks of you receives the fruit of their prayer.

Chaupai 30

Astuti kehi vidhi karain tumhari | Kshamahu Nath ab chook hamari ||

We do not know how to praise you properly; O Lord, forgive our mistakes.

Chaupai 31

Shankar ho sankat ke nashan | Mangal karan vighna vinashan ||

O Shankar, you destroy troubles, bring about good and remove all obstacles.

Chaupai 32

Yogi yati muni dhyan lagavain | Sharad Narad sheesh navavain ||

Yogis, ascetics and sages meditate on you; Saraswati and Narad bow their heads to you.

Chaupai 33

Namo namo jai Namah Shivaya | Sur Brahmadik paar na paay ||

Salutations again and again, glory to you, Shiv; even Brahma and the gods cannot reach your limit.

Chaupai 34

Jo yah paath kare man lai | Ta par hot hai Shambhu sahai ||

Whoever recites this with a focused mind, Shambhu comes to their help — so devotees believe.

Chaupai 35

Riniyan jo koi ho adhikari | Paath kare so pavan hari ||

One weighed down by debt may recite it; tradition holds it to be helpful for such a person.

Chaupai 36

Putra hon kar ichchha joi | Nishchay Shiv prasad tehi hoi ||

One who longs for a child receives Shiv's grace — so the Chalisa says.

Chaupai 37

Pandit trayodashi ko lave | Dhyan poorvak hom karave ||

On the thirteenth day of the lunar fortnight (Trayodashi), one should invite a priest and perform a havan with care.

Chaupai 38

Trayodashi vrat karai hamesha | Take tan nahin rahai kalesha ||

Whoever always keeps the Trayodashi (Pradosh) fast is freed from troubles — so tradition says.

Chaupai 39

Dhoop deep naivedya chadhave | Shankar sammukh paath sunave ||

Offer incense, a lamp and food, and recite this before Lord Shankar.

Chaupai 40

Janm janm ke paap nasave | Ant dham Shivpur mein pave ||

This is believed to wash away the wrongs of many lives and to lead, at the end, to Shiv's abode.

Chaupai 41

Kahain Ayodhyadas aas tumhari | Jaani sakal dukh harahu hamari ||

Ayodhyadas says: Lord, you are my only hope; knowing this, take away all my sorrows.

Doha

Nitt nem kar pratah hi, paath karaun Chalisa | Tum meri manokamna, poorn karo Jagdish ||

Every morning, as a daily practice, I recite this Chalisa; O Lord of the world, fulfil my heart's wish.

Doha

Magsar chhathi Hemant ritu, samvat chausath jaan | Astuti Chalisa Shivahi, poorn keen kalyan ||

This blessed Chalisa in praise of Shiv was completed on the sixth day of Margashirsha, in the Hemant season, in the year Samvat sixty-four.