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Shiv Chalisa

श्री शिव चालीसा

ChalisaShivaAyodhya DasAwadhi / Hindi

The forty verses in praise of Lord Shiva — his form, his rescues of gods and devotees, and his swift compassion — recited on Mondays, in Shravan, on Trayodashi and through Maha Shivaratri.

📜 Read this text in your script — same words, your letters

Doha

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

jaya ganesha girija suvana, mangala mula sujana kahata ayodhyadasa tuma, dehu abhaya varadana

jaya gaṇeśa girijā suvana, maṅgala mūla sujāna kahata ayodhyādāsa tuma, dehu abhaya varadāna

Victory to Ganesha, son of Girija, wise root of all auspiciousness. Ayodhya Das prays: grant the boon of fearlessness.

Chaupai 1–2

जय गिरिजा पति दीन दयाला । सदा करत सन्तन प्रतिपाला ॥ भाल चन्द्रमा सोहत नीके । कानन कुण्डल नागफनी के ॥

jaya girija pati dina dayala sada karata santana pratipala bhala candrama sohata nike kanana kundala nagaphani ke

jaya girijā pati dīna dayālā sadā karata santana pratipālā bhāla candramā sohata nīke kānana kuṇḍala nāgaphanī ke

Victory to Girija's lord, compassionate to the lowly, ever the protector of the saints. The moon adorns his brow beautifully; serpent-hood rings grace his ears.

Chaupai 3–4

अंग गौर शिर गंग बहाये । मुण्डमाल तन छार लगाये ॥ वस्त्र खाल बाघम्बर सोहे । छवि को देखि नाग मुनि मोहे ॥

anga gaura shira ganga bahaye mundamala tana chara lagaye vastra khala baghambara sohe chavi ko dekhi naga muni mohe

aṅga gaura śira gaṅga bahāye muṇḍamāla tana chāra lagāye vastra khāla bāghambara sohe chavi ko dekhi nāga muni mohe

Fair of limb, the Ganga flowing from his head, a garland of skulls, his body dressed in ash; clad in tiger skin — at that vision serpents and sages alike are entranced.

Chaupai 5–6

मैना मातु की हवे दुलारी । बाम अंग सोहत छवि न्यारी ॥ कर त्रिशूल सोहत छवि भारी । करत सदा शत्रुन क्षयकारी ॥

maina matu ki have dulari bama anga sohata chavi nyari kara trishula sohata chavi bhari karata sada shatruna kshayakari

mainā mātu kī have dulārī bāma aṅga sohata chavi nyārī kara triśūla sohata chavi bhārī karata sadā śatruna kṣayakārī

Mother Maina's darling daughter shines matchless at his left side; the trident in his hand gleams mighty, ever destroying the foes of dharma.

Chaupai 7–8

नंदि गणेश सोहै तहँ कैसे । सागर मध्य कमल हैं जैसे ॥ कार्तिक श्याम और गणराऊ । या छवि को कहि जात न काऊ ॥

nandi ganesha sohai taham kaise sagara madhya kamala haim jaise kartika shyama aura ganarau ya chavi ko kahi jata na kau

nandi gaṇeśa sohai tahaṃ kaise sāgara madhya kamala haiṃ jaise kārtika śyāma aura gaṇarāū yā chavi ko kahi jāta na kāū

There Nandi and Ganesha shine like lotuses amid the ocean; with Kartikeya the dark-hued and the lords of the ganas — no one can describe that scene.

Chaupai 9–10

देवन जबहीं जाय पुकारा । तब ही दुख प्रभु आप निवारा ॥ किया उपद्रव तारक भारी । देवन सब मिलि तुमहिं जुहारी ॥

devana jabahim jaya pukara taba hi dukha prabhu apa nivara kiya upadrava taraka bhari devana saba mili tumahim juhari

devana jabahīṃ jāya pukārā taba hī dukha prabhu āpa nivārā kiyā upadrava tāraka bhārī devana saba mili tumahiṃ juhārī

Whenever the gods went to you crying for help, Lord, you yourself removed their distress. When the demon Taraka wrought great havoc, all the gods together appealed to you.

Chaupai 11–12

तुरत षडानन आप पठायउ । लवनिमेष महँ मारि गिरायउ ॥ आप जलंधर असुर संहारा । सुयश तुम्हार विदित संसारा ॥

turata shadanana apa pathayau lavanimesha maham mari girayau apa jalandhara asura samhara suyasha tumhara vidita samsara

turata ṣaḍānana āpa paṭhāyau lavanimeṣa mahaṃ māri girāyau āpa jalandhara asura saṃhārā suyaśa tumhāra vidita saṃsārā

At once you sent the six-faced Kartikeya, who felled him in an instant. You yourself destroyed the demon Jalandhara — your glory is known through all the world.

Chaupai 13–14

त्रिपुरासुर सन युद्ध मचाई । सबहिं कृपा कर लीन बचाई ॥ किया तपहिं भागीरथ भारी । पुरब प्रतिज्ञा तासु पुरारी ॥

tripurasura sana yuddha macai sabahim kripa kara lina bacai kiya tapahim bhagiratha bhari puraba pratijna tasu purari

tripurāsura sana yuddha macāī sabahiṃ kṛpā kara līna bacāī kiyā tapahiṃ bhāgīratha bhārī puraba pratijñā tāsu purārī

You battled Tripurasura and in your mercy saved all; when Bhagiratha performed his great austerity, O Purari, you fulfilled his ancient vow and released the Ganga.

Chaupai 15–16

दानिन महं तुम सम कोउ नाहीं । सेवक स्तुति करत सदाहीं ॥ वेद माहि महिमा तुम गाई । अकथ अनादि भेद नहीं पाई ॥

danina maham tuma sama kou nahim sevaka stuti karata sadahim veda mahi mahima tuma gai akatha anadi bheda nahim pai

dānina mahaṃ tuma sama kou nāhīṃ sevaka stuti karata sadāhīṃ veda māhi mahimā tuma gāī akatha anādi bheda nahīṃ pāī

Among givers there is none like you; your servants sing your praise for ever. The Vedas themselves have sung your greatness — unspeakable, beginningless, its secret never fathomed.

Chaupai 17–18

प्रकटी उदधि मंथन में ज्वाला । जरत सुरासुर भए विहाला ॥ कीन्ही दया तहं करी सहाई । नीलकंठ तब नाम कहाई ॥

prakati udadhi mamthana mem jvala jarata surasura bhae vihala kinhi daya taham kari sahai nilakamtha taba nama kahai

prakaṭī udadhi maṃthana meṃ jvālā jarata surāsura bhae vihālā kīnhī dayā tahaṃ karī sahāī nīlakaṃṭha taba nāma kahāī

When the churning of the ocean brought forth the blazing poison and gods and demons burned in anguish, you showed mercy and came to their aid — and so were named Neelkanth, the blue-throated.

Chaupai 19–20

पूजन रामचंद्र जब कीन्हा । जीत के लंक विभीषण दीन्हा ॥ सहस कमल में हो रहे धारी । कीन्ह परीक्षा तबहिं पुरारी ॥

pujana ramacamdra jaba kinha jita ke lamka vibhishana dinha sahasa kamala mem ho rahe dhari kinha pariksha tabahim purari

pūjana rāmacaṃdra jaba kīnhā jīta ke laṃka vibhīṣaṇa dīnhā sahasa kamala meṃ ho rahe dhārī kīnha parīkṣā tabahiṃ purārī

When Ramachandra worshipped you, he conquered Lanka and gave it to Vibhishana. As he offered a thousand lotuses, you, Purari, put him to the test.

Chaupai 21–22

एक कमल प्रभु राखेउ जोई । कमल नयन पूजन चहं सोई ॥ कठिन भक्ति देखी प्रभु शंकर । भए प्रसन्न दिए इच्छित वर ॥

eka kamala prabhu rakheu joi kamala nayana pujana caham soi kathina bhakti dekhi prabhu shamkara bhae prasanna die icchita vara

eka kamala prabhu rākheu joī kamala nayana pūjana cahaṃ soī kaṭhina bhakti dekhī prabhu śaṃkara bhae prasanna die icchita vara

One lotus you hid away — and the lotus-eyed Rama offered his own eye in its place. Seeing such fierce devotion, Lord Shankara was pleased and granted the boon he desired.

Chaupai 23–24

जय जय जय अनंत अविनाशी । करत कृपा सबके घटवासी ॥ दुष्ट सकल नित मोहि सतावै । भ्रमत रहौं मोहे चैन न आवै ॥

jaya jaya jaya anamta avinashi karata kripa sabake ghatavasi dushta sakala nita mohi satavai bhramata rahaum mohe caina na avai

jaya jaya jaya anaṃta avināśī karata kṛpā sabake ghaṭavāsī duṣṭa sakala nita mohi satāvai bhramata rahauṃ mohe caina na āvai

Victory, victory, victory to the endless, imperishable one, gracious dweller in every heart! Wicked troubles torment me daily; I wander restless and find no peace.

Chaupai 25–26

त्राहि त्राहि मैं नाथ पुकारो । येहि अवसर मोहि आन उबारो ॥ लै त्रिशूल शत्रुन को मारो । संकट से मोहिं आन उबारो ॥

trahi trahi maim natha pukaro yehi avasara mohi ana ubaro lai trishula shatruna ko maro samkata se mohim ana ubaro

trāhi trāhi maiṃ nātha pukāro yehi avasara mohi āna ubāro lai triśūla śatruna ko māro saṃkaṭa se mohiṃ āna ubāro

“Save me, save me!” I cry, O Lord — come now and deliver me. Take up your trident, destroy my afflictions, and lift me out of this distress.

Chaupai 27–28

मात पिता भ्राता सब होई । संकट में पूछत नहिं कोई ॥ स्वामी एक है आस तुम्हारी । आय हरहु मम संकट भारी ॥

mata pita bhrata saba hoi samkata mem puchata nahim koi svami eka hai asa tumhari aya harahu mama samkata bhari

māta pitā bhrātā saba hoī saṃkaṭa meṃ pūchata nahiṃ koī svāmī eka hai āsa tumhārī āya harahu mama saṃkaṭa bhārī

Mother, father, brothers — all may be there, yet in calamity none asks after us. My one hope, Master, is you: come and take away my heavy sorrow.

Chaupai 29–30

धन निर्धन को देत सदा हीं । जो कोई जांचे सो फल पाहीं ॥ अस्तुति केहि विधि करौं तुम्हारी । क्षमहु नाथ अब चूक हमारी ॥

dhana nirdhana ko deta sada him jo koi jamce so phala pahim astuti kehi vidhi karaum tumhari kshamahu natha aba cuka hamari

dhana nirdhana ko deta sadā hīṃ jo koī jāṃce so phala pāhīṃ astuti kehi vidhi karauṃ tumhārī kṣamahu nātha aba cūka hamārī

You ever give wealth to the poor; whoever asks receives his fruit. How can I fittingly praise you? Forgive, O Lord, whatever faults are mine.

Chaupai 31–32

शंकर हो संकट के नाशन । मंगल कारण विघ्न विनाशन ॥ योगी यति मुनि ध्यान लगावैं । शारद नारद शीश नवावैं ॥

shamkara ho samkata ke nashana mamgala karana vighna vinashana yogi yati muni dhyana lagavaim sharada narada shisha navavaim

śaṃkara ho saṃkaṭa ke nāśana maṃgala kāraṇa vighna vināśana yogī yati muni dhyāna lagāvaiṃ śārada nārada śīśa navāvaiṃ

Shankara, destroyer of calamity, cause of blessing, remover of obstacles — yogis, ascetics and sages fix their meditation on you; Sharada and Narada bow their heads.

Chaupai 33–34

नमो नमो जय नमः शिवाय । सुर ब्रह्मादिक पार न पाय ॥ जो यह पाठ करे मन लाई । ता पर होत है शम्भु सहाई ॥

namo namo jaya namah shivaya sura brahmadika para na paya jo yaha patha kare mana lai ta para hota hai shambhu sahai

namo namo jaya namaḥ śivāya sura brahmādika pāra na pāya jo yaha pāṭha kare mana lāī tā para hota hai śambhu sahāī

Salutations, salutations — jaya, namah Shivaya! — whose limit not even Brahma and the gods have found. Whoever recites this with an attentive heart, Shambhu himself becomes his helper.

Chaupai 35–36

ॠणियां जो कोई हो अधिकारी । पाठ करे सो पावन हारी ॥ पुत्र होन कर इच्छा जोई । निश्चय शिव प्रसाद तेहि होई ॥

riniyam jo koi ho adhikari patha kare so pavana hari putra hona kara iccha joi nishcaya shiva prasada tehi hoi

ṛṇiyāṃ jo koī ho adhikārī pāṭha kare so pāvana hārī putra hona kara icchā joī niścaya śiva prasāda tehi hoī

One weighed down by debt who recites it is freed of the burden; one who longs for a child will surely receive that grace of Shiva.

Chaupai 37–38

पण्डित त्रयोदशी को लावे । ध्यान पूर्वक होम करावे ॥ त्रयोदशी व्रत करै हमेशा । ताके तन नहीं रहै कलेशा ॥

pandita trayodashi ko lave dhyana purvaka homa karave trayodashi vrata karai hamesha take tana nahim rahai kalesha

paṇḍita trayodaśī ko lāve dhyāna pūrvaka homa karāve trayodaśī vrata karai hameśā tāke tana nahīṃ rahai kaleśā

Let one invite a learned pandit on Trayodashi and have the homa performed with attention; whoever always keeps the Trayodashi (Pradosh) vrat, no affliction remains in his body.

Chaupai 39–40

धूप दीप नैवेद्य चढ़ावे । शंकर सम्मुख पाठ सुनावे ॥ जन्म जन्म के पाप नसावे । अन्त धाम शिवपुर में पावे ॥

dhupa dipa naivedya cadhave shamkara sammukha patha sunave janma janma ke papa nasave anta dhama shivapura mem pave

dhūpa dīpa naivedya caḍhāve śaṃkara sammukha pāṭha sunāve janma janma ke pāpa nasāve anta dhāma śivapura meṃ pāve

Offering incense, lamp and naivedya, let him recite this before Shankara: the sins of birth after birth are destroyed, and at the end he attains the abode of Shiva.

Closing

कहैं अयोध्यादास आस तुम्हारी । जानि सकल दुख हरहु हमारी ॥

kahaim ayodhyadasa asa tumhari jani sakala dukha harahu hamari

kahaiṃ ayodhyādāsa āsa tumhārī jāni sakala dukha harahu hamārī

Says Ayodhya Das: my hope rests in you — knowing all, take away our every sorrow.

Doha

नित्त नेम उठि प्रातःही, पाठ करो चालीसा । तुम मेरी मनोकामना, पूर्ण करो जगदीशा ॥

nitta nema uthi pratahhi, patha karo calisa tuma meri manokamana, purna karo jagadisha

nitta nema uṭhi prātaḥhī, pāṭha karo cālīsā tuma merī manokāmanā, pūrṇa karo jagadīśā

Rise each morning and recite this Chalisa as a daily vow — and may you, Lord of the world, fulfil the wishes of my heart.

When it is recited: Mondays, Pradosh (Trayodashi), the month of Shravan, Maha Shivaratri, and whenever protection or relief from hardship is sought.

Traditional significance: The Chalisa moves from darshan of Shiva's form — the crescent moon, the Ganga in his locks, Nandi and the divine family — through his great deeds (Tarakasura, Jalandhara, Tripura, the halahala poison, Rama's worship at Rameshwaram) to the devotee's own plea, and closes with the fruits of regular recitation.

Questions

When is Shiv Chalisa best recited?

Mondays and Pradosh (Trayodashi) are the classic days, along with the whole month of Shravan and Maha Shivaratri. The closing doha recommends it as a daily morning practice.

Is this the same everywhere?

The Chalisa attributed to Ayodhya Das is the widely printed standard, but regional pothis show small differences in individual lines. This text follows the version most commonly used in community worship.

Related

Om Namah Shivaya — Panchakshara Mantra Lingashtakam Om Jai Shiv Omkara (Shiv Aarti)Solah Somvar Vrat Katha

Source: Traditional — widely printed version attributed to Ayodhya Das. Regional versions may vary — this text follows the version most widely used in community worship.