हिंदीOn this day
Hanuman

Hanuman Chalisa (Shri Guru Charan Saroj Raj)

Goswami TulsidasGoswami Tulsidas1532–1623 (a tradition gives birth in 1497)

श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज निज मनु मुकुरु सुधारि।
बरनउँ रघुबर बिमल जसु जो दायकु फल चारि॥
बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके सुमिरौं पवन-कुमार।
बल बुधि बिद्या देहु मोहिं हरहु कलेस बिकार॥

जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर। जय कपीस तिहुँ लोक उजागर॥
राम दूत अतुलित बल धामा। अंजनि-पुत्र पवनसुत नामा॥
महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी। कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी॥
कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा। कानन कुंडल कुंचित केसा॥

हाथ बज्र औ ध्वजा बिराजै। काँधे मूँज जनेऊ साजै॥
संकर सुवन केसरीनंदन। तेज प्रताप महा जग बंदन॥
बिद्यावान गुनी अति चातुर। राम काज करिबे को आतुर॥
प्रभु चरित्र सुनिबे को रसिया। राम लखन सीता मन बसिया॥

सूक्ष्म रूप धरि सियहिं दिखावा। बिकट रूप धरि लंक जरावा॥
भीम रूप धरि असुर सँहारे। रामचंद्र के काज सँवारे॥
लाय सजीवन लखन जियाये। श्रीरघुबीर हरषि उर लाये॥
रघुपति कीन्ही बहुत बड़ाई। तुम मम प्रिय भरतहि सम भाई॥

सहस बदन तुम्हरो जस गावैं। अस कहि श्रीपति कंठ लगावैं॥
सनकादिक ब्रह्मादि मुनीसा। नारद सारद सहित अहीसा॥
जम कुबेर दिगपाल जहाँ ते। कबि कोबिद कहि सके कहाँ ते॥
तुम उपकार सुग्रीवहिं कीन्हा। राम मिलाय राज पद दीन्हा॥

तुम्हरो मंत्र बिभीषन माना। लंकेस्वर भए सब जग जाना॥
जुग सहस्र जोजन पर भानू। लील्यो ताहि मधुर फल जानू॥
प्रभु मुद्रिका मेलि मुख माहीं। जलधि लाँघि गये अचरज नाहीं॥
दुर्गम काज जगत के जेते। सुगम अनुग्रह तुम्हरे तेते॥

राम दुआरे तुम रखवारे। होत न आज्ञा बिनु पैसारे॥
सब सुख लहै तुम्हारी सरना। तुम रच्छक काहू को डर ना॥
आपन तेज सम्हारो आपै। तीनों लोक हाँक तें काँपै॥
भूत पिसाच निकट नहिं आवै। महाबीर जब नाम सुनावै॥

नासै रोग हरै सब पीरा। जपत निरंतर हनुमत बीरा॥
संकट तें हनुमान छुड़ावै। मन क्रम बचन ध्यान जो लावै॥
सब पर राम तपस्वी राजा। तिन के काज सकल तुम साजा॥
और मनोरथ जो कोई लावै। सोइ अमित जीवन फल पावै॥

चारों जुग परताप तुम्हारा। है परसिद्ध जगत उजियारा॥
साधु संत के तुम रखवारे। असुर निकंदन राम दुलारे॥
अष्ट सिद्धि नौ निधि के दाता। अस बर दीन जानकी माता॥
राम रसायन तुम्हरे पासा। सदा रहो रघुपति के दासा॥

तुम्हरे भजन राम को पावै। जनम जनम के दुख बिसरावै॥
अंत काल रघुबर पुर जाई। जहाँ जन्म हरि-भक्त कहाई॥
और देवता चित्त न धरई। हनुमत सेइ सर्ब सुख करई॥
संकट कटै मिटै सब पीरा। जो सुमिरै हनुमत बलबीरा॥

जै जै जै हनुमान गोसाईं। कृपा करहु गुरुदेव की नाईं॥
जो सत बार पाठ कर कोई। छूटहि बंदि महा सुख होई॥
जो यह पढ़ै हनुमान चालीसा। होय सिद्धि साखी गौरीसा॥
तुलसीदास सदा हरि चेरा। कीजै नाथ हृदय महँ डेरा॥

पवनतनय संकट हरन मंगल मूरति रूप।
राम लखन सीता सहित हृदय बसहु सुर भूप॥

Meaning

Cleansing the mirror of my mind with the dust of my guru’s lotus feet, I sing the spotless glory of Shri Rama, which gives the four fruits of life. Knowing myself to be without wisdom, I remember the son of the Wind: give me strength, intelligence and learning, and take away my troubles and faults.

Victory to Hanuman, ocean of wisdom and virtue; victory to the lord of the vanaras, who lights up the three worlds. You are Rama’s messenger, home of matchless strength, known as Anjani’s son and the Wind’s son. Great hero, mighty as a thunderbolt, you drive away bad thinking and keep company with good sense. Your body shines like gold, finely dressed, with earrings and curling hair.

In your hands are the thunderbolt and the banner; the sacred thread of munja grass sits on your shoulder. You are born of Shankara’s grace and are Kesari’s delight, and the whole world bows to your splendour. Learned, virtuous and very wise, you are always eager to do Rama’s work. You delight in hearing the Lord’s deeds; Rama, Lakshmana and Sita live in your heart.

Taking a tiny form you showed yourself to Sita; taking a fearsome form you burned Lanka. In a terrible form you destroyed the asuras and completed Shri Ramachandra’s tasks. You brought the sanjivani herb and revived Lakshmana, and Shri Raghubir embraced you with joy. Rama praised you greatly: “You are as dear to me as my brother Bharata.”

“May the thousand-mouthed Shesha sing your glory,” said the Lord of Shri, and held you close. Sanaka and the sages, Brahma and the munis, Narada, Sarasvati and the king of serpents, Yama, Kubera and the guardians of the directions cannot tell your glory fully; how could poets and scholars? You did Sugriva a great service: you brought him to Rama and gave him back his kingdom.

Vibhishana followed your counsel and became king of Lanka, as the whole world knows. The sun, thousands of yojanas away, you swallowed, taking it for a sweet fruit. Carrying the Lord’s ring in your mouth you leapt the ocean, and no wonder. Every hard task in the world becomes easy by your grace.

You guard Rama’s door; none may enter without your leave. Whoever takes refuge in you finds every joy; with you as protector, why fear anyone? You alone can hold your own power; the three worlds tremble at your roar. Ghosts and evil spirits do not come near when the name of Mahavira is spoken.

Disease ends and all pain goes for one who repeats the name of brave Hanuman without pause. Hanuman frees from trouble whoever fixes mind, deed and word on him. Rama the ascetic king is above all, and you carried out all his work. Whoever brings any other wish to you receives the boundless fruit of life.

Your glory shines through all four yugas and lights the world. You protect sadhus and saints, destroy the asuras and are dear to Rama. Mother Janaki gave you the boon of granting the eight siddhis and nine nidhis. You hold the elixir of Rama’s name; may you always remain the servant of Raghupati.

Through devotion to you one reaches Rama and forgets the sorrows of many births. At the end one goes to Raghubar’s abode, and wherever born again is known as Hari’s devotee. One need not hold any other deity in mind; serving Hanuman gives every happiness. Trouble is cut and all pain ends for whoever remembers mighty Hanuman.

Victory, victory, victory to Hanuman, our master; be kind to me as a guru is. Whoever recites this a hundred times is freed from bondage and finds great joy. Whoever reads this Hanuman Chalisa attains success; Gaurisha, Shiva himself, is witness. Tulsidas is ever Hari’s servant: Lord, make your home in my heart.

Son of the Wind, remover of troubles, form of all that is auspicious: king of the devas, live in my heart with Rama, Lakshmana and Sita.

About this bhajan

Forty chaupais in Awadhi, held between two opening dohas and one closing doha, make the most recited prayer in Hindi-speaking homes. Tradition holds that Goswami Tulsidas composed it, and his name seals the fortieth chaupai. It moves through Hanuman’s whole life in the Ramayana: the leap to Lanka, the burning of the city, the sanjivani for Lakshmana, Rama’s embrace. Children learn it before they can read. Lines such as “bhoot pisach nikat nahin avai” are said in the dark, on night roads, beside sickbeds. Temples recite it 108 times on Hanuman Jayanti, and many devotees read it every Tuesday and Saturday.

Hanuman Chalisa, Goswami Tulsidas (text as in Gita Press editions; checked against Kavita Kosh)