Krishna Chalisa: Lyrics with Meaning in English

बंशी शोभित कर मधुर, नील जलद तन श्याम।अरुण अधर जनु बिम्बफल, नयन कमल अभिराम॥

Banshi shobhit kar madhur, neel jalad tan ShyamArun adhar janu bimbaphal, nayan kamal abhiram

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

पूर्ण इन्द्र, अरविन्द मुख, पीताम्बर शुभ साज।जय मनमोहन मदन छवि, कृष्णचन्द्र महाराज॥

Purna Indra, Arvind mukh, pitambar shubh sajJai Manmohan Madan chhavi, Krishnachandra Maharaj

Your face is like the full moon and the lotus, and you are dressed in fine yellow silk. Glory to the enchanter as lovely as Kamadeva, King Krishnachandra.

जय यदुनंदन जय जगवंदन।जय वसुदेव देवकी नन्दन॥

Jai Yadunandan jai jagvandanJai Vasudev Devaki nandan

Glory to the son of the Yadus, worshipped by the world; glory to the son of Vasudeva and Devaki.

जय यशुदा सुत नन्द दुलारे।जय प्रभु भक्तन के दृग तारे॥

Jai Yashuda sut Nand dulareJai prabhu bhaktan ke drig tare

Glory to Yashoda's son and Nanda's darling; glory to the Lord, the apple of his devotees' eyes.

जय नट-नागर, नाग नथैया।कृष्ण कन्हैया धेनु चरैया॥

Jai Nat-nagar, nag nathaiyaKrishna Kanhaiya dhenu charaiya

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

पुनि नख पर प्रभु गिरिवर धारो।आओ दीनन कष्ट निवारो॥

Puni nakh par prabhu girivar dharoAao deenan kasht nivaro

Lord, lift the mountain on your fingertip once more; come and take away the troubles of the humble.

वंशी मधुर अधर धरि टेरौ।होवे पूर्ण विनय यह मेरौ॥

Vanshi madhur adhar dhari terauHove purna vinay yah merau

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

आओ हरि पुनि माखन चाखो।आज लाज भारत की राखो॥

Aao Hari puni makhan chakhoAaj laj Bharat ki rakho

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

गोल कपोल, चिबुक अरुणारे।मृदु मुस्कान मोहिनी डारे॥

Gol kapol chibuk arunareMridu muskan mohini dare

Round cheeks and rosy chin; your gentle smile casts a spell of enchantment.

राजित राजिव नयन विशाला।मोर मुकुट वैजन्तीमाला॥

Rajit rajiv nayan vishalaMor mukut Vaijantimala

Your large lotus eyes shine; you wear a peacock-feather crown and the Vaijayanti garland.

कुंडल श्रवण, पीत पट आछे।कटि किंकिणी काछनी काछे॥

Kundal shravan peet pat achheKati kinkini kachhani kachhe

Earrings in your ears, fine yellow cloth, and a waistband of little bells over your tucked dhoti.

नील जलज सुन्दर तनु सोहे।छबि लखि, सुर नर मुनिमन मोहे॥

Neel jalaj sundar tanu soheChhabi lakhi sur nar muniman mohe

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

मस्तक तिलक, अलक घुंघराले।आओ कृष्ण बांसुरी वाले॥

Mastak tilak alak ghunghraleAao Krishna bansuri vale

Tilak on your forehead and curly locks: come, Krishna, player of the flute.

करि पय पान, पूतनहि तार्यो।अका बका कागासुर मार्यो॥

Kari pay pan Putanahi taryoAka Baka Kagasur maryo

Drinking her milk, you freed Putana, and you slew Agha, Baka and the crow demon.

मधुवन जलत अगिन जब ज्वाला।भै शीतल लखतहिं नंदलाला॥

Madhuvan jalat agin jab jvalaBhai sheetal lakhatahin Nandlala

When the forest was ablaze, the fire cooled as soon as Nanda's son looked at it.

सुरपति जब ब्रज चढ़्यो रिसाई।मूसर धार वारि वर्षाई॥

Surpati jab Braj chadhyo risaiMusar dhar vari varshai

When the king of the gods, Indra, attacked Braj in anger, he poured rain in torrents.

लगत लगत व्रज चहन बहायो।गोवर्धन नख धारि बचायो॥

Lagat lagat Vraj chahan bahayoGovardhan nakh dhari bachayo

As Braj was about to be swept away, you held Govardhan on your fingertip and saved it.

लखि यसुदा मन भ्रम अधिकाई।मुख मंह चौदह भुवन दिखाई॥

Lakhi Yasuda man bhram adhikaiMukh manh chaudah bhuvan dikhai

When Yashoda grew bewildered, you showed her the fourteen worlds inside your mouth.

दुष्ट कंस अति उधम मचायो।कोटि कमल जब फूल मंगायो॥

Dusht Kans ati udham machayoKoti kamal jab phool mangayo

The wicked Kansa caused great mischief, demanding countless lotus flowers (from the Kaliya pool).

नाथि कालियहिं तब तुम लीन्हें।चरण चिह्न दै निर्भय कीन्हें॥

Nathi Kaliyahin tab tum leenheinCharan chihn dai nirbhay keenhein

Then you subdued Kaliya and, giving him the mark of your feet, made him fearless.

करि गोपिन संग रास विलासा।सबकी पूरण करी अभिलाषा॥

Kari gopin sang Raas vilasaSabki puran kari abhilasha

You played the Raas with the gopis and fulfilled the longing of each of them.

केतिक महा असुर संहार्यो।कंसहि केस पकड़ि दै मार्यो॥

Ketik maha asur sanharyoKansahi kes pakadi dai maryo

You destroyed many great demons, and seized Kansa by the hair and slew him.

मात-पिता की बन्दि छुड़ाई।उग्रसेन कहँ राज दिलाई॥

Mat pita ki bandi chhudaiUgrasen kahan raj dilai

You freed your mother and father from prison and gave the kingdom back to Ugrasena.

महि से मृतक छहों सुत लायो।मातु देवकी शोक मिटायो॥

Mahi se mritak chhahon sut layoMatu Devaki shok mitayo

You brought back Devaki's six dead sons from the netherworld and ended her grief.

भौमासुर मुर दैत्य संहारी।लाये षट दश सहसकुमारी॥

Bhaumasur Mur daitya sanhariLaye shat dash sahas kumari

You destroyed Bhaumasura (Narakasura) and the demon Mura, and freed the sixteen thousand princesses.

दै भीमहिं तृण चीर सहारा।जरासिंधु राक्षस कहँ मारा॥

Dai Bhimahin trin cheer saharaJarasindhu rakshas kahan mara

By showing Bhima a blade of grass split in two, you helped him slay the demon Jarasandha.

असुर बकासुर आदिक मार्यो।भक्तन के तब कष्ट निवार्यो॥

Asur Bakasur aadik maryoBhaktan ke tab kasht nivaryo

You killed Bakasura and other demons and ended the sufferings of your devotees.

दीन सुदामा के दुःख टार्यो।तंदुल तीन मूंठ मुख डार्यो॥

Deen Sudama ke dukh taryoTandul teen moonth mukh daryo

You ended poor Sudama's hardship, eating three handfuls of the rice he brought.

प्रेम के साग विदुर घर माँगे।दुर्योधन के मेवा त्यागे॥

Prem ke sag Vidur ghar mangeDuryodhan ke meva tyage

You asked for simple greens offered with love at Vidura's home and refused Duryodhana's rich dishes.

लखी प्रेम की महिमा भारी।ऐसे श्याम दीन हितकारी॥

Lakhi prem ki mahima bhariAise Shyam deen hitkari

Seeing the great power of love, such is Shyam, the friend of the humble.

भारत के पारथ रथ हाँके।लिये चक्र कर नहिं बल थाके॥

Bharat ke Parath rath hankeLiye chakra kar nahin bal thake

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

निज गीता के ज्ञान सुनाए।भक्तन हृदय सुधा वर्षाए॥

Nij Gita ke gyan sunayeBhaktan hriday sudha varshaye

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

मीरा थी ऐसी मतवाली।विष पी गई बजाकर ताली॥

Meera thi aisi matvaliVish pi gai bajakar tali

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

राना भेजा साँप पिटारी।शालीग्राम बने बनवारी॥

Rana bheja sanp pitariShaligram bane Banvari

When the Rana sent her a basket with a snake, Krishna became a Shaligram stone.

निज माया तुम विधिहिं दिखायो।उर ते संशय सकल मिटायो॥

Nij maya tum Vidhihin dikhayoUr te sanshay sakal mitayo

You showed your maya to Brahma and removed every doubt from his heart.

तब शत निन्दा करि तत्काला।जीवन मुक्त भयो शिशुपाला॥

Tab shat ninda kari tatkalaJivan mukt bhayo Shishupala

After a hundred insults, Shishupala was struck down at once and was freed.

जबहिं द्रौपदी टेर लगाई।दीनानाथ लाज अब जाई॥

Jabahin Draupadi ter lagaiDeenanath laj ab jai

When Draupadi cried out, Lord of the humble, my honour is about to be lost,

तुरतहि वसन बने नंदलाला।बढ़े चीर भै अरि मुंह काला॥

Turatahi vasan bane NandlalaBadhe cheer bhai ari munh kala

Nanda's son at once became her garment; the cloth kept growing and her enemies were disgraced.

अस अनाथ के नाथ कन्हैया।डूबत भंवर बचावै नैया॥

As anath ke nath KanhaiyaDoobat bhanvar bachavai naiya

Such is Kanhaiya, protector of the helpless, who saves the boat sinking in the whirlpool.

सुन्दरदास आस उर धारी।दया दृष्टि कीजै बनवारी॥

Sundardas aas ur dhariDaya drishti keejai Banvari

Sundardas holds this hope in his heart: Banvari, look on me with kindness.

नाथ सकल मम कुमति निवारो।क्षमहु बेगि अपराध हमारो॥

Nath sakal mam kumati nivaroKshamahu begi apradh hamaro

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

खोलो पट अब दर्शन दीजै।बोलो कृष्ण कन्हैया की जै॥

Kholo pat ab darshan deejaiBolo Krishna Kanhaiya ki jai

Open the temple doors now and grant us darshan. Say: glory to Krishna Kanhaiya!

यह चालीसा कृष्ण का, पाठ करै उर धारि।अष्ट सिद्धि नवनिधि फल, लहै पदारथ चारि॥

Yah Chalisa Krishna ka, path karai ur dhariAsht siddhi navnidhi phal, lahai padarath chari

Whoever reads this Krishna Chalisa with devotion gains the eight siddhis, the nine treasures and the four aims of life.