Shiv Chalisa: Lyrics with Meaning in English

जय गणेश गिरिजासुवन मंगल मूल सुजान।कहत अयोध्यादास तुम देउ अभय वरदान॥

Jai Ganesh Girija suvan, mangal mool sujanKahat Ayodhyadas tum, deu abhay vardan

Glory to Ganesha, son of Girija (Parvati), root of all that is auspicious and wise. Ayodhyadas prays: grant me the boon of fearlessness.

जय गिरिजापति दीनदयाला।सदा करत सन्तन प्रतिपाला॥

Jai Girijapati deen dayalaSada karat santan pratipala

Glory to the lord of Girija, kind to the humble, who always protects the saintly.

भाल चन्द्रमा सोहत नीके।कानन कुण्डल नाग फनी के॥

Bhal chandrama sohat neekeKanan kundal nag phani ke

The moon shines beautifully on your forehead, and your earrings are hooded serpents.

अंग गौर शिर गंग बहाये।मुण्डमाल तन क्षार लगाये॥

Ang gaur shir Gang bahayeMundmal 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.

वस्त्र खाल बाघम्बर सोहे।छवि को देखि नाग मन मोहे॥

Vastra khal baghambar soheChhavi ko dekhi nag man mohe

The tiger skin you wear looks splendid; even the serpents are charmed by your form.

मैना मातु की हवे दुलारी।वाम अंग सोहत छवि न्यारी॥

Maina matu ki have dulariVam ang sohat chhavi nyari

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

कर त्रिशूल सोहत छवि भारी।करत सदा शत्रुन क्षयकारी॥

Kar trishul sohat chhavi bhariKarat sada shatrun kshayakari

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

नंदी गणेश सोहैं तहं कैसे।सागर मध्य कमल हैं जैसे॥

Nandi Ganesh sohain tahan kaiseSagar madhya kamal hain jaise

Nandi and Ganesha look as lovely there as lotuses in the middle of a lake.

कार्तिक श्याम और गणराऊ।या छवि कौ कहि जात न काऊ॥

Kartik Shyam aur GanrauYa chhavi kau kahi jat na kau

Kartikeya, the dark-hued one and the lord of the ganas: no one can describe this sight.

देवन जबहीं जाय पुकारा।तबहिं दुख प्रभु आप निवारा॥

Devan jabahin jay pukaraTabahin dukh prabhu aap nivara

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

किया उपद्रव तारक भारी।देवन सब मिलि तुमहिं जुहारी॥

Kiya upadrav Tarak bhariDevan sab mili tumahin juhari

When the demon Taraka caused great havoc, all the gods together came and bowed to you.

तुरत षडानन आप पठायौ।लव निमेष महं मारि गिरायौ॥

Turat Shadanan aap pathayauLav nimesh mahan mari girayau

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

आप जलंधर असुर संहारा।सुयश तुम्हार विदित संसारा॥

Aap Jalandhar asur sanharaSuyash tumhar vidit sansara

You yourself destroyed the demon Jalandhara; your glory is known throughout the world.

त्रिपुरासुर सन युद्ध मचाई।तबहिं कृपा कर लीन बचाई॥

Tripurasur san yuddh machaiTabahin kripa kar leen bachai

You went to war with the demon Tripura and, in your grace, saved everyone.

किया तपहिं भागीरथ भारी।पुरब प्रतिज्ञा तासु पुरारी॥

Kiya tapahin Bhagirath bhariPurab pratigya tasu Purari

When Bhagiratha performed great penance, you, slayer of Tripura, fulfilled his vow (by bearing the Ganga).

दानिन महं तुम सम कोउ नाहीं।सेवक स्तुति करत सदाहीं॥

Danin mahan tum sam kou nahinSevak stuti karat sadahin

Among all givers there is none like you, and your devotees praise you always.

वेद माहि महिमा तुम गाई।अकथ अनादि भेद नहीं पाई॥

Ved mahi mahima tum gaiAkath anadi bhed nahin pai

The Vedas sing your greatness, yet you are beyond words and without beginning; none has found your secret.

प्रकटे उदधि मंथन में ज्वाला।जरत सुरासुर भए विहाला॥

Prakate udadhi manthan mein jvalaJarat surasur bhae vihala

When the ocean was churned, a burning poison rose, and gods and demons alike were in agony.

कीन्ह दया तहं करी सहाई।नीलकंठ तब नाम कहाई॥

Keenh daya tahan kari sahaiNeelkanth tab nam kahai

Out of compassion you came to their help (by drinking it), and from then on were called Neelkanth.

पूजन रामचंद्र जब कीन्हां।जीत के लंक विभीषण दीन्हा॥

Pujan Ramchandra jab keenhaJeet ke Lank Vibhishan deenha

When Ramchandra worshipped you, he conquered Lanka and gave it to Vibhishana.

सहस कमल में हो रहे धारी।कीन्ह परीक्षा तबहिं त्रिपुरारी॥

Sahas kamal mein ho rahe dhariKeenh pariksha tabahin Tripurari

When a thousand lotuses were being offered to you, you, Tripurari, put the devotee to the test.

एक कमल प्रभु राखेउ जोई।कमल नयन पूजन चहं सोई॥

Ek kamal prabhu rakheu joiKamal nayan pujan chahan soi

You hid one of the lotuses, Lord, and the lotus-eyed Vishnu offered his own eye in its place.

कठिन भक्ति देखी प्रभु शंकर।भये प्रसन्न दिए इच्छित वर॥

Kathin bhakti dekhi prabhu ShankarBhaye prasann die ichchhit var

Seeing such steadfast devotion, Lord Shankar was pleased and granted the boon he wished for.

जय जय जय अनंत अविनाशी।करत कृपा सबके घट वासी॥

Jai jai jai anant avinashiKarat kripa sabke ghat vasi

Glory, glory to the infinite and imperishable one, who dwells in every heart and is kind to all.

दुष्ट सकल नित मोहि सतावैं।भ्रमत रहौं मोहे चैन न आवैं॥

Dusht sakal nit mohi satavainBhramat rahaun mohe chain na avain

All kinds of wicked forces trouble me every day; I wander in confusion and find no peace.

त्राहि त्राहि मैं नाथ पुकारो।यह अवसर मोहि आन उबारो॥

Trahi trahi main nath pukaroYah avsar mohi aan ubaro

Save me, save me, Lord, I cry; come now and rescue me.

ले त्रिशूल शत्रुन को मारो।संकट से मोहिं आन उबारो॥

Le trishul shatrun ko maroSankat se mohin aan ubaro

Take up your trident, strike down my enemies and lift me out of my trouble.

मात पिता भ्राता सब कोई।संकट में पूछत नहिं कोई॥

Mat pita bhrata sab koiSankat mein puchhat nahin koi

Mother, father, brothers, everyone: in times of trouble, no one asks after me.

स्वामी एक है आस तुम्हारी।आय हरहु मम संकट भारी॥

Swami ek hai aas tumhariAay harahu mam sankat bhari

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

धन निर्धन को देत सदा ही।जो कोई जांचे सो फल पाहीं॥

Dhan nirdhan ko det sada hiJo koi janche so phal pahin

You always give wealth to the poor, and whoever asks of you receives the reward.

अस्तुति केहि विधि करों तुम्हारी।क्षमहु नाथ अब चूक हमारी॥

Astuti kehi vidhi karon tumhariKshamahu nath ab chook hamari

How can I praise you properly? Forgive my mistakes now, Lord.

शंकर हो संकट के नाशन।मंगल कारण विघ्न विनाशन॥

Shankar ho sankat ke nashanMangal karan vighna vinashan

Shankar, you destroy all trouble; you are the cause of all good and the remover of obstacles.

योगी यति मुनि ध्यान लगावैं।शारद नारद शीश नवावैं॥

Yogi yati muni dhyan lagavainSharad Narad sheesh navavain

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

नमो नमो जय नमः शिवाय।सुर ब्रह्मादिक पार न पाय॥

Namo namo jai Namah ShivaySur Brahmadik paar na pay

Salutations, salutations, glory, Om Namah Shivaya: even Brahma and the gods cannot find your limits.

जो यह पाठ करे मन लाई।ता पर होत हैं शम्भु सहाई॥

Jo yah path kare man laiTa par hot hain Shambhu sahai

Whoever reads this with a devoted mind receives Shambhu's help.

ऋनिया जो कोई हो अधिकारी।पाठ करे सो पावन हारी॥

Riniya jo koi ho adhikariPath kare so pavan hari

Even one weighed down by debt who reads it is freed and purified.

पुत्र होन की इच्छा जोई।निश्चय शिव प्रसाद तेहि होई॥

Putra hon ki ichchha joiNishchay Shiv prasad tehi hoi

One who longs for a child surely receives Shiva's blessing.

पण्डित त्रयोदशी को लावे।ध्यान पूर्वक होम करावे॥

Pandit Trayodashi ko laveDhyan purvak hom karave

On Trayodashi, invite a learned priest and have a havan performed with devotion.

त्रयोदशी व्रत करै हमेशा।तन नहिं ताके रहै कलेशा॥

Trayodashi vrat karai hameshaTan nahin take rahai kalesha

Whoever always keeps the Trayodashi fast is free of bodily suffering.

धूप दीप नैवेद्य चढ़ावे।शंकर सम्मुख पाठ सुनावे॥

Dhoop deep naivedya chadhaveShankar sammukh path sunave

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

जन्म जन्म के पाप नसावे।अन्त धाम शिवपुर में पावे॥

Janm janm ke pap nasaveAnt dham Shivpur mein pave

The sins of many lives are destroyed, and at the end one reaches Shiva's abode.

कहैं अयोध्यादास आस तुम्हारी।जानि सकल दुख हरहु हमारी॥

Kahain Ayodhyadas aas tumhariJani sakal dukh harahu hamari

Ayodhyadas says: you are my hope; you know all my sorrows, so take them away.

नित नेम उठि प्रातःही पाठ करो चालीस।तुम मेरी मनकामना पूर्ण करो जगदीश॥

Nit nem uthi pratah hi path karo chalisTum meri mankamana purna karo Jagdish

Rise each morning and read these forty verses as a daily practice. Lord of the world, fulfil my heart's wishes.