Saraswati Chalisa IAST

janaka janani pada kamala raja, nija mastaka para dhāri. bandauṁ mātu sarasvatī, buddhi bala de dātāri.

Placing the dust of my parents' lotus feet upon my head, I bow to Mother Saraswati, the bestower of intellect and strength.

pūrṇa jagata meṁ vyāpta tava, mahimā amita anaṁtu. rāmasāgara ke pāpa ko, mātu tuhī aba hantu.

Your infinite and immeasurable glory pervades the entire universe; O Mother, destroy now the sins of your humble servant Ramsagar.

jaya śrī sakala buddhi balarāsī. jaya sarvajña amara avināsī.

Glory to you, the auspicious treasury of all wisdom and strength; glory to the all-knowing, immortal, and imperishable Mother.

jaya jaya jaya vīṇākara dhārī. karatī sadā suhaṁsa savārī.

All glories to the Devi who holds the veena in her hands and always rides upon a graceful white swan.

rūpa caturbhujadhārī mātā. sakala viśva andara vikhyātā.

O Mother of four-armed form, you are renowned throughout the entire universe.

jaga meṁ pāpa buddhi jaba hotī. jabahi dharma kī phīkī jyotī.

Whenever sinful inclinations arise across the world and the light of righteousness grows faint,

tabahi mātu le nija avatārā. pāpa hīna karatī mahi tārā.

Then, O Mother, you manifest your incarnation and liberate the earth by cleansing it of sins.

bālmīki jī the bahama jñānī. tava prasāda jānai saṁsārā.

Through your divine grace alone, the entire world came to know sage Valmiki as an enlightened seer.

rāmāyaṇa jo race banāī. ādi kavī kī padavī pāī.

He composed the epic Ramayana and rightfully attained the celebrated title of the first poet.

kālidāsa jo bhaye vikhyātā. terī kr̥pā dr̥ṣṭi se mātā.

The great poet Kalidasa attained renown solely through the compassionate glance of your grace, O Mother.

tulasī sūra ādi viddhānā. bhaye aura jo jñānī nānā.

Tulsidas, Surdas, and numerous other learned masters attained supreme wisdom by your benevolence.

tinhahiṁ na aura raheu avalambā. kevala kr̥pā āpakī ambā.

They had no other refuge or support in the world except your divine grace, O Mother Amba.

karahu kr̥pā soi mātu bhavānī. dukhita dīna nija dāsahi jānī.

Bestow that very same compassionate grace, Mother Bhavani, recognizing this afflicted and humble soul as your servant.

putra karai aparādha bahūtā. tehi na dharai cita sundara mātā.

A child may commit many errors and faults, yet a gracious mother never holds them against him in her heart.

rākhu lāja jananī aba merī. vinaya karūṁ bahu bhām̐ti ghanerī.

Protect my honour now, O Mother, as I offer abundant humble prayers unto you in diverse ways.

maiṁ anātha terī avalaṁbā. kr̥pā karau jaya jaya jagadaṁbā.

I am destitute and dependent upon you alone; shower your mercy, all victory to the Mother of the Universe.

madhukaiṭabha jo ati balavānā. bāhuyuddha viṣṇū te ṭhānā.

The immensely mighty asuras Madhu and Kaitabha waged a fierce hand-to-hand duel against Vishnu ji.

samara hajāra pāṁca meṁ ghorā. phira bhī mukha unase nahiṁ morā.

The terrible battle raged for five thousand years, yet Vishnu did not turn his face away from them.

mātu sahāya bhaī tehi kālā. buddhi viparīta karī khalahālā.

At that critical moment, O Mother, you came to his aid by confusing and misdirecting the intellect of those evil asuras.

tehi te mr̥tyu bhaī khala kerī. puravahu mātu manoratha merī.

Consequently, the demise of those wicked beings was brought about; O Mother, please fulfil my heartfelt yearning.

caṁḍa muṇḍa jo the vikhyātā. chaṇa mahuṁ saṁhāreu tehi mātā.

The notoriously fierce asuras Chanda and Munda were annihilated by you in an instant, O Mother.

raktabīja se samaratha pāpī. sura-muni hr̥daya dharā saba kāṁpī.

Before the formidable sinner Raktabija, the hearts of gods, ascetics, and the whole earth trembled in terror.

kāṭeu sira jima kadalī khambā. bāra bāra binavauṁ jagadaṁbā.

You severed his heads effortlessly as though felling banana stems; again and again I bow in prayer to you, Jagadamba.

jaga prasiddha jo śuṁbha niśuṁbhā. china meṁ badhe tāhi tū ambā.

The world-famous asura brothers Shumbha and Nishumbha were slain by you in a mere moment, O Amba.

bharata-mātu budhi phereu jāī. rāmacandra banavāsa karāī.

You went and influenced the mind of Bharata's mother Kaikeyi, thereby causing the forest exile of Ram ji.

ehi vidhi rāvana vadha tuma kīnhā. sura nara muni saba kahuṁ sukha dīnhā.

In this manner you facilitated the destruction of Ravana and conferred delight and relief upon gods, humans, and sages.

ko samaratha tava yaśa guna gānā. nigama anādi anaṁta bakhānā.

Who has the capacity to fully praise your glorious virtues when the eternal and beginningless Vedas celebrate them endlessly?

viṣṇu rūdra aja sakahiṁ na mārī. jinakī ho tuma rakṣākārī.

Even Vishnu, Rudra, or Brahma cannot slay anyone to whom you grant your divine protection.

rakta dantikā aura śatākṣī. nāma apāra hai dānava bhakṣī.

You are celebrated as Raktadantika and Shatakshi, possessing countless names as the consumer of demonic forces.

durgama kāja dharā para kīnhā. durgā nāma sakala jaga līnhā.

Because you accomplished impossible tasks upon the earth, the entire world took up and praised your holy name Durga.

durga ādi haranī tū mātā. kr̥pā karahu jaba jaba sukhadātā.

O Mother who dispels all distress, misfortunes, and fear, bestow your benevolence whenever you grant joy to your own.

nr̥pa kopita jo mārana cāhai. kānana meṁ ghere mr̥ga nāhai.

Even if an enraged ruler seeks one's destruction, or savage beasts surround a person in the dense forest,

sāgara madhya pota ke bhaṁge. ati tūphāna nahiṁ koū saṁge.

Or if one's ship shatters in the midst of the deep ocean and no companion remains amidst a fierce storm,

bhūta preta bādhā yā duḥkha meṁ. ho daridra athavā saṁkaṭa meṁ.

Or during troubles from evil spirits, severe sorrow, extreme poverty, or dire calamities,

nāma jape maṁgala saba hoī. saṁśaya isameṁ karai na koī.

All manner of auspiciousness ensues simply by reciting your holy name; let no one doubt this truth.

putrahīna jo ātura bhāī. sabai chāṁḍi pūjeṁ ehi māī.

Anyone who is childless and deeply distressed should set aside all other anxieties and devotedly offer puja to this Divine Mother.

karai pāṭha nita yaha cālīsā. hoya putra sundara guṇa īsā.

Whoever recites this Chalisa daily is blessed with a handsome and virtuous child possessing noble qualities.

dhūpādika naivedya caḍhāvai. saṁkaṭa rahita avaśya ho jāvai.

Whoever devoutly offers incense and sacred food offerings surely becomes freed from all crises.

bhakti mātu kī karai hameśā. nikaṭa na āvai tāhi kaleśā.

Whoever continuously maintains loving devotion to the Mother is never approached by afflictions or torment.

baṁdī pāṭha kareṁ śata bārā. baṁdī pāśa dūra ho sārā.

If a captive recites this prayer a hundred times, all fetters of bondage and confinement fall completely away.

karahu kr̥pā bhavamukti bhavānī. mo kahaṁ dāsa sadā nija jānī.

O Bhavani, grant your saving grace for final liberation from worldly rebirth, ever regarding me as your devoted servant.

rāmasāgara bām̐dhi hetu bhavānī. kījai kr̥pā dāsa nija jānī.

For untying the worldly bonds of Ramsagar, O Bhavani, bestow your compassionate grace, knowing him as your own servant.

mātā sūraja kānti tava, aṁdhakāra mama rūpa. ḍūbana te rakṣā karahu, parūṁ na maiṁ bhava-kūpa.

O Mother, your radiant splendour is like the luminous sun while my existence is enveloped in darkness; save me from drowning so that I never fall into the deep well of worldly illusion.

bala buddhi vidyā dehuṁ mohi, sunahu sarasvati mātu. adhama rāmasāgarahiṁ tuma, āśraya deu punātu.

Heed my plea, Mother Saraswati, and grant me strength, intellect, and sacred learning, offering purifying shelter to the fallen Ramsagar.