Tulsi Chalisa

जय जय तुलसी भगवती, सत्यवती सुखदानी।

Glory, glory to Devi Tulsi, the truthful one who bestows happiness.

नमो नमो हरि प्रेयसी, श्री वृन्दा गुन खानी॥

I bow again and again to the beloved of Hari, Shri Vrinda, the mine of virtues.

श्री हरि शीश बिरजिनी, देहु अमर वर अम्ब।

O Mother who resides on the head of Hari, grant me the boon of immortality.

जनहित हे वृन्दावनी, अब न करहु विलम्ब॥

For the welfare of the people, O Vrindavani, do not delay any longer.

धन्य धन्य श्री तुलसी माता।
महिमा अगम सदा श्रुति गाता॥

Blessed, blessed are you, Mother Tulsi; the Vedas constantly sing of your unfathomable glory.

हरि के प्राणहु से तुम प्यारी।
हरीहीँ हेतु कीन्हो तप भारी॥

You are dearer to Hari than his own life, and for his sake you performed severe penance.

जब प्रसन्न है दर्शन दीन्ह्यो।
तब कर जोरी विनय उस कीन्ह्यो॥

When he was pleased and revealed himself to you, you folded your hands and made a request.

हे भगवन्त कन्त मम होहू।
दीन जानी जनि छाडाहू छोहु॥

"O Hari, become my husband; knowing me to be humble, do not forsake your affection."

सुनी लक्ष्मी तुलसी की बानी।
दीन्हो श्राप कध पर आनी॥

Hearing these words of Tulsi, Devi Lakshmi became angry and laid a curse upon her.

उस अयोग्य वर मांगन हारी।
होहू विटप तुम जड़ तनु धारी॥

"O you who ask for an unworthy boon, become a tree with a lifeless body."

सुनी तुलसी हीँ श्रप्यो तेहिं ठामा।
करहु वास तुहू नीचन धामा॥

Hearing this, Tulsi cursed her right back on the spot: "May you dwell in a lowly abode."

दियो वचन हरि तब तत्काला।
सुनहु सुमुखी जनि होहू बिहाला॥

Hari then immediately gave his word: "Listen, beautiful one, do not be distressed.

समय पाई व्हौ रौ पाती तोरा।
पुजिहौ आस वचन सत मोरा॥

When the time comes I will become your husband; my true word will fulfil your hope."

तब गोकुल मह गोप सुदामा।
तासु भई तुलसी तू बामा॥

Then in Gokul there was a cowherd named Sudama, and you, Tulsi, became his wife.

कृष्ण रास लीला के माही।
राधे शक्यो प्रेम लखी नाही॥

During Krishna's Ras Leela, Radha could not bear to see your mutual love.

दियो श्राप तुलसिह तत्काला।
नर लोकही तुम जन्महु बाला॥

She immediately cursed Tulsi: "You shall be born as a girl in the mortal world."

यो गोप वह दानव राजा।
शङ्ख चुड नामक शिर ताजा॥

That cowherd became a asura king, wearing the crown under the name Shankhachuda.

तुलसी भई तासु की नारी।
परम सती गुण रूप अगारी॥

Tulsi became his wife, a supreme paragon of chastity, virtue, and beauty.

अस द्वै कल्प बीत जब गयऊ।
कल्प तृतीय जन्म तब भयऊ॥

When two cosmic ages had thus passed, her third birth took place in the third age.

वृन्दा नाम भयो तुलसी को।
असुर जलन्धर नाम पति को॥

Tulsi was given the name Vrinda, and her asura husband was named Jalandhar.

करि अति द्वन्द अतुल बलधामा।
लीन्हा शङ्कर से सङ्ग्रामा॥

Possessing incomparable strength, he waged a fierce conflict and went to war with Shiv ji.

जब निज सैन्य सहित शिव हारे।
मरण हेतु हरि पास पुकारे॥

When Shiva and his army were defeated, he called out to Hari to save him from death.

पतिव्रता वृन्दा थी नारी।
कोऊ न सके पतिहि संहारी॥

Because Vrinda was a fiercely chaste wife, no one was able to kill her husband.

तब जलन्धर ही भेष बनाई।
वृन्दा ढिग हरि पहुच्यो जाई॥

Then, taking the disguise of Jalandhar himself, Hari approached Vrinda.

शिव हित लही करि कपट प्रसंगा।
कियो सतीत्व धर्म तोही भंगा॥

For the sake of Shiva he engaged in this deceitful act and broke your sankalp of chastity.

भयो जलन्धर कर संहारा।
सुनी उर शोक उपारा॥

Jalandhar was then destroyed, and hearing this, boundless grief arose in her heart.

तिही क्षण दियो कपट हरि टारी।
लखी वृन्दा दुःख गिरा उचारी॥

At that moment Hari dropped his disguise, and seeing him, Vrinda spoke words of sorrow.

जलन्धर जस हत्यो अभीता।
सोई रावन तस हरिही सीता॥

"Just as you have fearlessly killed Jalandhar, so will Ravana steal your Sita.

अस प्रस्तर सम हृदय तुम्हारा।
धर्म खण्डी मम पतिहि संहारा॥

Your heart is as hard as stone, for you broke my dharma and killed my husband.

यही कारण लही श्राप हमारा।
होवे तनु पाषाण तुम्हारा॥

For this reason, receive my curse: may your body turn to stone."

सूनि हरि तुरताही वचन उचारे।
दियो श्राप बिना विचारे॥

Hearing this, Hari immediately replied: "You have given this curse without thinking.

लख्यो न निज करतूती पति को।
छलन चह्यो जब पारवती को॥

You did not see the misdeeds of your husband, who wanted to deceive Parvati.

जड़मति तुहु अस हो जड़रूपा।
जग मह तुलसी विटप अनूपा॥

O foolish one, you shall become a lifeless form, an unparalleled Tulsi tree in the world."

धग्व रूप हम शालिग्रामा।
नदी गण्डकी बीच ललामा॥

"I will take the beautiful form of the Shaligram stone in the midst of the Gandaki river.

जो तुलसी दल हमही चढ़ इहैं।
सब सुख भोगी परम पद पईहै॥

Whoever offers Tulsi leaves to me will enjoy all comforts and attain the supreme state."

बिनु तुलसी हरि जलत शरीरा।
अतिशय उठत शीश उर पीरा॥

Without Tulsi, Hari's body burns and a great pain arises in his head and heart.

जो तुलसी दल हरि शिर धारत।
सो सहस्र घट अमृत डारत॥

Whoever places a Tulsi leaf on Hari's head pours a thousand pitchers of nectar over him.

तुलसी हरि मन रञ्जनी हारी।
रोग दोष दुःख भंजनी हारी॥

Tulsi delights the mind of Hari and destroys all diseases, faults, and sorrows.

प्रेम सहित हरि भजन निरन्तर।
तुलसी राधा में नाही अन्तर॥

For one who constantly offers puja to Hari with love, there is no difference between Tulsi and Radha.

व्यन्जन हो छप्पनहु प्रकारा।
बिनु तुलसी दल न हरीहि प्यारा॥

Even if there are fifty-six types of dishes, they are not dear to Hari without a Tulsi leaf.

सकल तीर्थ तुलसी तरु छाही।
लहत मुक्ति जन संशय नाही॥

All the holy pilgrimage sites reside in the shade of the Tulsi tree, and people undoubtedly attain liberation there.

कवि सुन्दर इक हरि गुण गावत।
तुलसिहि निकट सहसगुण पावत॥

The poet Sundar sings the praises of Hari and obtains a thousandfold merit near the Tulsi plant.

बसत निकट दुर्बासा धामा।
जो प्रयास ते पूर्व ललामा॥

He resides near the abode of Durvasa, which is a beautiful place east of Prayag.

पाठ करहि जो नित नर नारी।
होही सुख भाषहि त्रिपुरारी॥

Shiv ji says that the men and women who recite this daily will become happy.

तुलसी चालीसा पढ़ही, तुलसी तरु ग्रह धारी।

Whoever reads the Tulsi Chalisa while keeping a Tulsi plant in their home will be blessed.

दीपदान करि पुत्र फल, पावही बन्ध्यहु नारी॥

By offering a diya, even a barren woman will obtain the fruit of a son.

सकल दुःख दरिद्र हरि, हार ह्वै परम प्रसन्न।

Hari removes all their sorrows and poverty, and becomes supremely pleased.

आशिय धन जन लड़हि, ग्रह बसही पूर्णा अत्र॥

They will be blessed with wealth and family, and their home will be filled with abundance.

लाही अभिमत फल जगत, मह लाही पूर्ण सब काम।

They will obtain their desired fruits in this world, and all their tasks will be completed.

जेई दल अर्पही तुलसी तंह, सहस बसही हरीराम॥

Wherever one offers Tulsi leaves, Hari Ram resides there a thousand times over.

तुलसी महिमा नाम लख, तुलसी सूत सुखराम।

Seeing the glory of Tulsi's name, Sukhram, the son of Tulsi, composed this.

मानस चालीस रच्यो, जग महं तुलसीदास॥

Just as Tulsidas composed the Ramcharitmanas, this Chalisa was created for the world.