Shiv Chalisa

Shiv Chalisa (Śiva Cālīsā)

Dohā

jaya gaṇeśa girijā suvana, maṃgala mūla sujāna .
kahata ayodhyādāsa tuma, dehu abhaya varadāna ..

Glory to Lord Gaṇeśa, the Divine Son of Goddess Girijā (Mother Pārvatī), the cause of all auspiciousness and intelligence. Ayodhyādāsa (the composer of these verses) humbly requests that every one be blessed with the boon that will end all the fears.

Caupāī

jaya girijā pati dīna dayālā .
sadā karata santana pratipālā .. 1 ..

bhāla candramā sohata nīke .
kānana kuṇḍala nāgaphanī ke .. 2 ..

O Glorious Lord Śiva, consort of Mother Pārvatī You are most merciful. You always bless the poor and pious devotees. your beautiful form is adorned with the moon on your forehead and on your ears are earrings of snakes’ hood.

aṃga gaura śira gaṃga bahāye .
muṇḍamāla tana kṣāra lagāe .. 3 ..

vastra khāla bāghambara sohe .
chavi ko dekhi nāga muni mohe .. 4 ..

The holy river Ganga flows from your matted hair. Around your neck is a garland of skulls. White ash beautifies your Divine form and clothing of lion’s skin adorns your body. The serpents and sages are attracted by your splendid appearance.

Muṃḍamālā (garland of skulls) — It is believed that all the garlands around the neck of Lord Śiva are of head of Goddess Satī, the 108th birth of Goddess Satī was as the daughter of King Dakṣa Prajāpati. When Goddess Satī’s father Prajāpati insulted Lord Śiva, Goddess Satī sacrificed her life by jumping in the Havana Kuṃḍa (sacred fire pit), then the Muṃḍamālā of Lord Śiva was completed. After this, Satī was born in the form of Mata Parvati and became immortal.

mainā mātu kī have dulārī .
bāma aṃga sohata chavi nyārī .. 5 ..

kara triśūla sohata chavi bhārī .
karata sadā śatruna kṣayakārī .. 6 ..

O Lord Śiva, Mother Pārvatī, the beloved daughter of Maināvaṃtī on your left adds to your splendid appearance. You hold Triśūla (divine trident) in your hand to destroy all enemies.

nandi gaṇeśa sohai taham̐ kaise .
sāgara madhya kamala haiṃ jaise .. 7 ..

kārtika śyāma aura gaṇarāū .
yā chavi ko kahi jāta na kāū .. 8 ..

Nandi (sacred bull, gatekeeper, and vehicle of Lord Śiva) and Lord Gaṇeśa along with Lord Śiva appear as beautiful as two lotuses in the middle of an ocean. Poets and philosophers cannot describe the wonderful appearance of Lord Kārtikeya and the dark complexioned Gaṇas (attendants).

devana jabahīṃ jāya pukārā .
taba hī dukha prabhu āpa nivārā .. 9 ..

kiyā upadrava tāraka bhārī .
devana saba mili tumahiṃ juhārī .. 10 ..

O Lord Śiva, whenever the Devatās (Deities) humbly sought your assistance, You kindly and graciously uprooted all their problems. You blessed the Devatās with your generous help when the Demon Tāraka (Tārakāsura) outraged them.

Tārakāsura — A cruel Demon who performed severe austerities before marriage of Lord Śiva and had a clever boon that he could be defeated only by the son of Śiva. Tārakāsura repeatedly defeated the gods until heaven was on the verge of collapse.

turata ṣaḍānana āpa paṭhāyau .
lavanimeṣa maham̐ māri girāyau .. 11 ..

āpa jalaṃdhara asura saṃhārā .
suyaśa tumhāra vidita saṃsārā .. 12 ..

O Lord, You sent Ṣaḍānana without delay and thus destroyed the evil Tārakāsura in the blink of an eye. You also destroyed the Demon Jalaṃdhara. your renown is known throughout the world.

Kārtikeya — the six headed son of Lord Śiva and Mother Pārvatī with twelve eyes and twelve hands.

tripurāsura sana yuddha macāī .
sabahiṃ kṛpā kara līna bacāī .. 13 ..

kiyā tapahiṃ bhāgīratha bhārī .
puraba pratijñā tāsu purārī .. 14 ..

O Lord Śiva, You saved all Deities and mankind by defeating and destroying the Demons Tripurāsura. You blessed your devotee Bhāgīratha and he was able to accomplish his vow after rigorous penance.

Tripurāsura — A trio of Demon brothers, sons of Tārakāsura who began to perform severe austerities to please Lord Brahmā and granted boons by Brahmā to have three forts, due to which they were called Tripurāsura. Lord Śiva killed Tripurāsura and destroyed the three cities on the full moon day in the Kartik month and therefore the day is celebrated as Tripurari Pournima. Since then, Lord Śiva is also known as ‘Tripurari’.

dānina maham̐ tuma sama kou nāhīṃ .
sevaka stuti karata sadāhīṃ .. 15 ..

veda māhi mahimā tuma gāī .
akatha anādi bheda nahiṃ pāī .. 16 ..

O Gracious One, no one else is as generous as you, devotees always sing your glory. Even the Vedas are unable to describe your greatness.

prakaṭī udadhi maṃthana meṃ jvālā .
jarata surāsura bhae vihālā .. 17 ..

kīnhī dayā tahaṃ karī sahāī .
nīlakaṇṭha taba nāma kahāī .. 18 ..

O Lord Śiva, when the ocean was churned and the Kālakūṭa (deadly poison) emerged which began to burn both the Gods and the Demons. Out of your deep compassion for all, You drank the poison alone and saved the world from destruction. your throat turned blue due to the effect of poison, thus You are known as Nīlakaṃṭha (The one with blue throat).

Kālakūṭa — According to Purāṇas, this poison was so dangerous that even a drop was disastrous for the universe.

pūjana rāmacandra jaba kīnhā .
jīta ke laṃka vibhīṣaṇa dīnhā .. 19 ..

sahasa kamala meṃ ho rahe dhārī .
kīnha parīkṣā tabahiṃ purārī .. 20 ..

When Lord Rāma worshipped You, He became victorious over the king of Demons, Rāvaṇa. When Lord Rāma wished to worship you with one thousand lotus flowers, O Tripurari, you tested the devotion of Lord Rāma.

eka kamala prabhu rākheu joī .
kamala nayana pūjana cahaṃ soī .. 21 ..

kaṭhina bhakti dekhī prabhu śaṃkara .
bhae prasanna die icchita vara .. 22 ..

O Lord Śiva, You hid a lotus flower and kept on looking at Lord Rāma, who wished to offer his lotus-like eyes to worship you. When You observed this strong faith and devotion of Lord Rāma and you were delighted and blessed Him. You granted His heart’s desire.

jaya jaya jaya ananta avināśī .
karata kṛpā saba ke ghaṭavāsī .. 23 ..

duṣṭa sakala nita mohi satāvai .
bhramata rahauṃ mohi caina na āvai .. 24 ..

O Lord Śiva, Glory to you, you are Infinite, Immortal and All-pervading. You are graceful at all. Evil thoughts torture me and I keep on travelling aimlessly in this world of mundane existence. No relief seems to be coming my way.

trāhi trāhi maiṃ nātha pukāro .
yehi avasara mohi āna ubāro .. 25 ..

lai triśūla śatruna ko māro .
saṃkaṭa te mohi āna ubāro .. 26 ..

O Lord Śiva! Save me, protect me - thus I am calling you. I beg your help and seek your divine blessing at this very moment. Destroy my enemies (Lust, Anger, Affection, Greed, Ego) with your Triśūla. Release me from the torture of evil thoughts.

māta-pitā bhrātā saba hoī .
saṃkaṭa meṃ pūchata nahiṃ koī .. 27 ..

svāmī eka hai āsa tumhārī .
āya harahu mama saṃkaṭa bhārī .. 28 ..

O Lord Śiva, when I am in distress, neither my parents, brothers, sisters nor loved ones can relieve my suffering. I depend only on You. You are my only hope. Eliminate the cause of this tremendous torture and bless me with your compassion.

dhana nirdhana ko deta sadā hīṃ .
jo koī jāṃce so phala pāhīṃ .. 29 ..

astuti kehi vidhi karaiṃ tumhārī .
kṣamahu nātha aba cūka hamārī .. 30 ..

O Lord Śiva, You bless the down-trodden with prosperity and grant wisdom to the ignorant. Lord, due to my limited knowledge, I omitted to worship you. Please forgive me and shower your grace upon me.

śaṃkara ho saṃkaṭa ke nāśana .
maṃgala kāraṇa vighna vināśana .. 31 ..

yogī yati muni dhyāna lagāvaiṃ .
śārada nārada śīśa navāvaiṃ .. 32 ..

O Lord Śiva, You are the destroyer of all miseries. You remove the cause of all obstacles and grant your devotees eternal bliss. The saints and sages meditate upon your most beautiful form. Even celestial beings like Śāradā (Goddess Sarasvatī) and Nārada bow in reverence to You.

namo namo jaya namaḥ śivāya .
sura brahmādika pāra na pāya .. 33 ..

jo yaha pāṭha kare mana lāī .
tā para hota hai śambhu sahāī .. 34 ..

Even Brahmā and other Gods chanting five-word Mantra: “Namo Namo Jaya Namaḥ Śivāya”, prostrations to You. No one is able to describe your greatness. Whosoever recites these verses with faith and devotion receives your infinite blessings.

ṝniyāṃ jo koī ho adhikārī .
pāṭha kare so pāvana hārī .. 35 ..

putra hona kara icchā joī .
niścaya śiva prasāda tehi hoī .. 36 ..

Devotees who chant these verses with intense love become prosperous by the grace of Lord Shiva. Even the childless wishing to have children, have their desires fulfilled after partaking of Śiva-prasad with faith and devotion.

paṇḍita trayodaśī ko lāve .
dhyāna pūrvaka homa karāve .. 37 ..

trayodaśī vrata karai hameśā .
tāke tana nahīṃ rahai kaleśā .. 38 ..

On Trayodaśī one should invite a scholar Pandit and devotely make offerings to Lord Śiva. Those who fast and pray to Lord Śiva on Trayodaśī are always healthy and prosperous.

Trayodaśī — is the Sanskrit word for “thirteen”, and is the thirteenth day in the lunar fortnight of the Hindu calendar. Each month has two Thrayodashi days, being the thirteenth day of the “bright” and of the “dark” fortnights respectively.

dhūpa dīpa naivedya caढ़āve .
śaṃkara sammukha pāṭha sunāve .. 39 ..

janma janma ke pāpa nasāve .
anta dhāma śivapura meṃ pāve .. 40 ..

Whosoever offers incense, prasad and performs Aarti to Lord Śiva, with love and devotion, enjoys material happiness and spiritual bliss in this world and hereafter ascends to the abode of Lord Śiva. The poet prays that Lord Śiva removed the suffering of all and grants them eternal bliss.

kahaiṃ ayodhyādāsa āsa tumhārī .
jāni sakala duḥkha harahu hamārī .. 41 ..

Ayodhyādāsaji says that O Lord Śiva, our only hope to you is, remove our sorrows by fulfilling our wishes.

Dohā

nitta nema uṭhi prātaḥ hī, pāṭha karo cālīsā .
tuma merī manokāmanā, pūrṇa karo jagadīśa ..

magasira chaṭhi hemanta ṝtu, saṃvata causaṭha jāna .
stuti cālīsā śivahi, pūrṇa kīna kalyāṇa ..

Get up early in the morning every day and recite Śiva Cālīsā to fulfill your wishes and pray to Lord Śiva who is the Universal Lord. On the sixth date of the month of Mangsir and during the season of Hemant (pre Winter), Śiva Cālīsā was completed in praise of Lord Śiva for the welfare of the people.

Mangsir — The eighth month in the Bikram Samwat(the official Nepali calendar). This month coincides with the mid-November to mid-December of the Gregorian calendar.

Reciting this Śiva Cālīsā composed by Saint Ayodhyādāsa early in the morning every day, one can easily earn grace of Lord Śiva which brings happiness, good forture, wealth and knowledge. Lord Śiva is the owner of supernatural power, only from his grace, the person gets away from all the troubles.