Hanuman Chalisa is without a doubt one of the most popular and significant devotional poem, prayer, invocation of Hinduism during last centuries. It is dedicated to Lord Hanuman, the king of monkeys, divine half-monkey and half human, the one whose story we can read in Ramayana and a few other Hinduist scriptures. Hanuman appears there as the best and most trusted servant of god, who could overpower his lower animal’s nature and become a perfect and inspiring example of discipleship. He has incredible power to jump over the sea from continental India to Shri Lanka, earn trust of divine Mother Sita and win most part of god’s enemies who had stolen Sita and were fighting against Lord Rama.
For this reason, devotees usually pray and sing hymns like Hanuman Chalisa in glory of Hanuman, seeking for strength, both physical and spiritual, to overcome all difficulties , endurance, help and assistance in life’s hardships and sicknesses, especially those caused by evil spirits, and of course – most of all – for a strength in devotion to god. And of course – if you just love Hanuman, you are doing it out of love and not some really particular reason. I have been doing it every evening for many years too, so I couldn’t just leave Hanuman Chalisa aside. Probably, I can’t pretend to any novelty here, but I believe those who know this hymn will be glad to read and sing along it again and again, but those who doesn’t know yet, will have a chance to read and sing it too and do their conclusions later.
“Hanuman Chalisa” literary means: “Hymn to Hanuman in 40 verses”. “Chalisa” is an old genre in Indian poetics, which means “Forty” or “Forty Verses”. There use to be other Chalisas as well, but this particularly is known as “Hanuman Chalisa” by Tulsidas. It is considered that this hymn is written by Indian saint and poet Goswami Tulsidas, who was living in 16th century (1532- 1623) .
The full lyrics of Hanuman Chalisa with English translation you can read below. (Scroll down for video).
śrīguru carana saroja raja nija manu mukuru sudhāri ।
varanaum̐ raghubara vimala jasu jo dāyaku phala cāri ॥
buddhihīna tanu jānike sumirauṃ pavana-kumāra ।
bala budhi vidyā dehu mohiṃ harahu kalesa vikāra ॥
May the pollen-dust of venerable Guru's lotus feet
Burnish the mirror of my mind with purification.
Benefactor of the four aims of life's fruits
I narrate Śrī Raghuvir's stainless reputation.
Though steeped in ignorance and weak in body
I endeavour to keep Pavana’s Son in remembrance.
Lend to me strength of wisdom beyond delusion
Annihilate my defects and abolish this sufferance.
jaya hanumāna jñāna guna sāgara ।
jaya kapīsa tihum̐ loka ujāgara ॥1॥
1. Hail Hanuman! Verily an ocean of wisdom, hail to Thee!
Hail Kapis! You illuminate all the realms three.
rāma dūta atulita bala dhāmā ।
añjani-putra pavanasuta nāmā ॥2॥
2. Abode of matchless strength, messenger of Ram,
Born of Anjani and called the Son of Pavan.
mahāvīra vikrama bajaraṅgī ।
kumati nivāra sumati ke saṅgī ॥3॥
3. Greatest among warriors, almighty and indestructible
You dispel all evil thoughts and befriend the noble.
kañcana varana virāja suvesā ।
kānana kuṇḍala kuñcita kesā ॥4॥
4. Your countenance beams golden and elegantly,
Your locks curl and earrings shine brilliantly.
hātha bajra au dhvajā virājai ।
kām̐dhe mūm̐ja janeu sājai ॥5॥
5. Your hands the thunderbolt and banner adorn,
Shoulder the sacred thread of the twice-born.
śaṅkara suvana kesarīnandana ।
teja pratāpa mahā jaga vandana ॥6॥
6. Emanation of Lord Shiva, and Kesari's son,
You are adorned by the whole universe, glorious one.
vidyāvāna gunī ati cātura ।
rāma kāja karive ko ātura ॥7॥
7. Epitome of brilliance and exceedingly skilful,
You are Rāma's instrument, always keen and helpful.
prabhu caritra sunive ko rasyā ।
rāma lakhana sītā mana basiyā ॥8॥
8. Hearing Your Lord's stories with greatest of relish,
Rāma, Lakshman and Sītā in Your heart You cherish.
sūkṣma rūpa dhari siyahiṃ dikhāvā ।
vikaṭa rūpa dhari laṅka jarāvā ॥9॥
9. You made Yourself small in order to meet Sita,
Assuming a colossal form You burned up Lanka.
bhīma rūpa dhari asura sam̐hāre ।
rāmacandra ke kāja sam̐vāre ॥10॥
10. You adopt herculean forms to annihilate demons,
Ceaselessly engaged in Ramchandra's occupations.
lāya sañjīvana lakhana jiyāye ।
śrīraghuvīra haraṣi ura lāye ॥11॥
11. You revived Lakshman by bringing Sañjīvaṇi,
Therefore, Sri Raghuvir embraced You so heartily.
raghupati kīhnī bahuta baḍa़āī ।
tuma mama priya bharatahi sama bhāī ॥12॥
12. Raghupati Himself gives You praise above all other,
He cherishes you just like His very own brother.
sahasa badana tuhmāro jasa gāvaiṃ ।
asa kahi śrīpati kaṇṭha lagāvaiṃ ॥13॥
13. The thousand-headed singer can't suggest Your charms,
It is said, Śrīpati Himself folded you in His arms
sankādika brahmādi munīsā ।
nārada sārada sahita ahīsā ॥14॥
14. The four sons of Brahma, Brahma Himself and Munisha,
All together with Nārada, Śāradā and Ahisa
jama kubera digapāla jahām̐ te ।
kavi kovida kahi sake kahām̐ te ॥15॥
15. Yama, Kubera, and the ten Lords of Direction,
Poets and scholars all fall short in veneration.
tuma upakāra sugrīvahiṃ kīhnā ।
rāma milāya rāja pada dīhnā ॥16॥
16. Bali's brother Sugrīva, due to Your helping hand,
Came near to Ram and regained the royal land.
tuhmaro mantra vibhīṣana mānā ।
laṅkesvara bhae saba jaga jānā ॥17॥
17. You imparted to Vibhīṣaṇa Your momentous word,
And the world came to know him as Lanka's new Lord.
juga sahasra jojana para bhānu ।
līlyo tāhi madhura phala jānū ॥18॥
18. Beyond two thousand yojans the sun is immeasurable,
Yet, you swallowed it just like a fruit is edible.
prabhu mudrikā meli mukha māhīṃ ।
jaladhi lām̐ghi gaye acaraja nāhīṃ ॥19॥
19. To deliver His message, in Your mouth hid Rāma's ring,
No wonder crossing the ocean was a small undertaking.
durgama kāja jagata ke jete ।
sugama anugraha tuhmare tete ॥20॥
20. You encounter the most difficult tasks every place,
All work becomes effortless due to Your divine grace.
rāma duāre tuma rakhavāre ।
hota na ājñā binu paisāre ॥21॥
21. Ever at the door of Ram, you are the gate keeper,
Without Your sanction, so soul can enter.
saba sukha lahai tuhmārī saranā ।
tuma racchaka kāhū ko ḍara nā ॥22॥
22. Within Your shelter, infinite joy is established,
For one in your protection all fear is abolished.
āpana teja sahmāro āpai ।
tīnoṃ loka hām̐ka teṃ kām̐pai ॥23॥
23. Merely due to your most extraordinary presence,
All the three worlds begin to tremble in resonance.
bhūta pisāca nikaṭa nahiṃ āvai ।
mahāvīra jaba nāma sunāvai ॥24॥
24. All the hosts of demons are afraid to come near,
When Your omnipotent name is sung for all to hear.
nāsai roga harai saba pīrā ।
japata nirantara hanumata bīrā ॥25॥
25. All suffering, disease, agony is kept at bay,
By repetition of Your name, Hanuman, ki jay!
saṅkaṭa teṃ hanumāna chuḍa़āvai ।
mana krama bacana dhyāna jo lāvai ॥26॥
26. Hanumanji, you remove all distress and tribulation,
For whosoever keeps you in word, deed and contemplation.
saba para rāma tapasvī rājā ।
tina ke kāja sakala tuma sājā ॥27॥
27. King of all kings, Ram is the ascetic king;
It is You who is always ceaselessly serving.
aura manoratha jo koī lāvai ।
soī amita jīvana phala pāvai ॥28॥
28. When all the wishes of a soul are surrendered,
You fulfil them and precious fruits are rendered.
cāroṃ juga paratāpa tuhmārā ।
hai parasiddha jagata ujiyārā ॥29॥
29. In all the four ages, You are the magnificence,
Lord, perfected one, the world's luminescence.
sādhu santa ke tuma rakhavāre ।
asura nikandana rāma dulāre ॥30॥
30. You are the saviour of the saints and holy ones,
Most beloved of Ram, annihilator of demons
aṣṭasiddhi nau nidhi ke dātā ।
asa bara dīna jānakī mātā ॥31॥
31. Benefactor of eight arts and nine-fold treasure,
As Janaki Ma confers boons beyond measure.
rāma rasāyana tuhmare pāsā ।
sadā raho raghupati ke dāsā ॥32॥
32. You are the relisher of Rāma, abiding in His grace,
Tirelessly engaged in Ragupati's loyal service.
tuhmare bhajana rāma ko pāvai ।
janama janama ke dukha visarāvai ॥33॥
33. Because you offer to Ram all your hymns of reverie,
Lifetimes of distress are erased from memory.
anta kāla raghubara pura jāī ।
jahām̐ janma haribhakta kahāī ॥34॥
34. Your devotee attains Rāma's abode at the time of death,
There, it is said, they surely will attain rebirth.
aura devatā citta na dharaī ।
hanumata sei sarva sukha karaī ॥35॥
35. No other God need be cherished in consciousness,
Hanuman's veneration grants complete joy and happiness.
saṅkaṭa kaṭai miṭai saba pīrā ।
jo sumirai hanumata balabīrā ॥36॥
36. Destruction is sure for all torment and hindrance,
For those who keep valiant Hanuman in remembrance.
jaya jaya jaya hanumāna gosāīṃ ।
kṛpā karahu gurudeva kī nāīṃ ॥37॥
37. Hanuman, master of senses, victory, victory, victory!
Lo, Guru Deva, bestow Thy blessed grace upon me.
jo sata bāra pāṭha kara koī ।
chūṭahi bandi mahā sukha hoī ॥38॥
38. Whosoever 100 times performs this recitation,
Is granted great happiness and final liberation.
jo yaha paḍha़ai hanumāna cālīsā ।
hoya siddhi sākhī gaurīsā ॥39॥
39. Whosoever reads these heroic couplets of Hanumanji,
With Shiva as witness, will attain all siddhi.
tulasīdāsa sadā hari cerā ।
kījai nātha hṛdaya maham̐ ḍerā ॥40॥
40. Tulsidas is ever engaged as Lord Ram's servant,
I entreat you also to ever be my heart's resident.
pavanatanaya saṅkaṭa harana maṅgala mūrati rūpa ।
rāma lakhana sītā sahita hṛdaya basahu sura bhūpa ॥
Son of Pavan, merciful One, our salutations to Your blessed manifestation,
May Ram, Lakshman and Sita remain my heart's Lordships for all duration!