Maha Kali Chalisa

MahaKali Chalisa

जयति महाकाली जयति,
आद्य काली मात।
जै कराल वदने जयति,
जगत मातु विख्यात ॥

JAYATI MAHAAKAALII JAYATI,
AADYA KAALII MAATA
JAI KARAALA VADANE JAYATI,
JAGATA MAATU VIKHYAATA

Victory to you, O Mahakali! Victory to you, O primordial source of all beings! Victory to you, O formidable-looking goddess, who are renowned as the mother of the world!

जै जै रूप प्रचण्डिका,
महाकालिका देवि।
जयति जयति शिव-चन्द्रिका,
सुर नर मुनिजन सेवि॥

JAI JAI RUUPA PRACHANDIKAA,
MAHAAKAALIKAA DEVI
JAYATI JAYATI SHIVA-CHANDRIKAA,
SURA NARA MUNIJANA SEVI

Victory, all victory to you, O great goddess Mahakalika, of terrible and frightening aspect! Victory to you, O Moon on the locks of Shiva who are ever adored by gods, men, hermits and devotees.

जयति जयति रक्तासना,
रौद्रमुखी रुद्राणी।
अरि शोणित खप्पर भरणी,
खड़ग धारिणी शुचि पाणि॥

JAYATI JAYATI RAKTAASANAA,
RAUDRAMUKHI RUDRAANII
ARI SHONITA KHAPPARA BHARANII,
KHADAGA DHAARINII SHUCHI PAANI

Victory, all victory to you. O consort of Rudra; you are fearsome to look at and prefer a drink of hot blood; you are described as having a sword in your hallowed hand and as one who fills her cranial bowl with the blood of her victims.

जै जै जै मैया श्री काली।
जयति खड़ग कर खप्पर वाली॥१॥
जयति महामाया विकराला।
रुद्र-शक्ति कालहुँ को काला॥२॥

JAI JAI JAI MAIYAA SHRII KAALII
JAYATI KHADAGA KARA KHAPPARA VAALII
JAYATI MAHAAMAAYAA VIKARAALAA
RUDRA-SHAKTI KAALAHUN KO KAALAA

Glory, glory to you, O Kali, the bearer of a cranial bowl and a sword in your hands. Victory to you, O terrible Delusion, the might of Rudra and the very death of Death.

माँ मधु कैटभ के वध हेतु।
प्रगटी श्री हरि के तन से तू॥३॥
श्यामल गात मात तव सोहत ।
रवि सम छवि लखि छविपति मोहत॥४॥

MAA MADHU KAITABHA KE VADHA HETU
PRAGATI SHRII HARI KE TANA SE TUU
SHYAAMALA GAATA MAATA TAVA SOHATA
RAVI SAMA CAVI LAKHI CHAVIPATI MOHATA

O Mother, it is for the slaughter of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha that you appeared from the body of Hari. O Mother, your dark form radiant as the sun looks so splendidly winsome that the god of beauty himself cannot but succumb to its charm.

दश मुख तीस नेत्र मन भावन।
भाल बाल शशि मुकुट सुहावन॥५॥
को छवि वरणि सकै माँ तेरी।
श्याम केश जनु घटा सुघेरी॥६॥

daśa mukha tisa netra mana bhavana,
bhāla bāla sasi mukuta suhavana.
ko chavi varani sakai main teri,
syāma keśa janu ghatā sugheri.

You are ten-faced with thirty attractive eyes, the crescent moon and a lovely coronet on your head. O Divine mother; who can describe your comeliness and your dark hair like massed clouds?

उर अरि मुण्डमाल छवि छाजत।
अस्त्र शस्त्र दश हस्त विराजत॥७॥
खप्पर खड़ग त्रिशूल कुठारी।
गदा चक्र धनु शंख सुधारी॥८॥

URA ARI MUNDAMAALA CHAVI CHAAJATA
ASTRA SHASTRA DASHA HASTA VIRAAJATA
KHAPPARA KHADAGA TRISHUULA KUTHAARII
GADAA CHAKRA DHANU SHANKHA SUDHAARII

The beauty of the wreath made of your victims’ skulls looks splendid as do the weapons and missiles in all your ten hands. You carry a cranial bowl, a sword, a three-pronged trident, an axe, a club, a disc, a bow and a conch, all in their proper places.

अरि कर कटन घाँघरा राजै।
अंग-अंग शुचि भूषण साजै॥९॥
रंजित रक्त दस चरण कराला।
जिहि विशाल रूप विकराला॥१०॥

ARI KARA KATANA GHAANGARAA RAAJAI
ANGA-ANGA SHUCHI BHUUSANA SAAJAI
RANJITA RAKTA DASA CHARANA KARAALAA
JIHI VISHAALA RUUPA VIKARAALAA

The beautiful skirt made of severed arms of your enemies looks so becoming like the sacred ornaments adorning every part of your body. Your ten dread feet are all smeared with blood and your long tongue sticks out, rendering your appearance frightening.

जबहिं अट्टहास माँ करती।
काँपत थर-थर थर-थर धरती॥११॥
आदि शक्ति धनि जग धात्री।
महा प्रलय की अधिष्ठात्री॥१२॥

JABAHIN ATTAHAASA MAA KARATII
KAAMPATA THARA-THARA THARA-THARA DHARATII
AADI SHAKTI DHANI JAGA DHAATRII
MAHAA PRALAYA KII ADHISHTHAATRII

When, O Mother, you laugh aloud, the earth shivers (like one suffering from shaking chills). Blessed are you, O Primordial Energy and foster-mother of the world, you are the presiding deity of Doom (who causes universal destruction).

माँ तव चरण प्रगट श्री शंकर।
रसना बाहर वदन भयंकर॥१३॥
धनि-धनि कलकत्ते की काली।
सहसभुजी श्री शिवपुर वाली॥१४॥

MAAN TAVA PRAGATA SHRII SHANKARA
RASANAA BAAHARA VADANA BHAYANKARA
DHANI DHANI KALAKATTE KII KAALII
SAHASABHUJI SHRII SHIVAPURA VAALII

O Mother Kali! It is your divine feet that made Shiva’s appearance possible in the world; you have long protruding tongue and a frightening look. Blessed, all blessed are you O Mother Kali of Calcutta, who are thousand-armed and who have your abode in Shivapura.

तूही काली सिय दशमुख नाश्यो।
श्री रघुपति पद विजय विलास्यो॥१५॥
जग सुख शांति हेतु कल्याणा।
करी रूप धारण विधि नाना॥१६॥

TUUHII KAALII SIYA DASHAMUKHA NAASHYO
SHRII RAGHUPATI PADA VIJAYA VILAASO
JAGA SUKHA SHAANTI HETU KALYAANAA
KARIIN RUUPA DHAARANA VIDHI NAANAA

O Kali, as Sita you were instrumental in bringing about Ravana’s destruction and Raghupati’s victory which, appearing became amorous of the Lord’s feet. You assumed manifold forms for the well being peace and happiness of the world.

तू ही श्री कृष्ण रूप की काली।
चन्द्रहास मुरली कर वाली॥१७॥
चतुर्भुजी तनु अष्टभुजी धारी।
कहुँ दशभुज अष्टादशकरी॥१८॥
tū hi śri krşņa rūpa ki kali,
candrahása murali kara váli.
caturbhuji tanu aştabhuji dhārī,
kahun daśabhuja aştādaśakari.

You manifested yourself in the form of Krishna and let your sword be mysteriously transformed into a flute in his hand. Sometimes you take on the form of Vishnu with his four arms, at other times of one (Durga, for example) having eight arms, at still other one having ten or eighteen arms.

कहुँ बत्तीस चौसठ भुज धारत।
कहुँ सहस्त्र भुज करि अरि मारत॥१९॥
तू हरि शक्ति अर्द्ध निशि वाली।
तीक्ष्णदन्त रसना रिसि वाली॥२०॥

KAHUN BATIISA CHAUSATHA BHUJA DHAARATA
KAHUN SAHASRA BHUJA KARI ARI MAARATA
TUU HARI SHAKTI ARDHA VAALII
TIIKSHANADANTA RASANAA RISI VAALII

You sometimes appear with thirty-two arms, at other times with just the double this number, and at still others you multiply your arms into a thousand in order to slay your enemies. You are the very power of Hari invoked with prayer at midnight; you have long sharp fangs and a protruding tongue showing your blood-thirsty and fearsome nature.

रक्तचण्डिका खड़ग धारिणी।
रुद्र चन्द्रिका खल संहारिणी॥२१॥
श्री शतश्रृंगी आद्य काली।
काली खोह निवासिनी वाली॥२२॥

RAKTACHANDIKAA KHADAGA DHAARINII
RUDRA CHANDRIKAA KHALA SANHAARINII
SHRII SATASHRINGII AADYA KAALII
KAALII KHOHA NIVAASINI VAALII

You are furious combatant with a sword in your hand (you are usually shown on the battlefield or in a cremation ground where you sit on a corpse surrounded by jackals and goblins); you are at once soothing like the moon and fearsome like Rudra and the slayer of the wicked. You are a sublime as a hundred-peaked mountain and a primordial deity of black or dark complexion. You dwell amongst dark, untrodden caverns.

आदि मातु तूही नर शिरमाली।
तुम्हीं कंस हननी वैताली॥२३॥
तुम्ही भद्रकाली कैलाशी।
सदा खलन के रक्त की प्यासी॥२४॥

AADI MAATU TUUHII NARA SHIRAMAALII
TUMHIIN KANSA HANANII VAITAALII
TUMHIIN BHADRAKAALII KAILAASHII
SADAA KHALANA KE RAKTA MKII PYAASII

You are the original mother (of all beings) and at the same time a dread deity with human heads for your garland; you are the very slayer of Kansa and sub-doer of ghosts and goblins; you are yourself Bhadrakali, a dweller on Kailasha and one who thirsts for the blood of the wicked.

खच-खच-खच शिर कटि शत्रु कर।
भर-भर-भर शोणित खप्पर भर॥२५॥
दल-दल-दल दानव भक्षण कर।
छल-छल छल-छल रक्त खलन कर॥२६॥

KHACHA-KHACHA-KHACHA SHIRA KATI SHATRU KARA
BHARA-BHARA-BHARA SHONITA KHAPPARA BHARA
DALA-DALA-DALA DAANAVA BHAKSHANA KARA
CHALA-CHALA CHALA-CHALA RAKTA KHALANA KARA

Again and again you strike off the heads of your enemies (with your lashing sword) and fill your cranial bowl with blood (oozing from corpses). You gorge yourself on the demon host one after another and rushing on and on shed their wicked blood.

गनि-गनि-गनि अरि करहु निपाता।
धनि-धनि-धनि श्री काली माता॥२७॥
यहि अरदास दास कहँ माई।
पूरहु आस तु होउ सहाई॥२८॥

gani-gani-gani ari karahu nipātā,
dhani-dhani-dhani śrī kāli mātā.
yahi aradasa dāsa kahań mãi,
pūrahu asa tu hou sahāi.

Blessed, blessed, blessed are you, O Mother Kali, who cause your enemies to lick the dust one after another. I entreat you, O mother, to fulfil your votary’s expectations and grant him your favour.

पर्यो गाढ़ संकट अब भारी।
केहि का मैया आज पुकारी॥२९॥
चारि चोर लाग्यो मग मोही।
करन चहत रघुपति को द्रोही॥३०॥

paryo. gāRha saſkața aba bhäri,
kehi ka maiyā āja pukāri.
cāri cora lagyo maga mohi,
karana cahata raghupati ko drohi.

I am in a perilous predicament O Mother, and know not whom to call for help. I am being pursued on the rough roads of life by four robbers who are bent upon turning me against the Lord of the house of Raghu Rama.

है येही शत्रुन का भूपा।
काम क्रोध मोह लोभ सरूपा॥३१॥
इन्हीं देहुँ यदि अन्त पछारी।
तबहिं मिलहिं भगवन्त मुरारी॥३२॥
hai yehi śatruna kā bhūpā,
kama krodha moha lobha sarūpā.
inhirn dehuri yadi anta pachārī,
tabahiň milahiri bhagavanta murari.

These are my prime enemies, the sovereign lords of all the deadly evils; lust, anger, infatuation and avarice. If you overthrow them (and abandon me not to my troubles), I would be blessed with devotion to the enemy of Mura, namely, Lord Krishna.

दूजो एक अर्ज यह माता।
तोड़हु सपदि खलन के ताँता॥३३॥
जेते दुष्ट महा अपराधी।
बदकर्मी पामर बक व्याधी॥३४॥
dūjo eka arja yaha mātā,
toRahu sapadi khalana ke taňtā.
jete duşta mahā aparādhi,
badakarmi pamara baka vyādhi.

I also urge you, Mother, to put an end to the unending string of the wicked (bent on vexing me) immediately. All those wicked souls, who are confirmed sinners, evil-doers, mean and suffer from idle volubility and vain chattering:

जो नित बिनु अपराध सतावत।
धर्म कर्म शुभ हो न पावत॥३५॥
तिन्हीं मातु तू चकि जा हाली।
बचन पुत्र की होय न खाली॥३६॥

JO NITA BINU APARAADHA SATAAVATA
DHARMA KARMA SHUBHA HO NA PAAVATA
TINHIN MAATU TUU CHAKI JAA HAALII
BACHANA PUTRA KII HOYA NA KHAALII

Those who cause vexation without being provoked and who render all religious observances and propitious activities fruitless, you pick up, O Mother and slaughter them without delay; let not this prayer of your son go in vain.

पुनि बनि ऐन्द्री आवहु माता ।
अद्भुत शक्ति दिखावहु माता ॥३७॥
झटपट लेहु खलहिं संहारी।
मोरि मातु जनि करहु अबारी॥३८॥

PUNI BANI AINDRII AAVAHU MAATAA
ADBHUTA SHAKTI DIKHAAVAHU MAATAA
JHATAPATA LEHU KHALAHIN SANHAARI
MORI MAATU JANI KARAHU ABAARII

I entreat you, O Mother, to reveal yourself as the power of Indra (or as Indrani or as Durga) and display your wondrous might. Slay the villains promptly without further delay.

भरहु शान्ति सुख धन जन धामा।
अति आनन्द होई यह ग्रामा ॥३९॥
पुनि पुनि विनवहि सुन्दरदासा।
मैया पूर करहु अभिलाषा॥४०॥
bharahu sānti sukha dhana jana dhămā,
ati ananda hoi yaha grāmā.
puni puni vinavahi sundaradāsā,
maiyā pūra karahu abhilāşā.

Fill the homes of your devotees with peace, happiness and prosperity so that this countryside becomes a seat of growing exultation and felicity. Sundardasa bows to you again and again, O Mother, and supplicates you to fulfill his expectations.

दोहा
(Dohā)

महाकालिका चरित यह, इक प्रकार का मंत्र।
सर्व कामना पूरन प्रति, मनहु यन्त्र अरु तन्त्र॥
काली चालीसा पढ़, लाली चहै जु कोई।
काली अरि का नाश हो, खाली वचन न होई॥
काली हरि का तेज हैं, अरि को नाशन हार।
हरि की पूरन शक्ति हैं, करत हेतु संहार॥

MAHAAKAALIIKAA CHARITA YAHA, IKA PRAKAARA KAA MANTRA
SARVA KAAMANAA PRATI, MANAHU YANRA ARU TANRA
KAALII CHAALIISAA PADHAI, LAALII CHAHAI JU KOII
KAALII ARI KAA NAASHA HO, KHAALII VACHANA NA HOII
KAALII HARI KAA TEJA HAIN, ARI KO NAASHANA HAARA
HARI KI PUURANA SHAKTI HAIN KARATA HETU SANHAARA

This hymn to the acts of the formidable Kali is like a sacred formula capable of fulfilling every wish as if it were a magic talisman and a charm. He who wishes to attain brilliance should read this hymn to Kali; for it will ensure the destruction of all those who are hostile to Kali-promise which would never go in vain. Kali incarnates the very vital force and power of Hari with which she destroys her enemies for the well being of the world.

सोरठ
(Sorațha)

जेहि सुमिरत सब आस, लहत पूरन जग नारिनर।
गावत सुन्दरदास, पावत अति शुभ सहज फल॥
jehi sumirata saba ása, lahata pūrana jaga närinara.
gāvata sundaradāsa, pāvata ati śubha sahaja phala.

Every man and woman who seeks refuge in Mother’s protective grace and abandoning all other support, meditates on her, reaps all the auspicious rewards without any effort, so sings Sundardas