- Doha 1
जय जय सीताराम के, मध्यवासिनी अम्ब।
देहु दर्श जगदम्ब अब, करो न मातु विलम्ब॥
Jay jay sitaram ke, madhyavasini amba.
Dehu darsha jagdamba ab, karo na matu vilamba ||
Victory, victory to you, Mother Amba, who dwell in the midst of Sita and Ram. O Mother of the world, show yourself to me now; Mother, do not delay.
- Doha 2
जय तारा जय कालिका, जय दश विद्या वृन्द।
काली चालीसा रचत, एक सिद्धि कवि हिन्द॥
Jay tara jay kalika, jay dash vidya vrinda.
Kali chalisa rachat, ek siddhi kavi hinda ||
Victory to Tara, victory to Kalika, victory to the company of the ten Mahavidyas. A ‘Siddhi Kavi’ of Hind (India) composes this Kali Chalisa. (Whether ‘Siddhi Kavi’ is the poet’s name or a description is not clear.)
- Doha 3
प्रातः काल उठ जो पढ़े, दुपहरिया या शाम।
दुःख दरिद्रता दूर हों, सिद्धि होय सब काम॥
Pratah kal uth jo padhe, dupahriya ya sham.
Duhkh daridrata door hon, siddhi hoy sab kaam ||
The Chalisa says: whoever reads it on rising in the morning, at noon or in the evening sees sorrow and poverty go, and all their work succeeds.
- Chaupai 1
जय काली कंकाल मालिनी।
जय मंगला महा कपालिनी॥
Jay kali kankal malini.
Jay mangala maha kapalini ||
Victory to Kali, who wears a garland of bones. Victory to Mangala, the auspicious one, the great bearer of skulls (Mahakapalini).
- Chaupai 2
रक्तबीज बधकारिणि माता।
सदा भक्त जनन की सुखदाता॥
Raktabij badhkarini mata.
Sada bhakta janan ki sukhdata ||
Mother, you slew Raktabija; you ever give joy to your devotees. (Raktabija’s story is in chapter 8 of the Durga Saptashati.)
- Chaupai 3
शिरो मालिका भूषित अंगे।
जय काली जय मद्य मतंगे॥
Shiro malika bhooshit ange.
Jay kali jay madya matange ||
Your limbs are adorned with a garland of heads. Victory to Kali; victory to ‘madya matange’ (literally, the one intoxicated). (The exact sense of these two words is not clear; other printed books read ‘madhu madya tarange’ and ‘madhu madhya matange’.)
- Chaupai 4
हर हृदयारविन्द सुविलासिनि।
जय जगदम्बा सकल दुःख नाशिनि॥
Har hridyarvinda suvilasini.
Jay jagdamba sakal duhkh nashini ||
You dwell gracefully in the lotus of Hara’s (Shiva’s) heart. Victory to you, Mother of the world, destroyer of all sorrow.
- Chaupai 5
ह्रीं काली श्रीं महाकराली।
क्रीं कल्याणी दक्षिणाकाली॥
Hrin kali shrin mahakrali.
Krin kalyani dakshinakali ||
‘Hrim’ Kali, ‘Shrim’ Mahakarali (the most fearsome), ‘Krim’ Kalyani, the gracious Dakshina Kali. (Hrim, Shrim and Krim are seed syllables.)
- Chaupai 6
जय कलावती जय विद्यावती।
जय तारा सुन्दरी महामति॥
Jay kalavti jay vidyavti.
Jay tara sundari mahamti ||
Victory to you, mistress of the arts; victory to you, mistress of learning. Victory to Tara, to Sundari, to the one of great wisdom.
- Chaupai 7
देहु सुबुद्धि हरहु सब संकट।
होहु भक्त के आगे परगट॥
Dehu subuddhi harhu sab sankat.
Hohu bhakta ke aage pargat ||
Give me right understanding and take away every trouble; appear before your devotee.
- Chaupai 8
जय ॐकारे जय हुंकारे।
महा शक्ति जय अपरम्पारे॥
Jay omkare jay hunkare.
Maha shakti jay aprampare ||
Victory to you whose form is Om, victory to you of the mighty roar (hunkara). Victory to the boundless great Power.
- Chaupai 9
कमला कलियुग दर्प विनाशिनी।
सदा भक्त जन के भयनाशिनी॥
Kamla kaliyug darpa vinashini.
Sada bhakta jan ke bhaynashini ||
You are Kamala (Lakshmi), who crushes the pride of the Kali age; you ever remove the fears of your devotees.
- Chaupai 10
अब जगदम्ब न देर लगावहु।
दुख दरिद्रता मोर हटावहु॥
Ab jagdamba na der lagavhu.
Dukh daridrata mor hatavhu ||
Mother of the world, do not delay now; take away my sorrow and my poverty.
- Chaupai 11
जयति कराल कालिका माता।
कालानल समान द्युति गाता॥
Jayti karal kalika mata.
Kalanal saman dyuti gata ||
Victory to Mother Kalika of the fearsome form. Your body blazes like the fire of time at the world’s dissolution (kalanala).
- Chaupai 12
जय शंकरी सुरेशि सनातनि।
कोटि सिद्धि कवि मातु पुरातनि॥
Jay shankari sureshi sanatni.
Koti siddhi kavi matu puratni ||
Victory to Shankari, queen of the gods, the eternal one. You are the ancient mother of countless accomplishments (siddhis) and poets.
- Chaupai 13
कपर्दिनी कलि कल्प बिमोचनि।
जय विकसित नव नलिन बिलोचनि॥
Kapardini kali kalpa bimochni.
Jay viksit nav nalin bilochni ||
O Kapardini, of the matted locks, you release beings from the Kali age and the cycles of time (kalpa). Victory to you whose eyes are like a freshly opened lotus. (Several printed texts read ‘kali kalmash mochani’, she who frees from the sins of the Kali age.)
- Chaupai 14
आनन्द करणि आनन्द निधाना।
देहु मातु मोहि निर्मल ज्ञाना॥
Aananda karni aananda nidhana.
Dehu matu mohi nirmal gyana ||
You give joy and you are the treasury of joy. Mother, grant me pure knowledge.
- Chaupai 15
करुणामृत सागर कृपामयी।
होहु दुष्ट जन पर अब निर्दयी॥
Karunamrit sagar kripamyi.
Hohu dushta jan par ab nirdayi ||
You are an ocean of the nectar of compassion, full of grace; now be merciless towards the wicked.
- Chaupai 16
सकल जीव तोहि परम पियारा।
सकल विश्व तोरे आधारा॥
Sakal jiv tohi param piyara.
Sakal vishva tore aadhara ||
All living beings are most dear to you; the whole universe rests on you.
- Chaupai 17
प्रलय काल में नर्तन कारिणि।
जय जननी सब जग की पालनि॥
Pralay kal mein nartan karini.
Jay janni sab jag ki palni ||
At the time of dissolution you dance. Victory to you, Mother, who sustain the whole world.
- Chaupai 18
महोदरी महेश्वरी माया।
हिमगिरि सुता विश्व की छाया॥
Mahodri maheshvari maya.
Himgiri suta vishva ki chhaya ||
You are Mahodari (the great-bellied), Maheshvari and Maya; you are the daughter of the Himalaya and the sheltering shade of the world.
- Chaupai 19
स्वछन्द रद मारद धुनि माही।
गर्जत तुम्ही और कोउ नाही॥
Svachhanda rad marad dhuni mahi.
Garjat tumhi aur kou nahi ||
In that thunderous sound it is you alone who roar, free and unrestrained, and no one else. (The words ‘rad marad’ in the first line are unclear in every source and printed differently in each book; their sense has not been filled in by guesswork.)
- Chaupai 20
स्फुरति मणिगणाकार प्रताने।
तारागण तू ब्योम विताने॥
Sphurti manignakar pratane.
Taragan too byom vitane ||
You are the stars that sparkle like heaps of jewels across the spread canopy of the sky.
- Chaupai 21
श्री धारे सन्तन हितकारिणी।
अग्नि पाणि अति दुष्ट विदारिणि॥
Shri dhare santan hitkarini.
Agni pani ati dushta vidarini ||
You bear Shri (splendour and fortune) and do good to the saints; with fire in your hand you tear apart the most wicked.
- Chaupai 22
धूम्र विलोचनि प्राण विमोचनि।
शुम्भ निशुम्भ मथनि वरलोचनि॥
Dhoomra vilochni pran vimochni.
Shumbha nishumbha mathni varlochni ||
You took the life of Dhumralochana and crushed Shumbha and Nishumbha, O lovely-eyed one. (The slaying of Dhumralochana is told in chapter 6 of the Durga Saptashati, and that of Nishumbha and Shumbha in chapters 9 and 10.)
- Chaupai 23
सहस भुजी सरोरुह मालिनी।
चामुण्डे मरघट की वासिनी॥
Sahas bhuji saroruh malini.
Chamunde marghat ki vasini ||
You have a thousand arms and wear a garland of lotuses. O Chamunda, you dwell in the cremation ground. (In Durga Saptashati 7.27 Chandika tells Kali that, because she seized Chanda and Munda, she will be known as Chamunda.)
- Chaupai 24
खप्पर मध्य सुशोणित साजी।
मारेहु माँ महिषासुर पाजी॥
Khappar madhya sushonit saji.
Marehu man mahishasur paji ||
Blood fills the skull-bowl (khappar) in your hand. Mother, you slew the wicked Mahishasura. (His story is in chapters 2 to 4 of the Durga Saptashati.)
- Chaupai 25
अम्ब अम्बिका चण्ड चण्डिका।
सब एके तुम आदि कालिका॥
Amba ambika chanda chandika.
Sab eke tum aadi kalika ||
Amba, Ambika, Chandi, Chandika: all are one, and you are the primal Kalika.
- Chaupai 26
अजा एकरूपा बहुरूपा।
अकथ चरित्र तव शक्ति अनूपा॥
Aja ekroopa bahuroopa.
Akath charitra tav shakti anoopa ||
You are unborn; you are one form and many forms. Your deeds are beyond telling and your power is beyond compare.
- Chaupai 27
कलकत्ता के दक्षिण द्वारे।
मूरति तोर महेशि अपारे॥
Kalkatta ke dakshin dvare.
Moorti tor maheshi apare ||
O boundless Maheshi, your image stands at the southern gate of Calcutta (Kolkata). (The Chalisa does not name the temple.)
- Chaupai 28
कादम्बरी पानरत श्यामा।
जय मातंगी काम के धामा॥
Kadambari panrat shyama.
Jay matangi kaam ke dhama ||
You are Shyama, the dark one, absorbed in drinking kadambari (mead). Victory to Matangi, the home of all desires.
- Chaupai 29
कमलासन वासिनी कमलायनि।
जय श्यामा जय जय श्यामायनि॥
Kamlasan vasini kamlayni.
Jay shyama jay jay shyamayni ||
You are Kamala, seated on a lotus. Victory to Shyama; victory, victory to Shyamayani.
- Chaupai 30
मातंगी जय जयति प्रकृति हे।
जयति भक्ति उर कुमति सुमति हे॥
Matangi jay jayti prakriti he.
Jayti bhakti ur kumti sumti he ||
Victory to you, Matangi; victory to you, Prakriti (Nature). You are devotion in the heart; ill thought and good thought too are you. Victory to you. (Other printed books read the first line ‘rasarate navarase prakriti he’.)
- Chaupai 31
कोटि ब्रह्म शिव विष्णु कामदा।
जयति अहिंसा धर्म जन्मदा॥
Koti brahma Shiv Vishnu kamda.
Jayti ahinsa dharma janmada ||
You fulfil the wishes of countless Brahmas, Shivas and Vishnus. Victory to you who give birth to the dharma of non-violence.
- Chaupai 32
जल थल नभमण्डल में व्यापिनी।
सौदामिनि मध्य अलापिनि॥
Jal thal nabhmandal mein vyapini.
Saudamini madhya alapini ||
You pervade water, land and sky; in the midst of the lightning (saudamini) it is you who sing out (alapini).
- Chaupai 33
झननन तच्छु मरिरिन नादिनि।
जय सरस्वती वीणा वादिनी॥
Jhannan tachchhu maririn nadini.
Jay sarasvati vina vadini ||
Victory to you, Saraswati, player of the veena, who sound out notes like ‘jhanana tachchhu maririn’. (The words of the first line seem to imitate the sound of an instrument; their spelling differs from book to book.)
- Chaupai 34
ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे।
कलित कण्ठ शोभित नरमुण्डा॥
Om ain hrin klin chamundayai vichche.
Kalit kantha shobhit narmunda ||
The first line is the Navarna mantra, which the ‘Navarna-vidhi’ of the Gita Press Durga Saptashati calls the root mantra. The second line: a garland of human heads adorns your neck. (Durga Saptashati 7.7 also describes Kali as adorned with a garland of heads.)
- Chaupai 35
जय ब्रह्माण्ड सिद्धि कवि माता।
कामाख्या और काली माता॥
Jay brahmanda siddhi kavi mata.
Kamakhya aur kali mata ||
Victory to the Mother of the universe, of accomplishments and of poets. You are Kamakhya, and you are Mother Kali.
- Chaupai 36
हिंगलाज विन्ध्याचल वासिनि।
अट्टहासिनी अरु अघन नाशिनी॥
Hingalaj vindhyachal vasini.
Attahasini aru aghan nashini ||
You dwell at Hinglaj and at Vindhyachal (famous shrines of the Goddess); you laugh your thunderous laugh and destroy sins.
- Chaupai 37
कितनी स्तुति करूँ अखण्डे।
तू ब्रह्माण्डे शक्तिजित चण्डे॥
Kitni stuti karoon akhande.
Too brahmande shaktijit chande ||
O undivided one, how much can I praise you? O Chandi, in the whole universe you are the power that conquers all.
- Chaupai 38
करहु कृपा सब पे जगदम्बा।
रहहिं निशंक तोर अवलम्बा॥
Karhu kripa sab pe jagdamba.
Rahhin nishank tor avlamba ||
Mother of the world, be gracious to all, so that, resting on your support, all may live free of fear.
- Chaupai 39
चतुर्भुजी काली तुम श्यामा।
रूप तुम्हार महा अभिरामा॥
Chaturbhuji kali tum shyama.
Roop tumhar maha abhirama ||
Kali, you are four-armed and dark; your form is supremely lovely.
- Chaupai 40
खड्ग और खप्पर कर सोहत।
सुर नर मुनि सबको मन मोहत॥
Khadga aur khappar kar sohat.
Sur nar muni sabko man mohat ||
Sword and skull-bowl shine in your hands; you win the hearts of gods, humans and sages alike.
- Chaupai 41
तुम्हरी कृपा पावे जो कोई।
रोग शोक नहिं ताकहँ होई॥
Tumhari kripa pave jo koee.
Rog shok nahin takahan hoee ||
The Chalisa says that whoever receives your grace is free of illness and grief.
- Chaupai 42
जो यह पाठ करे चालीसा।
तापर कृपा करहि गौरीशा॥
Jo yah path kare chalisa.
Tapar kripa karhi gaurisha ||
The Chalisa says that whoever recites this Chalisa receives the grace of Gaurisha (Shiva, the lord of Gauri).
- Closing Doha
जय कपालिनी जय शिवा, जय जय जय जगदम्ब।
सदा भक्तजन केरि दुःख, हरहु मातु अवलम्ब॥
Jay kapalini jay shiva, jay jay jay jagdamba.
Sada bhaktajan keri duhkh, harhu matu avlamba ||
Victory to Kapalini, victory to Shiva, victory, victory, victory to the Mother of the world. Mother, support of your devotees, ever take away their sorrows.
The text is based on the ‘51 Chalisa Sangrah’ of Randhir Prakashan, Haridwar (2004, pages 208–212), read from the page scans. It was compared with three more printed books: Omkarnath Shastri’s ‘Vijayeshvar Nitya Niyam Vidhi’ (Vijayeshvar Panchang Karyalaya, Jammu; under the title ‘Shri Kali Chalisa’), K. K. Agarwal’s ‘Kali Upasana’ (Manoj Publications, Delhi) and V. N. J. Toofan’s ‘Kali Upasana’ (Mahamaya Publications, Jalandhar); and with the texts of Drik Panchang and Bhakti Bharat. Drik Panchang’s text is the same as the Randhir book. Two Randhir misprints are corrected: ‘kapanlini’ in chaupai 1 and ‘byonm’ in chaupai 20; Randhir’s ‘daridrata’ with a long ā in doha 3 is written ‘daridrata’ as in every other source. The main variants: the Vijayeshvar book has only the first doha, reading ‘karahu na matu vilamb’; in chaupai 3 ‘madhu madya tarange’ (Vijayeshvar) and ‘madhu madhya matange’ (Agarwal); in Vijayeshvar the second line of chaupai 7 is ‘katahu sakal jagat ke fanda’; in chaupai 11 the other books read ‘karal kal ki mata’; in chaupai 13 the other three books read ‘kali kalmash mochani’; Vijayeshvar gives chaupai 16 as ‘sakal jiv tohi param piyare, sakal vishva tav rahahin adhare’; in chaupai 19 ‘svachchhand marad dhuni mahin’ (Agarwal, Toofan) and ‘marad dhuni mahin’ (Vijayeshvar); in chaupai 21 ‘Shri Radha santan hitkari’ (Agarwal, Toofan); in chaupai 22 ‘Dhumra vilochan’; in Vijayeshvar the second line of chaupai 28 is ‘jai Matangi anup akama’; in the other three books the first line of chaupai 30 is ‘rasarate navarase prakriti he’; in Vijayeshvar the first line of chaupai 34 is ‘Om aim hrim klim shrim Chamunda’; at the end of the closing doha Vijayeshvar reads ‘harahu matu avilamba’ (take away without delay). The Agarwal and Toofan books end differently after chaupai 38: they ask that the Goddess be offered bananas, fruit and flowers, not meat and blood (‘kahe koi bakra ko mari’), and close with the doha ‘Sab jivon ke jiv mein, vyapak tu hi Amb’; Toofan’s book also adds a doha with his own name. The Randhir and Vijayeshvar ending is given here; Drik Panchang and Bhakti Bharat have it too.
