- Doha
गरुड़ वाहिनी वैष्णवी, त्रिकुटा पर्वत धाम।
काली, लक्ष्मी, सरस्वती, शक्ति तुम्हें प्रणाम॥
Garud vahini vaishnavi, trikuta parvat dham.
Kali, Lakshmi, sarasvati, shakti tumhen pranam ||
O Vaishnavi, who ride on Garuda and dwell on Mount Trikuta: Shakti in the form of Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati, I bow to you.
- Chaupai 1
नमो नमो वैष्णो वरदानी।
कलि काल में शुभ कल्याणी॥
Namo namo vaishno vardani.
Kali kal mein shubh kalyani ||
Salutations again and again to you, Vaishno, giver of boons, auspicious bringer of good in this Kali age.
- Chaupai 2
मणि पर्वत पर ज्योति तुम्हारी।
पिंडी रूप में हो अवतारी॥
Mani parvat par jyoti tumhari.
Pindi roop mein ho avtari ||
Your light shines on the jewelled mountain, and you are manifest (in the cave) in the form of the pindis, natural rock forms.
- Chaupai 3
देवी देवता अंश दियो है।
रत्नाकर घर जन्म लियो है॥
Devi devta ansh diyo hai.
Ratnakar ghar janma liyo hai ||
The goddesses and gods gave you a share of their power, and you were born in the house of Ratnakar.
- Chaupai 4
करी तपस्या राम को पाऊँ।
त्रेता की शक्ति कहलाऊँ॥
Kari tapasya Ram ko paoon.
Treta ki shakti kahlaoon ||
You performed austerities, resolving, “May I win Ram and be called the Shakti of the Treta age.”
- Chaupai 5
कहा राम मणि पर्वत जाओ।
कलियुग की देवी कहलाओ॥
Kaha Ram mani parvat jao.
Kaliyug ki devi kahlao ||
Ram said, “Go to the jewelled mountain and be known as the goddess of the Kali age.”
- Chaupai 6
विष्णु रूप से कल्की बनकर।
लूँगा शक्ति रूप बदलकर॥
Vishnu roop se kalki bankar.
Loonga shakti roop badalkar ||
(Ram said,) “Taking another form, as Kalki, the form of Vishnu, I shall take you, Shakti, as my own.”
- Chaupai 7
तब तक त्रिकुटा घाटी जाओ।
गुफा अँधेरी जाकर पाओ॥
Tab tak trikuta ghati jao.
Gupha andheri jakar pao ||
“Until then, go to the valley of Trikuta and find your place in a dark cave.”
- Chaupai 8
काली-लक्ष्मी-सरस्वती माँ।
करेंगी शोषण-पार्वती माँ॥
Kali-Lakshmi-sarasvati man.
Karengi shoshan-Parvati man ||
Mothers Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Parvati (will be with you). (The word ‘shoshan’ in the second line is printed this way in all three sources; its sense here is unclear.)
- Chaupai 9
ब्रह्मा, विष्णु, शंकर द्वारे।
हनुमत, भैरों प्रहरी प्यारे॥
Brahma, Vishnu, shankar dvare.
Hanumat, bhairon prahri pyare ||
Brahma, Vishnu and Shankar stand at your door, and Hanuman and Bhairav are your beloved guards.
- Chaupai 10
रिद्धि, सिद्धि चँवर डुलावें।
कलियुग-वासी पूजन आवें॥
Riddhi, siddhi chanvar dulaven.
Kaliyug-vasi poojan aaven ||
Riddhi and Siddhi wave the fly-whisk over you, and the people of the Kali age come to worship you.
- Chaupai 11
पान सुपारी ध्वजा नारियल।
चरणामृत चरणों का निर्मल॥
Pan supari dhvaja nariyal.
Charnamrit charnon ka nirmal ||
(Devotees offer) betel leaf, areca nut, a flag and a coconut, and receive the pure water that has washed your feet (charanamrit).
- Chaupai 12
दिया फलित वर माँ मुस्काई।
करन तपस्या पर्वत आई॥
Diya phalit var man muskaee.
Karan tapasya parvat aaee ||
The boon that would bear fruit was given; the Mother smiled and came to the mountain to perform austerities.
- Chaupai 13
कलि काल की भड़की ज्वाला।
इक दिन अपना रूप निकाला॥
Kali kal ki bhadki jvala.
Ik din apna roop nikala ||
When the fire of the Kali age flared up, one day the Mother revealed her form.
- Chaupai 14
कन्या बन नगरोटा आई।
योगी भैरों दिया दिखाई॥
Kanya ban nagrota aaee.
Yogi bhairon diya dikhaee ||
Taking the form of a young girl she came to Nagrota, where the yogi Bhairon appeared.
- Chaupai 15
रूप देख सुन्दर ललचाया।
पीछे-पीछे भागा आया॥
Roop dekh sundar lalchaya.
Pichhe-pichhe bhaga aaya ||
Seeing her beauty, Bhairon was filled with desire and came running after her.
- Chaupai 16
कन्याओं के साथ मिली माँ।
कौल-कंदौली तभी चली माँ॥
Kanyaon ke saath mili man.
Kaul-kandauli tabhi chali man ||
The Mother mingled with the other girls, and then set out for Kol Kandoli.
- Chaupai 17
देवा माई दर्शन दीना।
पवन रूप हो गई प्रवीणा॥
Deva maee darshan dina.
Pavan roop ho gayi pravina ||
At Deva Mai she gave darshan, and then the wise Mother became the wind.
- Chaupai 18
नवरात्रों में लीला रचाई।
भक्त श्रीधर के घर आई॥
Navratron mein lila rachaee.
Bhakta shridhar ke ghar aaee ||
During Navratri she played out her divine play and came to the home of her devotee Shridhar.
- Chaupai 19
योगिन को भण्डारा दीना।
सबने रुचिकर भोजन कीना॥
Yogin ko bhandara dina.
Sabne ruchikar bhojan kina ||
(At Shridhar’s home) a feast was given to the yogis, and everyone ate with relish.
- Chaupai 20
मांस, मदिरा भैरों माँगी।
रूप पवन कर इच्छा त्यागी॥
Mans, madira bhairon mangi.
Roop pavan kar ichchha tyagi ||
Bhairon demanded meat and liquor; then the Mother took the form of the wind and refused his wish.
- Chaupai 21
बाण मारकर गंगा निकाली।
पर्वत भागी हो मतवाली॥
Ban markar ganga nikali.
Parvat bhagi ho matvali ||
Shooting an arrow, she brought forth a stream of the Ganga, and ran up the mountain in joyful abandon. (By tradition this stream is called Banganga.)
- Chaupai 22
चरण रखे आ एक शिला जब।
चरण-पादुका नाम पड़ा तब॥
Charan rakhe a ek shila jab.
Charan-paduka naam pada tab ||
When she came and set her feet on a rock, that place was named Charan Paduka.
- Chaupai 23
पीछे भैरों था बलकारी।
छोटी गुफा में जाय पधारी॥
Pichhe bhairon tha balkari.
Chhoti gupha mein jay padhari ||
Behind her came the powerful Bhairon, and she went and entered a small cave.
- Chaupai 24
नौ माह तक किया निवासा।
चली फोड़कर किया प्रकाशा॥
Nau mah tak kiya nivasa.
Chali phodkar kiya prakasha ||
For nine months she stayed there, then broke out of it and spread her light. (By tradition this is the cave called Garbh Joon.)
- Chaupai 25
आद्या शक्ति-ब्रह्म कुमारी।
कहलाई माँ आद कुँवारी॥
Aadya shakti-brahma kumari.
Kahlaee man aad kunvari ||
The primal Shakti, the virgin of Brahman, came to be called Aad Kunwari.
- Chaupai 26
गुफा द्वार पहुँची मुस्काई।
लांगुर वीर ने आज्ञा पाई॥
Gupha dvar pahunchi muskaee.
Langur vir ne aagya paee ||
Smiling, she reached the mouth of the cave, and the brave Langur (Hanuman, by tradition) received her command to keep guard.
- Chaupai 27
भागा-भागा भैरों आया।
रक्षा हित निज शस्त्र चलाया॥
Bhaga-bhaga bhairon aaya.
Raksha hit nij shastra chalaya ||
Bhairon came running, and to protect herself the Mother struck with her weapon.
- Chaupai 28
पड़ा शीश जा पर्वत ऊपर।
किया क्षमा जा दिया उसे वर॥
Pada shish ja parvat oopar.
Kiya kshama ja diya use var ||
Bhairon’s head fell far up on the mountain. The Mother forgave him and gave him a boon.
- Chaupai 29
अपने संग में पुजवाऊँगी।
भैरों घाटी बनवाऊँगी॥
Apne sang mein pujvaoongi.
Bhairon ghati banvaoongi ||
(The Mother said,) “I will have you worshipped along with me, and a Bhairon Ghati will be made.”
- Chaupai 30
पहले मेरा दर्शन होगा।
पीछे तेरा सुमरन होगा॥
Pahle mera darshan hoga.
Pichhe tera sumran hoga ||
“First people will have my darshan, and after that they will remember you.” (By tradition pilgrims visit the Bhairon temple after the Mother’s darshan.)
- Chaupai 31
बैठ गई माँ पिंडी होकर।
चरणों में बहता जल झर-झर॥
Baith gayi man pindi hokar.
Charnon mein bahta jal jhar-jhar ||
The Mother settled there in the form of the pindis, and water flows murmuring at her feet.
- Chaupai 32
चौंसठ योगिनी-भैरों बरवन।
सप्तऋषि आ करते सुमरन॥
Chaunsath yogini-bhairon barvan.
Saptarishi a karte sumran ||
The sixty-four yoginis and Bhairav are there, and the seven sages come to remember the Mother. (The meaning of the word ‘barvan’ is unclear.)
- Chaupai 33
घंटा ध्वनि पर्वत पर बाजे।
गुफा निराली सुन्दर लागे॥
Ghanta dhvani parvat par baje.
Gupha nirali sundar lage ||
The sound of bells rings out on the mountain, and the wondrous cave looks beautiful.
- Chaupai 34
भक्त श्रीधर पूजन कीना।
भक्ति सेवा का वर लीना॥
Bhakta shridhar poojan kina.
Bhakti seva ka var lina ||
The devotee Shridhar worshipped you and received the boon of devotion and service.
- Chaupai 35
सेवक ध्यानूँ तुमको ध्याया।
ध्वजा व चोला आन चढ़ाया॥
Sevak dhyanoon tumko dhyaya.
Dhvaja va chola aan chadhaya ||
Your servant Dhyanu meditated on you and came to offer a flag and a sacred cloth (chola).
- Chaupai 36
सिंह सदा दर पहरा देता।
पंजा शेर का दुख हर लेता॥
Sinh sada dar pahra deta.
Panja sher ka dukh har leta ||
A lion always stands guard at your door; the text says the lion’s paw takes away sorrow.
- Chaupai 37
जम्बू द्वीप महाराज मनाया।
सर सोने का छत्र चढ़ाया॥
Jamboo dvip maharaj manaya.
Sar sone ka chhatra chadhaya ||
The king of Jambudvipa worshipped you and offered a golden canopy over your head.
- Chaupai 38
हीरे की मूरत संग प्यारी।
जगे अखंड इक जोत तुम्हारी॥
Hire ki moorat sang pyari.
Jage akhand ik jot tumhari ||
A lovely image set with diamonds is there, and your unbroken flame burns on.
- Chaupai 39
आश्विन चैत्र नवराते आऊँ।
पिंडी रानी दर्शन पाऊँ॥
Aashvin chaitra navrate aaoon.
Pindi rani darshan paoon ||
May I come in the Navratris of Ashvin and Chaitra, and have darshan of the queen in her pindi form.
- Chaupai 40
सेवक ‘शर्मा’ शरण तिहारी।
हरो वैष्णो विपत हमारी॥
Sevak ‘sharma’ sharan tihari.
Haro vaishno vipat hamari ||
Your servant ‘Sharma’ takes refuge in you; O Vaishno, take away our troubles. (‘Sharma’ is the poet’s signature.)
- Closing Doha
कलियुग में महिमा तेरी, है माँ अपरम्पार।
धर्म की हानि हो रही, प्रगट हो अवतार॥
Kaliyug mein mahima teri, hai man aprampar.
Dharma ki hani ho rahi, pragat ho avtar ||
O Mother, your glory in the Kali age is beyond all bounds. Dharma is declining: appear again in a new incarnation.
Meaning, sources and more prayers: sanatanbodh.in/en/prayers/vaishno-devi-chalisa/
This is the text of two printed books, the ‘51 Chalisa Sangrah’ of Randhir Prakashan, Haridwar, and Omkarnath Shastri’s ‘Vijayeshvar Nitya Niyam Vidhi’, compared also with Drik Panchang. The three agree almost completely. Small differences: Randhir and Drik Panchang print ‘namoh namoh’; the doha has ‘Trikuta/Trikoota’; in chaupai 10 Drik Panchang reads ‘pujat aven’; in chaupai 25 Vijayeshvar reads ‘Adi Kunwari’; in chaupai 34 Vijayeshvar reads ‘seva kar var’; in the closing doha Randhir prints ‘dharm ko hani’. ‘Karengi shoshan’ in chaupai 8 and ‘barvan’ in chaupai 32 read the same in every source; their sense is unclear, so the meaning does not fill them in by guesswork. The story the Chalisa tells, of the Mother’s birth, Bhairon, Shridhar, Banganga, Charan Paduka, the cave and Bhairon Ghati, follows the tradition of the Vaishno Devi shrine.
