The forty-verse Hindi hymn to Durga, running through her forms, her seats of worship and the demons she overcame.
Follows Gita Press, Gorakhpur: Shridurgachalisa, Shrivindhyeshvarichalisa (code 1991), pp.3-16, word for word and in its spelling, read on the page images; Gita Press's Shri Durga Chalisa (code 1033) prints the same words. The popular digital text (durga40 at sanskritdocuments.org), followed here until September 2026 and heard in many recordings, differs in about a dozen places. Its readings, with this text's in brackets: 1 नमो नमो दुर्गे दुःख हरनी (नमो नमो अंबे दुख हरनी); 5 शक्ति लै कीना (सक्ति लय कीन्हा); 10 धरयो (धरा); 11 हिरण्याक्ष (हिरनाकुस - Hiranyakashipu, the demon of Prahlada's story); 14 न जात (न जाय); 15 मातंगी अरु धूमावति (मातंगी धूमावति); 23 कालिका (काली को); 25 अमरपुरी अरु बासव लोका, तब महिमा (अमर पुरी औरों सब लोका, तव महिमा); 30 काम अरु क्रोध (काम क्रोध); 32 का मरम (को मरम); 33 हुई (ह्वै); 36 मोह मदादिक सब बिनशावें (रिपु मूरख मोहि अति डरपावै); 40 श्री दुर्गा चालीसा (दुर्गा चालीसा). Elsewhere durga40 uses standard spellings (शक्ति, शंकर, विराजै) where Gita Press prints the spoken forms (सक्ति, संकर, बिराजै); that page also prints an unnumbered older mula-patha in other spellings again.
Not included here
This transliterates the script letter for letter - it is not a pronunciation guide. The inherent vowel is always written (हनुमान → hanumāna), so every akshara on screen has exactly one syllable under it. Hindi and Awadhi text uses ISO 15919, because IAST has no symbol for ड़ at all - so here कृपा is kr̥pā and बड़ाई is baṛāī.
नमो नमो दुर्गे सुख करनी
नमो नमो अंबे दुख हरनी
namo namo durge sukha karanī
namo namo aṁbe dukha haranī
Homage, homage to Durga who makes ease; homage, homage to Amba who takes sorrow away.
Durga Chalisa · 1/41
निरंकार है ज्योति तुम्हारी
तिहूँ लोक फैली उजियारी
niraṁkāra hai jyoti tumhārī
tihūm̐ loka phailī ujiyārī
Your light is without form, and its brightness has spread through all three worlds.
ससि ललाट मुख महा बिसाला
नेत्र लाल भृकुटी बिकराला
sasi lalāṭa mukha mahā bisālā
netra lāla bhr̥kuṭī bikarālā
The moon is on your brow and your face is vast; your eyes are red and your brows are terrible.
रूप मातु को अधिक सुहावे
दरस करत जन अति सुख पावे
rūpa mātu ko adhika suhāve
darasa karata jana ati sukha pāve
Mother, your form is exceedingly lovely, and those who look on it come into great ease.
तुम संसार सक्ति लय कीन्हा
पालन हेतु अन्न धन दीन्हा
tuma saṁsāra sakti laya kīnhā
pālana hetu anna dhana dīnhā
You drew the world back into your power (laya), and for its keeping you gave grain and wealth.
अन्नपूर्णा हुई जग पाला
तुम ही आदि सुंदरी बाला
annapūrṇā huī jaga pālā
tuma hī ādi suṁdarī bālā
As Annapurna you nourished the world; you yourself are the first Bala Sundari.
प्रलयकाल सब नासन हारी
तुम गौरी सिव संकर प्यारी
pralayakāla saba nāsana hārī
tuma gaurī siva saṁkara pyārī
At the time of dissolution you undo everything; you are Gauri, dear to Shiva Shankara.
सिवजोगी तुम्हरे गुन गावें
ब्रह्मा बिष्णु तुम्हें नित ध्यावें
sivajogī tumhare guna gāveṁ
brahmā biṣṇu tumheṁ nita dhyāveṁ
Shiva and the yogis sing your qualities; Brahma and Vishnu meditate on you every day.
रूप सरस्वति को तुम धारा
दे सुबुद्धि ऋषि मुनिन्ह उबारा
rūpa sarasvati ko tuma dhārā
de subuddhi r̥ṣi muninha ubārā
You took the form of Sarasvati and, giving sound judgement, lifted the rishis and sages up.
धरा रूप नरसिंह को अंबा
परगट भई फाड़ कर खंबा
dharā rūpa narasiṁha ko aṁbā
paragaṭa bhaī phāṛa kara khaṁbā
Amba, you took the form of Narasimha and came forth, splitting the pillar open.
रच्छा करि प्रहलाद बचायो
हिरनाकुस को स्वर्ग पठायो
racchā kari prahalāda bacāyo
hiranākusa ko svarga paṭhāyo
You stood guard over Prahlada and saved him, and sent Hiranyakashipu to heaven.
लछमी रूप धरो जग माहीं
श्री नारायन अंग समाहीं
lachamī rūpa dharo jaga māhīṁ
śrī nārāyana aṁga samāhīṁ
You took the form of Lakshmi in the world and were joined to the side of Shri Narayana.
छीर सिंधु में करत बिलासा
दया सिंधु दीजै मन आसा
chīra siṁdhu meṁ karata bilāsā
dayā siṁdhu dījai mana āsā
You take your ease in the ocean of milk; ocean of compassion, give my heart what it hopes for.
हिंगलाज में तुम्हीं भवानी
महिमा अमित न जाय बखानी
hiṁgalāja meṁ tumhīṁ bhavānī
mahimā amita na jāya bakhānī
At Hinglaj it is you, Bhavani; your greatness is beyond measure and cannot be told out.
मातंगी धूमावति माता
भुवनेस्वरि बगला सुख दाता
mātaṁgī dhūmāvati mātā
bhuvanesvari bagalā sukha dātā
You are Matangi and mother Dhumavati; you are Bhuvaneshvari and Bagala, the giver of ease.
श्री भैरव तारा जग तारिनि
छिन्नभाल भव दुःख निवारिनि
śrī bhairava tārā jaga tārini
chinnabhāla bhava duḥkha nivārini
You are Bhairavi and Tara who ferries the world across; as Chhinnamasta you put away the sorrow of existence.
केहरि बाहन सोह भवानी
लांगुर बीर चलत अगवानी
kehari bāhana soha bhavānī
lāṁgura bīra calata agavānī
Bhavani, you ride in state upon a lion, and the hero Langur goes before you in welcome.
कर में खप्पर खड़ग बिराजै
जाको देख काल डर भाजै
kara meṁ khappara khaṛaga birājai
jāko dekha kāla ḍara bhājai
The skull-bowl and the sword shine in your hands; seeing them, even Time takes fright and runs.
सोहै अस्त्र और तिरसूला
जाते उठत सत्रु हिय सूला
sohai astra aura tirasūlā
jāte uṭhata satru hiya sūlā
Your weapons and your trident shine, and at the sight of them a pang rises in the enemy's heart.
नगरकोट में तुम्ही बिराजत
तिहूँ लोक में डंका बाजत
nagarakoṭa meṁ tumhī birājata
tihūm̐ loka meṁ ḍaṁkā bājata
At Nagarkot it is you who are enthroned; your drum sounds through all three worlds.
सुंभ निसुंभ दानव तुम मारे
रक्त बीज संखन संहारे
suṁbha nisuṁbha dānava tuma māre
rakta bīja saṁkhana saṁhāre
You killed the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, and made an end of Raktabija and Shankha.
महिषासुर नृप अति अभिमानी
जेहि अघ भार मही अकुलानी
mahiṣāsura nr̥pa ati abhimānī
jehi agha bhāra mahī akulānī
Mahishasura the king was swollen with pride, and under the weight of his wrongdoing the earth was in anguish.
रूप कराल काली को धारा
सेन सहित तुम तिहि संहारा
rūpa karāla kālī ko dhārā
sena sahita tuma tihi saṁhārā
You took the fearsome form of Kali and destroyed him together with his army.
परी गाढ़ संतन पर जब जब
भई सहाय मातु तुम तब तब
parī gāṛha saṁtana para jaba jaba
bhaī sahāya mātu tuma taba taba
Whenever hardship fell upon the holy ones, mother, you came to their aid then and there.
अमर पुरी औरों सब लोका
तव महिमा सब रहै असोका
amara purī auroṁ saba lokā
tava mahimā saba rahai asokā
Amarapuri and all the other worlds - by your greatness they all stay untouched by grief.
ज्वाला में है ज्योति तुम्हारी
तुम्हें सदा पूजें नरनारी
jvālā meṁ hai jyoti tumhārī
tumheṁ sadā pūjeṁ naranārī
At Jwala it is your flame that burns; men and women worship you always.
प्रेम भक्ति से जो जस गावै
दुख दारिद्र निकट नहि आवै
prema bhakti se jo jasa gāvai
dukha dāridra nikaṭa nahi āvai
The verse says that for whoever sings your fame with love and devotion, sorrow and poverty do not come near.
This promise belongs to the hymn. AstroZivi makes no claim that reciting it produces any outcome, health-related or otherwise.
ध्यावे तुम्हें जो नर मन लाई
जन्म मरन ताको छुटि जाई
dhyāve tumheṁ jo nara mana lāī
janma marana tāko chuṭi jāī
The verse says that whoever meditates on you with a settled mind is let go of birth and rebirth.
This promise belongs to the hymn. AstroZivi makes no claim that reciting it produces any outcome, health-related or otherwise.
जोगी सुर मुनि कहत पुकारी
जोग न हो बिन सक्ति तुम्हारी
jogī sura muni kahata pukārī
joga na ho bina sakti tumhārī
Yogis, gods and sages cry aloud that without your power there is no yoga at all.
संकर आचारज तप कीन्हो
काम क्रोध जीति सब लीन्हो
saṁkara ācāraja tapa kīnho
kāma krodha jīti saba līnho
Shankaracharya performed austerity and won a victory over desire and anger alike.
निसिदिन ध्यान धरो संकर को
काहु काल नहि सुमिरो तुमको
nisidina dhyāna dharo saṁkara ko
kāhu kāla nahi sumiro tumako
Night and day he held Shankara in meditation, and at no time called you to mind.
सक्ति रूप को मरम न पायो
सक्ति गई तब मन पछितायो
sakti rūpa ko marama na pāyo
sakti gaī taba mana pachitāyo
He did not reach the secret of the form of Shakti; when his power went from him his mind was full of regret.
सरनागत ह्वै कीर्ति बखानी
जय जय जय जगदंब भवानी
saranāgata hvai kīrti bakhānī
jaya jaya jaya jagadaṁba bhavānī
He came into your shelter and told out your renown: victory, victory, victory to Jagadamba Bhavani.
भई प्रसन्न आदि जगदंबा
दई सक्ति नहि कीन्ह बिलंबा
bhaī prasanna ādi jagadaṁbā
daī sakti nahi kīnha bilaṁbā
The first Jagadamba was pleased, and gave his power back to him without any delay.
मोको मातु कष्ट अति घेरो
तुम बिन कौन हरे दुख मेरो
moko mātu kaṣṭa ati ghero
tuma bina kauna hare dukha mero
Mother, hardship has closed in around me; who but you will carry off my sorrow?
आसा तृस्ना निपट सतावै
रिपु मूरख मोहि अति डरपावै
āsā tr̥snā nipaṭa satāvai
ripu mūrakha mohi ati ḍarapāvai
Hope and craving torment me utterly, and the foolish foe frightens me greatly.
सत्रु नास कीजै महरानी
सुमिरौं एकचित तुमहि भवानी
satru nāsa kījai maharānī
sumirauṁ ekacita tumahi bhavānī
Great queen, make an end of what stands against me; Bhavani, I hold you in mind with a single thought.
करौ कृपा हे मातु दयाला
ऋद्धि सिद्धि दे करहु निहाला
karau kr̥pā he mātu dayālā
r̥ddhi siddhi de karahu nihālā
Show your grace, compassionate mother; give riches and attainment, and make me glad.
जब लगि जियौं दयाफल पाऊँ
तुम्हरौ जस मैं सदा सुनाऊँ
jaba lagi jiyauṁ dayāphala pāūm̐
tumharau jasa maiṁ sadā sunāūm̐
As long as I live, let me have the fruit of your compassion, and I shall tell out your fame always.
दुर्गा चालीसा जो कोई गावै
सब सुख भोग परम पद पावै
durgā cālīsā jo koī gāvai
saba sukha bhoga parama pada pāvai
The verse says that whoever sings this Durga Chalisa enjoys every comfort and attains the highest state.
This promise belongs to the hymn. AstroZivi makes no claim that reciting it produces any outcome, health-related or otherwise.
देवीदास सरन निज जानी
करहु कृपा जगदंब भवानी
devīdāsa sarana nija jānī
karahu kr̥pā jagadaṁba bhavānī
Devidas knows himself to be in your shelter: show your grace, Jagadamba Bhavani.
Your place is kept on this device. Finishing a reading records one repetition on the jaap counter - which is also what stops today's chant reminder from nudging you again.
Traditionally recited through the nine nights of Navaratri and on Tuesdays and Fridays. One complete reading counts as one repetition on the counter below.
The text here is centuries old and in the public domain, but a recording of it carries a separate copyright: s.27 of India's Copyright Act gives a sound recording 60 years from publication, independent of the age of the work recorded. Well-known recitations are therefore still protected. AstroZivi will add audio only when it is either commissioned under a written agreement or covered by a verifiable Creative Commons licence.
The text shown here is public domain and reproduced verbatim; the English and Hindi meanings are AstroZivi's own prose, not a copy of any published translation. Where a verse promises an outcome, that promise belongs to the hymn - AstroZivi makes no claim, health-related or otherwise, that reciting it produces any result. For educational purposes.