The forty-verse Hindi hymn to Shiva, from the invocation of Ganesha to the closing request at dawn.
Follows Gita Press, Gorakhpur: Shiva-Aradhana (code 2127), 'Shivachalisa - 2', pp.79-84, word for word and in its spelling, read on the page images - including the colophon doha it prints last. The popular digital text (siva40 at sanskritdocuments.org), followed here until September 2026 and heard in many recordings, differs in about sixteen places. Its readings, with this text's in brackets: opening doha देउ (देव); chaupai 4 नाग मन मोहे (नाग मुनि मोहैं); 13 तबहिं (सबहिं); 16 वेद माहि महिमा तुम (वेद नाममहिमा तव); 17 उदधि मंथन में ... जरत (उदधिमंथन ते ... जरे); 20 त्रिपुरारी (पुरारी); 21 राखेउ जोई (राखेउ गोई); 28 हरहु मम (हरहु अब); 29 सो फल (वा फल); 31 मंगल कारण विघ्न विनाशन, the two halves the other way round; 33 नमः शिवाय (नमो शिवाय); 35 रनियां (ऋनियाँ); 36 की इच्छा जोई (कर इच्छा कोई); 40 अन्त धाम (अन्तबास); the signature couplet कहैं अयोध्यादास आस (कहे अयोध्या आस); closing doha उठि, करो (करि, करहु). siva40 does not print the colophon doha, and elsewhere uses standard spellings (जय, छवि) where Gita Press prints जै, छबि and the like.
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.
जै गणेश गिरिजासुवन मङ्गल मूल सुजान
कहत अयोध्यादास तुम देव अभय बरदान
jai gaṇeśa girijāsuvana maṅgala mūla sujāna
kahata ayodhyādāsa tuma deva abhaya baradāna
Victory to Ganesha, son of Girija, root of all good fortune and knower of all. Ayodhyadas asks that you give the boon of fearlessness.
Shiv Chalisa · 1/44
जै गिरिजा पति दीन दयाला
सदा करत संतन प्रतिपाला
jai girijā pati dīna dayālā
sadā karata saṁtana pratipālā
Victory to the lord of Girija, kind to the lowly, who always keeps the holy ones in his care.
भाल चन्द्रमा सोहत नीके
कानन कुंडल नाग फनीके
bhāla candramā sohata nīke
kānana kuṁḍala nāga phanīke
The moon sits beautifully on your brow; the hoods of serpents are the rings at your ears.
अंग गौर शिर गंग बहाये
मुण्डमाल तन छार लगाये
aṁga gaura śira gaṁga bahāye
muṇḍamāla tana chāra lagāye
Your body is fair and the Ganga runs from your head; a garland of skulls hangs on you and ash is smeared over your limbs.
वस्त्र खाल बाघम्बर सोहैं
छबिको देख नाग मुनि मोहैं
vastra khāla bāghambara sohaiṁ
chabiko dekha nāga muni mohaiṁ
A tiger's hide is your garment; serpents and sages are enchanted at the sight of your beauty.
मैंना मातुकि हवे दुलारी
बाम अंग सोहत छबि न्यारी
maiṁnā mātuki have dulārī
bāma aṁga sohata chabi nyārī
Maina's darling daughter graces your left side, a loveliness apart from all others.
कर त्रिशूल सोहत छबि भारी
करत सदा शत्रुन क्षयकारी
kara triśūla sohata chabi bhārī
karata sadā śatruna kṣayakārī
The trident in your hand is a grand sight, and it has always undone those who stood against you.
नन्दिगणेश सोहैं तहँ कैसे
सागर मध्य कमल हैं जैसे
nandigaṇeśa sohaiṁ taham̐ kaise
sāgara madhya kamala haiṁ jaise
Nandi and Ganesha stand there as fine as lotuses in the middle of the sea.
कार्तिक श्याम और गणराऊ
या छबिको कहि जात न काऊ
kārtika śyāma aura gaṇarāū
yā chabiko kahi jāta na kāū
Kartikeya, Shyama and the lord of the ganas - no one can put this beauty into words.
देवन जबहीं जाय पुकारा
तबहीं दुख प्रभु आप निवारा
devana jabahīṁ jāya pukārā
tabahīṁ dukha prabhu āpa nivārā
Whenever the gods went and cried out to you, lord, you put their sorrow away that very moment.
किया उपद्रव तारक भारी
देवन सब मिलि तुमहिं जुहारी
kiyā upadrava tāraka bhārī
devana saba mili tumahiṁ juhārī
When Taraka's violence grew heavy, all the gods together came before you.
तुरत षड़ानन आप पठायउ
लवनिमेष महँ मारि गिरायउ
turata ṣaṛānana āpa paṭhāyau
lavanimeṣa maham̐ māri girāyau
You sent the six-faced one at once, and in the blink of an eye the demon was struck down.
आप जलंधर असुर सँघारा
सुयश तुम्हार बिदित संसारा
āpa jalaṁdhara asura sam̐ghārā
suyaśa tumhāra bidita saṁsārā
You destroyed the demon Jalandhara; your good name is known through the world.
त्रिपुरासुर सन युद्ध मचाई
सबहिं कृपाकर लीन बचाई
tripurāsura sana yuddha macāī
sabahiṁ kr̥pākara līna bacāī
You joined battle with Tripurasura, and in your mercy you saved them all.
किया तपहिं भागीरथ भारी
पुरव प्रतिज्ञा तासु पुरारी
kiyā tapahiṁ bhāgīratha bhārī
purava pratijñā tāsu purārī
Bhagiratha performed a heavy austerity, and you, Purari, kept the promise made to him long before.
दानिन महँ तुम सम कोउ नाहीं
सेवक अस्तुति करत सदाही
dānina maham̐ tuma sama kou nāhīṁ
sevaka astuti karata sadāhī
Among givers there is none your equal; your servants sing your praise without stopping.
वेद नाममहिमा तव गाई
अकथ अनादि भेद नहिं पाई
veda nāmamahimā tava gāī
akatha anādi bheda nahiṁ pāī
The Vedas have sung the greatness of your name, and yet you are unspeakable and without beginning, and your secret is not reached.
प्रगटि उदधिमंथन ते ज्वाला
जरे सुरासुर भये विहाला
pragaṭi udadhimaṁthana te jvālā
jare surāsura bhaye vihālā
A flame broke out of the churning of the ocean, and gods and demons alike were scorched and undone.
कीन्ह दया तहँ करी सहाई
नीलकण्ठ तब नाम कहाई
kīnha dayā taham̐ karī sahāī
nīlakaṇṭha taba nāma kahāī
There you showed mercy and came to their help, and from then you are called Nilakantha.
पूजन रामचन्द्र जब कीन्हा
जीतके लंक विभीषण दीन्हा
pūjana rāmacandra jaba kīnhā
jītake laṁka vibhīṣaṇa dīnhā
When Ramachandra worshipped you, Lanka was won and handed to Vibhishana.
सहस कमलमें हो रहधारी
कीन्ह परीक्षा तबहिं पुरारी
sahasa kamalameṁ ho rahadhārī
kīnha parīkṣā tabahiṁ purārī
A thousand lotuses were held ready for you, and then, Purari, you set a test.
एक कमल प्रभु राखेउ गोई
कमल नैन पूजन चह सोई
eka kamala prabhu rākheu goī
kamala naina pūjana caha soī
You hid one lotus away, and the lotus-eyed one, wishing to finish the worship, offered his own eye in its place.
कठिन भक्ति देखी प्रभु शंकर
भये प्रसन्न दिए इच्छित वर
kaṭhina bhakti dekhī prabhu śaṁkara
bhaye prasanna die icchita vara
Seeing that hard-won devotion, lord Shankara was pleased and gave the boon that had been wished for.
जय जय जय अनंत अविनासी
करत कृपा सबके घटवासी
jaya jaya jaya anaṁta avināsī
karata kr̥pā sabake ghaṭavāsī
Victory, victory, victory, endless and undying one; you show grace and live in every heart.
दुष्ट सकल नित मोहिं सतावै
भ्रमत रहे मोहिं चैन न आवै
duṣṭa sakala nita mohiṁ satāvai
bhramata rahe mohiṁ caina na āvai
The wicked torment me day after day; I wander about and find no rest.
त्राहि त्राहि मैं नाथ पुकारों
यहि अवसर मोहिं आन उबारो
trāhi trāhi maiṁ nātha pukāroṁ
yahi avasara mohiṁ āna ubāro
Save me, save me - so I call out, my lord; come at this moment and lift me clear.
लै त्रिशूल शत्रुन को मारो
संकटसे मोहि आनि उबारो
lai triśūla śatruna ko māro
saṁkaṭase mohi āni ubāro
Take up your trident and strike down those who stand against me; come and lift me out of this distress.
मातपिता भ्राता सब कोई
संकटमें पूछत नहिं कोई
mātapitā bhrātā saba koī
saṁkaṭameṁ pūchata nahiṁ koī
Mother, father, brother - when trouble comes not one of them asks after me.
स्वामि एक है आस तुम्हारी
आय हरहु अब संकट भारी
svāmi eka hai āsa tumhārī
āya harahu aba saṁkaṭa bhārī
Master, you alone are my hope; come now and carry off this heavy trouble.
धन निरधनको देत सदाहीं
जो कोई जाँचे वा फल पाहीं
dhana niradhanako deta sadāhīṁ
jo koī jām̐ce vā phala pāhīṁ
The verse says that you always give wealth to the poor, and that whoever asks obtains that fruit.
This promise belongs to the hymn. AstroZivi makes no claim that reciting it produces any outcome, health-related or otherwise.
अस्तुति केहि बिधि करौं तुम्हारी
क्षमहु नाथ अब चूक हमारी
astuti kehi bidhi karauṁ tumhārī
kṣamahu nātha aba cūka hamārī
By what means am I to praise you? Forgive, lord, the lapses that are ours.
शंकर हो संकटके नाशन
विघ्न विनाशन मंगल कारन
śaṁkara ho saṁkaṭake nāśana
vighna vināśana maṁgala kārana
Shankara, you are the undoing of distress, the breaker of obstacles, the cause of good fortune.
योगी यति मुनि ध्यान लगावैं
शारद नारद शीश नवावैं
yogī yati muni dhyāna lagāvaiṁ
śārada nārada śīśa navāvaiṁ
Yogis, ascetics and sages fix their meditation on you; Sarada and Narada bow their heads.
नमो नमो जै नमो शिवाय
सुरब्रह्मादिक पार न पाय
namo namo jai namo śivāya
surabrahmādika pāra na pāya
Homage, homage, victory - homage to Shiva. The gods and Brahma and the rest never reach your far shore.
जो यह पाठ करै मन लाई
तापर होत हैं शंभु सहाई
jo yaha pāṭha karai mana lāī
tāpara hota haiṁ śaṁbhu sahāī
The verse says that Shambhu extends his protection to whoever recites this text with the mind set on it.
This promise belongs to the hymn. AstroZivi makes no claim that reciting it produces any outcome, health-related or otherwise.
ऋनियाँ जो कोइ हो अधिकारी
पाठ करै सो पावन हारी
r̥niyām̐ jo koi ho adhikārī
pāṭha karai so pāvana hārī
The verse says that whoever is weighed down by debt and takes up this recitation is made clean of it.
This promise belongs to the hymn. AstroZivi makes no claim that reciting it produces any outcome, health-related or otherwise.
पुत्र होन कर इच्छा कोई
निश्चय शिव प्रसाद तेहि होई
putra hona kara icchā koī
niścaya śiva prasāda tehi hoī
The verse says that whoever wishes for a son receives one, and receives it certainly, by Shiva's favour.
This promise belongs to the hymn. AstroZivi makes no claim that reciting it produces any outcome, health-related or otherwise.
पंडित त्रयोदसीको लावैं
ध्यान पूर्वक होम करावैं
paṁḍita trayodasīko lāvaiṁ
dhyāna pūrvaka homa karāvaiṁ
On the thirteenth lunar day one calls a learned priest and has the fire offering made with a settled mind.
त्रयोदशी ब्रत करै हमेशा
तन नहि ताके रहे कलेशा
trayodaśī brata karai hameśā
tana nahi tāke rahe kaleśā
The verse says that whoever always keeps the trayodashi fast is left with no affliction in the body.
This promise belongs to the hymn. AstroZivi makes no claim that reciting it produces any outcome, health-related or otherwise.
धूप दीप नैवेद्य चढ़ावै
शंकर सन्मुख पाठ सुनावै
dhūpa dīpa naivedya caṛhāvai
śaṁkara sanmukha pāṭha sunāvai
One offers incense, a lamp and food, and recites the text in front of Shankara.
जन्म-जन्म के पाप नसावै
अन्तबास शिवपुर में पावै
janma-janma ke pāpa nasāvai
antabāsa śivapura meṁ pāvai
The verse says that the sins of birth upon birth are undone for such a reciter, who at the last attains a dwelling in Shiva's city.
This promise belongs to the hymn. AstroZivi makes no claim that reciting it produces any outcome, health-related or otherwise.
कहे अयोध्या आस तुम्हारी
जानि सकल दुख हरहु हमारी
kahe ayodhyā āsa tumhārī
jāni sakala dukha harahu hamārī
Ayodhya - the poet Ayodhyadas - says: you are my hope; knowing all of it, carry off our sorrow.
नित्त नेम करि प्रातही पाठ करो चालीस
तुम मेरी मन कामना पूर्ण करहु जगदीश
nitta nema kari prātahī pāṭha karo cālīsa
tuma merī mana kāmanā pūrṇa karahu jagadīśa
Keeping it as a daily rule, recite the forty at dawn; lord of the world, fulfil the wish of my heart.
मगसर छठि हेमंत ऋतु सम्बत चौंसठ आन
अस्तुति चालीसा शिवहिं पूर्ण कीन कल्यान
magasara chaṭhi hemaṁta r̥tu sambata cauṁsaṭha āna
astuti cālīsā śivahiṁ pūrṇa kīna kalyāna
In Margashirsha, on the sixth, in the cold season of the samvat 'sixty-four', this forty-verse praise of Shiva was completed, for good. It is a colophon dating the hymn, and its samvat names no century.
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 on Monday and on Pradosh and Shivaratri. 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.