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The complete Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – two opening dohas, forty chaupais, and a closing doha. A short English meaning sits below every verse. Toggle the script to read in Devanagari, romanized, or both side-by-side.
प्रथमहिं गुरुको शीश नवाऊँ। हरिचरणों में ध्यान लगाऊँ॥
prathamahim guruko shisha navau.n| haricharanom mem dhyana lagau.n||
Verse 1 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
गीत सुनाऊँ अद्भुत यार। धारण से हो बेड़ा पार॥
gita sunau.n adbhuta yara| dharana se ho be.da para||
Verse 2 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
अर्जुन कहै सुनो भगवाना। अपने रूप बताये नाना॥
arjuna kahai suno bhagavana| apane rupa bataye nana||
Verse 3 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
उनका मैं कछु भेद न जाना। किरपा कर फिर कहो सुजाना॥
unaka maim kachu bheda na jana| kirapa kara phira kaho sujana||
Verse 4 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
जो कोई तुमको नित ध्यावे। भक्तिभाव से चित्त लगावे॥
jo koi tumako nita dhyave| bhaktibhava se chitta lagave||
Verse 5 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
रात दिवस तुमरे गुण गावे। तुमसे दूजा मन नहीं भावे॥
rata divasa tumare guna gave| tumase duja mana nahim bhave||
Verse 6 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
तुमरा नाम जपे दिन रात। और करे नहीं दूजी बात॥
tumara nama jape dina rata| aura kare nahim duji bata||
Verse 7 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
दूजा निराकार को ध्यावे। अक्षर अलख अनादि बतावे॥
duja nirakara ko dhyave| akshara alakha anadi batave||
Verse 8 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
दोनों ध्यान लगाने वाला। उनमें कुण उत्तम नन्दलाला॥
donom dhyana lagane vala| unamem kuna uttama nandalala||
Verse 9 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
अर्जुन से बोले भगवान्। सुन प्यारे कछु देकर ध्यान॥
arjuna se bole bhagavan| suna pyare kachu dekara dhyana||
Verse 10 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
मेरा नाम जपै जपवावे। नेत्रों में प्रेमाश्रु छावे॥
mera nama japai japavave| netrom mem premashru chave||
Verse 11 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
मुझ बिनु और कछु नहीं चावे। रात दिवस मेरा गुण गावे॥
mujha binu aura kachu nahim chave| rata divasa mera guna gave||
Verse 12 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
सुनकर मेरा नामोच्चार। उठै रोम तन बारम्बार॥
sunakara mera namochchara| uthai roma tana barambara||
Verse 13 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
जिनका क्षण टूटै नहिं तार। उनकी श्रद्घा अटल अपार॥
jinaka kshana tutai nahim tara| unaki shradgha atala apara||
Verse 14 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
मुझ में जुड़कर ध्यान लगावे। ध्यान समय विह्वल हो जावे॥
mujha mem ju.dakara dhyana lagave| dhyana samaya vihvala ho jave||
Verse 15 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
कंठ रुके बोला नहिं जावे। मन बुधि मेरे माँही समावे॥
kamtha ruke bola nahim jave| mana budhi mere ma.nhi samave||
Verse 16 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
लज्जा भय रु बिसारे मान। अपना रहे ना तन का ज्ञान॥
lajja bhaya ru bisare mana| apana rahe na tana ka j~nana||
Verse 17 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
ऐसे जो मन ध्यान लगावे। सो योगिन में श्रेष्ठ कहावे॥
aise jo mana dhyana lagave| so yogina mem shreshtha kahave||
Verse 18 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
जो कोई ध्यावे निर्गुण रूप। पूर्ण ब्रह्म अरु अचल अनूप॥
jo koi dhyave nirguna rupa| purna brahma aru achala anupa||
Verse 19 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
निराकार सब वेद बतावे। मन बुद्धी जहँ थाह न पावे॥
nirakara saba veda batave| mana buddhi jaha.n thaha na pave||
Verse 20 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
जिसका कबहुँ न होवे नाश। ब्यापक सबमें ज्यों आकाश॥
jisaka kabahu.n na hove nasha| byapaka sabamem jyom akasha||
Verse 21 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
अटल अनादि आनन्दघन। जाने बिरला जोगीजन॥
atala anadi anandaghana| jane birala jogijana||
Verse 22 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
ऐसा करे निरन्तर ध्यान। सबको समझे एक समान॥
aisa kare nirantara dhyana| sabako samajhe eka samana||
Verse 23 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
मन इन्द्रिय अपने वश राखे। विषयन के सुख कबहुँ न चाखे॥
mana indriya apane vasha rakhe| vishayana ke sukha kabahu.n na chakhe||
Verse 24 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
सब जीवों के हित में रत। ऐसा उनका सच्चा मत॥
saba jivom ke hita mem rata| aisa unaka sachcha mata||
Verse 25 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
वह भी मेरे ही को पाते। निश्चय परमा गति को जाते॥
vaha bhi mere hi ko pate| nishchaya parama gati ko jate||
Verse 26 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
फल दोनों का एक समान। किन्तु कठिन है निर्गुण ध्यान॥
phala donom ka eka samana| kintu kathina hai nirguna dhyana||
Verse 27 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
जबतक है मन में अभिमान। तबतक होना मुश्किल ज्ञान॥
jabataka hai mana mem abhimana| tabataka hona mushkila j~nana||
Verse 28 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
जिनका है निर्गुण में प्रेम। उनका दुर्घट साधन नेम॥
jinaka hai nirguna mem prema| unaka durghata sadhana nema||
Verse 29 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
मन टिकने को नहीं अधार। इससे साधन कठिन अपार॥
mana tikane ko nahim adhara| isase sadhana kathina apara||
Verse 30 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
सगुन ब्रह्म का सुगम उपाय। सो मैं तुझको दिया बताय॥
saguna brahma ka sugama upaya| so maim tujhako diya bataya||
Verse 31 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
यज्ञ दानादि कर्म अपारा। मेरे अर्पण कर कर सारा॥
yaj~na danadi karma apara| mere arpana kara kara sara||
Verse 32 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
अटल लगावे मेरा ध्यान। समझे मुझको प्राण समान॥
atala lagave mera dhyana| samajhe mujhako prana samana||
Verse 33 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
सब दुनिया से तोड़े प्रीत। मुझको समझे अपना मीत॥
saba duniya se to.de prita| mujhako samajhe apana mita||
Verse 34 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
प्रेम मग्न हो अति अपार। समझे यह संसार असार॥
prema magna ho ati apara| samajhe yaha samsara asara||
Verse 35 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
जिसका मन नित मुझमें यार। उनसे करता मैं अति प्यार॥
jisaka mana nita mujhamem yara| unase karata maim ati pyara||
Verse 36 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
केवट बनकर नाव चलाऊँ। भव सागर के पार लगाऊँ॥
kevata banakara nava chalau.n| bhava sagara ke para lagau.n||
Verse 37 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
यह है सबसे उत्तम ज्ञान। इससे तू कर मेरा ध्यान॥
yaha hai sabase uttama j~nana| isase tu kara mera dhyana||
Verse 38 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
फिर होवेगा मोहिं सामान। यह कहना मम सच्चा जान॥
phira hovega mohim samana| yaha kahana mama sachcha jana||
Verse 39 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
जो चाले इसके अनुसार। वह भी हो भवसागर पार॥
jo chale isake anusara| vaha bhi ho bhavasagara para||
Verse 40 of the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa – praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita in the Chalisa structure.
Why this chalisa
What the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa is recited for, and what people turn to it for.
Daily anchor for Shrimad Bhagavad Gita-bhakti
Many homes recite the Bhagavad Gita Chalisa as part of the morning paath. The 40-verse text takes about seven minutes at a comfortable pace and serves as the daily devotional anchor.
For festival days
Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi (Gita Jayanti) & daily and the major Shrimad Bhagavad Gita festivals are the central recitation periods. Many devotees do 11 or 21 paaths on these days.
For specific intentions
Many devotees take vows of 11, 21, 41, or 108 paaths over a fixed period for specific intentions – marriage, fertility, illness recovery, court matter. (This is a verse of devotional faith, not a replacement for medical or professional advice.)
Companion to wider tradition worship
Pair with related Chalisas of the same family or sampradaya for the complete daily practice. The Gita has 18 chapters and 700 verses, spoken by Krishna to Arjuna on the Kurukshetra battlefield
For pilgrim recitation
The Chalisa is recited during pilgrimage to the major Shrimad Bhagavad Gita shrines.
For households where Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is the kuldevta
For households where Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is the family deity, the Chalisa is the daily morning prayer and a central rite during family events.
Origin
The Bhagavad Gita Chalisa is the household-tradition Chalisa of Bhagavad Gita. The text is generally placed in the late 19th to mid 20th century CE; many published copies attribute it simply to tradition. The underlying Gita is dated to the 5th-2nd century BCE. The Gita has 18 chapters and 700 verses, spoken by Krishna to Arjuna on the Kurukshetra battlefield
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is honoured in the wider Hindu tradition with festivals, pilgrimage shrines, and household worship. The Chalisa makes Shrimad Bhagavad Gita-bhakti accessible for daily householders without requiring extensive Sanskrit liturgy.
The Chalisa's narrative and iconography establish the central devotional connection. The verses move through praise of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita's form and qualities, narrative episodes from popular tradition, and personal petition – the standard Chalisa structure inherited from the Hanuman Chalisa.
The Chalisa's wider companions are Krishna Chalisa, Vishnu Chalisa, and Ram Chalisa. Pair as appropriate for the daily practice.
How to recite
A simple, sustainable approach. Nothing here is a hard rule – devotion shapes the form, not the other way around.
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Preparation
Bathe and wear clean clothes. Sit facing East. Traditional offerings to Shrimad Bhagavad Gita: yellow flowers, akshat (rice), fruits, ghee diya, dhoop. Yellow / saffron flowers, tulsi, butter-lamp; place a Bhagavad Gita on the puja platform.
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Posture and start
Sit cross-legged with your spine straight. Bow once. Take a moment of silence. If reciting for a specific intention, offer a brief sankalp.
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Recitation
Move through the chaupais without rushing. Read with attention to the meaning of each verse. Many devotees combine the Gita Chalisa with the daily Gita-paath (a few shlokas of the actual Bhagavad Gita).
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After
Sit quietly with eyes closed for a moment. End with the bija mantra of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita if known.
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Daily practice and special days
Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi (Gita Jayanti) & daily is auspicious. Gita Jayanti (Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi) is the central recitation day. Many devotees do 11 paaths and full Gita-paath that day.