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Lyrics with meaning
The complete Brahma 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.
जय ब्रह्मा जय स्वयम्भू, चतुरानन सुखमूल। करहु कृपा निज दास पै, रहहु सदा अनुकूल॥
Jai Brahma jai svayambhu, chaturanan sukh-mul. Karahu kripa nij das pai, rahahu sada anukul.
Hail Brahma, the self-arisen, four-faced, root of all happiness. Show grace upon your servant; remain always favourable.
तुम सृजक ब्रह्माण्ड के, अज विधि घाता नाम। विश्वविधाता कीजिये, जन पै कृपा ललाम॥
Tum srijak brahmand ke, aj vidhi ghata naam. Vishva-vidhata kijiye, jan pai kripa lalam.
You are the creator of the cosmos – called Aja, Vidhi, Ghata. Maker of the universe – cast a beautiful glance of grace upon your devotee.
जय जय कमलासान जगमूला। रहहु सदा जनपै अनुकूला॥
jaya jaya kamalasana jagamula. rahahu sada janapai anukula.
Verse 1 of the Brahma Chalisa.
रुप चतुर्भुज परम सुहावन। तुम्हें अहैं चतुर्दिक आनन॥
rupa chaturbhuja parama suhavana. tumhem ahaim chaturdika anana.
Verse 2 of the Brahma Chalisa.
रक्तवर्ण तव सुभग शरीरा। मस्तक जटाजुट गंभीरा॥
raktavarna tava subhaga sharira. mastaka jatajuta gambhira.
Verse 3 of the Brahma Chalisa.
ताके ऊपर मुकुट बिराजै। दाढ़ी श्वेत महाछवि छाजै॥
take upara mukuta birajai. daढ़i shveta mahachavi chajai.
Verse 4 of the Brahma Chalisa.
श्वेतवस्त्र धारे तुम सुन्दर। है यज्ञोपवीत अति मनहर॥
shvetavastra dhare tuma sundara. hai yaj~nopavita ati manahara.
Verse 5 of the Brahma Chalisa.
कानन कुण्डल सुभग बिराजहिं। गल मोतिन की माला राजहिं॥
kanana kundala subhaga birajahim. gala motina ki mala rajahim.
Verse 6 of the Brahma Chalisa.
चारिहु वेद तुम्हीं प्रगटाये। दिव्य ज्ञान त्रिभुवनहिं सिखाये॥
charihu veda tumhim pragataye. divya j~nana tribhuvanahim sikhaye.
Verse 7 of the Brahma Chalisa.
ब्रह्मलोक शुभ धाम तुम्हारा। अखिल भुवन महँ यश बिस्तारा॥
brahmaloka shubha dhama tumhara. akhila bhuvana maha.n yasha bistara.
Verse 8 of the Brahma Chalisa.
अर्द्धांगिनि तव है सावित्री। अपर नाम हिये गायत्री॥
arddhamgini tava hai savitri. apara nama hiye gayatri.
Verse 9 of the Brahma Chalisa.
सरस्वती तब सुता मनोहर। वीणा वादिनि सब विधि मुन्दर॥
sarasvati taba suta manohara. vina vadini saba vidhi mundara.
Verse 10 of the Brahma Chalisa.
कमलासन पर रहे बिराजे। तुम हरिभक्ति साज सब साजे॥
kamalasana para rahe biraje. tuma haribhakti saja saba saje.
Verse 11 of the Brahma Chalisa.
क्षीर सिन्धु सोवत सुरभूपा। नाभि कमल भो प्रगट अनूपा॥
kshira sindhu sovata surabhupa. nabhi kamala bho pragata anupa.
Verse 12 of the Brahma Chalisa.
तेहि पर तुम आसीन कृपाला। सदा करहु सन्तन प्रतिपाला॥
tehi para tuma asina krripala. sada karahu santana pratipala.
Verse 13 of the Brahma Chalisa.
एक बार की कथा प्रचारी। तुम कहँ मोह भयेउ मन भारी॥
eka bara ki katha prachari. tuma kaha.n moha bhayeu mana bhari.
Verse 14 of the Brahma Chalisa.
कमलासन लखि कीन्ह बिचारा। और न कोउ अहै संसारा॥
kamalasana lakhi kinha bichara. aura na kou ahai samsara.
Verse 15 of the Brahma Chalisa.
तब तुम कमलनाल गहि लीन्हा। अन्त बिलोकन कर प्रण कीन्हा॥
taba tuma kamalanala gahi linha. anta bilokana kara prana kinha.
Verse 16 of the Brahma Chalisa.
कोटिक वर्ष गये यहि भांती। भ्रमत भ्रमत बीते दिन राती॥
kotika varsha gaye yahi bhamti. bhramata bhramata bite dina rati.
Verse 17 of the Brahma Chalisa.
पै तुम ताकर अन्त न पाये। ह्वै निराश अतिशय दुःखियाये॥
pai tuma takara anta na paye. hvai nirasha atishaya duhkhiyaye.
Verse 18 of the Brahma Chalisa.
पुनि बिचार मन महँ यह कीन्हा। महापघ यह अति प्राचीन॥
puni bichara mana maha.n yaha kinha. mahapagha yaha ati prachina.
Verse 19 of the Brahma Chalisa.
याको जन्म भयो को कारन। तबहीं मोहि करयो यह धारन॥
yako janma bhayo ko karana. tabahim mohi karayo yaha dharana.
Verse 20 of the Brahma Chalisa.
अखिल भुवन महँ कहँ कोई नाहीं। सब कुछ अहै निहित मो माहीं॥
akhila bhuvana maha.n kaha.n koi nahim. saba kucha ahai nihita mo mahim.
Verse 21 of the Brahma Chalisa.
यह निश्चय करि गरब बढ़ायो। निज कहँ ब्रह्म मानि सुखपाये॥
yaha nishchaya kari garaba baढ़ayo. nija kaha.n brahma mani sukhapaye.
Verse 22 of the Brahma Chalisa.
गगन गिरा तब भई गंभीरा। ब्रह्मा वचन सुनहु धरि धीरा॥
gagana gira taba bhai gambhira. brahma vachana sunahu dhari dhira.
Verse 23 of the Brahma Chalisa.
सकल सृष्टि कर स्वामी जोई। ब्रह्म अनादि अलख है सोई॥
sakala srrishti kara svami joi. brahma anadi alakha hai soi.
Verse 24 of the Brahma Chalisa.
निज इच्छा इन सब निरमाये। ब्रह्मा विष्णु महेश बनाये॥
nija ichcha ina saba niramaye. brahma vishnu mahesha banaye.
Verse 25 of the Brahma Chalisa.
सृष्टि लागि प्रगटे त्रयदेवा। सब जग इनकी करिहै सेवा॥
srrishti lagi pragate trayadeva. saba jaga inaki karihai seva.
Verse 26 of the Brahma Chalisa.
महापघ जो तुम्हरो आसन। ता पै अहै विष्णु को शासन॥
mahapagha jo tumharo asana. ta pai ahai vishnu ko shasana.
Verse 27 of the Brahma Chalisa.
विष्णु नाभितें प्रगट्यो आई। तुम कहँ सत्य दीन्ह समुझाई॥
vishnu nabhitem pragatyo ai. tuma kaha.n satya dinha samujhai.
Verse 28 of the Brahma Chalisa.
भैतहू जाई विष्णु हितमानी। यह कहि बन्द भई नभवानी॥
bhaitahu jai vishnu hitamani. yaha kahi banda bhai nabhavani.
Verse 29 of the Brahma Chalisa.
ताहि श्रवण कहि अचरज माना। पुनि चतुरानन कीन्ह पयाना॥
tahi shravana kahi acharaja mana. puni chaturanana kinha payana.
Verse 30 of the Brahma Chalisa.
कमल नाल धरि नीचे आवा। तहां विष्णु के दर्शन पावा॥
kamala nala dhari niche ava. taham vishnu ke darshana pava.
Verse 31 of the Brahma Chalisa.
शयन करत देखे सुरभूपा। श्यायमवर्ण तनु परम अनूपा॥
shayana karata dekhe surabhupa. shyayamavarna tanu parama anupa.
Verse 32 of the Brahma Chalisa.
सोहत चतुर्भुजा अतिसुन्दर। क्रीटमुकट राजत मस्तक पर॥
sohata chaturbhuja atisundara. kritamukata rajata mastaka para.
Verse 33 of the Brahma Chalisa.
गल बैजन्ती माल बिराजै। कोटि सूर्य की शोभा लाजै॥
gala baijanti mala birajai. koti surya ki shobha lajai.
Verse 34 of the Brahma Chalisa.
शंख चक्र अरु गदा मनोहर। शेष नाग शय्या अति मनहर॥
shamkha chakra aru gada manohara. shesha naga shayya ati manahara.
Verse 35 of the Brahma Chalisa.
दिव्यरुप लखि कीन्ह प्रणामू। हर्षित भे श्रीपति सुख धामू॥
divyarupa lakhi kinha pranamu. harshita bhe shripati sukha dhamu.
Verse 36 of the Brahma Chalisa.
बहु विधि विनय कीन्ह चतुरानन। तब लक्ष्मी पति कहेउ मुदित मन॥
bahu vidhi vinaya kinha chaturanana. taba lakshmi pati kaheu mudita mana.
Verse 37 of the Brahma Chalisa.
ब्रह्मा दूरि करहु अभिमाना। ब्रह्मारुप हम दोउ समाना॥
brahma duri karahu abhimana. brahmarupa hama dou samana.
Verse 38 of the Brahma Chalisa.
तीजे श्री शिवशंकर आहीं। ब्रह्मरुप सब त्रिभुवन मांही॥
tije shri shivashamkara ahim. brahmarupa saba tribhuvana mamhi.
Verse 39 of the Brahma Chalisa.
तुम सों होई सृष्टि विस्तारा। हम पालन करिहैं संसारा॥
tuma som hoi srrishti vistara. hama palana karihaim samsara.
Verse 40 of the Brahma Chalisa.
Why this chalisa
What the Brahma Chalisa is recited for, and what people turn to it for.
Anchor for daily Vedic-study practice
Brahma is the source of the four Vedas. Many traditional households recite the Chalisa as part of the morning paath before any Vedic study, mantra recitation, or sandhya practice. Pair with the Saraswati Chalisa for the wider knowledge-tradition.
Brahmotsav at Pushkar
The Pushkar Mela on Kartik Purnima (October-November) is the only major Brahma festival in India, centred on the Pushkar lake and the Brahma temple – the only fully consecrated Brahma temple in India. Many devotees recite the Chalisa eleven times during the pilgrimage.
Companion to the Trimurti tradition
Verses 13-22 of the Chalisa narrate the meeting of the Trimurti: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, Shiva the destroyer. Pair with the Vishnu Chalisa and the Shiv Chalisa for the complete Trimurti-paath.
Companion to Saraswati worship
Saraswati is Brahma's consort and daughter (in different traditions). Pair the Brahma Chalisa with the Saraswati Chalisa especially on Vasant Panchami and at the start of every academic year.
For new beginnings
Brahma as creator is invoked at all major creation moments – the start of a business, the founding of a home, the birth of a child, the start of a new project. Many homes recite the Chalisa as part of these new-beginning rituals.
For Pushkar-related wishes
Pushkar is one of the four sacred lakes of India. Many devotees take vows at Pushkar related to the Brahma Chalisa. Pair with the Gayatri Chalisa for the Vedic-tradition completion.
Origin
The Brahma Chalisa carries no clear signature line. The text is generally placed in the 18th-19th century CE by language and content, written in Hindi with Awadhi influence.
Brahma himself is the four-faced cosmic creator, first of the Hindu Trimurti. Iconographically he is depicted four-faced, four-armed, holding the four Vedas, a kamandalu (water-pot), a sphatika-mala (rosary), and a sruva (sacrificial ladle), seated on a lotus emerging from Vishnu's navel. His consort is Saraswati, also called Savitri or Gayatri in various traditions. His sons are the four Kumaras, the Saptarishis, and Manu (the progenitor of humanity).
Brahma is unique among the Trimurti for being worshipped only at one fully-consecrated temple in India: the Brahma Mandir at Pushkar. The traditional explanation: Brahma was once cursed by Saraswati (or by Bhrigu, depending on the tradition) to lose his temple-worship, leaving Pushkar as the only exception. The Pushkar Mela on Kartik Purnima draws lakhs of pilgrims and is one of the largest religious-cum-cultural events in India.
The Chalisa's wider companions are the Saraswati Chalisa, the Vishnu Chalisa, the Shiv Chalisa (the Trimurti triad), and the Gayatri Chalisa.
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: white flowers, akshat, tulsi or kamal-gatta, a small ghee diya, dhoop, and a piece of fruit.
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Posture and start
Sit cross-legged with your spine straight. Bow once. Take a moment of silence. If reciting on Kartik Purnima for Brahmotsav, before Vedic study, or for a new-beginning ritual, offer a brief sankalp.
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Recitation
Move through the chaupais without rushing. Verses 1-12 establish the iconography and lineage. Verses 13-22 narrate the Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva meeting story. End with the closing verse.
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After
Many people end with the bija mantra Om Brahmane Namah recited 11 or 21 times.
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Daily practice and special days
Brahma is uniquely worshipped daily. Kartik Purnima (October-November) is the major festival – the Pushkar Mela. Vasant Panchami for the Saraswati-Brahma combination.