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Lyrics with meaning
The complete Gayatri 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.
ह्रीं श्रीं क्लीं मेधा प्रभा, जीवन ज्योति प्रचण्ड। शान्ति क्रान्ति जागृति प्रगति, रचना शक्ति अखण्ड॥
Hreem Shreem Kleem medha prabha, jivan jyoti prachand. Shanti kranti jagriti pragati, rachana shakti akhand.
Hreem, Shreem, Kleem – the seed-syllables of intellect and radiance, the burning lamp of life. Peace, transformation, awakening, progress, the unbroken creative power. The Chalisa opens by naming Gayatri's six powers.
जगत जननी मंगल करनि, गायत्री सुखधाम। प्रणवों सावित्री स्वधा, स्वाहा पूरन काम॥
Jagat janani mangal karani, Gayatri sukh-dham. Pranavon Savitri Svadha, Svaha puran kaam.
Mother of the worlds, doer of all auspiciousness, Gayatri the abode of happiness. Pranava (Om), Savitri, Svadha, Svaha – fulfiller of every desire.
भूर्भुवः स्वः ॐ युत जननी। गायत्री नित कलिमल दहनी॥
Bhur-bhuvah-svah Om yut janani. Gayatri nit kali-mal dahani.
Mother joined with Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah, and Om – the four Vyahritis that open the Gayatri mantra. Gayatri who daily burns away the impurities of the Kali age.
अक्षर चौबिस परम पुनीता। इनमें बसें शास्त्र श्रुति गीता॥
Akshar chaubis param punita. Inmein basein shastra shruti Gita.
Twenty-four supremely pure syllables (the count of the Gayatri mantra). Within them dwell the shastras, the Shrutis, and the Bhagavad Gita.
शाश्वत सतोगुणी सतरूपा। सत्य सनातन सुधा अनूपा॥
Shashvat sato-guni sat-rupa. Satya sanatan sudha anupa.
Eternal, full of sattva-guna, of true form. True, eternal, unequalled nectar.
हंसारूढ़ श्वेताम्बर धारी। स्वर्ण कान्ति शुचि गगन बिहारी॥
Hansa-rudh shvetambara dhari. Svarn kanti shuchi gagan-bihari.
Mounted on the white swan, wearing white garments. Of golden radiance, pure, dwelling in the sky.
पुस्तक पुष्प कमण्डल माला। शुभ्रवर्ण तनु नयन विशाला॥
Pustak pushp kamandal mala. Shubhra-varn tanu nayan vishala.
In your hands a book, a flower, the kamandalu (water-pot), and a mala. Your body is of bright complexion, your eyes wide and large.
ध्यान धरत पुलकित हिय होई। सुख उपजत दुःख दुर्मति खोई॥
Dhyan dharat pulakit hiy hoi. Sukh upajat dukh durmati khoi.
Whoever holds you in meditation – their heart thrills with joy. Happiness arises, sorrow and wrong-thinking are lost.
कामधेनु तुम सुर तरु छाया। निराकार की अद्भुत माया॥
Kamadhenu tum sur taru chhaya. Nirakar ki adbhut maya.
You are the wish-fulfilling Kamadhenu, the shade of the celestial Kalpa-tree. The wonderful Maya of the formless absolute.
तुम्हरी शरण गहै जो कोई। तरै सकल संकट सों सोई॥
Tumhari sharan gahai jo koi. Tarai sakal sankat son soi.
Whoever takes refuge in you. They alone cross every trouble.
सरस्वती लक्ष्मी तुम काली। दिपै तुम्हारी ज्योति निराली॥
Saraswati Lakshmi tum Kali. Dipai tumhari jyoti nirali.
You are Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Kali. Your unique light shines through them all – the Tridevi identification.
तुम्हरी महिमा पार न पावै। जो शरद शतमुख गुण गावैं॥
Tumhari mahima par na pavai. Jo Sharad shat-mukh gun gavain.
No one can fully grasp your glory. Even Sheshnag with his hundred mouths sings only a fragment of your virtues.
चार वेद की मातु पुनीता। तुम ब्रह्माणी गौरी सीता॥
Char Ved ki matu punita. Tum Brahmani Gauri Sita.
Pure mother of the four Vedas. You are Brahmani, Gauri, and Sita.
महामंत्र जितने जग माहीं। कोऊ गायत्री सम नाहीं॥
Maha-mantra jitne jag mahin. Koou Gayatri sam nahin.
Of all the great mantras in the world. None is equal to Gayatri.
सुमिरत हिय में ज्ञान प्रकासै। आलस पाप अविद्या नासै॥
Sumirat hiy mein gyan prakasai. Alas paap avidya nasai.
Remembering you, knowledge dawns in the heart. Sloth, sin, and ignorance are destroyed.
सृष्टि बीज जग जननि भवानी। कालरात्रि वरदा कल्याणी॥
Srishti beej jag janani Bhavani. Kal-ratri varada kalyani.
The seed of creation, mother of the world, Bhavani. Kalaratri (the dark night of dissolution), giver of boons, the auspicious one.
ब्रह्मा विष्णु रुद्र सुर जेते। तुम सों पावें सुरता तेते॥
Brahma Vishnu Rudra sur jete. Tum son pavein surata tete.
Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra (Shiva), and all the gods. Receive their divinity from you.
तुम भक्तन की भक्त तुम्हारे। जननिहिं पुत्र प्राण ते प्यारे॥
Tum bhaktan ki bhakt tumhare. Janani-hin putra pran te pyare.
You belong to your devotees, and they belong to you. As a son is dearer than life to his mother.
महिमा अपरंपार तुम्हारी। जय जय जय त्रिपदा भयहारी॥
Mahima aparampar tumhari. Jai jai jai Tripada bhay-hari.
Your glory has no boundary. Hail, hail, hail to the three-footed (Tripada) one – remover of fear. The Gayatri mantra is in three padas; she is its embodied form.
पूरित सकल ज्ञान विज्ञाना। तुम सम अधिक न जग में आना॥
Purit sakal gyan vigyana. Tum sam adhik na jag mein ana.
You are filled with all knowledge and wisdom. None greater than you has come in this world.
तुमहिं जानि कछु रहै न शेषा। तुमहिं पाए कछु रहै न क्लेशा॥
Tumahin jani kachhu rahai na shesha. Tumahin paye kachhu rahai na klesha.
Knowing you, nothing remains unknown. Attaining you, no trouble remains.
जानत तुमहिं तुमहिं ह्वै जाई। पारस परसि कुधातु सुहाई॥
Janat tumahin tumahin hwai jai. Paras parasi kudhatu suhai.
Knowing you, one becomes you. As base metal touched by the philosopher's stone (paras) becomes gold.
तुम्हरी शक्ति दपै सब ठाई। माता तुम सब ठौर समाई॥
Tumhari shakti dapai sab thai. Mata tum sab thaur samai.
Your power shines in every place. O Mother, you pervade every space.
ग्रह नक्षत्र ब्रह्माण्ड घनेरे। सब गतिवान तुम्हारे प्रेरे॥
Grah nakshatra brahmand ghanere. Sab gativan tumhare prere.
The countless planets, stars, and universes. All move only by your impulse.
सकल सृष्टि की प्राण विधाता। पालक पोषक नाशक त्राता॥
Sakal srishti ki pran vidhata. Palak poshak nashak trata.
You are the giver of life to the entire creation. Sustainer, nourisher, dissolver, protector – the four-fold cosmic role.
मातेश्वरी दया व्रत धारी। तुम सन तरे पातकी भारी॥
Mateshvari daya vrat dhari. Tum san tare pataki bhari.
Mateshvari, holder of the vow of compassion. Even great sinners cross over by your grace.
जापर कृपा तुम्हारी होई। तापर कृपा करें सब कोई॥
Japar kripa tumhari hoi. Tapar kripa karein sab koi.
On whomever your grace falls. Everyone else also begins to show grace to them.
मंद बुद्धि ते बुद्धि बल पावें। रोगी रोग रहित ह्वै जावें॥
Mand buddhi te buddhi bal pavein. Rogi rog rahit hwai javein.
The dull-minded gain the strength of intellect. The sick become free from disease.
दारिद मिटै कटै सब पीरा। नाशै दुःख हरै भव भीरा॥
Darid mitai katai sab pira. Nashai dukh harai bhav bhira.
Poverty is erased, every pain is cut. Sorrow is destroyed, the fear of worldly existence is removed.
ग्रह क्लेश चित चिन्ता भारी। नासै गायत्री भय हारी॥
Grah klesh chit chinta bhari. Nasai Gayatri bhay hari.
Planetary afflictions and heavy mental worry. Gayatri – the remover of fear – destroys them all.
सन्तति हीन सुसन्तति पावें। सुख संपत्ति युत मोद मनावें॥
Santati hin susantati pavein. Sukh sampatti yut mod manavein.
The childless gain virtuous offspring. They celebrate with happiness and prosperity. (A verse of devotional faith, not a guarantee.)
भूत पिशाच सब भय खावें। यम के दूत निकट नहिं आवें॥
Bhut pishach sab bhay khavein. Yam ke dut nikat nahin avein.
Ghosts and harmful spirits flee in fear. The messengers of Yama (death) do not come near.
जो सधवा सुमिरें चित लाई। अछत सुहाग सदा सुखदाई॥
Jo sadhva sumirein chit lai. Achhat suhag sada sukh-dai.
Married women who remember Gayatri with focused mind. Their suhag (married state) remains unbroken and ever-happy.
घर वर सुखप्रद लहैं कुमारी। विधवा रहें सत्य व्रत धारी॥
Ghar var sukh-prad lahain kumari. Vidhva rahein satya vrat dhari.
Unmarried girls receive a happy home and husband. Widows hold to the vow of truth.
जयति जयति जगदम्ब भवानी। तुम सम और दयालु न दानी॥
Jayati jayati Jagdamb Bhavani. Tum sam aur dayalu na dani.
Hail, hail Jagadamba Bhavani. None more compassionate, none more generous than you.
जो सद्गुरू सों दीक्षा पावें। सो साधन को सफल बनावें॥
Jo sad-guru son diksha pavein. So sadhan ko safal banavein.
Whoever receives initiation from a true Guru. Their spiritual practice becomes fruitful.
सुमिरन करें सुरुचि बड़भागी। लहैं मनोरथ गृही विरागी॥
Sumiran karein suruchi bad-bhagi. Lahain manorath grihi viragi.
The fortunate ones recite with sincere taste. Householders and renunciates alike – all attain the wishes of their hearts.
अष्ट सिद्धि नवनिधि की दाता। सब समर्थ गायत्री माता॥
Ashta siddhi nava-nidhi ki data. Sab samarth Gayatri mata.
Giver of the eight siddhis (spiritual perfections) and the nine nidhis (treasures). Mother Gayatri is capable of all things.
ऋषि मुनि यती तपस्वी योगी। आरत अर्थी चिन्तित भोगी॥
Rishi muni yati tapasvi yogi. Arat arthi chintit bhogi.
Rishis, sages, ascetics, tapasvis, yogis. The distressed, the seekers, the worried, the worldly...
जो जो शरण तुम्हारी आवें। सो सो मन वाञ्छित फल पावें॥
Jo jo sharan tumhari avein. So so man-vanchit phal pavein.
...whoever takes refuge in you. They all receive the fruit their hearts desire.
बल बुद्धि विद्या शील स्वभाऊ। धन वैभव यश तेज उछाऊ॥
Bal buddhi vidya shil swabhao. Dhan vaibhav yash tej uchhao.
Strength, intellect, learning, character, gentle nature. Wealth, splendour, fame, brilliance – all increase.
सकल बढ़ें उपजें सुख नाना। जो यह पाठ करै धरि ध्याना॥
Sakal badhein upjein sukh nana. Jo yah path karai dhari dhyana.
All things grow, many forms of happiness arise. For whoever recites this Chalisa with focused meditation.
यह चालीसा भक्ति-युक्त, पाठ करें जो कोय। तापर कृपा प्रसन्नता, गायत्री की होय॥
Yah Chalisa bhakti-yukt, path karein jo koy. Tapar kripa prasannata, Gayatri ki hoy.
Whoever recites this Chalisa with devotion. Upon them falls Gayatri's grace and gladness.
Why this chalisa
What the Gayatri Chalisa is recited for, and what people turn to it for.
The most direct devotional bridge to the Gayatri mantra
Chaupai 1 begins with the Vyahritis – bhur-bhuvah-svah followed by Om – the very opening of the Gayatri mantra itself. Chaupai 2 names the twenty-four aksharas (the syllable-count of the mantra). Reciting the Chalisa is the simplest way to bring Gayatri sadhana into a household that may not know the mantra by heart, and the natural prelude to learning the mantra itself.
Daily anchor at sunrise sandhya
Unlike most chalisas tied to a specific weekday, the Gayatri Chalisa is a daily text – the morning sandhya is the traditional Vedic time for Gayatri practice. At seven minutes a day, the Chalisa fits cleanly before dawn meditation. Many devotees pair it with 11 or 108 japas of the Gayatri mantra after the recitation.
Identification with the Tridevi
Chaupai 9 names Gayatri as Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Kali; Chaupai 11 names her as Brahmani, Gauri, and Sita. The teaching is that Gayatri is the source-form from which all the great goddesses arise. For students this means knowledge (Saraswati), for householders abundance (Lakshmi), for the troubled protection (Kali) – all from a single recitation.
Companion text for upanayana and Vedic study
Upanayana – the sacred-thread ceremony – is the moment a child is initiated into the Gayatri mantra. The Chalisa is widely recited at the ceremony itself and during the years of brahmacharya (Vedic study) that follow. Verse 18 of the Chalisa promises that all knowledge becomes accessible to the one who knows Gayatri.
Help during heavy planetary phases
Chaupai 28 addresses planetary afflictions and chronic worry directly – graha klesh chit chinta bhari, nasai Gayatri bhay hari. Many devotees recite the Chalisa daily through Shani sade sati or other heavy astrological cycles, holding to the teaching that the Vedic mother stands above all planetary effects.
Daily japa for siddhi and spiritual progress
Chaupai 36 names Gayatri as the giver of the eight siddhis and nine nidhis – the same boons named in the Hanuman Chalisa. Chaupai 34 specifies that the practice fructifies most fully for those who have received initiation from a true Guru. The Chalisa is therefore both an entry-point and a life-long companion for serious sadhakas.
Origin
The Gayatri Chalisa contains no signature line and the verses themselves do not name a composer. Most published copies place the text in the early 20th century, in association with the Gayatri Pariwar tradition of Mathura. The Pariwar was founded by Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya (1911-1990), who placed the Gayatri mantra at the centre of a modern Vedic-revival movement; the Chalisa is widely associated with this lineage, though it is never claimed as Sharma Acharya's own composition. Many published copies attribute the Chalisa simply to "tradition" – an honesty worth preserving.
The text does not record a date of composition. By language and style the Chalisa is a 20th-century composition in Sanskritised Hindi – the metres are clean, the diction is more formal than the older Awadhi-Braj Bhasha of Tulsidas's Hanuman Chalisa or the Ram Sundar Prabhu Das chalisas. The opening doha begins with the bija-mantras Hreem Shreem Kleem, which is unusual among chalisas and signals the text's closer alignment with tantric and Vedic practice.
Gayatri herself is the personified form of the Gayatri mantra – the most central of all Vedic mantras, found in the Rig Veda (3.62.10) and recited at every Hindu sandhya across the world. The mantra has three padas (lines), which is why Chalisa verse 17 calls Gayatri Tripada – the three-footed one. The mantra has twenty-four syllables, which Chalisa verse 2 names directly. The mantra invokes the divine sun (savitur), and so Gayatri is also called Savitri (Doha 2). Across the Vedic and tantric traditions, Gayatri is identified with the Tridevi (verse 9: Saraswati, Lakshmi, Kali) and with the Tripura (verse 11: Brahmani, Gauri, Sita).
The Chalisa's wider companions are the Saraswati Chalisa (the goddess of learning, identified with Gayatri), the Durga Chalisa (the warrior Devi, also identified with Mahasaraswati and so with Gayatri during Navratri), and the Lakshmi Chalisa (completing the Tridevi). For those whose practice combines Gayatri sadhana with daily devotion, the Hanuman Chalisa is a natural household pair – Hanuman in the morning for strength and protection, Gayatri at sandhya for clarity and inner light.
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 before sunrise if you can. Sit in a clean space facing east, toward the rising sun – this is the traditional Vedic posture for Gayatri practice. The traditional offerings are pure water (for arghya, the water-offering to the sun), white flowers, a small diya with ghee, and a tulsi-bead or sandalwood mala if you intend to follow the Chalisa with japa. None of this is strictly required. The Chalisa was written for everyday recitation, with or without samagri.
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Posture and start
Sit cross-legged on a mat (a kusha-grass or wool mat is traditional), or in a chair, with your spine comfortably straight. Bow once toward the east. Take three deep breaths to settle. Begin with the two opening dohas (Hreem Shreem Kleem...), slowly. Saying it aloud has its own merit because the sound itself is an offering, but silent reciting works just as well at the desk before any work that requires clarity.
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Recitation
Move through the forty chaupais without rushing. The Vyahriti opening (verse 1) and the Tridevi-Tripura identifications (verses 9, 11) are the heart of the text – read these slowly, with attention. The full recitation takes about seven minutes. End with the closing doha. Devotion matters more than perfect pronunciation – though for the bija-mantras (Hreem, Shreem, Kleem) and the Vyahritis (Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah, Om), try for accuracy when you can.
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After
Sit quietly with eyes closed. Many devotees follow the Chalisa with 11, 24 (one for each akshara), or 108 japas of the Gayatri mantra itself: Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah, Tat Savitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat. If you are at a Vedic sandhya, end with the arghya – the water-offering to the rising sun, poured from cupped hands.
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Daily practice and special days
One paath at sunrise sandhya is the traditional daily practice – this is what makes Gayatri practice nitya (daily, non-negotiable) for those initiated through upanayana. Gayatri Jayanti on Jyeshtha Shukla Ekadashi (May or June) is the major festival – devotees recite 108 paaths through the day and offer Gayatri yajna at temples. Vasant Panchami brings another festival pairing with Saraswati. Upanayana ceremonies are the moment when a child first hears the Gayatri mantra; the Chalisa is recited at the ceremony and through the years of brahmacharya. For specific wishes – clarity in study, recovery from illness, transition through a difficult phase – traditions suggest a purascharan of 24,000 japas of the mantra alongside daily Chalisa paath.