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Lyrics with meaning
The complete Kali 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.
जयकाली कलिमलहरण, महिमा अगम अपार। महिष मर्दिनी कालिका, देहु अभय अपार॥
Jaikali kali-mal-haran, mahima agam apar. Mahish mardini Kalika, dehu abhay apar.
Hail Kali, destroyer of the impurities of Kali Yuga, your glory is unfathomable and infinite. Slayer of Mahishasura, Kalika – grant me limitless fearlessness.
अरि मद मान मिटावन हारी। मुण्डमाल गल सोहत प्यारी॥
Ari mad maan mitavan hari. Mund-mala gal sohat pyari.
Destroyer of the pride and arrogance of enemies. The garland of severed heads adorns your throat beautifully.
अष्टभुजी सुखदायक माता। दुष्टदलन जग में विख्याता॥
Ashta-bhuji sukh-dayak mata. Dusht-dalan jag mein vikhyata.
Eight-armed, joy-giving Mother. Renowned in the world as the destroyer of the wicked.
भाल विशाल मुकुट छवि छाजै। कर में शीश शत्रु का साजै॥
Bhaal vishal mukut chhavi chhajai. Kar mein shish shatru ka sajai.
On your broad forehead, the crown's radiance shines. In your hand, the severed head of the enemy is held aloft.
दूजे हाथ लिए मधु प्याला। हाथ तीसरे सोहत भाला॥
Duje hath liye madhu pyala. Hath tisre sohat bhala.
In the second hand, you hold a cup of madhu (intoxicating nectar). In the third hand, the spear shines.
चौथे खप्पर खड्ग कर पांचे। छठे त्रिशूल शत्रु बल जांचे॥
Chauthe khappar khadg kar panche. Chhathe trishul shatru bal janche.
In the fourth hand, the khappar (skull-bowl); in the fifth, the sword. In the sixth, the trident measures the enemy's strength.
सप्तम कर दमकत असि प्यारी। शोभा अद्भुत मात तुम्हारी॥
Saptam kar damkat asi pyari. Shobha adbhut mat tumhari.
In the seventh hand, the dazzling beloved sword. Your beauty, Mother, is wonderful beyond words.
अष्टम कर भक्तन वर दाता। जग मनहरण रूप ये माता॥
Ashtam kar bhaktan var data. Jag man-haran roop ye mata.
The eighth hand grants boons to devotees. This form of yours, Mother, captivates the heart of the world.
भक्तन में अनुरक्त भवानी। निशदिन रटें ॠषी-मुनि ज्ञानी॥
Bhaktan mein anurakt Bhavani. Nishdin raten rishi-muni gyani.
Bhavani, you are devoted to your devotees. Day and night, sages and wise munis chant your name.
महशक्ति अति प्रबल पुनीता। तू ही काली तू ही सीता॥
Mah-shakti ati prabal punita. Tu hi Kali tu hi Sita.
Mahashakti, mighty and most pure. You are Kali, and you are also Sita. (The central teaching: every Devi-form is one Mother.)
पतित तारिणी हे जग पालक। कल्याणी पापी कुल घालक॥
Patit-tarini he jag-palak. Kalyani papi kul ghalak.
Liberator of the fallen, sustainer of the world. Bringer of welfare, destroyer of the wicked clan.
शेष सुरेश न पावत पारा। गौरी रूप धर्यो इक बारा॥
Shesh Suresh na pavat para. Gauri roop dharyo ik bara.
Sheshnag and Indra cannot find your limit. Once you took the form of Gauri (Parvati). (Identifying Kali with Parvati, see verse 29 of the Parvati Chalisa.)
तुम समान दाता नहिं दूजा। विधिवत करें भक्तजन पूजा॥
Tum saman data nahin duja. Vidhivat karen bhakt-jan puja.
There is no other giver equal to you. Devotees perform your worship by proper procedure.
रूप भयंकर जब तुम धारा। दुष्टदलन कीन्हेहु संहारा॥
Roop bhayankar jab tum dhara. Dusht-dalan kinheh sanhara.
When you took on the fearsome form. You wrought destruction on the wicked armies.
नाम अनेकन मात तुम्हारे। भक्तजनों के संकट टारे॥
Naam anekan mat tumhare. Bhakt-janon ke sankat tare.
Your names are many, Mother. They lift away the troubles of devotees.
कलि के कष्ट कलेशन हरनी। भव भय मोचन मंगल करनी॥
Kali ke kasht kaleshan harani. Bhav bhay mochan mangal karani.
Destroyer of the suffering and torment of Kali Yuga. Liberator from the fear of worldly existence, doer of all that is auspicious.
महिमा अगम वेद यश गावैं। नारद शारद पार न पावैं॥
Mahima agam Ved yash gavain. Narad Sharad paar na pavain.
The Vedas sing your unfathomable glory. Even Narada and Saraswati cannot find your limit.
भू पर भार बढ्यौ जब भारी। तब तब तुम प्रकटीं महतारी॥
Bhu par bhar badhyau jab bhari. Tab tab tum prakatin mahatari.
Whenever the burden on the earth grew heavy. Each time, Mother, you manifested. (The classical Devi-avatar formula, paralleling the Bhagavad Gita's avatar teaching.)
आदि अनादि अभय वरदाता। विश्वविदित भव संकट त्राता॥
Adi anadi abhay var-data. Vishva-vidit bhav-sankat trata.
Beginningless and primordial, giver of fearlessness. Renowned across the universe as the saviour from worldly calamity.
कुसमय नाम तुम्हारौ लीन्हा। उसको सदा अभय वर दीन्हा॥
Kusamay naam tumharau linha. Usko sada abhay var dinha.
Whoever takes your name in a difficult time. To them you have always given the boon of fearlessness.
ध्यान धरें श्रुति शेष सुरेशा। काल रूप लखि तुमरो भेषा॥
Dhyan dharein shruti Shesh Suresha. Kaal roop lakhi tumro bhesha.
The Vedas, Sheshnag, and Indra hold you in meditation. Beholding your time-form, your fierce appearance.
कलुआ भैंरों संग तुम्हारे। अरि हित रूप भयानक धारे॥
Kalua Bhairon sang tumhare. Ari hit roop bhayanak dhare.
Kalua Bhairon is at your side. To slay enemies, you take the fearsome form.
सेवक लांगुर रहत अगारी। चौसठ जोगन आज्ञाकारी॥
Sevak Langur rahat agari. Chausath jogan agyakari.
The servant Langur (Hanuman) stands at the front. The sixty-four yoginis obey your command.
त्रेता में रघुवर हित आई। दशकंधर की सैन नसाई॥
Treta mein Raghuvar hit aai. Dashkandhar ki sain nasai.
In Treta Yuga you came for the sake of Ram. You destroyed the armies of Ravana (the ten-necked one).
खेला रण का खेल निराला। भरा मांस-मज्जा से प्याला॥
Khela ran ka khel nirala. Bhara maans-majja se pyala.
You played the wondrous game of battle. Filled the cup with flesh and marrow.
रौद्र रूप लखि दानव भागे। कियौ गवन भवन निज त्यागे॥
Raudra roop lakhi danav bhage. Kiyau gavan bhavan nij tyage.
Seeing your terrifying form, the demons fled. Abandoning their own dwellings, they ran.
तब ऐसौ तामस चढ़ आयो। स्वजन विजन को भेद भुलायो॥
Tab aisau tamas chadh aayo. Svajan vijan ko bhed bhulayo.
Then such fury rose within you. That you forgot the difference between your own and strangers.
ये बालक लखि शंकर आए। राह रोक चरनन में धाए॥
Ye balak lakhi Shankar aaye. Rah rok charanan mein dhaye.
Seeing this, Shankar (Shiva) came. He blocked your path and fell at your feet. (The iconic Shiva-as-corpse-under-Kali pose.)
तब मुख जीभ निकर जो आई। यही रूप प्रचलित है माई॥
Tab mukh jeebh nikar jo aai. Yahi roop prachalit hai mai.
When the tongue then protruded from your mouth. This is the form, Mother, that is most known. (Kali's iconic tongue-out form, frozen in the moment of recognising Shiva beneath her foot.)
बाढ्यो महिषासुर मद भारी। पीड़ित किए सकल नर-नारी॥
Badhyo Mahishasur mad bhari. Pidit kiye sakal nar-nari.
When the pride of Mahishasura grew heavy. He afflicted all men and women.
करूण पुकार सुनी भक्तन की। पीर मिटावन हित जन-जन की॥
Karun pukar suni bhaktan ki. Peer mitavan hit jan-jan ki.
You heard the piteous cry of devotees. To wipe away the pain of every person.
तब प्रगटी निज सैन समेता। नाम पड़ा मां महिष विजेता॥
Tab pragati nij sain sameta. Naam pada maa Mahish-vijeta.
Then you manifested with your full army. The name fell on you – Mother, conqueror of Mahisha. (The slaying of Mahishasura, the founding episode of Durga's appearance in the Devi Mahatmya.)
शुंभ निशुंभ हने छन माहीं। तुम सम जग दूसर कोउ नाहीं॥
Shumbh Nishumbh hane chhan mahin. Tum sam jag dusar kou nahin.
Shumbha and Nishumbha you slew in a moment. There is no other in the world equal to you.
मान मथनहारी खल दल के। सदा सहायक भक्त विकल के॥
Maan mathanhari khal dal ke. Sada sahayak bhakt vikal ke.
Crusher of the pride of the wicked army. Always the helper of the distressed devotee.
दीन विहीन करैं नित सेवा। पावैं मनवांछित फल मेवा॥
Deen vihin karain nit seva. Pavain man-vanchhit phal meva.
The poor and powerless serve you daily. They receive the desired fruit of their heart.
संकट में जो सुमिरन करहीं। उनके कष्ट मातु तुम हरहीं॥
Sankat mein jo sumiran karahin. Unke kasht matu tum harahin.
Whoever remembers you in distress. Their suffering, Mother, you lift away.
प्रेम सहित जो कीरति गावैं। भव बन्धन सों मुक्ती पावैं॥
Prem sahit jo kirat gavain. Bhav bandhan son mukti pavain.
Whoever sings your fame with love. Receives liberation from the bondage of worldly existence.
काली चालीसा जो पढ़हीं। स्वर्गलोक बिनु बंधन चढ़हीं॥
Kali Chalisa jo padhahin. Svarg-lok binu bandhan chadhahin.
Whoever reads the Kali Chalisa. Ascends to the heavenly realm without bondage.
दया दृष्टि हेरौ जगदम्बा। केहि कारण मां कियौ विलम्बा॥
Daya drishti herau Jagdamba. Kehi karan maa kiyau vilamba.
Cast a glance of grace, Jagdamba. Why, Mother, have you delayed?
करहु मातु भक्तन रखवाली। जयति जयति काली कंकाली॥
Karahu matu bhaktan rakhwali. Jayati jayati Kali Kankali.
Mother, take care of your devotees. Hail, hail Kali Kankali (skeleton-adorned).
सेवक दीन अनाथ अनारी। भक्तिभाव युति शरण तुम्हारी॥
Sevak deen anath anari. Bhakti-bhav yuti sharan tumhari.
Your servant is poor, helpless, simple. With devotional feeling, takes shelter at your feet.
प्रेम सहित जो करे, काली चालीसा पाठ। तिनकी पूरन कामना, होय सकल जग ठाठ॥
Prem sahit jo kare, Kali Chalisa paath. Tinki puran kamna, hoy sakal jag thath.
Whoever recites the Kali Chalisa with love. Their desires are wholly fulfilled, the whole world becomes their stage.
Why this chalisa
What the Kali Chalisa is recited for, and what people turn to it for.
The eight-armed iconography as object of meditation
Verses 1-7 of the Chalisa describe Kali's eight arms in a deliberate visual sequence: the severed head (verse 3), the cup of madhu (verse 4), the spear (verse 4), the khappar – skull-bowl (verse 5), the sword (verse 5), the trident (verse 5), the dazzling sword (verse 6), and the boon-giving hand (verse 7). Many devotees use these verses as a guided meditation – placing each weapon in turn at each of the eight directions of the body. Pair with the longer Devi Kavach from the Devi Mahatmya for the complete Kali-armour practice.
Help during severe family crisis or illness
Verse 19 names the Chalisa's central promise: "kusamay naam tumharau linha, usko sada abhay var dinha" – 'whoever takes your name in a difficult time, to them you have given the boon of fearlessness forever.' Many households recite the Chalisa daily through stretches of severe illness, mental difficulty, or supernatural disturbance. The teaching is not magic; it is that turning to the warrior-Mother returns the household to the steady ground from which the difficulty can be faced. Pair with the Durga Chalisa, the Bhairav Chalisa, or the Hanuman Chalisa for added strength. (This is a verse of devotional faith, not a replacement for medical care or professional advice.)
Anchor for Navratri Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami
Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami – the eighth and ninth nights of Sharad Navratri – are dedicated to Kali alongside Durga. Many homes recite the Chalisa nine times across the two nights, often with a midnight paath at the home Kali yantra. Pair with the Durga Chalisa for the wider Devi worship and the Devi Kavach for the protective armour.
Kali Chaudas centrepiece
Kali Chaudas – the fourteenth night of Krishna-paksha Kartik, the eve of Diwali – is the year's most charged Kali night across north and east India (in the south and west, often called Naraka Chaturdashi). Many households recite the Chalisa eleven or twenty-one times after sunset, light a single black-and-red diya at the home Kali shrine, and offer black sesame, red hibiscus, and a small bowl of mishri-yogurt. The Chalisa's closing doha promises that those who recite it with love see their wishes fulfilled.
Companion to Bhairav and the wider tantric worship
Verses 21-22 name Kalua Bhairon at Kali's side and the Langur (Hanuman) and chausath jogan (sixty-four yoginis) under her command. This places the Chalisa within the wider tantric Shakta tradition. Pair with the Bhairav Chalisa on Sundays (Kaal Bhairav's day) and the Hanuman Chalisa on Tuesdays-Saturdays. Many tantric practitioners also recite the Chalisa during the chausath yogini rituals, especially at the historic Chausath Yogini temples in Khajuraho, Hirapur, and Ranipur-Jharial.
Companion to the wider Devi family
Verse 9 carries the Chalisa's metaphysical claim: "tu hi Kali tu hi Sita" – 'You are Kali, and you are also Sita.' This identifies Kali as one face of the eternal Devi, of which Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Parvati are also forms. Many homes recite all five during Sharad Navratri, with the Kali Chalisa especially on Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami nights.
Origin
The Kali Chalisa carries no signature line in the verses themselves. Many published copies attribute it simply to "tradition" – an honesty worth preserving. The text is generally placed in the 17th-19th century CE by language and style, written in a Hindi with strong Awadhi and some Brajbhasha influence. The opening doha addresses Kali as Mahish-mardini (slayer of Mahishasura) – the same epithet used in the Devi Mahatmya. The Chalisa is structurally precise: the bhaktibharat source explicitly numbers the chaupais at every fourth verse (markers ॥4॥ ॥8॥ ॥12॥ ॥16॥ ॥20॥ ॥24॥ ॥28॥ ॥32॥ ॥36॥ ॥40॥), confirming the 40-verse canonical form.
The Chalisa's narrative source is the Devi Mahatmya (also called the Durga Saptashati or Chandi Path) – the seven-hundred-verse Sanskrit text from the Markandeya Purana, datable to roughly the 4th-6th century CE. The Devi Mahatmya tells of three great Devi-battles: against Madhu and Kaitabha (with Vishnu), against Mahishasura (verse 31 of the Chalisa: "naam pada maa Mahish-vijeta"), and against Shumbha-Nishumbha (verse 32: "Shumbh Nishumbh hane chhan mahin"). Verse 23 of the Chalisa adds a fourth Kali-act drawn from the Ramayana tradition: her destruction of Ravana's army. Together, these four episodes establish Kali as the warrior-mother who appears whenever cosmic dharma is in crisis.
Kali herself is one of the most theologically dense forms in the Hindu pantheon. Iconographically she is depicted dark-bodied, four-armed (in some traditions) or eight-armed (the Chalisa's form, verse 2), with a garland of severed heads (mund-mala, verse 1), a girdle of severed arms, the protruding tongue (verses 27-28, the iconic moment when she stepped on Shiva and recognised him), and a fierce battle-stance. Verses 27-28 narrate the famous episode: in the heat of slaying demons, Kali's rage grew so great she could not stop. Shiva lay down on the battlefield to halt her; when she stepped on his chest and recognised her own husband, her tongue protruded in the involuntary expression of lajja (shame, recognition) – the jib-nikla Kali. This is the most-photographed Kali pose in Hindu iconography and is preserved in the murtis at Kalighat (Kolkata), Dakshineshwar, Kamakhya, and the smaller Kali shrines across India.
The Chalisa's wider companions are the Durga Chalisa (the wider Devi form, recited during Navratri), the Parvati Chalisa (verse 11 of the Kali Chalisa names "Gauri roop dharyo ik bara" – Kali takes Parvati's form), the Bhairav Chalisa (Kalua Bhairon at her side, verse 21), the Hanuman Chalisa (the Langur is named in verse 22 as her gatekeeper), and the Saraswati Chalisa (verse 16 of the Kali Chalisa names Saraswati cannot find her limit; the wider Tridevi).
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 – traditionally red or black, the colours associated with Kali. Sit in a clean space facing south or east, or before your home Kali murti, photograph, or yantra. The traditional offerings are red hibiscus flowers (jaba phool – Kali's most-loved flower), black sesame seeds, a small piece of jaggery, kumkum, and a single ghee diya. Some traditions also offer a small bowl of mishri-yogurt and a piece of fruit. None of this is strictly required for daily recitation, but for Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami, and Kali Chaudas the full samagri is traditional.
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Posture and start
Sit cross-legged on a mat, with your spine comfortably straight. Bow once. Take a moment of silence to settle the mind. If reciting on Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami, Kali Chaudas, or for a specific intention (severe illness, mental difficulty, family crisis, supernatural disturbance), offer a brief sankalp naming the date, the place, and the matter at hand. Begin with the opening doha (Jaikali kali-mal-haran...) slowly. Saying it aloud has its own merit because the sound itself is an offering, but silent reciting works just as well, especially after sunset when many traditions prefer the quieter form.
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Recitation
Move through the forty chaupais without rushing. Verses 1-8 establish Kali's eight-armed iconography – often read with eyes half-closed, mentally placing each weapon. Verses 9-12 carry the metaphysical teaching (tu hi Kali tu hi Sita) – often slowed down. Verses 21-22 name the companions (Bhairon, Langur, sixty-four yoginis). Verses 23-32 narrate the four great battles (Treta-Ravana, Shiva-tongue-out, Mahishasura, Shumbha-Nishumbha). Verses 33-40 are the practitioner-facing verses describing what the steady reciter receives. End with the closing doha. The full recitation takes about seven minutes.
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After
Sit quietly with eyes closed for a moment. Many people end with the bija mantra Om Krim Kalikayai Namah recited 11, 21, or 108 times on a rudraksha or red-coral mala. Others recite a few rounds of the wider Navarna mantra Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundayai Vichche. Offer the bhog (mishri or any red sweet) and take a small portion as prasad. Some traditions add a closing line of namaskar to one's own guru and family deity (kuldevta), and a final tilak of kumkum to the forehead.
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Daily practice and special days
One paath a day – evening or after sunset – is enough for steady daily practice. Tuesdays and Fridays are especially auspicious. Krishna-paksha Ashtami (the eighth night of every dark fortnight) and Amavasya (the new moon) are the most charged times. Kali Chaudas in Kartik (the eve of Diwali) is the year's biggest single Kali night. Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami of Sharad Navratri are the major recitation days. For specific wishes, the older practice is 11, 21, 41, or 108 paaths over a fixed period, often coordinated with a vow to visit a Shakti Peetha (Kalighat in Kolkata, Dakshineshwar, Kamakhya in Assam, or Harsiddhi in Ujjain) within the year.