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The complete Vaishno Devi 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.
गरुड़ वाहिनी वैष्णवी, त्रिकुटा पर्वत धाम। काली, लक्ष्मी, सरस्वती, शक्ति तुम्हें प्रणाम॥
Garud-vahini Vaishnavi, Trikuta parvat dham. Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, shakti tumhen pranam.
O Vaishnavi who rides Garuda, whose home is the Trikuta hills. Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati – the three shaktis – we bow to you.
नमो नमो वैष्णो वरदानी। कलि काल में शुभ कल्याणी॥
Namo namo Vaishno var-dani. Kali kaal mein shubh kalyani.
Salutations again and again, Vaishno, granter of boons. In Kali Yuga, you are the auspicious bringer of welfare.
मणि पर्वत पर ज्योति तुम्हारी। पिंडी रूप में हो अवतारी॥
Mani parvat par jyoti tumhari. Pindi roop mein ho avtari.
Your eternal flame burns on the Mani (Trikuta) mountain. You have descended in the form of three pindis.
देवी देवता अंश दियो है। रत्नाकर घर जन्म लियो है॥
Devi-devata ansh diyo hai. Ratnakar ghar janma liyo hai.
All the gods and goddesses gave their portion of energy. You took birth in the house of Ratnakar.
करी तपस्या राम को पाऊँ। त्रेता की शक्ति कहलाऊँ॥
Kari tapasya Ram ko paun. Treta ki shakti kahlaun.
You performed great tapasya to attain Ram (as your husband). You wished to be called the Shakti of the Treta age.
कहा राम मणि पर्वत जाओ। कलियुग की देवी कहलाओ॥
Kaha Ram Mani parvat jao. Kaliyug ki devi kahlao.
Ram said: go now to the Mani mountain. Be known there as the goddess of Kali Yuga.
विष्णु रूप से कल्की बनकर। लूँगा शक्ति रूप बदलकर॥
Vishnu roop se Kalki bankar. Lunga shakti roop badalkar.
I will return in my Vishnu form as Kalki. Then I will accept you, your form changed once again.
तब तक त्रिकुटा घाटी जाओ। गुफा अंधेरी जाकर पाओ॥
Tab tak Trikuta ghati jao. Gufa andheri jakar pao.
Until then, go to the Trikuta valley. Find the dark cave there.
काली, लक्ष्मी, सरस्वती माँ। करेंगी पूजन-पार्वती माँ॥
Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati maa. Karengi pujan – Parvati maa.
Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati – Mother. Will be worshipped together with Parvati.
ब्रह्मा, विष्णु, शंकर द्वारे। हनुमत, भैरों प्रहरी प्यारे॥
Brahma, Vishnu, Shankar dware. Hanumat, Bhairon prahari pyare.
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shankar stand at her gates. Hanuman and Bhairon are her dear guardians.
रिद्धि, सिद्धि चँवर डुलावे। कलियुग-वासी पूजन आवें॥
Riddhi, siddhi chanwar dulave. Kaliyug-vasi pujan aavein.
Riddhi and Siddhi (prosperity and accomplishment) wave the chanwar above her. The dwellers of Kali Yuga come to worship her.
पान सुपारी ध्वजा नारियल। चरणामृत चरणों का निर्मल॥
Paan supari dhwaja nariyal. Charanamrit charanon ka nirmal.
Betel leaves, supari, the dhwaja flag, the coconut. The pure charnamrit washes from her feet.
दिया फलित वर माँ मुस्काई। करन तपस्या पर्वत पर आई॥
Diya phalit var maa muskai. Karan tapasya parvat par aai.
Smiling, Mother granted her the boon. To perform tapasya, she came to the mountain.
कलि काल की भड़की ज्वाला। इक दिन अपना रूप निकाला॥
Kali kaal ki bhadki jwala. Ik din apna roop nikala.
When the flame of Kali Yuga blazed up. One day, she revealed her own form.
कन्या बन नगरोटा आई। योगी भैरों दिया दिखाई॥
Kanya ban Nagrota aai. Yogi Bhairon diya dikhai.
Taking the form of a young girl, she came to Nagrota. The yogi Bhairon Nath caught sight of her there.
रूप देख सुन्दर ललचाया। पीछे-पीछे भागा आया॥
Roop dekh sundar lalchaya. Pichhe-pichhe bhaga aaya.
Seeing her beauty, he was tempted. He came running after her.
कन्याओं के साथ मिली माँ। कौल कंदौली तभी चली माँ॥
Kanyaon ke saath mili maa. Kaul Kandauli tabhi chali maa.
Mother met with a group of young girls. Then she set off toward Kaul Kandauli (Banganga).
देवा माई दर्शन दीना। पवन रूप हो गई प्रवीणा॥
Deva mai darshan dina. Pavan roop ho gayi praveena.
She gave darshan to her devotees there. She also took the swift form of the wind.
नवरात्रों में लीला रचाई। भक्त श्रीधर के घर आई॥
Navratron mein leela rachai. Bhakt Shridhar ke ghar aai.
During Navratri, she enacted her divine play. She came to the home of her devotee Shridhar. (Shridhar – the brahmin in whose home Mata held the sacred bhandara.)
योगिन को भण्डारा दीना। सबने रुचिकर भोजन कीना॥
Yogin ko bhandara dina. Sabne ruchikar bhojan kina.
She gave a bhandara feast to all the yogis. Everyone ate to their full satisfaction.
मांस, मदिरा भैरों माँगी। रूप पवन कर इच्छा त्यागी॥
Maans, madira Bhairon mangi. Roop pavan kar iccha tyagi.
Bhairon demanded meat and wine at the bhandara. Taking the form of wind, she rejected his demand.
बाण मारकर गंगा निकाली। पर्वत भागी हो मतवाली॥
Baan markar Ganga nikali. Parvat bhagi ho matwali.
Striking with an arrow, she brought forth the Banganga. Then she ran toward the mountain in her ecstatic form.
चरण रखे आ एक शिला जब। चरण-पादुका नाम पड़ा तब॥
Charan rakhe aa ek shila jab. Charan-paduka naam pada tab.
When she placed her feet upon a rock. That place came to be called Charan Paduka. (The site on the yatra route where Mata's footprints are venerated.)
पीछे भैरों था बलकारी। छोटी गुफा में जाय पधारी॥
Pichhe Bhairon tha bal-kari. Chhoti gufa mein jaay padhari.
Bhairon, the powerful one, was still chasing behind. She entered a small cave (the Garbh Joon) for refuge.
नौ माह तक किया निवासा। चली फोड़कर किया प्रकाशा॥
Nau maah tak kiya nivasa. Chali phodkar kiya prakasha.
She remained in the cave for nine months. Then she broke through the rock and emerged into the light. (The Garbh Joon, the womb-cave – the cave the pilgrims still squeeze through on the yatra.)
आद्या शक्ति-ब्रह्म कुमारी। कहलाई माँ आद कुंवारी॥
Adya shakti-Brahma kumari. Kahlai maa Aad-kunwari.
The primordial Shakti, the Brahma-kumari (the eternally virgin). She came to be called Mother Aad-Kunwari.
गुफा द्वार पहुँची मुस्काई। लांगुर वीर ने आज्ञा पाई॥
Gufa dwar pahunchi muskai. Langur veer ne aagya pai.
Reaching the cave entrance, she smiled. Hanuman the brave (Langur Vir) received her command.
भागा-भागा भैरों आया। रक्षा हित निज शस्त्र चलाया॥
Bhaga-bhaga Bhairon aaya. Raksha hit nij shastra chalaya.
Bhairon came running once more. To defend herself, she struck him with her weapon.
पड़ा शीश जा पर्वत ऊपर। किया क्षमा जा दिया उसे वर॥
Pada shish ja parvat upar. Kiya kshama ja diya use var.
His severed head fell at the mountain peak above. She forgave him and granted him a boon.
अपने संग में पुजवाऊँगी। भैरों घाटी बनवाऊँगी॥
Apne sang mein pujwaungi. Bhairon Ghati banwaungi.
I will have you worshipped alongside me. Your shrine, the Bhairon Ghati, will be established here.
पहले मेरा दर्शन होगा। पीछे तेरा सुमरन होगा॥
Pehle mera darshan hoga. Pichhe tera sumaran hoga.
First my darshan will be taken. Then your remembrance will follow. (The yatra tradition – every pilgrim climbs up to Bhairon Ghati after Mata's darshan.)
बैठ गई माँ पिण्डी होकर। चरणों में बहता जल झर झर॥
Baith gayi maa pindi hokar. Charanon mein behta jal jhar jhar.
Mother seated herself in the form of three pindis. From her feet, the holy water flowed continuously.
चौंसठ योगिनी-भैरों बरवन। सप्तऋषि आ करते सुमरन॥
Chaunsath yogini-Bhairon barvan. Sapt-rishi aa karte sumaran.
The sixty-four yoginis and Bhairon are praised. The seven sages come and offer their remembrance.
घण्टा ध्वनि पर्वत पर बाजे। गुफा निराली सुन्दर लागे॥
Ghanta dhwani parvat par baje. Gufa nirali sundar lage.
The sound of bells echoes across the mountain. The cave appears extraordinarily beautiful.
भक्त श्रीधर पूजन कीना। भक्ति सेवा का वर लीना॥
Bhakt Shridhar pujan kina. Bhakti seva ka var lina.
The devotee Shridhar offered her worship. He received the boon of devotion and service.
सेवक ध्यानूँ तुमको ध्याया। ध्वजा व चोला आन चढ़ाया॥
Sevak dhyanun tumko dhyaya. Dhwaja va chola aan chadhaya.
The devotee Dhyanu meditated upon you. He brought and offered the dhwaja and the chola.
सिंह सदा दर पहरा देता। पंजा शेर का दुःख हर लेता॥
Sinh sada dar pehra deta. Panja sher ka dukh har leta.
The lion always stands guard at your gate. The mark of his paw lifts every sorrow.
जम्बू द्वीप महाराज मनाया। सर सोने का छत्र चढ़ाया॥
Jambu Dweep Maharaj manaya. Sar sone ka chhatra chadhaya.
The Maharaja of the Jambu region (Jammu) offered devotion to you. He placed a golden parasol at your shrine. (Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammu, the historical patron of the shrine.)
हीरे की मूरत संग प्यारी। जगे अखण्ड इक जोत तुम्हारी॥
Heere ki murat sang pyari. Jage akhand ik jot tumhari.
The jewelled murti shines beside the pindi. Your eternal, unbroken flame burns within. (The Akhand Jyoti at the Bhawan that has burned continuously for centuries.)
आश्विन चैत्र नवराते आऊँ। पिण्डी रानी दर्शन पाऊँ॥
Ashwin Chaitra navrate aaun. Pindi-rani darshan paun.
Let me come during Ashwin and Chaitra Navratri. Let me have the darshan of the Pindi-rani.
सेवक शर्मा शरण तिहारी। हरो वैष्णों विपत हमारी॥
Sevak Sharma sharan tihari. Haro Vaishno vipat hamari.
Sevak Sharma takes shelter at your feet. Vaishno, lift away our calamity. (The composer's signature line – the verse that names the author.)
कलियुग में महिमा तेरी, है माँ अपरम्पार। धर्म की हानि हो रही, प्रगट हो अवतार॥
Kaliyug mein mahima teri, hai maa aparampar. Dharma ki haani ho rahi, pragat ho avtar.
Mother, your glory in Kali Yuga is beyond all measure. Dharma is in decline – appear once more, take your avatar.
Why this chalisa
What the Vaishno Devi Chalisa is recited for, and what people turn to it for.
Anchor for the yatra
Many pilgrims recite the Chalisa nine times during the trek from Katra to the Bhawan – one paath at each major stop (Banganga, Charan Paduka, Adhkuwari, Sanjichhat, the Bhawan itself, and Bhairon Ghati). The verses themselves trace the yatra route: Banganga in verse 21, Charan Paduka in verse 22, Adhkuwari (the Garbh Joon) in verses 23-25, the Bhawan in verses 31-33, Bhairon Ghati in verses 28-30. Reading the Chalisa during the climb makes each step a recollection of Mata's lila.
Navratri practice
During Chaitra Navratri (March-April) and Sharad Navratri (September-October), many homes recite the Chalisa nine times – one paath per night – often paired with the Durga Chalisa for the wider Devi-worship. The shrine itself sees lakhs of pilgrims during these nine nights, with Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami as the highest paath days. Many devotees keep a fast through the nine nights and break it on the tenth day after the final paath.
Daily Devi-bhakti for households of north India
Vaishno Devi is the kuldevta – family deity – of countless households in Punjab, Haryana, Jammu, Himachal, and Delhi. Many homes have a small Vaishno Devi shrine in the puja room and recite the Chalisa daily before any other prayer. The Chalisa is also the most accessible introduction to the Tridevi worship for those new to Devi-bhakti – it explicitly identifies the three pindis as Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Kali in the opening doha.
Help during major life difficulty
Many devotees recite the Chalisa daily during stretches of major life difficulty – illness in the family, court matters, fertility difficulty, or any phase where Mata's direct intervention is sought. The teaching here is not magic. It is that turning to Mata Rani returns the household to the steady ground from which the difficulty can be faced. A common practice is the 9-day or 21-day or 41-day anushthan, with the Chalisa as the daily morning recitation, often committed to before an upcoming yatra. Pair with the Hanuman Chalisa for added strength (Hanuman is Langur Vir at the cave entrance).
For boons in fertility, marriage, and health
Verse 25 names Mata as Aad Kunwari – the eternally virgin one – the same form many couples invoke for fertility difficulty. Verse 4 names Mata's tapasya for Ram – often invoked for marriage matters. Verses 31-33 describe the Pindi-darshan and the eternal flame – often named in vows for health recovery. Many families undertake a vow to visit the shrine within a year of receiving a boon, and the Chalisa is the daily anchor through the waiting period. (This is a verse of devotional faith, not a replacement for medical care or professional advice.)
Companion to Hanuman and the wider Vaishnava worship
Verses 9 and 26 name Hanumat (Langur Vir) as Mata's gatekeeper at the cave – which makes the Hanuman Chalisa the natural pair for Vaishno worship. Many households recite both daily on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Verse 8 explicitly identifies Mata with the Tridevi (Maha Lakshmi, Maha Saraswati, Maha Kali) plus Parvati – making the four Devi Chalisas (Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kali) the wider devotional companions.
Origin
The Vaishno Devi Chalisa is signed in its closing chaupai (verse 40) by Sevak Sharma – the saint-poet whose colophon appears in the verse: "Sevak Sharma sharan tihari, haro Vaishno vipat hamari." Beyond this signature, very little is known about Sevak Sharma with certainty. The name is generic ("the servant Sharma"), and several poets across the 19th-20th centuries used it. 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 content – the Chalisa describes the canonical Vaishno-Bhairon legend in the form preserved by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, including specific references to the historical patron Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammu (verse 37) – the Chalisa is generally placed in the 19th-20th century CE. The mention of Jambu Dweep Maharaja places the lower bound at the Dogra rule of Jammu (1846 onwards), and the Chalisa's literary style suggests composition before the major shrine renovations of the 1970s. The Chalisa is shorter than the Hanuman Chalisa (forty-three verses by Tulsidas) but follows the same forty-verse form.
Vaishno Devi herself is the Mother enshrined in the cave at the Trikuta Hills near Katra in Jammu, in the form of three pindis representing Maha Lakshmi (the right pindi), Maha Saraswati (the centre), and Maha Kali (the left). The Chalisa's narrative is the canonical legend: Vaishnavi was born to Ratnakar, performed tapasya during Treta Yug to attain Ram as her husband, was instructed by Ram to wait until his Kalki avatar in Kali Yuga, and went to the Trikuta hills meanwhile (verses 4-7). The shrine is one of the most-visited religious sites in India – about ten million pilgrims undertake the yatra every year. The cave is approached through Katra-Banganga-Charan Paduka-Adhkuwari-Sanjichhat-Bhawan-Bhairon Ghati – each stop named by a verse of the Chalisa.
The Chalisa's wider companions are the Durga Chalisa (Vaishno Devi is one regional form of the wider Devi), the Lakshmi Chalisa, Saraswati Chalisa, and Kali Chalisa (the three pindis at the cave), the Hanuman Chalisa (Langur Vir at the cave entrance, verses 9 and 26), and the Bhairav Chalisa (Bhairon Nath, whose shrine at Bhairon Ghati is visited after Mata's darshan, verses 28-30). Many families undertaking the yatra recite all six during the climb.
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 if you can – traditionally red or yellow, the colours of Mata Rani. Sit in a clean space facing north (toward Jammu) or east, or before your home Vaishno Devi murti or photograph (the standard image is the three pindis or the four-armed Mata seated on a lion). The traditional offerings are red flowers (rose, hibiscus, marigold), a small ghee diya (ideally a kanak diya with mauli thread wrapped around it), red chunari, supari, and any milk-based sweet. None of this is strictly required. The Chalisa was written for everyday recitation, with or without samagri – many people recite it before the morning chai while standing in front of the Mata photograph.
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Posture and start
Sit cross-legged on a mat, or in a chair, with your spine comfortably straight. Bow once, with the call Jai Mata Di. Take a moment of silence to settle the mind. If you are reciting before yatra, before a Navratri, or for a specific intention (fertility, marriage, illness, court matter), offer a brief sankalp naming the date, the place, and the matter at hand. Begin with the opening doha (Garud-vahini Vaishnavi...) slowly. Saying it aloud has its own merit because the sound itself is an offering, but silent reciting works just as well during yatra-trek or while travelling.
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Recitation
Move through the forty chaupais without rushing. Verses 4-7 narrate the Treta Yuga origin story (Vaishnavi's tapasya for Ram). Verses 14-30 narrate the Kali Yuga lila in great detail – Bhairon's pursuit, the Banganga, Charan Paduka, the Garbh Joon cave, the slaying of Bhairon, and the boon to him. Reading these verses with awareness of the yatra geography turns the recitation into an inner pilgrimage. Verses 31-40 cover the Bhawan worship and personal prayer. End with the closing doha. The full recitation takes about seven minutes spoken aloud at a comfortable pace. Devotion matters more than perfect pronunciation.
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After
Sit quietly with eyes closed for a moment. Many people end with the bija mantra Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundayai Vichche recited 11 or 21 times – the wider Navarna mantra of the Devi tradition. Others recite a single round of Jai Mata Di japa on a chunari mala. Offer the bhog (a small portion of milk 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 touch of the Mata photograph or pindi-image to the forehead.
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Daily practice and special days
One paath a day – morning – is enough for steady daily practice. Tuesdays and Fridays are especially auspicious. Chaitra Navratri (March-April) and Sharad Navratri (September-October) are the major festivals – many households recite the Chalisa nine times across the nine nights, with the highest paaths on Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami. Before undertaking the yatra to the Bhawan, many devotees keep an 11-day or 21-day daily Chalisa nem starting on the first Tuesday before departure. During the yatra, recite the Chalisa once at each major stop (Katra, Banganga, Charan Paduka, Adhkuwari, Sanjichhat, the Bhawan, Bhairon Ghati). For boon-anushthan (fertility, marriage, illness, court matter), 41 paaths over forty-one days, paired with a vow to undertake the yatra after the boon is received, is the older household tradition.