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Lyrics with meaning
The complete Vishwakarma 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.
विनय करौं कर जोड़कर, मन वचन कर्म संभारि। मोर मनोरथ पूर्ण कर, विश्वकर्मा दुष्टारि॥
Vinay karon kar jodkar, man vachan karm sambhari. Mor manorath puran kar, Vishwakarma dushtari.
I bow with folded hands, holding mind, speech, and action carefully. Fulfil my heart's wish, Vishwakarma, destroyer of the wicked.
विश्वकर्मा तव नाम अनूपा। पावन सुखद मनन अनरूपा॥
Vishwakarma tav naam anupa. Pavan sukhad manan anrupa.
Vishwakarma, your name is incomparable. Pure and joy-giving, fitting for meditation.
सुन्दर सुयश भुवन दशचारी। नित प्रीति गावत गुण नर नारी॥
Sundar suyash bhuvan dash-chari. Nit priti gavat gun nar nari.
Beautiful auspicious fame across the fourteen worlds. Daily, men and women lovingly sing your virtues.
शारद शेष महेश भवानी। कवि कोविद गुण ग्राहक ज्ञानी॥
Sharad Shesh Mahesh Bhavani. Kavi kovid gun grahak gyani.
Saraswati, Sheshnaag, Mahesh, Bhavani. Poets, scholars, and the wise receive your qualities.
आगम निगम पुराण महाना। गुणातीत गुणवन्त सयाना॥
Aagam nigam Puran mahana. Gunatit gunvant sayana.
The Agamas, Vedas, and great Puranas. Beyond all qualities, full of every quality, wise.
जग महँ जे परमारथ वादी। धर्म धुरंधर शुभ सनकादि॥
Jag mahan je parmarath vadi. Dharma dhurandhar shubh sankadi.
Those in the world who speak of the highest goal. Dharma-bearers, the auspicious Sanaka brothers.
नित नित गुण यश गावत तेरे। धन्य-धन्य विश्वकर्मा मेरे॥
Nit nit gun yash gavat tere. Dhanya-dhanya Vishwakarma mere.
Daily and daily they sing your virtues and fame. Blessed, blessed are you, my Vishwakarma.
आदि सृष्टि महँ तू अविनाशी। मोक्ष धाम तजि आयो सुपासी॥
Aadi srishti mahan tu avinashi. Moksh dhaam taji aayo supasi.
In the original creation, you are imperishable. Leaving the abode of moksha, you came near.
जग महँ प्रथम लीक शुभ जाकी। भुवन चारि दश कीर्ति कला की॥
Jag mahan pratham leek shubh jaki. Bhuvan chari dash kirti kala ki.
In the world, the first auspicious line is yours. The fame of your craft spreads across the fourteen worlds.
ब्रह्मचारी आदित्य भयो जब। वेद पारंगत ऋषि भयो तब॥
Brahmachari Aditya bhayo jab. Ved parangat rishi bhayo tab.
When you became Aditya the celibate. You then became a Veda-mastered rishi.
दर्शन शास्त्र अरु विज्ञ पुराना। कीर्ति कला इतिहास सुजाना॥
Darshan shastra aru vigya purana. Kirti kala itihas sujana.
Philosophical shastras and ancient sciences. The history of fame and craft – wise one, you know.
तुम आदि विश्वकर्मा कहलायो। चौदह विद्या भू पर फैलायो॥
Tum aadi Vishwakarma kehlayo. Chaudah vidya bhu par phailayo.
You came to be called the original Vishwakarma. You spread the fourteen sciences across the earth.
लोह काष्ठ अरु ताम्र सुवर्णा। शिला शिल्प जो पंचक वर्णा॥
Loh kashth aru taamr suvarna. Shila shilpa jo panchak varna.
Iron, wood, copper, gold. Stone-craft – these are the five categories. (The Pancha-Vidha craft tradition: the five primary materials of the Vishwakarma craftsmen.)
दे शिक्षा दुख दारिद्र नाश्यो। सुख समृद्धि जग महँ परकाश्यो॥
De shiksha dukh daridra nashyo. Sukh samriddhi jag mahan parkashyo.
Giving instruction, you destroyed sorrow and poverty. You spread happiness and prosperity across the world.
सनकादिक ऋषि शिष्य तुम्हारे। ब्रह्मादिक जै मुनीश पुकारे॥
Sankadik rishi shishya tumhare. Brahmadik jai munish pukare.
The Sanaka brothers and other rishis are your disciples. Brahma and the other lords of munis call out to you.
जगत गुरु इस हेतु भये तुम। तम-अज्ञान-समूह हने तुम॥
Jagat guru is hetu bhaye tum. Tam-agyan-samuh hane tum.
For this reason, you became the Jagat-guru. You destroyed the heap of darkness and ignorance.
दिव्य आलौकिक गुण जाके वर। विघ्न विनाशन भय टारन कर॥
Divya alaukik gun jake var. Vighna vinashan bhay tarn kar.
Whose boon is otherworldly divine quality. Destroyer of obstacles, lifter of fear.
सृष्टि करन हित नाम तुम्हारा। ब्रह्मा विश्वकर्मा भय धारा॥
Srishti karan hit naam tumhara. Brahma Vishwakarma bhay dhara.
For the sake of creation, your name. Brahma is also called Vishwakarma in this aspect.
विष्णु अलौकिक जग रक्षक सम। शिव कल्याण दायक अति अनुपम॥
Vishnu alaukik jag-rakshak sam. Shiv kalyan dayak ati anupam.
Vishnu is the otherworldly protector of the world. Shiva is the giver of welfare, incomparable.
नमो नमो विश्वकर्मा देवा। सेवत सुलभ मनोरथ देवा॥
Namo namo Vishwakarma deva. Sevat sulabh manorath deva.
Salutations, salutations Vishwakarma deva. Easy to serve, fulfiller of wishes, deva.
देव दनुज किन्नर गन्धर्व। प्रणवत युगल चरण पर सर्वा॥
Dev danuj kinnar gandharv. Pranavat yugal charan par sarva.
Devas, danavas, kinnaras, gandharvas. All bow at the pair of your feet.
अविचल भक्ति हृदय बस जाके। चार पदारथ करतल जाके॥
Avichal bhakti hriday bas jake. Char padarath kartal jake.
Whoever has unshakeable devotion in their heart. The four fruits of life are in their palm.
सेवत तोहि भुवन दश चारी। पावन चरण भवो भव कारी॥
Sevat tohi bhuvan dash chari. Pavan charan bhavo bhav kari.
All fourteen worlds serve you. Your pure feet are the cause of every existence.
विश्वकर्मा देवन कर देवा। सेवत सुलभ अलौकिक मेवा॥
Vishwakarma devan kar deva. Sevat sulabh alaukik meva.
Vishwakarma, deva of devas. Easy to serve, otherworldly fruits to those who serve.
लौकिक कीर्ति कला भण्डारा। दाता त्रिभुवन यश विस्तारा॥
Laukik kirti kala bhandara. Data tribhuvan yash vistara.
Worldly fame, treasury of craft. Giver, your fame extends across the three worlds.
भुवन पुत्र विश्वकर्मा तनुधरि। वेद अथर्वण तत्व मनन करि॥
Bhuvan putra Vishwakarma tanudhari. Ved Atharvan tatva manan kari.
Vishwakarma, son of Bhuvana, taking body. Reflecting on the essence of the Atharva Veda.
अथर्ववेद अरु शिल्प शास्त्र का। धनुर्वेद सब कृत्य आपका॥
Atharva-ved aru shilp shastra ka. Dhanur-ved sab kritya aapka.
The Atharva Veda and the shilpa-shastras. The Dhanur-Veda – all these works are yours.
जब जब विपति बड़ी देवन पर। कष्ट हन्यो प्रभु कला सेवन कर॥
Jab jab vipati badi devan par. Kasht hanyo Prabhu kala sevan kar.
Whenever great calamity fell upon the gods. Lord, you removed their suffering by service of craft.
विष्णु चक्र अरु ब्रह्म कमण्डल। रुद्र शूल सब रच्यो भूमण्डल॥
Vishnu chakra aru Brahma kamandal. Rudra shul sab rachyo bhumandal.
Vishnu's discus, Brahma's kamandalu. Rudra's trident – you crafted them all on this earth-circle. (The three primary divine weapons of the Trimurti.)
इन्द्र धनुष अरु धनुष पिनाका। पुष्पक यान अलौकिक चाका॥
Indra dhanush aru dhanush pinaka. Pushpak yan alaukik chaka.
Indra's bow and Shiva's Pinaka-bow. The otherworldly Pushpak chariot. (Pushpak Vimana – Ravana's flying chariot, originally fashioned by Vishwakarma.)
वायुयान मय उड़न खटोले। विद्युत कला तंत्र सब खोले॥
Vayuyan may udan khatole. Vidyut kala tantra sab khole.
Aircraft and flying chariots. The science of electricity – all these you opened. (A striking verse: vayuyan = aircraft and vidyut = electricity. The Chalisa is the only major Hindu hymn that explicitly names these as Vishwakarma's domain.)
सूर्य चन्द्र नवग्रह दिग्पाला। लोक लोकान्तर व्योम पताला॥
Surya chandra navgrah digpala. Lok lokantar vyom patala.
Sun, moon, the nine planets, the directional guardians. The worlds, the inter-worlds, the sky, and the netherworlds.
अग्नि वायु क्षिति जल आकाश। आविष्कार सकल परकाश॥
Agni vayu kshiti jal akash. Aavishkar sakal parkash.
Fire, wind, earth, water, sky. All inventions emerge from your light.
मनु मय त्वष्टा शिल्पी महाना। देवागम मुनि पंथ सुजाना॥
Manu may Tvashta shilpi mahana. Devagam muni panth sujana.
Manu, Maya, Tvashta – great craftsmen. The deva-tradition, the wise muni-paths.
लोक काष्ठ शिला ताम्र सुकर्मा। स्वर्णकार मय पंचक धर्मा॥
Lok kashth shila taamr sukarma. Svarnakar may panchak dharma.
Iron-craft, wood-craft, stone-craft, copper-craft. Goldsmith-craft – the five-fold dharma. (The Pancha-shilpis: Manu the iron-smith, Maya the carpenter, Tvashta the bronze-smith, Shilpi the stone-mason, Vishvajna the goldsmith.)
शिव दधीचि हरिश्चन्द्र भुआरा। कृत युग शिक्षा पालेऊ सारा॥
Shiv Dadhichi Harishchandra bhuara. Krit yug shiksha paleu sara.
Shiva, Dadhichi, Harishchandra of the earth. In the Krita Yuga, you preserved all teaching.
परशुराम नल नील सुचेता। रावण राम शिष्य सब त्रेता॥
Parashuram Nal Nil Sucheta. Ravan Ram shishya sab Treta.
Parashurama, Nala, Nila, Sucheta. Ravana and Rama – all your disciples in the Treta Yuga. (Nala-Nila built the Ramayana bridge to Lanka; Vishwakarma also built Lanka itself for Ravana.)
द्वापर द्रोणाचार्य हुलासा। विश्वकर्मा कुल कीन्ह प्रकाशा॥
Dvapar Dronacharya hulasa. Vishwakarma kul kinh prakasha.
In the Dvapara, Dronacharya the joyful. The Vishwakarma lineage spread its light.
मयकृत शिल्प युधिष्ठिर पायेऊ। विश्वकर्मा चरणन चित ध्यायेऊ॥
Maykrit shilp Yudhishthir payeu. Vishwakarma charanan chit dhyayeu.
Yudhishthira received Maya's craft (the Mayasabha, the magical hall). He held Vishwakarma's feet in meditation.
नाना विधि तिलस्मी करि लेखा। विक्रम पुतली दृश्य अलेखा॥
Nana vidhi tilasmi kari lekha. Vikram putli drishya alekha.
Many kinds of magical writings. Vikramaditya's puppet-throne, sights beyond writing. (The famous Vikramaditya Singhasan-Battisi tradition – the magical throne with thirty-two figurines, attributed to Vishwakarma's craft.)
वर्णातीत अकथ गुण सारा। नमो नमो भय टारन हारा॥
Varnatit akath gun sara. Namo namo bhay tarn hara.
Beyond description, beyond words, full of every quality. Salutations, salutations, lifter of fear.
दिव्य ज्योति दिव्यांश प्रभु, दिव्य ज्ञान प्रकाश। दिव्य दृष्टि तिहुँ काल महँ, विश्वकर्मा प्रभास॥
Divya jyoti divyansh Prabhu, divya gyan prakash. Divya drishti tihun kaal mahan, Vishwakarma prabhas.
Divine flame, divine portion, Lord, divine knowledge-light. Divine vision in all three times – Vishwakarma shines forth.
विनय करो करि जोरि, युग पावन सुयश तुम्हार। धारि हिय भावत रहे, होय कृपा उद्गार॥
Vinay karo kari jori, yug pavan suyash tumhar. Dhari hiy bhavat rahe, hoy kripa udgar.
I bow with folded hands, your auspicious fame across yugas. Holding it in the heart with devotion, may grace pour forth.
Why this chalisa
What the Vishwakarma Chalisa is recited for, and what people turn to it for.
Centrepiece of Vishwakarma Jayanti
Vishwakarma Jayanti on the day of Kanya Sankranti (when the sun enters Virgo, traditionally September 17) is the year's major Vishwakarma day. Factories, workshops, garages, auto-rickshaw stands, and craft houses across India halt work for a full-day puja. Tools and machines are washed, decorated with garlands, marigold, and red cloth, and offered fruits, sweets, and a small ghee diya. The Chalisa is recited at the opening of the puja. Vishwakarma Puja in Bengal during Diwali week is the second major occasion.
Anchor for daily workplace puja
Many traders, craftsmen, and small business owners across north India recite the Chalisa at their workshop or office before opening for the day. Verses 13 and 21-23 anchor the practitioner-facing teachings: Vishwakarma destroys the poverty of those who serve him, places the four fruits of life in their palm, and grants worldly fame in craft. The Chalisa is also recited at the opening of any new factory, the installation of any new major machine, the launch of any technical undertaking.
Companion to the wider craftsman tradition
Verse 12 names the Pancha-Vidha tradition – the five primary materials and crafts under Vishwakarma's patronage: iron (loh), wood (kashth), copper (taamr), gold (suvarna), and stone (shila). Verse 34 names the Pancha-shilpis: Manu, Maya, Tvashta, Shilpi, and Vishvajna. The Vishwakarma community across India – encompassing blacksmiths, carpenters, masons, goldsmiths, and bronze-workers – traces lineage to these five. The Chalisa is the daily prayer of these communities.
Connection to vehicles and modern technology
Verse 30 of the Chalisa is striking: "vayuyan may udan khatole, vidyut kala tantra sab khole" – 'aircraft and flying chariots, the science of electricity – all these you opened.' This is one of the few Hindu hymns that explicitly names vayuyan (aircraft) and vidyut (electricity) as Vishwakarma's domain. Many modern devotees who work in IT, engineering, electrical, and aviation industries keep the Chalisa as the workplace prayer.
For new vehicle puja and machine installation
Many homes recite the Chalisa during the buying of any new vehicle (car, two-wheeler, truck) or the installation of any major machine. The traditional sequence: Ganesh Chalisa first (obstacle removal), Vishwakarma Chalisa second (the maker's blessing), then a small Lakshmi puja (for prosperity through the new machine). Pair with the Lakshmi Chalisa for the complete sequence.
Companion to Hanuman and the wider craft-protection tradition
Verse 36 names Vishwakarma's Treta-Yuga work: Nala and Nila (who built the Ramayana bridge), Rama, and Ravana (for whom Vishwakarma built Lanka itself). Pair with the Hanuman Chalisa for craft-protection (Hanuman as the muscle of the bridge-building, Vishwakarma as the architect).
Origin
The Vishwakarma Chalisa carries no clear signature line. Many published copies attribute it simply to "tradition" – an honesty worth preserving. The text is generally placed in the 19th-20th century CE by language and content (verses 30 and 32 explicitly name vayuyan – aircraft – and vidyut – electricity, modern terminology). The Chalisa addresses both the older Vishwakarma tradition (the cosmic architect of the Vedas) and the modern industrial Vishwakarma worship that grew through the 19th-20th centuries with the spread of factory-based labour.
Vishwakarma himself is the cosmic architect of Hindu mythology – named in the Rig Veda (10.81-82) as the all-creating deity. He is the son of Brahma in some traditions, the brother of Vishnu in others, and the foster-father of Saraswati in still others. He is considered the maker of every divine weapon (verses 28-29 of the Chalisa name his greatest creations: Vishnu's Sudarshan-chakra, Brahma's kamandalu, Rudra's trident, Indra's vajra, Shiva's Pinaka-bow, the Pushpak-vimana flying chariot), the architect of every divine city (Lanka built for Ravana, Dwarka built for Krishna, Indrapuri built for Indra, Yamapuri for Yama), and the patron deity of every craft tradition.
Vishwakarma's lineage in human craft is preserved through the Pancha-Vidha – the five primary craft-traditions named in verse 12: iron-craft, wood-craft, copper-craft, gold-craft, and stone-craft. The Pancha-shilpis (verse 34) are the five primordial human craftsmen: Manu the iron-smith, Maya the carpenter (who built the Mayasabha for Yudhishthira, verse 38), Tvashta the bronze-worker, Shilpi the stone-mason, and Vishvajna the goldsmith. The Vishwakarma community across north India traces lineage to these five and considers Vishwakarma their kuldevta.
The Chalisa's wider companions are the Ganesh Chalisa (the obstacle-remover, paired before any new undertaking), the Lakshmi Chalisa (for prosperity through craft), the Saraswati Chalisa (Vishwakarma is sometimes named as her father), and the Hanuman Chalisa (paired in craft-protection).
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 at the workshop or office, wash the primary tool or machine with water, mark it with kumkum, and place a small ghee diya before it. Sit facing east. Traditional offerings: yellow or saffron flowers, a small piece of jaggery or motichoor laddu, akshat, and any fruit. For Vishwakarma Jayanti specifically, garland the tools and machines with marigold and tie a red mauli around them.
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Posture and start
Sit cross-legged with your spine straight. Bow once. Take a moment of silence. If reciting on Vishwakarma Jayanti, before opening a new business, before installing a major machine, or for a specific intention, offer a brief sankalp.
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Recitation
Move through the forty chaupais without rushing. Verses 1-10 establish Vishwakarma's Vedic identity. Verses 11-13 name the fourteen sciences and Pancha-Vidha. Verses 27-32 catalogue his great creations (Sudarshan, Pushpak, vayuyan, vidyut). Verses 33-39 name the disciples across the four yugas. End with the two closing dohas.
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After
Sit quietly with eyes closed. Many people end with the bija mantra Om Vishwakarmane Namah recited 11, 21, or 108 times. Offer the bhog and take a small portion as prasad. Important traditional rule: on Vishwakarma Jayanti, do not use the worshipped tools/machines for the rest of the day – let them rest as a mark of respect.
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Daily practice and special days
Vishwakarma Jayanti on Kanya Sankranti (September 17 traditionally) is the year's major day. Vishwakarma Puja in Bengal during Diwali week is the second major occasion. Many homes also recite at the opening of any new factory, workshop, or business. Daily morning paath at the workplace is the standard practice for craftsmen, traders, and engineers.