Anjaneya Chalisa in English with meaning
ANJANEYA CHALISA (Hanuman Chalisa)
Composed by Goswami Tulsidas (c. 16th century, Awadhi) Roman transliteration with verse-by-verse meaning in English.
Opening Dohas
Shri Guru charan saroj raj, nij man mukur sudhari Baranau Raghubar bimal jasu, jo dayaku phal chari
With the dust of my Guru's lotus feet I cleanse the mirror of my mind, and then narrate the pure glory of Shri Ram, which bestows the four fruits of life — dharma, artha, kama and moksha.
Buddhi heen tanu janike, sumirau Pavan Kumar Bal buddhi vidya dehu mohi, harahu kalesh vikar
Knowing myself to be lacking in wisdom, I remember you, Son of the Wind. Grant me strength, intelligence and knowledge, and remove my sorrows and shortcomings.
Chaupais
1. Jai Hanuman gyan gun sagar, Jai Kapis tihun lok ujagar Victory to Hanuman, ocean of wisdom and virtue. Victory to the Lord of Monkeys, who illuminates all three worlds.
2. Ram doot atulit bal dhama, Anjani-putra Pavan sut nama You are Ram's messenger, the abode of immeasurable strength, known as Anjani's son and child of the Wind.
3. Mahabir bikram Bajrangi, Kumati nivar sumati ke sangi Great hero of thunderbolt strength, you dispel bad thoughts and are the companion of good sense.
4. Kanchan baran biraj subesa, Kanan kundal kunchit kesa Golden-hued and gloriously attired, with rings in your ears and curly hair.
5. Hath bajra au dhwaja biraje, Kandhe moonj janeu saje The thunderbolt and the flag shine in your hands; the sacred thread of munja grass adorns your shoulder.
6. Sankar suvan Kesari nandan, Tej pratap maha jag bandan You are an incarnation of Shiva and the son of Kesari; your radiance and majesty are revered by the whole world.
7. Vidyavan guni ati chatur, Ram kaj karibe ko atur Learned, virtuous and exceedingly clever, you are ever eager to do Ram's work.
8. Prabhu charitra sunibe ko rasiya, Ram Lakhan Sita man basiya You delight in listening to the Lord's deeds; Ram, Lakshman and Sita dwell in your heart.
9. Sukshma roop dhari Siyahi dikhava, Bikat roop dhari Lank jarava Taking a tiny form you appeared before Sita; assuming a terrifying form you burned Lanka.
10. Bhima roop dhari asur sanhare, Ramachandra ke kaj sanvare Taking a mighty form you destroyed the demons and accomplished Shri Ramachandra's tasks.
11. Laye Sanjivan Lakhan jiyaye, Shri Raghuvir harashi ur laye You brought the Sanjivani herb and revived Lakshman; Shri Ram embraced you in joy.
12. Raghupati kinhi bahut badai, Tum mama priya Bharat-hi-sam bhai Ram praised you greatly, saying: "You are as dear to me as my brother Bharat."
13. Sahas badan tumharo jas gaave, Asa kahi Shripati kanth lagaave "May the thousand-headed serpent sing your glory" — saying this, the Lord of Lakshmi drew you to his heart.
14. Sankadik Brahmadi muneesa, Narad Sarad sahit Aheesa Sanak and the sages, Brahma and the great munis, Narad, Saraswati and the King of Serpents —
15. Jam Kuber digpal jahan te, Kavi kovid kahi sake kahan te — Yama, Kuber and the guardians of the directions; poets and scholars cannot fully describe your glory.
16. Tum upkar Sugreevahin keenha, Ram milaye rajpad deenha You did a great favour to Sugriva, uniting him with Ram and restoring his kingdom.
17. Tumhro mantra Vibheeshan mana, Lankeshwar bhaye sab jag jana Vibhishan heeded your counsel and became King of Lanka — the whole world knows this.
18. Yug sahasra yojan par Bhanu, Leelyo tahi madhur phal janu The sun lies thousands of yojans away, yet you leapt to it thinking it a sweet fruit.
19. Prabhu mudrika meli mukh mahi, Jaladhi langhi gaye achraj nahi Holding the Lord's ring in your mouth, you crossed the ocean — no wonder in that.
20. Durgam kaj jagat ke jete, Sugam anugraha tumhre tete Every difficult task in this world becomes easy by your grace.
21. Ram duware tum rakhvare, Hot na agya binu paisare You are the guardian at Ram's door; none may enter without your permission.
22. Sab sukh lahai tumhari sarna, Tum rakshak kahu ko darna All happiness comes to those under your shelter; with you as protector, what is there to fear?
23. Aapan tej samharo aapai, Teenhon lok hank te kanpai You alone can contain your own splendour; all three worlds tremble at your roar.
24. Bhoot pisach nikat nahi aavai, Mahabir jab naam sunavai Ghosts and evil spirits do not come near when the name of Mahavir is uttered.
25. Nase rog harai sab peera, Japat nirantar Hanumat beera Disease is destroyed and all pain removed by constant repetition of brave Hanuman's name.
26. Sankat te Hanuman chudavai, Man kram bachan dhyan jo lavai Hanuman frees from trouble whoever meditates on him in thought, word and deed.
27. Sab par Ram tapasvee raja, Tin ke kaj sakal tum saja Ram, the ascetic king, is supreme over all; and you carried out all his tasks.
28. Aur manorath jo koi lavai, Soi amit jeevan phal pavai Whoever brings any wish to you obtains fruit that abounds in life.
29. Charon jug partap tumhara, Hai parsiddh jagat ujiyara Your glory prevails through all four ages; your renown lights up the world.
30. Sadhu sant ke tum rakhvare, Asur nikandan Ram dulare You are the guardian of saints and sages, destroyer of demons, and beloved of Ram.
31. Ashta siddhi nau nidhi ke data, As bar deen Janki mata You grant the eight powers and nine treasures — a boon given to you by Mother Janaki.
32. Ram rasayan tumhare pasa, Sada raho Raghupati ke dasa You hold the elixir of Ram's devotion, and remain forever his servant.
33. Tumhare bhajan Ram ko pavai, Janam janam ke dukh bisravai Through singing your praise one attains Ram and is released from the sorrows of many births.
34. Anth kaal Raghubar pur jai, Jahan janam Hari-bhakt kahai At life's end one goes to Ram's abode, or is born again as a devotee of Hari.
35. Aur devta chitt na dharai, Hanumat sei sarv sukh karai One need hold no other deity in mind; serving Hanuman brings all happiness.
36. Sankat kate mite sab peera, Jo sumirai Hanumat balbeera All troubles are cut away and all pain erased for one who remembers mighty Hanuman.
37. Jai jai jai Hanuman Gosai, Kripa karahu Gurudev ki nai Victory, victory, victory to Lord Hanuman! Bestow your grace upon me as my Guru does.
38. Jo sat baar path kare koi, Chhutahi bandi maha sukh hoi Whoever recites this a hundred times is released from bondage and attains great bliss.
39. Jo yah padhe Hanuman Chalisa, Hoye siddhi sakhi Gaurisa Whoever reads this Hanuman Chalisa attains perfection — Lord Shiva himself is witness.
40. Tulsidas sada Hari chera, Keejai Nath hriday mahn dera Tulsidas, ever a servant of Hari, prays: O Lord, make your dwelling in my heart.
Closing Doha
Pavan tanay sankat haran, Mangal murati roop Ram Lakhan Sita sahit, Hriday basahu sur bhoop
O Son of the Wind, remover of troubles, embodiment of auspiciousness — dwell in my heart, O King of Gods, together with Ram, Lakshman and Sita.
You can now talk to hanumanji on https://talk2hanumanji.com and you will be shocked to know that he already knows a lot about you
READ FULL ANJANEYA CHALISA IN ENGLISH WITHOUT MEANING HERE
Frequently Asked Questions
What language was the Anjaneya Chalisa originally written in? It was composed in Awadhi, a dialect closely related to Hindi and spoken in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh. This is why some words feel familiar while others — like rakshak, paisare, or kovid — do not appear in everyday modern Hindi.
Who wrote the Anjaneya Chalisa? Goswami Tulsidas, the 16th-century poet-saint who also composed the Ramcharitmanas. He signs his own name in the fortieth verse, which is a common convention in devotional poetry of that period.
Does understanding the meaning change the benefit of reciting it? Tradition places the emphasis on sincerity rather than comprehension, so recitation without understanding is considered complete in itself. That said, many teachers encourage learning the meaning at least once, because it keeps the mind from wandering and turns repetition into genuine remembrance.
What does "Ashta Siddhi Nau Nidhi" refer to? The eight siddhis are supernatural attainments — anima, mahima, garima, laghima, prapti, prakamya, ishitva and vashitva. The nine nidhis are nine forms of divine treasure. The verse means Hanuman has the authority to bestow them, a boon granted to him by Sita.
Why is Hanuman called "Shankar Suvan" when his parents were Anjani and Kesari? Hanuman is traditionally regarded as an incarnation or portion of Lord Shiva. So he is Anjani and Kesari's son by birth, and Shiva's by divine origin. Both descriptions appear in the Chalisa without contradiction.
What is the significance of the verse about the sun, "Jug sahasra jojan par Bhanu"? It recalls an episode from Hanuman's childhood when he leapt toward the sun believing it to be a ripe fruit. Some readers also note the distance figure in the line, though the verse's purpose within the hymn is to convey the scale of his power, not to record an astronomical measurement.
Why does Ram compare Hanuman to Bharat? Bharat was the brother Ram loved most deeply. Calling Hanuman his equal is the highest expression of affection in the entire hymn — it reframes the relationship from master and servant to something closer to family.
What do the last words of the Chalisa actually ask for? After forty verses praising Hanuman's strength, Tulsidas asks for nothing material — no wealth, no power, no attainment. He asks only that the Lord make a dwelling in his heart. The final line is the emotional centre of the entire composition.
Is the meaning given here a literal word-for-word translation? No. These are plain-English renderings intended to convey the sense and feeling of each verse. Awadhi poetry uses compressed imagery that becomes awkward when translated word for word, so some phrasing has been opened up for clarity.
Should I read the meaning every time I recite? Most people read the meaning a few times until the sense settles, then return to the original verses alone. Once the images are familiar, they surface on their own during recitation without needing the translation alongside.
Conclusion
Reading the Anjaneya Chalisa with its meaning changes the experience entirely. Lines that were once memorised sounds become vivid scenes — Hanuman crossing the ocean with Ram's ring held in his mouth, carrying an entire mountain to save Lakshman, standing watch at his Lord's door where no one may pass without his word.
What stands out most is where Tulsidas chooses to end. He spends forty verses describing immeasurable strength, the eight siddhis, the trembling of three worlds — and then asks for none of it. His only request is that Hanuman make a home in his heart.
That contrast is the heart of the hymn. It praises power, and then asks only for closeness. Understanding this does not replace devotion, but it gives your daily recitation something to rest on.
Jai Shri Ram. Jai Hanuman.
Comments
Post a Comment