Ganga Chalisa — Complete Lyrics
श्री गंगा चालीसा
Sanskrit text with English transliteration and translation
Verse 1
जय जय जय जग पावनी जयति देवसरि गंग ।
जय शिव जटा निवासिनी अनुपम तुंग तरंग ॥
Jaya jaya jaya jaga pavani jayati devasari gamga
Jaya shiva jata nivasini anupama tumga taramga
Victory, victory, victory to Ganga, purifier of the world, the river of the gods! Hail to her who dwells in Shiva's matted locks, with her peerless, soaring waves.
Verse 2
जय जग जननि अघ खानी, आनन्द करनि गंग महरानी ।
जय भागीरथि सुरसरि माता, कलिमल मूल दलनि विखयाता ।।
Jaya jaga janani agha khani, ananda karani gamga maharani
Jaya bhagirathi surasari mata, kalimala mula dalani vikhayata
Hail, Mother of the world, devourer of sins, Ganga the great queen who bestows bliss! Hail Bhagirathi, mother river of the gods, renowned as the destroyer of the very root of the sins of Kali.
Verse 3
जय जय जय हनु सुता अघ अननी, भीषम की माता जग जननी ।
धवल कमल दल मम तनु साजे, लखि शत शरद चन्द्र छवि लाजे ।।
Jaya jaya jaya hanu suta agha anani, bhishama ki mata jaga janani
Dhavala kamala dala mama tanu saje, lakhi shata sharada chandra chhavi laje
Hail, daughter of Jahnu, slayer of sin, mother of Bhishma and Mother of the world! Your form shines white as a cluster of lotuses; beholding it, the beauty of a hundred autumn moons is put to shame.
Verse 4
वाहन मकर विमल शुचि सोहै, अमिय कलश कर लखि मन मोहै ।
जडित रत्न कंचन आभूषण, हिय मणि हार, हरणितम दूषण ।।
Vahana makara vimala shuchi sohai, amiya kalasha kara lakhi mana mohai
Jadita ratna kamchana abhushana, hiya mani hara, haranitama dushana
Your pure, bright crocodile-mount (makara) is resplendent; the nectar-pot in your hand entrances the mind. Adorned with gold and inlaid jewels, a gem-necklace upon your breast, you remove every blemish and the darkness of sin.
Verse 5
जग पावनि त्रय ताप नसावनि, तरल तरंग तंग मन भावनि ।
जो गणपति अति पूज्य प्रधाना, तिहुं ते प्रथम गंग अस्नाना ।।
Jaga pavani traya tapa nasavani, tarala taramga tamga mana bhavani
Jo ganapati ati pujya pradhana, tihum te prathama gamga asnana
Purifier of the world, destroyer of the three torments, your rippling, surging waves delight the heart. Even Ganapati, who is most worshipful and is honoured first of all, before him too comes the holy bath in the Ganga.
Verse 6
ब्रह्म कमण्डल वासिनी देवी श्री प्रभु पद पंकज सुख सेवी ।
साठि सहत्र सगर सुत तारयो, गंगा सागर तीरथ धारयो ।।
Brahma kamandala vasini devi shri prabhu pada pamkaja sukha sevi
Sathi sahatra sagara suta tarayo, gamga sagara tiratha dharayo
O Goddess who once dwelt in Brahma's water-pot, who blissfully served the lotus-feet of the Lord! You delivered the sixty thousand sons of Sagara and established the holy place of Gangasagar.
Verse 7
अगम तरंग उठयो मन भावन, लखि तीरथ हरिद्वार सुहावन ।
तीरथ राज प्रयाग अक्षैवट, धरयौ मातु पुनि काशी करवट ।।
Agama taramga uthayo mana bhavana, lakhi tiratha haridvara suhavana
Tiratha raja prayaga akshaivata, dharayau matu puni kashi karavata
Your fathomless waves rise, delighting the heart; behold the lovely sacred town of Haridwar. The king of holy places, Prayag with its undying banyan (Akshayavat), and then, O Mother, you turned toward Kashi (Varanasi).
Verse 8
धनि धनि सुरसरि स्वर्ग की सीढ़ी, तारणि अमित पितृ पद पीढी ।
भागीरथ तप कियो अपारा, दियो ब्रह्म तब सुरसरि धारा ।।
Dhani dhani surasari svarga ki sidha़i, tarani amita pitri pada pidhi
Bhagiratha tapa kiyo apara, diyo brahma taba surasari dhara
Blessed, blessed are you, river of the gods, the very stairway to heaven, who deliver countless generations of ancestors! Bhagiratha performed boundless penance, and then Brahma released the stream of the heavenly river.
Verse 9
जब जग जननी चल्यो लहराई, शंभु जटा महं रह्यो समाई ।
वर्ष पर्यन्त गंग महरानी, रहीं शंभु के जटा भुलानी ।।
Jaba jaga janani chalyo laharai, shambhu jata maham rahyo samai
Varsha paryanta gamga maharani, rahim shambhu ke jata bhulani
When the Mother of the world flowed forth surging, she was held absorbed within Shambhu's (Shiva's) matted locks. For a whole year Ganga the great queen remained lost, forgotten, in Shiva's hair.
Verse 10
मुनि भागीरथ शंभुहिं ध्यायो, तब इक बूंद जटा से पायो ।
ताते मातु भई त्रय धारा, मृत्यु लोक, नभ अरु पातारा ।।
Muni bhagiratha shambhuhim dhyayo, taba ika bumda jata se payo
Tate matu bhai traya dhara, mrityu loka, nabha aru patara
The sage Bhagiratha meditated upon Shambhu, and then won a single drop from his locks. From that, O Mother, you became three streams, for the mortal world, the heavens, and the netherworld (Patala).
Verse 11
गई पाताल प्रभावति नामा, मन्दाकिनी गई गगन ललामा ।
मृत्यु लोक जाह्नवी सुहावनि, कलिमल हरणि अगम जग पावनि ।।
Gai patala prabhavati nama, mandakini gai gagana lalama
Mrityu loka jahnavi suhavani, kalimala harani agama jaga pavani
To Patala you went by the name Bhagavati; to the heavens you went as Mandakini, the ornament of the sky. In the mortal world you are lovely Jahnavi, remover of the impurities of Kali, the fathomless purifier of the world.
Verse 12
धनि मइया तव महिमा भारी, धर्म धुरि कलि कलुष कुठारी ।
मातु प्रभावति धनि मन्दाकिनी, धनि सुरसरित सकल भयनासिनी ।।
Dhani maiya tava mahima bhari, dharma dhuri kali kalusha kuthari
Matu prabhavati dhani mandakini, dhani surasarita sakala bhayanasini
Blessed Mother, great is your glory, the axle of dharma, the axe that cleaves the sins of the Kali age. Blessed Bhagavati, blessed Mandakini; blessed river of the gods, destroyer of every fear.
Verse 13
पान करत निर्मल गंगाजल, पावत मन इच्छित अनन्त फल ।
पूरब जन्म पुण्य जब जागत, तबहिं ध्यान गंगा महं लागत ।।
Pana karata nirmala gamgajala, pavata mana ichchhita ananta phala
Puraba janma punya jaba jagata, tabahim dhyana gamga maham lagata
Drinking the pure water of Ganga, one gains endless fruit, the heart's every desire. Only when the merit of past births awakens does the mind become fixed in meditation upon Ganga.
Verse 14
जई पगु सुरसरि हेतु उठावहिं, तइ जगि अश्वमेध फल पावहिं ।
महा पतित जिन काहु न तारे, तिन तारे इक नाम तिहारे ।।
Jai pagu surasari hetu uthavahim, tai jagi ashvamedha phala pavahim
Maha patita jina kahu na tare, tina tare ika nama tihare
Whatever steps one takes for the sake of the heavenly river, by them one gains in this world the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice. The greatest sinners, whom none could deliver, even those your single name has delivered.
Verse 15
शत योजनहू से जो ध्यावहिं, निश्चय विष्णु लोक पद पावहिं ।
नाम भजत अगणित अघ नाशै, विमल ज्ञान बल बुद्धि प्रकाशै ।।
Shata yojanahu se jo dhyavahim, nishchaya vishnu loka pada pavahim
Nama bhajata aganita agha nashai, vimala jnana bala buddhi prakashai
Those who meditate upon you even from a hundred yojanas away surely attain the abode of Vishnu. Chanting your name destroys countless sins and kindles pure knowledge, strength and intellect.
Verse 16
जिमि धन मूल धर्म अरु दाना, धर्म मूल गंगाजल पाना ।
तव गुण गुणन करत सुख भाजत, गृह गृह सम्पत्ति सुमति विराजत ।।
Jimi dhana mula dharma aru dana, dharma mula gamgajala pana
Tava guna gunana karata sukha bhajata, griha griha sampatti sumati virajata
As wealth is the root of dharma and charity, so the drinking of Ganga's water is the root of dharma. Reciting your virtues, sorrow takes flight; in home after home prosperity and good sense abide.
Verse 17
गंगहिं नेम सहित निज ध्यावत, दुर्जनहूं सज्जन पद पावत ।
बुद्धिहीन विद्या बल पावै, रोगी रोग मुक्त ह्वै जावै ।।
Gamgahim nema sahita nija dhyavata, durjanahum sajjana pada pavata
Buddhihina vidya bala pavai, rogi roga mukta hvai javai
Whoever meditates upon Ganga with a steadfast vow, even the wicked attain the state of the virtuous. The witless gain the power of learning, and the sick are freed from their disease.
Verse 18
गंगा गंगा जो नर कहहीं, भूखे नंगे कबहूं न रहहीं ।
निकसत की मुख गंगा माई, श्रवण दाबि यम चलहिं पराई ।।
Gamga gamga jo nara kahahim, bhukhe namge kabahum na rahahim
Nikasata ki mukha gamga mai, shravana dabi yama chalahim parai
Those who say 'Ganga, Ganga' never remain hungry or destitute. The very moment 'Mother Ganga' leaves the lips, Yama (death) flees away, pressing his ears shut.
Verse 19
महां अधिन अधमन कहं तारें, भए नर्क के बन्द किवारे ।
जो नर जपै गंग शत नामा, सकल सिद्ध पूरण ह्वै कामा ।।
Maham adhina adhamana kaham tarem, bhae narka ke banda kivare
Jo nara japai gamga shata nama, sakala siddha purana hvai kama
You deliver even the lowest of the low and the most fallen; for them the doors of hell are shut fast. Whoever recites the hundred names of Ganga finds all his aims fulfilled and perfected.
Verse 20
सब सुख भोग परम पद पावहिं, आवागमन रहित ह्वै जावहिं ।
धनि मइया सुरसरि सुखदैनी, धनि धनि तीरथ राज त्रिवेणी ।।
Saba sukha bhoga parama pada pavahim, avagamana rahita hvai javahim
Dhani maiya surasari sukhadaini, dhani dhani tiratha raja triveni
They enjoy every happiness and attain the supreme state, becoming free from the round of birth and death. Blessed Mother, river of the gods, giver of joy; blessed, blessed is the king of holy places, the Triveni confluence.
Verse 21
ककरा ग्राम ऋषि दुर्वासा, सुन्दरदास गंगा कर दासा ।
जो यह पढ़ै गंगा चालीसा, मिलै भक्ति अविरल वागीसा ।।
Kakara grama rishi durvasa, sundaradasa gamga kara dasa
Jo yaha padha़ai gamga chalisa, milai bhakti avirala vagisa
In the village of Kakra, by the seat of the sage Durvasa, Sundardas is the servant of Ganga. Whoever reads this Ganga Chalisa gains unbroken devotion and the grace of the Lord of eloquence.
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