Gayatri Chalisa — Word-by-Word Meaning

Hrim, Shrim, Klim — O radiance of intellect and light, fierce flame of life! Peace, splendour, awakening and progress, creative and unbroken Power. Mother of the world, doer of all good, Gayatri, abode of joy; I bow to Savitri, Svadha and Svaha, fulfiller of every desire. O Mother joined with Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah and Om; Gayatri, who daily burns away the impurities of the dark age. Your twenty-four syllables are supremely holy; within them dwell the scriptures, the Vedas and the Gita. Eternal, of the quality of purity (sattva), your very form is Truth; true, everlasting, peerless nectar. Mounted upon a swan, clad in white, with the lustre of gold, pure, roaming the open sky. Bearing book, flower, water-pot and rosary; of bright hue, with a radiant body and large eyes. Meditating upon you, the heart thrills with joy; happiness wells up, and sorrow and ill-will are lost. You are the wish-granting cow (Kamadhenu), the shade of the celestial wish-tree; the wondrous Maya of the Formless One. Whoever takes refuge in you crosses safely beyond every calamity. You are Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali; your matchless light shines forth. None can reach the end of your glory, though Sharada with a hundred mouths were to sing your virtues. Holy mother of the four Vedas; you are Brahmani, Gauri and Sita. Of all the great mantras in the world, none is the equal of the Gayatri. Remembering you, knowledge dawns within the heart; sloth, sin and ignorance are destroyed. Seed of creation, Mother of the world, Bhavani; Kalaratri, boon-giver, the auspicious one. Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and all the gods, from you they receive their divine power. You belong to your devotees and they to you, dear to you as a son to his mother, dearer than life itself. Boundless is your glory; victory, victory, victory to you, three-versed Tripada, remover of all fear. Full of all knowledge and wisdom; none greater than you has ever come into the world. Knowing you, nothing remains unknown; attaining you, no affliction remains. Knowing you, one becomes you, as base metal is turned to beauty at the touch of the philosopher's stone. Your power shines in every place; O Mother, you pervade all places. The countless planets, stars and universes all move, impelled by you. Life-giver and ordainer of all creation; protector, nourisher, destroyer and saviour. Mother-goddess, holding the vow of compassion; by you even the gravest sinners are saved. On whomever your grace falls, upon him every other being shows grace. The dull-witted gain the strength of intellect; the sick become free of their disease. Poverty is erased and all pain cut away; sorrow is destroyed and the fear of worldly existence removed. Household strife and the heavy anxiety of the mind, Gayatri, remover of fear, destroys them all. The childless gain good offspring, and rejoice, blessed with happiness and wealth. Ghosts and goblins are all consumed by fear; the messengers of Yama come not near. The married woman who remembers you with a focused heart keeps her wifehood unbroken, ever a source of joy. The maiden gains a home and a good, joy-giving husband; the widow abides, holding fast to the vow of truth. Victory, victory, O Jagadamba Bhavani; there is none so merciful or so giving as you. Whoever receives initiation from a true guru makes his spiritual practice bear fruit. The fortunate one who remembers you with pure love attains his heart's desire, be he householder or renunciate. Giver of the eight siddhis and the nine treasures; all-capable is Mother Gayatri. Sages, seers, ascetics, the penitent and yogis; the afflicted, the supplicant, the worried and the pleasure-seeker — Whoever comes to your refuge, each and every one gains the fruit his heart desires. Strength, intellect, learning, good character and disposition; wealth, splendour, fame, radiance and high spirits — All these increase, and manifold joys arise, for whoever recites this with meditative attention. Whoever recites this Chalisa with devotion, upon him fall the grace and the good pleasure of Gayatri.