Krishna Chalisa

बंशी शोभित कर मधुर, नील जलद तन श्याम ।

Banshee shobhit kar madhur, neel jalad tan shyaam

Sweet flute in Your hand, dark cloud-hued body, O Shyam

अरुण अधर जनु बिम्बफल, नयन कमल अभिराम ॥

Arun adhar janu bimbphal, nayan kamal abhiraam

Lips red as the dawn, like a ripe bimba fruit; lotus eyes of wondrous charm

पूर्ण इन्द्र, अरविन्द मुख, पीताम्बर शुभ साज ।

Pooran Indra aravind mukh, peetambar shubh saaj

Lotus face full of every grace, clad in auspicious yellow silk

जय मनमोहन मदन छवि, कृष्णचन्द्र महाराज ॥

Jai manmohan madan chhavi, Krishnachandra mahaaraaj

Victory to the heart-ensnarer, beautiful as love itself; great king Krishnachandra

जय यदुनंदन जय जगवंदन ।

Jai Yadunandan jai jagvandan

Victory to the delight of the Yadus, beloved of the world

जय वसुदेव देवकी नन्दन ॥

Jai Vasudev Devaki nandan

Victory to Vasudeva’s son, Devaki’s darling

जय यशुदा सुत नन्द दुलारे ।

Jai Yashoda sut Nand dulaare

Victory to Yashoda’s son, Nanda’s beloved child

जय प्रभु भक्‍तन के दृग तारे ॥

Jai prabhu bhaktan ke drig taare

Victory to the Lord who ferries His devotees across

जय नट-नागर, नाग नथैया ।

Jai nat-naagar naag nathaiyaa

Victory to the graceful dancer who subdued the serpent Kaliya

कृष्ण कन्हैया धेनु चरैया ॥

Krishna Kanhaiya dhenu charaiyaa

Krishna Kanhaiya, herder of cows

पुनि नख पर प्रभु गिरिवर धारो ।

Puni nakh par prabhu girivar dhaaro

Once more uphold the mountain upon Your fingernail

आओ दीनन कष्ट निवारो ॥

Aao deenan kasht nivaaro

Come and relieve the sufferings of the poor

वंशी मधुर अधर धरि टेरौ ।

Banshee madhur adhar dhari tero

With sweet flute held at Your lips

होवे पूर्ण विनय यह मेरौ ॥

Hove poorn vinay yah mero

Let this my prayer be made complete

आओ हरि पुनि माखन चाखो ।

Aao Hari puni maakhan chaakho

Come, O Hari, and taste the butter once again

आज लाज भारत की राखो ॥

Aaj laaj Bhaarat kee raakho

This day preserve the honor of India

गोल कपोल, चिबुक अरुणारे ।

Gol kapol chibuk arunaare

Round cheeks and a crimson chin

मृदु मुस्कान मोहिनी डारे ॥

Mrigu muskaan mohini daare

A gentle smile that casts its enchantment

राजित राजिव नयन विशाला ।

Rajit raajiv nayan vishaala

Gracious wide eyes like lotuses

मोर मुकुट वैजन्तीमाला ॥

Mor mukut vaijanteemaalaa

Peacock crown and garland of forest flowers

कुंडल श्रवण, पीत पट आछे ।

Kundal shravan peet pat aachhe

Earrings on Your ears, yellow silk well-arrayed

कटि किंकिणी काछनी काछे ॥

Kati kinkini kaachhni kaachhe

A girdle of bells and a fine waist-cloth

नील जलज सुन्दर तनु सोहे ।

Neel jalaj sundar tanu sohe

The lovely dark-lotus body shines

छबि लखि, सुर नर मुनिमन मोहे ॥

Chhavi lakhi sur nar muniman mohe

Seeing that splendor, gods, mortals and sages are entranced

मस्तक तिलक, अलक घुंघराले ।

Mastak tilak alak ghunghraale

The brow marked with tilak, the locks curling

आओ कृष्ण बांसुरी वाले ॥

Aao Krishna baansuree waale

Come, O Krishna, bearer of the flute

करि पय पान, पूतनहि तार्‍यो ।

Kari pay paan Pootanahi taaryo

Suckled by You, even Putana was freed

अका बका कागासुर मार्‍यो ॥

Akaa Bakaa Kaagaasur maaryo

You slew the demons Akaa and Bakaa and the crow-demon

मधुवन जलत अगिन जब ज्वाला ।

Madhuvan jalat agin jab jwaalaa

When burning flame leapt up in Madhuvan

भै शीतल लखतहिं नंदलाला ॥

Bhai sheetal lakhatahin Nandalaalaa

At the sight of Nanda’s child it cooled to stillness

सुरपति जब ब्रज चढ़्यो रिसाई ।

Surpati jab Braj chadhyo risaai

When the king of gods marched on Braj in wrath

मूसर धार वारि वर्षाई ॥

Moosar dhaar waari varshaai

He rained down a flood of hailstones

लगत लगत व्रज चहन बहायो ।

Lagat lagat Braj chahan bahaayo

It fell and fell, and the folk of Braj began to drift away

गोवर्धन नख धारि बचायो ॥

Govardhan nakh dhaari bachaayo

You held Govardhan on Your nail and saved them all

लखि यसुदा मन भ्रम अधिकाई ।

Lakhi Yashoda man bhram adhikaai

Seeing You, Yashoda’s mind was filled with wonder

मुख मंह चौदह भुवन दिखाई ॥

Mukh manh chaudah bhuvan dikhaai

For in Your mouth You showed her the fourteen worlds

दुष्ट कंस अति उधम मचायो ।

Dusht Kans ati udham machaayo

The wicked Kans stirred up great mischief

कोटि कमल जब फूल मंगायो ॥

Koti kamal jab phool mangaayo

When he demanded flowers by the thousand lotus

नाथि कालियहिं तब तुम लीन्हें ।

Naathi Kaaliahin tab tum leenhen

You subdued the serpent Kaliya then

चरण चिह्न दै निर्भय कीन्हें ॥

Charan chihn dai nirbhay keenhen

Your foot’s mark upon his hood made him fearless

करि गोपिन संग रास विलासा ।

Kari gopin sang raas vilaasa

In the rasa-dance with the gopis

सबकी पूरण करी अभिलाषा ॥

Sabakee poorn karee abhilaasha

You fulfilled the desire of every one

केतिक महा असुर संहार्‍यो ।

Ketik mahaa asur sanhaaryo

Many great demons You destroyed

कंसहि केस पकिड़ दै मार्‍यो ॥

Kansahi kes pakid dai maaryo

Seizing Kans by the hair, You slew him

मात-पिता की बन्दि छुड़ाई ।

Maat-pitee kee bandi chhudaai

You freed Your parents from their chains

उग्रसेन कहँ राज दिलाई ॥

Ugrasen kahañ raaj dilaai

And set Ugrasena on the throne again

महि से मृतक छहों सुत लायो ।

Mahi se mratak chhahon sut laayo

From the earth You brought back the six dead sons

मातु देवकी शोक मिटायो ॥

Maatu Devakee shok mitaayo

And dried Mother Devaki’s tears

भौमासुर मुर दैत्य संहारी ।

Bhaumaasur Mur daitya sanhaaree

Slaying the demons Bhaumaasur and Mur

लाये षट दश सहसकुमारी ॥

Laaye shat dash sahasakumaaree

You brought away the sixteen thousand maidens

दै भीमहिं तृण चीर सहारा ।

Dai Bheemahin trin cheer sahaaraa

Giving Bhima a blade of grass as his weapon

जरासिंधु राक्षस कहँ मारा ॥

Jaraasindhu raakshas kahañ maaraa

You destroyed the demon Jarasandha

असुर बकासुर आदिक मार्‍यो ।

Asur Bakaasur aadik maaryo

Bakasur and other demons You slew

भक्‍तन के तब कष्ट निवार्‍यो ॥

Bhaktan ke tab kasht nivaaryo

And then removed Your devotees’ distress

दीन सुदामा के दुःख टार्‍यो ।

Deen Sudaama ke dukh taaryo

You relieved poor Sudama’s misery

तंदुल तीन मूंठ मुख डार्‍यो ॥

Tandul teen moonthh mukh daaryo

Three handfuls of rice You ate at his house

प्रेम के साग विदुर घर माँगे ।

Prem ke saag Vidur ghar maange

At Vidura’s home You asked for greens of love

दुर्योधन के मेवा त्यागे ॥

Duryodhan ke mevaa tyaage

And refused the sweets of Duryodhana

लखी प्रेम की महिमा भारी ।

Lakhee prem kee mahimaa bhaaree

Such is the weight of love’s glory

ऐसे श्याम दीन हितकारी ॥

Aise Shyaam deen hitakaaree

So stands Shyam, the friend of the lowly

भारत के पारथ रथ हाँके ।

Bhaarat ke Paarath rath haanke

Driving Arjuna’s chariot in the war of the Bharatas

लिये चक्र कर नहिं बल थाके ॥

Liye chakr kar nahin bal thaake

Discus in hand, Your strength never flagged

निज गीता के ज्ञान सुनाए ।

Nij Geeta ke gyaan sunaae

You imparted the wisdom of Your own Gita

भक्‍तन हृदय सुधा वर्षाए ॥

Bhaktan hriday sudhaa varshaae

Raining nectar on the hearts of devotees

मीरा थी ऐसी मतवाली ।

Meera thee aisee matavaalee

Such was Meera’s intoxication

विष पी गई बजाकर ताली ॥

Vish pee gaee baajaakar taalee

She drank the poison, clapping her hands

राना भेजा साँप पिटारी ।

Raanaa bhejaa saanp pitaaree

The Rana sent her a basket of snakes

शालीग्राम बने बनवारी ॥

Shaaligraam bane Banvaaree

They turned to Shalagram stones, her Banvari

निज माया तुम विधिहिं दिखायो ।

Nij maayaa tum vidhihin dikhaayo

Your own maya You showed to Brahma

उर ते संशय सकल मिटायो ॥

Ur te sanshay sakal mitaayo

And erased every doubt from his heart

तब शत निन्दा करि तत्काला ।

Tab shat nindaa kari tatkaalaa

Then at last, after a hundred reproaches

जीवन मुक्‍त भयो शिशुपाला ॥

Jeevan mukt bhayo Shishupaalaa

Shishupala’s soul was freed at Your hand

जबहिं द्रौपदी टेर लगाई ।

Jabahin Draupadee ter lagaai

When Draupadi cried out to You in her anguish

दीनानाथ लाज अब जाई ॥

Deenaanaath laaj ab jaaee

“Refuge of the poor, my honor is lost”

तुरतहि वसन बने नंदलाला ।

Turatahi vasan bane Nandalaalaa

At once her garment was endless, Nandalal

बढ़े चीर भै अरि मुंह काला ॥

Badhe cheer bhai ari munh kaalaa

The cloth grew and grew, and her foe’s face went black

अस अनाथ के नाथ कन्हैया ।

As anaath ke naath Kanhaiyaa

Such is the orphan’s Lord, Kanhaiya

डूबत भंवर बचावै नैया ॥

Doobat bhanvar bachaavai naiyaa

He saves the sinking boat from the whirlpool

सुन्दरदास आस उर धारी ।

Sunderdaas aas ur dhaaree

Sunderdas holds this hope in his heart

दया दृष्टि कीजै बनवारी ॥

Dayaa drishti keejai Banvaaree

Cast a merciful glance, O Banvari

नाथ सकल मम कुमति निवारो ।

Naath sakal mam kumati nivaaro

Lord, dispel all my erring thoughts

क्षमहु बेगि अपराध हमारो ॥

Kshamahu begi apraadh hamaaro

And quickly pardon my offense

खोलो पट अब दर्शन दीजै ।

Kholo pat ab darshan deejai

Open the door now and grant me Your sight

बोलो कृष्ण कन्हैया की जै ॥

Bolo Krishna Kanhaiyaa kee jai

Proclaim: victory to Krishna Kanhaiya

यह चालीसा कृष्ण का, पाठ करै उर धारि अष्ट सिद्धि नवनिधि फल, लहै पदारथ चारि ॥

Yah chaaleesaa Krishna kaa paath karai ur dhaari, asht siddhi navnidhi phal lahai padaarth chaari

Whoever holds this Krishna Chalisa in the heart and recites it gains the eight powers and nine treasures, and the four aims of life