Shani Chalisa

Doha 1

जय गणेश गिरिजा सुवन मंगल करण कृपाल ।
दीनन के दुख दूर करि कीजै नाथ निहाल ॥

Jay Ganesh girijaa suvan mangal karan kripaal
Deenan ke dukh door kari keejai naath nihaal

Victory to Ganesha, son of Girija, auspicious and kind: take away the sorrows of the humble and bless them, lord.

Doha 2

जय जय श्री शनिदेव प्रभु सुनहु विनय महाराज ।
करहु कृपा हे रवि तनय राखहु जनकी लाज ॥

Jay jay shree shanidev prabhu sunahu vinay mahaaraaj
Karahu kripaa he ravi tanay raakhahu jankee laaj

Victory, victory to Shri Shanidev, O lord, hear my plea, great king. Be kind, son of the Sun, and keep the honour of your servant.

Chaupai 1

जयति जयति शनिदेव दयाला ।
करत सदा भक्तन प्रतिपाला ॥

Jayti jayti shanidev dayaalaa
Karat sadaa bhaktan pratipaalaa

Victory, victory to merciful Shanidev, who always cares for his devotees.

Chaupai 2

चारि भुजा तनु श्याम विराजै ।
माथे रतन मुकुट छबि छाजै ॥

Chaari bhujaa tanu shyaam viraajai
Maathe ratan mukut chhabi chhaajai

Four arms, a dark body, and a jewelled crown shining on your head.

Chaupai 3

परम विशाल मनोहर भाला ।
टेढ़ी दृष्टि भृकुटि विकराला ॥

Param vishaal manohar bhaalaa
Terhee drishti bhrikuti vikaraalaa

A very broad and handsome brow, with a sidelong gaze and fearsome frown.

Chaupai 4

कुण्डल श्रवण चमाचम चमके ।
हिये माल मुक्तन मणि दमकै ॥

Kundal shravan chamaacham chamke
Hiye maal muktan mani damkai

Earrings gleam at your ears, and a string of pearls and jewels shines on your chest.

Chaupai 5

कर में गदा त्रिशूल कुठारा ।
पल बिच करैं अरिहिं संहारा ॥

Kar men gadaa trishool kuthaaraa
Pal bich karain arihin sanhaaraa

A mace, trident and axe in your hands; in a moment you destroy the foe.

Chaupai 6

पिंगल कृष्णो छाया नन्दन ।
यम कोणस्थ रौद्र दुख भंजन ॥

Pingal krishno chhaayaa nandan
Yam konasth raudra dukh bhanjan

Pingala, Krishna, son of Chhaya, Yama, Konastha, Raudra, breaker of sorrow,

Chaupai 7

सौरी मन्द शनी दश नामा ।
भानु पुत्र पूजहिं सब कामा ॥

Sauree mand shanee dash naamaa
Bhaanu putra poojahin sab kaamaa

Sauri, Manda, Shani: these are your ten names. All worship the son of the Sun, for every wish.

Chaupai 8

जापर प्रभु प्रसन्न ह्वैं जाहीं ।
रंकहुँ राव करैं क्षण माहीं ॥

Jaapar prabhu prasann hvain jaaheen
Rankahun raav karain kshan maaheen

The one on whom the lord is pleased, the verse says, even a pauper he makes a king in a moment.

Chaupai 9

पर्वतहू तृण होइ निहारत ।
तृणहू को पर्वत करि डारत ॥

Parvatahoo trin hoi nihaarat
Trinahoo ko parvat kari daarat

Under your gaze a mountain turns to a blade of grass, and a blade of grass to a mountain.

Chaupai 10

राज मिलत बन रामहिं दीन्हयो ।
कैकेइहुँ की मति हरि लीन्हयो ॥

Raaj milat ban raamahin deenhyo
Kaikeihun kee mati hari leenhyo

As the kingdom was coming to him, you gave Rama the forest instead, and took away Kaikeyi's reason.

Chaupai 11

बनहूँ में मृग कपट दिखाई ।
मातु जानकी गई चुराई ॥

Banahoon men mrig kapat dikhaaee
Maatu jaanakee gaee churaaee

Even in the forest, you showed the false deer, and Mother Janaki was stolen away.

Chaupai 12

लखनहिं शक्ति विकल करिडारा ।
मचिगा दल में हाहाकारा ॥

Lakhanahin shakti vikal karidaaraa
Machigaa dal men haahaakaaraa

You laid Lakshmana low with the spear, and an uproar rose in the army.

Chaupai 13

रावण की गति-मति बौराई ।
रामचन्द्र सों बैर बढ़ाई ॥

Raavan kee gati mati bauraaee
Raamachandra son bair barhaaee

You turned Ravana's course and reason, and his enmity with Ramachandra grew.

Chaupai 14

दियो कीट करि कंचन लंका ।
बजि बजरंग बीर की डंका ॥

Diyo keet kari kanchan Lankaa
Baji bajarang beer kee dankaa

You reduced golden Lanka to an insect, and brave Bajrang's drum sounded.

Chaupai 15

नृप विक्रम पर तुहिं पगु धारा ।
चित्र मयूर निगलि गै हारा ॥

Nrip vikram par tuhin pagu dhaaraa
Chitra mayoor nigali gai haaraa

You set your foot on King Vikrama, and the painted peacock swallowed a necklace.

Chaupai 16

हार नौलखा लाग्यो चोरी ।
हाथ पैर डरवायो तोरी ॥

Haar naulakhaa laagyo choree
Haath pair daravaayo toree

The theft of the nine-lakh necklace fell on him, and his hands and feet were broken.

Chaupai 17

भारी दशा निकृष्ट दिखायो ।
तेलिहिं घर कोल्हू चलवायो ॥

Bhaaree dashaa nikrisht dikhaayo
Telihin ghar kolhoo chalavaayo

You showed him a heavy, low state, and made him turn the oil press in an oil-man's house.

Chaupai 18

विनय राग दीपक महँ कीन्हयों ।
तब प्रसन्न प्रभु ह्वै सुख दीन्हयों ॥

Vinay raag deepak mahan keenhyon
Tab prasann prabhu hvai sukh deenhyon

He sang his plea in raga Dipak; then the lord was pleased and gave him joy.

Chaupai 19

हरिश्चंद्र नृप नारि बिकानी ।
आपहुं भरें डोम घर पानी ॥

Harishchandra nrip naari bikaanee
Aapahun bharen dom ghar paanee

King Harishchandra's wife was sold, and he himself drew water in the house of a Dom.

Chaupai 20

तैसे नल पर दशा सिरानी ।
भूंजी-मीन कूद गई पानी ॥

Taise nal par dashaa siraanee
Bhoonjee meen kood gaee paanee

So too the dasha passed over Nala, and the roasted fish leapt back into the water.

Chaupai 21

श्री शंकरहिं गह्यो जब जाई ।
पारवती को सती कराई ॥

Shree shankarahin gahyo jab jaaee
Paaravatee ko satee karaaee

When you came to take hold of Shri Shankara, you made Parvati a sati.

Chaupai 22

तनिक विलोकत ही करि रीसा ।
नभ उड़ि गयो गौरिसुत सीसा ॥

Tanik vilokat hee kari reesaa
Nabh uri gayo gaurisut seesaa

With just a glance and in anger, you sent the head of Gauri's son flying into the sky.

Chaupai 23

पाण्डव पर भै दशा तुम्हारी ।
बची द्रौपदी होति उघारी ॥

Paandav par bhai dashaa tumhaaree
Bachee draupadee hoti ughaaree

Your dasha fell on the Pandavas; Draupadi was saved just as she was being stripped.

Chaupai 24

कौरव के भी गति मति मारयो ।
युद्ध महाभारत करि डारयो ॥

Kaurav ke bhee gati mati maaryo
Yuddh mahaabhaarat kari daaryo

You also took away the reason of the Kauravas and brought about the Mahabharata war.

Chaupai 25

रवि कहँ मुख महँ धरि तत्काला ।
लेकर कूदि परयो पाताला ॥

Ravi kahan mukh mahan dhari tatkaalaa
Lekar koodi paryo paataalaa

You took the Sun in your mouth at once and leapt down into the underworld.

Chaupai 26

शेष देव-लखि विनति लाई ।
रवि को मुख ते दियो छुड़ाई ॥

Shesh dev lakhi vinati laaee
Ravi ko mukh te diyo chhuraaee

Seeing this, Shesha and the devas pleaded with you, and you released the Sun from your mouth.

Chaupai 27

वाहन प्रभु के सात सुजाना ।
जग दिग्गज गर्दभ मृग स्वाना ॥

Vaahan prabhu ke saat sujaanaa
Jag diggaj gardabh mrig svaanaa

The lord has seven fine mounts: the elephant, the donkey, the deer, the dog,

Chaupai 28

जम्बुक सिंह आदि नख धारी ।
सो फल ज्योतिष कहत पुकारी ॥

Jambuk sinh aadi nakh dhaaree
So phal jyotish kahat pukaaree

The jackal, the lion and the other clawed one: the fruit of each is told aloud by jyotish.

Chaupai 29

गज वाहन लक्ष्मी गृह आवैं ।
हय ते सुख सम्पत्ति उपजावैं ॥

Gaj vaahan Lakshmee grih aavain
Hay te sukh sampatti upajaavain

The text says: on an elephant, Lakshmi comes to the house; on a horse, joy and wealth arise.

Chaupai 30

गर्दभ हानि करै बहु काजा ।
सिंह सिद्धकर राज समाजा ॥

Gardabh haani karai bahu kaajaa
Sinh siddhakar raaj samaajaa

The text says: on a donkey, much work is harmed; on a lion, success comes in king's society.

Chaupai 31

जम्बुक बुद्धि नष्ट कर डारै ।
मृग दे कष्ट प्राण संहारै ॥

Jambuk buddhi nasht kar daarai
Mrig de kasht praan sanhaarai

The text says: on a jackal, reason is lost; on a deer, there is pain to the point of breath.

Chaupai 32

जब आवहिं प्रभु स्वान सवारी ।
चोरी आदि होय डर भारी ॥

Jab aavahin prabhu svaan savaaree
Choree aadi hoy dar bhaaree

The text says: when the lord comes riding a dog, great fear of theft and the like arises.

Chaupai 33

तैसहि चारी चरण यह नामा ।
स्वर्ण लौह चाँदि अरु तामा ॥

Taisahi chaaree charan yah naamaa
Svarn lauh chaandi aru taamaa

In the same way there are four named feet: gold, iron, silver and copper.

Chaupai 34

लौह चरण पर जब प्रभु आवैं ।
धन जन सम्पत्ति नष्ट करावैं ॥

Lauh charan par jab prabhu aavain
Dhan jan sampatti nasht karaavain

The text says: when the lord comes on the iron foot, wealth, people and goods are lost.

Chaupai 35

समता ताम्र रजत शुभकारी ।
स्वर्ण सर्व सुख मंगल भारी ॥

Samtaa taamra rajat shubhakaaree
Svarn sarva sukh mangal bhaaree

The text says: copper and silver are even and good, and gold brings every joy and blessing.

Chaupai 36

जो यह शनि चरित्र नित गावै ।
कबहुं न दशा निकृष्ट सतावै ॥

Jo yah Shani charitra nit gaavai
Kabahun na dashaa nikrisht sataavai

Whoever sings this story of Shani each day, the verse says, is never troubled by a low dasha.

Chaupai 37

अद्भुत नाथ दिखावैं लीला ।
करैं शत्रु के नशि बलि ढीला ॥

Adbhut naath dikhaavain leelaa
Karain shatru ke nashi bali dheelaa

The lord shows wondrous play and weakens the strength of the enemy, the verse says.

Chaupai 38

जो पण्डित सुयोग्य बुलवाई ।
विधिवत शनि ग्रह शांति कराई ॥

Jo pandit suyogya bulavaaee
Vidhivat Shani grah shaanti karaaee

The one who calls a learned pandit and has the Shani shanti performed by the rite,

Chaupai 39

पीपल जल शनि दिवस चढ़ावत ।
दीप दान दै बहु सुख पावत ॥

Peepal jal Shani divas charhaavat
Deep daan dai bahu sukh paavat

and offers water to the pipal on Saturday and gives lamps, gains much joy, the verse says.

Chaupai 40

कहत राम सुन्दर प्रभु दासा ।
शनि सुमिरत सुख होत प्रकाशा ॥

Kahat Raam sundar prabhu daasaa
Shani sumirat sukh hot prakaashaa

So says Ram Sundar, the lord's servant: in remembering Shani, the verse says, joy dawns.

Doha 3

पाठ शनीश्चर देव को की हों भक्त तैयार ।
करत पाठ चालीस दिन हो भवसागर पार ॥

Paath shaneeshchar dev ko kee hon bhakt taiyaar
Karat paath chaalees din ho bhavasaagar paar

This reading to Shanishchar Dev is made ready for the devotee. Reading it for forty days, the verse says, one crosses the ocean of worldly life.

Doha 4

जो स्तुति दशरथ जी कियो सम्मुख शनि निहार ।
सरस सुभाष में वही ललिता लिखें सुधार ॥

Jo stuti dasharath jee kiyo sammukh Shani nihaar
Saras subhaash men vahee lalitaa likhen sudhaar

The praise Dasharatha offered, looking Shani in the face: that, in sweet plain speech, Lalita wrote and set right.