Ganga Chalisa — Lyrics with Meaning

Doha

Jai jai jai jag pavani, jayati devsari Gang | Jai Shiv jata nivasini, anupam tung tarang ||

Victory to Ganga, the river of the gods who purifies the world. Victory to her who lives in Shiv's matted hair, with her matchless high waves.

Chaupai 1

Jai jai janani haran aghkhani | Anand karani Gang Maharani ||

Victory to the Mother who takes away heaps of sin. Victory to Queen Ganga, giver of joy.

Chaupai 2

Jai Bhagirathi Sursari Mata | Kalimal mool dalani vikhyata ||

Victory to Mother Bhagirathi, river of the gods. You are famed for uprooting the impurities of the Kali age.

Chaupai 3

Jai jai Jahnu suta agh hanani | Bhisham ki mata jag janani ||

Victory to the daughter of sage Jahnu, destroyer of sin. You are the mother of Bhishma and mother of the world.

Chaupai 4

Dhaval kamal dal mam tanu saje | Lakhi shat sharad chandra chhavi laje ||

Your form is lovely like white lotus petals. Seeing your beauty, even a hundred autumn moons feel shy.

Chaupai 5

Vahan makar vimal shuchi sohai | Amiya kalash kar lakhi man mohai ||

Your pure, spotless mount, the makara, looks splendid. The pot of nectar in your hand charms the heart.

Chaupai 6

Jadit ratna kanchan abhushan | Hiya mani haar, haranitam dooshan ||

You wear gold ornaments set with gems and a jewelled necklace on your chest. You remove darkness and faults.

Chaupai 7

Jag pavani tray taap nasavani | Taral tarang tung man bhavani ||

You purify the world and end the three kinds of suffering. Your high, flowing waves delight the heart.

Chaupai 8

Jo Ganpati ati poojya pradhana | Tihun te pratham Gang asnana ||

Even before worshipping Ganesh, who is honoured first of all, comes a bath in the Ganga.

Chaupai 9

Brahma kamandal vasini Devi | Shri Prabhu pad pankaj sukh sevi ||

O Goddess, you dwell in Brahma's water-pot. You joyfully serve the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.

Chaupai 10

Sathi sahasra Sagar sut taryo | Ganga Sagar tirath dharyo ||

You freed the sixty thousand sons of King Sagar. The holy place of Ganga Sagar came into being through you.

Chaupai 11

Agam tarang uthyo man bhavan | Lakhi tirath Haridwar suhavan ||

Your deep, delightful waves rise high. The lovely pilgrimage town of Haridwar is a sight to behold.

Chaupai 12

Tirath raj Prayag Akshayvat | Dharyo Matu puni Kashi karvat ||

At Prayag, king of pilgrimages, stands the undying banyan tree. Then the Mother turned her course at Kashi.

Chaupai 13

Dhani dhani Sursari swarg ki seedhi | Tarani amit pitru pad peedhi ||

Blessed is the divine river, a stairway to heaven. You carry countless generations of ancestors across.

Chaupai 14

Bhagirath tap kiyo apara | Diyo Brahma tab Sursari dhara ||

King Bhagirath did immense penance. Then Brahma granted him the stream of the divine river.

Chaupai 15

Jab jag janani chalyo haharai | Shambhu jata mahan rahyo samai ||

When the world-mother rushed down roaring, she was held within Shiv's matted locks.

Chaupai 16

Varsh paryant Gang Maharani | Raheen Shambhu ke jata bhulani ||

For a whole year Queen Ganga stayed wandering, lost in Shiv's locks.

Chaupai 17

Puni Bhagirath Shambhuhin dhyayo | Tab ik boond jata se payo ||

Bhagirath then prayed to Shiv again, and received a single drop from his locks.

Chaupai 18

Tate Matu bhain tray dhara | Mrityu lok, nabh, aru patara ||

From that drop the Mother became three streams — on earth, in the sky and in the netherworld.

Chaupai 19

Gain patal Prabhavati nama | Mandakini gai gagan lalama ||

The stream that went to the netherworld is called Prabhavati. The lovely Mandakini went to the heavens.

Chaupai 20

Mrityu lok Jahnavi suhavani | Kalimal harani agam jag pavani ||

On earth she is the lovely Jahnavi, who removes the impurities of the Kali age and purifies the world.

Chaupai 21

Dhani maiya tav mahima bhari | Dharma dhuri kali kalush kuthari ||

Blessed Mother, great is your glory. You are the axle of dharma and an axe against the sins of the Kali age.

Chaupai 22

Matu Prabhavati dhani Mandakini | Dhani Sursarit sakal bhayanasini ||

Blessed are Mother Prabhavati and Mandakini. Blessed is the divine river who removes every fear.

Chaupai 23

Paan karat nirmal Gangajal | Pavat man ichchhit anant phal ||

Devotees believe that sipping pure Ganga water brings endless fruit, as the heart wishes.

Chaupai 24

Poorab janm punya jab jagat | Tabahin dhyan Ganga mahan lagat ||

Only when the merit of past lives awakens does the mind turn to Ganga.

Chaupai 25

Jai pagu Sursari hetu uthavahin | Tai jagi Ashvamedh phal pavahin ||

It is said that for every step taken towards the Ganga, one gains the merit of an Ashvamedh sacrifice.

Chaupai 26

Maha patit jin kahu na tare | Tin tare ik naam tihare ||

Great sinners whom no one could save were saved by your name alone.

Chaupai 27

Shat yojanhu se jo dhyavahin | Nishchay Vishnu lok pad pavahin ||

Those who remember you even from a hundred yojanas away surely reach Vishnu's abode.

Chaupai 28

Naam bhajat aganit agh nashai | Vimal gyan bal buddhi prakashai ||

Chanting your name destroys countless sins and lights up pure knowledge, strength and wisdom.

Chaupai 29

Jimi dhan mool dharma aru dana | Dharma mool Gangajal pana ||

Just as dharma and charity are the true root of wealth, sipping Ganga water is a root of dharma.

Chaupai 30

Tav gun gunan karat dukh bhajat | Grih grih sampati sumati virajat ||

Singing your virtues drives sorrow away, and prosperity and good sense settle in every home.

Chaupai 31

Gangahin nem sahit nit dhyavat | Durjanhun sajjan pad pavat ||

One who remembers Ganga daily with discipline, even if wicked, becomes a good person.

Chaupai 32

Buddhiheen vidya bal pavai | Rogi rog mukt hvai javai ||

The verse says that by Ganga's grace the dull gain learning and strength, and the sick are freed from illness.

Chaupai 33

Ganga Ganga jo nar kahaheen | Bhookhe nange kabahun na rahaheen ||

Tradition says that one who keeps saying "Ganga, Ganga" never stays hungry or without clothes.

Chaupai 34

Nikasat hi mukh Ganga Mai | Shravan dabi Yam chalahin parai ||

As soon as "Mother Ganga" leaves one's lips, Yama's messengers cover their ears and run away.

Chaupai 35

Mahan aghin adhaman kahan tare | Bhaye narak ke band kivare ||

You saved the greatest sinners and the lowly, so that the doors of hell were shut.

Chaupai 36

Jo nar japai Gang shat nama | Sakal siddhi pooran hvai kama ||

It is believed that one who chants Ganga's hundred names sees all their tasks fulfilled.

Chaupai 37

Sab sukh bhog param pad pavahin | Avagaman rahit hvai javahin ||

They enjoy every happiness, reach the highest state and are freed from the cycle of birth and death.

Chaupai 38

Dhani maiya Sursari sukhdaini | Dhani dhani tirath raj Triveni ||

Blessed is Mother Ganga, giver of joy. Blessed is Triveni, king of pilgrim places.

Chaupai 39

Kakra gram rishi Durvasa | Sundardas Ganga kar dasa ||

In the village of Kakra, where sage Durvasa's ashram stands, lives Sundardas, servant of Ganga.

Chaupai 40

Jo yah padhai Ganga Chalisa | Milai bhakti aviral vagisa ||

Whoever reads this Ganga Chalisa receives unbroken devotion and the gift of good speech.

Doha

Nit nav sukh sampati lahain, dharain Gang ka dhyan | Ant samay surpur basain, sadar baithi viman ||

Those who keep Ganga in mind find new joys each day, and at the end are carried with honour to the heavens.

Doha

Samvat bhuj nabh dishi, Ram janm din Chaitra | Pooran Chalisa kiyo, Hari bhaktan hit netra ||

The poet records that he completed this Chalisa in the month of Chaitra on Ram Navami, for the good of Hari's devotees.