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Home › Mantras › Kali Chalisa
Kali Kali Chalisa: eight-armed Kali on the battlefield, her tongue out as her foot touches Shiva lying in her path
Kali's fury stills as her foot touches Shiva lying in her path
Mantra · Forty Hindi verses: Kali's eight arms, her retinue and her battles

Kali Chalisa

जयकाली कलिमलहरण, महिमा अगम अपार । महिष मर्दिनी कालिका, देहु अभय अपार ॥

Also known as Jai Kali Kalimal Haran

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

What the Kali Chalisa is

The Kali Chalisa, printed as Shri Kali Chalisa, is a set of forty Hindi chaupai couplets addressed to Kali that opens 'jayakali kalimalaharana' and carries no poet's name. Its language is the Braj-coloured Hindi of north-Indian devotional song, framed by an opening and a closing doha. Chaupais 2 to 8 picture an eight-armed Kali and take the hands one at a time: a severed head, a cup of madhu, a spear, a skull-bowl, a sword, a trident, a second blade and a hand that grants boons. Chaupais 9 to 20 identify her with Sita, with Gauri and with Time itself. Chaupais 21 and 22 list her retinue, and 23 to 32 retell her battles in an order of their own. Chaupais 34 to 37 and the closing doha state what the verse says the reciter receives, and Chaupais 38 to 40 end in a direct plea: why, Mother, have you delayed?

Rama's war and Shiva at her feet

The middle of the chalisa tells a story that no single scripture tells in this order. Chaupai 23 places Kali in the Treta age, fighting for Rama and destroying the army of ten-headed Ravana. Behind it stands the Adbhuta Ramayana, a Shakta retelling in 27 sargas: in sarga 23, after Rama falls unconscious, Sita gives up her human appearance, becomes Mahakali and severs the thousand heads of Sahasra Ravana, and in sarga 25 Rama praises her with 1,008 names. Chaupai 9, 'you alone are Kali, you alone are Sita', rests on the same idea. The chalisa then has her fury rise until she can no longer tell her own people from strangers (Chaupai 26). Here two older tellings meet. The Linga Purana (1.106) relates that Kali, sent against the demon Daruka, grew so drunk on battle that the world itself was threatened; in one widely told ending Shiva calms her by appearing on the field as a thirsty, crying infant. In the other, best known in Bengal, he lies down in her path, and when her foot touches him she puts out her tongue in shame. The chalisa joins the two: Shankara comes as a child, blocks her way and falls at her feet, and the tongue that came out then, Chaupai 28 says, is the form known everywhere.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiजयकाली कलिमलहरण, महिमा अगम अपार । महिष मर्दिनी कालिका, देहु अभय अपार ॥
Tamilஜயகாலீ கலிமலஹரண, மஹிமா அகம அபார । மஹிஷ மர்திநீ காலிகா, தேஹு அபய அபார ॥
Teluguజయకాలీ కలిమలహరణ, మహిమా అగమ అపార । మహిష మర్దినీ కాలికా, దేహు అభయ అపార ॥
Kannadaಜಯಕಾಲೀ ಕಲಿಮಲಹರಣ, ಮಹಿಮಾ ಅಗಮ ಅಪಾರ । ಮಹಿಷ ಮರ್ದಿನೀ ಕಾಲಿಕಾ, ದೇಹು ಅಭಯ ಅಪಾರ ॥
Malayalamജയകാലീ കലിമലഹരണ, മഹിമാ അഗമ അപാര । മഹിഷ മര്ദിനീ കാലികാ, ദേഹു അഭയ അപാര ॥
EnglishRoman transliterationjayakālī kalimalaharaṇa, mahimā agama apāra | mahiṣa mardinī kālikā, dehu abhaya apāra ||
“Victory to Kali, who removes the impurity of the Kali age; your greatness is unfathomable and boundless. Kalika, slayer of the buffalo demon Mahisha, grant boundless fearlessness.”
जयकाली
jayakālī — victory to Kali
कलिमलहरण
kalimalaharaṇa — remover of the Kali age's impurity
महिमा
mahimā — greatness
अगम
agama — unfathomable
अपार
apāra — boundless
महिष
mahiṣa — Mahisha, the buffalo demon
मर्दिनी
mardinī — slayer
कालिका
kālikā — Kalika
देहु
dehu — grant
अभय
abhaya — fearlessness
अपार
apāra — boundless

Kali Chalisa lyrics in full

An opening doha, forty chaupais and a closing doha, in the north-Indian Hindi wording most often sung today.

All 42 verses, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Kali Chalisa PDFAll 42 verses with their meanings, in Hindi. Free to print and keep.

Doha 1

जयकाली कलिमलहरण, महिमा अगम अपार ।
महिष मर्दिनी कालिका, देहु अभय अपार ॥

Victory to Kali, who removes the impurity of the Kali age; your greatness is unfathomable and boundless. Kalika, slayer of the buffalo demon Mahisha, grant boundless fearlessness.

Chaupai 1

अरि मद मान मिटावन हारी ।
मुण्डमाल गल सोहत प्यारी ॥

You destroy the pride and arrogance of enemies; a lovely garland of severed heads adorns your neck.

Chaupai 2

अष्टभुजी सुखदायक माता ।
दुष्टदलन जग में विख्याता ॥

Eight-armed Mother, giver of happiness, you are famed in the world as the crusher of the wicked.

Chaupai 3

भाल विशाल मुकुट छवि छाजै ।
कर में शीश शत्रु का साजै ॥

A crown shines in splendour on your broad forehead, and one hand holds the severed head of an enemy.

Chaupai 4

दूजे हाथ लिए मधु प्याला ।
हाथ तीसरे सोहत भाला ॥

Your second hand holds a cup of madhu (sweet drink), and a spear gleams in your third hand.

Chaupai 5

चौथे खप्पर खड्ग कर पांचे ।
छठे त्रिशूल शत्रु बल जांचे ॥

The fourth hand holds a skull-bowl and the fifth a sword; with the trident in the sixth you test the strength of enemies.

Chaupai 6

सप्तम कर दमकत असि प्यारी ।
शोभा अद्भुत मात तुम्हारी ॥

In your seventh hand a fine sword flashes; Mother, your beauty is wondrous.

Chaupai 7

अष्टम कर भक्तन वर दाता ।
जग मनहरण रूप ये माता ॥

Your eighth hand grants boons to devotees; Mother, this form of yours captivates the heart of the world.

Chaupai 8

भक्तन में अनुरक्त भवानी ।
निशदिन रटें ऋषी-मुनि ज्ञानी ॥

Bhavani, you are devoted to your devotees; seers, sages and the wise repeat your name day and night.

Chaupai 9

महाशक्ति अति प्रबल पुनीता ।
तू ही काली तू ही सीता ॥

Great Shakti, exceedingly mighty and pure, you alone are Kali and you alone are Sita.

Chaupai 10

पतित तारिणी हे जग पालक ।
कल्याणी पापी कुल घालक ॥

You lift up the fallen and sustain the world; auspicious one, you destroy the line of the sinful.

Chaupai 11

शेष सुरेश न पावत पारा ।
गौरी रूप धर्यो इक बारा ॥

Even Shesha and Indra cannot reach the end of your glory; once you took the form of Gauri.

Chaupai 12

तुम समान दाता नहिं दूजा ।
विधिवत करें भक्तजन पूजा ॥

There is no giver equal to you; devotees worship you with due rites.

Chaupai 13

रूप भयंकर जब तुम धारा ।
दुष्टदलन कीन्हेहु संहारा ॥

When you took on a terrifying form, you crushed the wicked and destroyed them.

Chaupai 14

नाम अनेकन मात तुम्हारे ।
भक्तजनों के संकट टारे ॥

Mother, you have many names, and you have removed the troubles of your devotees.

Chaupai 15

कलि के कष्ट कलेशन हरनी ।
भव भय मोचन मंगल करनी ॥

You take away the pains and afflictions of the Kali age; you release from the fear of worldly existence and bring what is auspicious.

Chaupai 16

महिमा अगम वेद यश गावैं ।
नारद शारद पार न पावैं ॥

Your greatness is beyond reach; the Vedas sing your fame, and even Narada and Sharada cannot find its end.

Chaupai 17

भू पर भार बढ्यौ जब भारी ।
तब तब तुम प्रकटीं महतारी ॥

Whenever the burden on the earth grew heavy, then, Mother, you appeared.

Chaupai 18

आदि अनादि अभय वरदाता ।
विश्वविदित भव संकट त्राता ॥

You are the first and the beginningless, giver of the boon of fearlessness, known to the whole world as the rescuer from the troubles of existence.

Chaupai 19

कुसमय नाम तुम्हारौ लीन्हा ।
उसको सदा अभय वर दीन्हा ॥

Whoever took your name in an evil hour, you always gave them the boon of fearlessness.

Chaupai 20

ध्यान धरें श्रुति शेष सुरेशा ।
काल रूप लखि तुमरो भेषा ॥

The Vedas, Shesha and Indra meditate on you, beholding your guise as Time (Kala) itself.

Chaupai 21

कलुआ भैंरों संग तुम्हारे ।
अरि हित रूप भयानक धारे ॥

Kalua Bhairon is at your side, taking on a fearsome form against enemies.

Chaupai 22

सेवक लांगुर रहत अगारी ।
चौसठ जोगन आज्ञाकारी ॥

Your servant Langur stays before you, and the sixty-four yoginis obey your command.

Chaupai 23

त्रेता में रघुवर हित आई ।
दशकंधर की सैन नसाई ॥

In the Treta age you came for the sake of Rama and destroyed the army of ten-headed Ravana.

Chaupai 24

खेला रण का खेल निराला ।
भरा मांस-मज्जा से प्याला ॥

You played the extraordinary game of battle and filled your cup with flesh and marrow.

Chaupai 25

रौद्र रूप लखि दानव भागे ।
कियौ गवन भवन निज त्यागे ॥

Seeing your fierce form, the demons fled, leaving their own homes behind.

Chaupai 26

तब ऐसौ तामस चढ़ आयो ।
स्वजन विजन को भेद भुलायो ॥

Then such fury rose in you that you forgot the difference between your own people and strangers.

Chaupai 27

ये बालक लखि शंकर आए ।
राह रोक चरनन में धाए ॥

Seeing this, Shankara came as a child, blocked your path and threw himself at your feet.

Chaupai 28

तब मुख जीभ निकर जो आई ।
यही रूप प्रचलित है माई ॥

Then your tongue came out of your mouth; Mother, this is the form that is known everywhere.

Chaupai 29

बाढ्यो महिषासुर मद भारी ।
पीड़ित किए सकल नर-नारी ॥

The arrogance of Mahishasura grew great, and he tormented all men and women.

Chaupai 30

करुण पुकार सुनी भक्तन की ।
पीर मिटावन हित जन-जन की ॥

You heard the pitiful cry of your devotees, and came to take away the pain of every person.

Chaupai 31

तब प्रगटी निज सैन समेता ।
नाम पड़ा मां महिष विजेता ॥

Then you appeared with your own army, and, Mother, you came to be called the conqueror of Mahisha.

Chaupai 32

शुंभ निशुंभ हने छन माहीं ।
तुम सम जग दूसर कोउ नाहीं ॥

You slew Shumbha and Nishumbha in an instant; there is no one in the world like you.

Chaupai 33

मान मथनहारी खल दल के ।
सदा सहायक भक्त विकल के ॥

You crush the pride of the hosts of the wicked and always help devotees in distress.

Chaupai 34

दीन विहीन करैं नित सेवा ।
पावैं मनवांछित फल मेवा ॥

The verse says that the humble and destitute who serve you daily receive the reward they desire.

Chaupai 35

संकट में जो सुमिरन करहीं ।
उनके कष्ट मातु तुम हरहीं ॥

Those who remember you in trouble, Mother, you take away their suffering.

Chaupai 36

प्रेम सहित जो कीरति गावैं ।
भव बन्धन सों मुक्ती पावैं ॥

The verse says that those who sing your glory with love gain release from the bonds of worldly existence.

Chaupai 37

काली चालीसा जो पढ़हीं ।
स्वर्गलोक बिनु बंधन चढ़हीं ॥

The verse says that those who read the Kali Chalisa rise, free of bonds, to the heavenly world.

Chaupai 38

दया दृष्टि हेरौ जगदम्बा ।
केहि कारण मां कियौ विलम्बा ॥

Look upon me with a merciful glance, Mother of the world; why, Mother, have you delayed?

Chaupai 39

करहु मातु भक्तन रखवाली ।
जयति जयति काली कंकाली ॥

Mother, protect your devotees; victory, victory to Kali, Kankali.

Chaupai 40

सेवक दीन अनाथ अनारी ।
भक्तिभाव युति शरण तुम्हारी ॥

This servant is humble, without a protector and unskilled; with devotion, he takes refuge in you.

Doha 2

प्रेम सहित जो करे, काली चालीसा पाठ ।
तिनकी पूरन कामना, होय सकल जग ठाठ ॥

The verse says that whoever recites the Kali Chalisa with love has every wish fulfilled and enjoys all the splendour of the world.

The syllable people get wrong

The first line sets jayakālī beside kalimalaharaṇa: Kālī, the goddess, has two long vowels (KAA-lee), while kali, the dark age whose impurity (mala) she removes, has two short ones (KA-li). Saying both as 'kaali' flattens the play on sound that the opening is built on.

When the Kali Chalisa is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Festival. Kali Puja, on the new-moon night of Diwali

Questions

No author is known. The closing doha carries no poet's signature, and the printed Hindi booklets of the text credit only their own commentary. Archaic Braj forms such as badhyau, kiyau and aisau place it in the north-Indian chalisa tradition, but no dated early printing has been traced, so it is treated as an anonymous traditional hymn. Other, different hymns also circulate under the name Kali Chalisa; this one opens 'jayakali kalimalaharana'.
The line in Chaupai 9 means 'you alone are Kali, you alone are Sita'. It treats the fierce goddess and Rama's gentle queen as one Shakti. The idea has a textual home in the Adbhuta Ramayana, where Sita herself takes the form of Mahakali to slay the thousand-headed Ravana. Chaupai 23 returns to the same thought when it says Kali came in the Treta age for Rama's sake.
Chaupai 21 names Kalua Bhairon at her side. Bhairon is the north-Indian village name of Bhairava, Shiva's fierce guardian form, shown here as the goddess's companion who takes a terrible shape against her enemies. Chaupai 22 adds Langur, a servant who stands before her, and the sixty-four yoginis who obey her. Both figures belong to north-Indian Devi shrine lore; in the Vaishno Devi legend a guardian called Veer Langur keeps watch at the mouth of the goddess's cave.
Yes. The opening doha calls her Mahisha mardini, and Chaupais 29 to 31 say she appeared with her army and came to be called the conqueror of Mahisha. In the Devi Mahatmya the buffalo demon is slain by the Devi in chapters 2 to 4, and Kali first emerges from her forehead only in chapter 7, to kill Chanda and Munda. The chalisa treats Kali as the one Devi, so every victory, including Shumbha and Nishumbha in Chaupai 32, is credited to her.
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