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Mantra · Forty Hindi chaupais to Sindhu Suta, closing on the plea of Ramdas

Lakshmi Chalisa

मातु लक्ष्मी करि कृपा करो हृदय में वास । मनोकामना सिद्ध करि पुरवहु मेरी आस ॥

Also known as Matu Lakshmi Kari Kripa

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

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What the Lakshmi Chalisa is

The Lakshmi Chalisa, printed in most booklets as Shri Lakshmi Chalisa, is a Hindi folk prayer to Lakshmi in forty chaupais, framed by an opening doha and soratha and two closing dohas. Its language leans towards Awadhi, and its only signature is the name Ramdas in the fortieth chaupai and the last doha; nothing else is known of the poet or the date. The goddess is called Sindhu Suta, daughter of the ocean, and also Jagadamba and Bhavani, names more often heard for Parvati. Chaupais 1 to 9 ask her for knowledge, understanding and learning before anything else. Chaupais 10 to 16 recall her rising among the fourteen jewels of the churned ocean and her service to Vishnu in each of his births. Chaupais 17 to 31 describe what the verse says follows faithful worship and reading of the text, and the last nine return to a personal plea for her sight and forgiveness.

From the milk ocean to Janakpur

The chalisa does not tell how it came to be written; the story it carries is the goddess's own. Chaupai 10 credits Vishnu with having the ocean of milk churned, and chaupai 11 sets Lakshmi among the fourteen ratnas, the treasures that surfaced from it, and calls her the one among them that is a heap of joy. The poem then makes a claim the older hymns to her rarely put so plainly: wherever the Lord took birth, she changed her form and went there to serve him. This follows the Vishnu Purana, which says that when Vishnu came as the dwarf son of Aditi she appeared as Padma, as Dharani beside Parashurama, as Sita beside Rama and as Rukmini beside Krishna. The chalisa chooses one of these and gives it two lines. When Vishnu took a human body in Avadhpuri, the old name of Ayodhya, she appeared in Janakpur, the city of King Janaka in present-day Nepal. The Valmiki Ramayana relates that Janaka found the infant Sita in a furrow while ploughing ground for a sacrifice, which is why the poet can say she appeared there rather than that she was born. Chaupai 15 closes the episode with the inner knower of hearts taking her as his own.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiमातु लक्ष्मी करि कृपा करो हृदय में वास । मनोकामना सिद्ध करि पुरवहु मेरी आस ॥

Tamilமாது லக்ஷ்மீ கரி க்ருபா கரோ ஹ்ருதய மேம் வாஸ । மநோகாமநா ஸித்த கரி புரவஹு மேரீ ஆஸ ॥

Teluguమాతు లక్ష్మీ కరి కృపా కరో హృదయ మేం వాస । మనోకామనా సిద్ధ కరి పురవహు మేరీ ఆస ॥

Kannadaಮಾತು ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ ಕರಿ ಕೃಪಾ ಕರೋ ಹೃದಯ ಮೇಂ ವಾಸ । ಮನೋಕಾಮನಾ ಸಿದ್ಧ ಕರಿ ಪುರವಹು ಮೇರೀ ಆಸ ॥

Malayalamമാതു ലക്ഷ്മീ കരി കൃപാ കരോ ഹൃദയ മേം വാസ । മനോകാമനാ സിദ്ധ കരി പുരവഹു മേരീ ആസ ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationmātu lakṣmī kari kṛpā karo hṛdaya meṃ vāsa | manokāmanā siddha kari puravahu merī āsa ||

“Mother Lakshmi, be gracious and make your dwelling in my heart. Fulfil the wishes of my mind and complete my hopes.”

मातु: mātu — Mother
लक्ष्मी: lakṣmī — Lakshmi
करि: kari — showing
कृपा: kṛpā — grace
करो: karo — make
हृदय: hṛdaya — heart
में: meṃ — in
वास: vāsa — your dwelling
मनोकामना: manokāmanā — the wishes of the mind
सिद्ध: siddha — fulfilled
करि: kari — making
पुरवहु: puravahu — complete
मेरी: merī — my
आस: āsa — hope

Lakshmi Chalisa lyrics in full

An opening doha and soratha, forty chaupais and two closing dohas, including the fortieth chaupai signed by Ramdas that many booklets leave out.

All 44 verses, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Lakshmi Chalisa PDFAll 44 verses with their meanings, in Hindi. Free to print and keep.

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Doha 1

मातु लक्ष्मी करि कृपा करो हृदय में वास ।
मनोकामना सिद्ध करि पुरवहु मेरी आस ॥

Mother Lakshmi, be gracious and make your dwelling in my heart. Fulfil the wishes of my mind and complete my hopes.

Soratha 1

यही मोर अरदास हाथ जोड़ विनती करुं ।
सब विधि करौ सुवास जय जननि जगदम्बिका ॥

This is my one plea: with folded hands I make my request. Make my life fragrant in every way, victory to you, Mother of the world, Jagadambika.

Chaupai 1

सिन्धु सुता मैं सुमिरौ तोही ।
ज्ञान बुद्धि विद्या दो मोही ॥

Daughter of the ocean, I remember you; grant me knowledge, understanding and learning.

Chaupai 2

तुम समान नहिं कोई उपकारी ।
सब विधि पुरवहु आस हमारी ॥

There is no benefactor equal to you; fulfil our hopes in every way.

Chaupai 3

जय जय जगत जननि जगदम्बा ।
सबकी तुम ही हो अवलम्बा ॥

Victory, victory to the Mother of the world, Jagadamba; you alone are the support of all.

Chaupai 4

तुम ही हो सब घट घट वासी ।
विनती यही हमारी खासी ॥

You dwell in each and every heart; this is our special prayer to you.

Chaupai 5

जगजननी जय सिन्धु कुमारी ।
दीनन की तुम हो हितकारी ॥

Mother of the world, victory to you, daughter of the ocean; you are the well-wisher of the poor and lowly.

Chaupai 6

विनवौं नित्य तुमहिं महारानी ।
कृपा करौ जग जननि भवानी ॥

Every day I bow to you, great queen; show kindness, Mother of the world, Bhavani.

Chaupai 7

केहि विधि स्तुति करौं तिहारी ।
सुधि लीजै अपराध बिसारी ॥

In what way can I praise you? Remember me and forget my faults.

Chaupai 8

कृपा दृष्टि चितवो मम ओरी ।
जगजननी विनती सुन मोरी ॥

Turn your gracious glance towards me; Mother of the world, hear my prayer.

Chaupai 9

ज्ञान बुद्धि जय सुख की दाता ।
संकट हरो हमारी माता ॥

Giver of knowledge, understanding and happiness, victory to you; Mother, take away our troubles.

Chaupai 10

क्षीरसिन्धु जब विष्णु मथायो ।
चौदह रत्न सिन्धु में पायो ॥

When Vishnu had the ocean of milk churned, fourteen jewels were found in the ocean.

Chaupai 11

चौदह रत्न में तुम सुखरासी ।
सेवा कियो प्रभु बनि दासी ॥

Among the fourteen jewels you are the treasure of joy; you served the Lord as his attendant.

Chaupai 12

जब जब जन्म जहां प्रभु लीन्हा ।
रूप बदल तहं सेवा कीन्हा ॥

Whenever and wherever the Lord took birth, you changed your form and served him there.

Chaupai 13

स्वयं विष्णु जब नर तनु धारा ।
लीन्हेउ अवधपुरी अवतारा ॥

When Vishnu himself took a human body and was born in Ayodhya,

Chaupai 14

तब तुम प्रगट जनकपुर माहीं ।
सेवा कियो हृदय पुलकाहीं ॥

then you appeared in Janakpur and served him with a thrilled heart.

Chaupai 15

अपनाया तोहि अन्तर्यामी ।
विश्व विदित त्रिभुवन की स्वामी ॥

The Lord who knows all hearts took you as his own; you are the queen of the three worlds, known to all the universe.

Chaupai 16

तुम सम प्रबल शक्ति नहीं आनी ।
कहं लौ महिमा कहौं बखानी ॥

No other power is as mighty as you; how far can I go on describing your glory?

Chaupai 17

मन क्रम वचन करै सेवकाई ।
मन इच्छित वाञ्छित फल पाई ॥

Whoever serves you in mind, deed and word, the verse says, obtains the result the heart wishes and longs for.

Chaupai 18

तजि छल कपट और चतुराई ।
पूजहिं विविध भांति मनलाई ॥

Giving up deceit, trickery and cleverness, they worship you in many ways with full attention.

Chaupai 19

और हाल मैं कहौं बुझाई ।
जो यह पाठ करै मन लाई ॥

I explain one more matter: whoever reads this text with a devoted mind,

Chaupai 20

ताको कोई कष्ट न होई ।
मन इच्छित पावै फल सोई ॥

no suffering comes to them, and they obtain the fruit their heart desires, the verse says.

Chaupai 21

त्राहि त्राहि जय दुःख निवारिणि ।
त्रिविध ताप भव बन्धन हारिणी ॥

Save me, save me, victory to you who remove sorrow, who break the bonds of worldly life and its three kinds of pain.

Chaupai 22

जो चालीसा पढ़ै पढ़ावै ।
ध्यान लगाकर सुनै सुनावै ॥

Whoever reads this Chalisa or has it read, and listens to it or recites it to others with a focused mind,

Chaupai 23

ताकौ कोई न रोग सतावै ।
पुत्र आदि धन सम्पत्ति पावै ॥

no disease troubles that person, and the verse says they gain children and wealth.

Chaupai 24

पुत्रहीन अरु सम्पति हीना ।
अन्ध बधिर कोढ़ी अति दीना ॥

Even one without children or wealth, or one who is blind, deaf, afflicted with leprosy or very poor,

Chaupai 25

विप्र बोलाय कै पाठ करावै ।
शंका दिल में कभी न लावै ॥

should invite a Brahmin to have this text recited, and never let doubt enter the heart.

Chaupai 26

पाठ करावै दिन चालीसा ।
ता पर कृपा करैं गौरीसा ॥

Whoever has this recited for forty days receives the grace of Gauri's Lord, the verse says.

Chaupai 27

सुख सम्पत्ति बहुत सी पावै ।
कमी नहीं काहू की आवै ॥

They obtain great happiness and wealth, and they lack nothing at all, the verse says.

Chaupai 28

बारह मास करै जो पूजा ।
तेहि सम धन्य और नहिं दूजा ॥

Whoever worships you through all twelve months, the verse says, no one else is as blessed as that person.

Chaupai 29

प्रतिदिन पाठ करै मन माही ।
उन सम कोइ जग में कहुं नाहीं ॥

Whoever recites this daily with a devoted mind, the verse says, has no equal anywhere in the world.

Chaupai 30

बहुविधि क्या मैं करौं बड़ाई ।
लेय परीक्षा ध्यान लगाई ॥

How much more can I praise it? Test it for yourself with a focused mind.

Chaupai 31

करि विश्वास करै व्रत नेमा ।
होय सिद्ध उपजै उर प्रेमा ॥

Keep the vow and its discipline with faith; then success comes and love springs up in the heart, the verse says.

Chaupai 32

जय जय जय लक्ष्मी भवानी ।
सब में व्यापित हो गुण खानी ॥

Victory, victory, victory to Lakshmi Bhavani; you pervade all things and are a mine of virtues.

Chaupai 33

तुम्हरो तेज प्रबल जग माहीं ।
तुम सम कोउ दयालु कहुं नाहिं ॥

Your radiance is mighty in the world; there is no one anywhere as compassionate as you.

Chaupai 34

मोहि अनाथ की सुधि अब लीजै ।
संकट काटि भक्ति मोहि दीजै ॥

Now take thought of me, a helpless one; cut away my troubles and give me devotion.

Chaupai 35

भूल चूक करि क्षमा हमारी ।
दर्शन दीजै दशा निहारी ॥

Forgive our mistakes and lapses; look upon my state and grant me your sight.

Chaupai 36

बिन दर्शन व्याकुल अधिकारी ।
तुमहि अछत दुःख सहते भारी ॥

Without seeing you this seeker is distressed; though you are present, I bear heavy sorrow.

Chaupai 37

नहिं मोहिं ज्ञान बुद्धि है तन में ।
सब जानत हो अपने मन में ॥

There is no knowledge or understanding in me; you know everything in your own mind.

Chaupai 38

रूप चतुर्भुज करके धारण ।
कष्ट मोर अब करहु निवारण ॥

Take your four-armed form and now remove my suffering.

Chaupai 39

केहि प्रकार मैं करौं बड़ाई ।
ज्ञान बुद्धि मोहि नहिं अधिकाई ॥

How can I praise you? I have little knowledge or understanding.

Chaupai 40

रामदास अब कहाई पुकारी ।
करो दूर तुम विपत्ति हमारी ॥

Ramdas now calls out: take away our misfortune.

Doha 2

त्राहि त्राहि दुःख हारिणी हरो वेगि सब त्रास ।
जयति जयति जय लक्ष्मी करो शत्रु को नाश ॥

Save me, save me, remover of sorrow, quickly take away all fear. Victory, victory to Lakshmi; destroy the enemy.

Doha 3

रामदास धरि ध्यान नित विनय करत कर जोर ।
मातु लक्ष्मी दास पर करहु दया की कोर ॥

Ramdas, meditating on you always, prays with folded hands: Mother Lakshmi, cast your glance of mercy on your servant.

The syllable people get wrong

In chaupai 10 the word kṣīrasindhu, the ocean of milk, opens on the cluster kṣ, which is often reduced to a plain 'sh' as 'sheera-sindhu'; sound the k and the ṣ together, kshee-ra-SIN-dhu, with a long ī.

When the Lakshmi Chalisa is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Festival. Fridays, Dhanteras and Diwali night

Questions

No author can be identified. The poet signs only as Ramdas, once in chaupai 40, 'Ramdas now calls out', and again in the last doha, which pictures Ramdas praying with folded hands. Ramdas, 'servant of Rama', was a common devotional name, and no printing ties it to a known poet, place or century. The text is best described as an anonymous folk chalisa that carries a devotee's signature.

Two wordings circulate. The more widely printed one, given here, reads 'sabaki tuma hi ho avalamba', 'you are the support of all', in chaupai 3. The other reads 'svalamba' there, and after the opening doha adds a refrain doha beginning 'sindhu suta vishnupriye', bowing again and again to the giver of riddhi and siddhi. Many booklets of the first wording also leave out the fortieth chaupai with the Ramdas signature.

The account of what reading brings runs from chaupai 17 to chaupai 31. The verse says that one who serves her in mind, deed and word gains what the heart wishes, and chaupais 22 to 27 speak of reading the chalisa, hearing it and having it read by a Brahmin. Chaupai 26 names the grace of Gaurisa, the lord of Gauri, an unexpected nod to Shiva in a prayer to Lakshmi.

The Sri Suktam is a Vedic Sanskrit hymn that calls on Agni to bring Shri to the one who offers, and the Mahalakshmi Ashtakam is a set of eight Sanskrit couplets attributed to Indra. The Lakshmi Chalisa is a much later Hindi poem in doha and chaupai metre, written in everyday speech. It retells her rising from the ocean and her life as Sita, then speaks in the first person of a devotee asking for forgiveness.

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Lakshmi Chalisa

What the Lakshmi Chalisa is

From the milk ocean to Janakpur

The mantra, in six scripts

Lakshmi Chalisa lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Lakshmi Chalisa is chanted

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

Related

Lakshmi Mantra

Mahalakshmi Mantra

Om Jai Lakshmi Mata

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