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Mantra · Forty Hindi chaupais: Sun's names, a body armour, his twelve months

Surya Chalisa

कनक बदन कुण्डल मकर मुक्ता माला अङ्ग । पद्मासन स्थित ध्याइये शंख चक्र के सङ्ग ॥

Also known as Bhanu Chalisa

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 Surya Chalisa is

The Surya Chalisa, printed in Hindi booklets as Shri Surya Chalisa, is a forty-chaupai hymn to the Sun framed by two dohas. No poet signs it; the wording is the anonymous folk text of the popular chalisa collections, in a Hindi coloured by Braj and Awadhi. The opening doha pictures Surya golden-bodied with makara earrings and a pearl garland, seated on a lotus with conch and discus. The chaupais then move in four blocks. Chaupais 1 to 17 heap up his names and say what singing twelve of them with twelve bows is held to bring. Chaupais 18 to 30 form a small kavacha, placing a different solar name over each part of the body from head to feet. Chaupais 31 to 36 praise him as the light no planet can swallow and name Shani and Yama as his sons. Chaupais 37 to 40 give the Sun's name for each month, and the closing doha calls the whole a Bhanu Chalisa.

A folk hymn kept by the booklets

The Surya Chalisa has no composition legend. Unlike chalisas that close by naming their poet, its last doha gives no signature, and no temple or saint claims it. What survives is a text carried by print: the pocket chalisa-and-aarti collections sold at pilgrim towns, such as the 51 Chalisa Sangrah of Randhir Prakashan, Hardwar, where it runs over four pages. Hindi dailies reprint the same wording each year around Makar Sankranti and the kharmas month, when Sun worship comes to the fore in North India. Two wordings circulate. The booklet wording, printed here, reads in chaupai 30 that poverty and leprosy do not touch the reciter; the other wording reads dadru, a skin ailment, in place of poverty, and it drops the word hamsa from chaupai 25. Read closely, the hymn borrows its material from older Sanskrit Sun worship. Chaupais 9 and 10 echo the salutation names used in the Surya Namaskar, and the body-armour section follows the pattern of a Sanskrit kavacha. Its month list, however, does not match the Vishnu Purana roster of twelve Adityas, which gives Dhata for Chaitra; here Chaitra's Sun is Vedanga, Shravana is passed over, and the intercalary month receives the name Purusha.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiकनक बदन कुण्डल मकर मुक्ता माला अङ्ग । पद्मासन स्थित ध्याइये शंख चक्र के सङ्ग ॥

Tamilகநக பதந குண்டல மகர முக்தா மாலா அங்க । பத்மாஸந ஸ்தித த்யாஇயே ஶம்க சக்ர கே ஸங்க ॥

Teluguకనక బదన కుణ్డల మకర ముక్తా మాలా అఙ్గ । పద్మాసన స్థిత ధ్యాఇయే శంఖ చక్ర కే సఙ్గ ॥

Kannadaಕನಕ ಬದನ ಕುಣ್ಡಲ ಮಕರ ಮುಕ್ತಾ ಮಾಲಾ ಅಙ್ಗ । ಪದ್ಮಾಸನ ಸ್ಥಿತ ಧ್ಯಾಇಯೇ ಶಂಖ ಚಕ್ರ ಕೇ ಸಙ್ಗ ॥

Malayalamകനക ബദന കുണ്ഡല മകര മുക്താ മാലാ അങ്ഗ । പദ്മാസന സ്ഥിത ധ്യാഇയേ ശംഖ ചക്ര കേ സങ്ഗ ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationkanaka badana kuṇḍala makara muktā mālā aṅga | padmāsana sthita dhyāiye śaṃkha cakra ke saṅga ||

“With a golden form, makara-shaped earrings and a garland of pearls on the body, seated on a lotus with conch and discus at hand: meditate on him in this way.”

कनक: kanaka — golden
बदन: badana — body, form
कुण्डल: kuṇḍala — earrings
मकर: makara — makara-shaped
मुक्ता: muktā — pearl
माला: mālā — garland
अङ्ग: aṅga — on the body
पद्मासन: padmāsana — lotus seat
स्थित: sthita — seated
ध्याइये: dhyāiye — meditate on
शंख: śaṃkha — conch
चक्र: cakra — discus
के: ke — of, with
सङ्ग: saṅga — together with

Surya Chalisa lyrics in full

The booklet wording: one doha to open, forty chaupais, and one doha to close.

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

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

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Doha 1

कनक बदन कुण्डल मकर मुक्ता माला अङ्ग ।
पद्मासन स्थित ध्याइये शंख चक्र के सङ्ग ॥

With a golden form, makara-shaped earrings and a garland of pearls on the body, seated on a lotus with conch and discus at hand: meditate on him in this way.

Chaupai 1

जय सविता जय जयति दिवाकर ।
सहस्त्रांशु सप्ताश्व तिमिरहर ॥

Victory to Savita, victory and glory to Divakara, the maker of day; the thousand-rayed one, drawn by seven horses, remover of darkness.

Chaupai 2

भानु पतंग मरीची भास्कर ।
सविता हंस सुनूर विभाकर ॥

You are Bhanu, Patanga, Marichi and Bhaskara; Savita, Hamsa, the beautiful light, Vibhakara the maker of brilliance.

Chaupai 3

विवस्वान आदित्य विकर्तन ।
मार्तण्ड हरिरूप विरोचन ॥

You are Vivasvan, Aditya and Vikartana; Martanda, the one whose form is Hari, and Virochana the radiant.

Chaupai 4

अम्बरमणि खग रवि कहलाते ।
वेद हिरण्यगर्भ कह गाते ॥

You are called the jewel of the sky, Khaga the sky-goer, and Ravi; the Vedas sing of you as Hiranyagarbha, the golden womb.

Chaupai 5

सहस्त्रांशुप्रद्योतन कहि कहि ।
मुनिगन होत प्रसन्न मोदलहि ॥

Calling you again and again the thousand-rayed illuminator, the sages grow glad and are filled with joy.

Chaupai 6

अरुण सदृश सारथी मनोहर ।
हाँकत हय साता चढ़ि रथ पर ॥

With a charming charioteer such as Aruna, you mount the chariot and drive its seven horses.

Chaupai 7

मंडल की महिमा अति न्यारी ।
तेज रूप केरी बलिहारी ॥

The glory of your orb is wholly unique; I offer myself to your form of radiance.

Chaupai 8

उच्चैःश्रवा सदृश हय जोते ।
देखि पुरंदर लज्जित होते ॥

Your chariot is yoked with horses like Uchchaihshravas; seeing them, even Indra, breaker of strongholds, feels abashed.

Chaupai 9

मित्र मरीचि भानु अरुण भास्कर ।
सविता सूर्य अर्क खग कलिकर ॥

Mitra, Marichi, Bhanu, Aruna, Bhaskara, Savita, Surya, Arka, Khaga and Kalikara:

Chaupai 10

पूषा रवि आदित्य नाम लै ।
हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः कहिकै ॥

taking the names Pusha, Ravi and Aditya, and saying 'Hiranyagarbhaya namah', salutation to the golden womb, (the devotee completes the twelve names).

Chaupai 11

द्वादस नाम प्रेम सों गावैं ।
मस्तक बारह बार नवावै ॥

Those who sing these twelve names with love and bow their head twelve times,

Chaupai 12

चार पदारथ सो जन पावै ।
दुःख दारिद्र अघ पुञ्ज नसावै ॥

the verse says such a person gains the four aims of life, and sorrow, poverty and the heap of sins are destroyed.

Chaupai 13

नमस्कार को चमत्कार यह ।
विधि हरिहर कौ कृपासार यह ॥

This is the wonder of the salutation; it is the essence of the grace of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Chaupai 14

सेवै भानु तुमहिं मन लाई ।
अष्टसिद्धि नवनिधि तेहिं पाई ॥

O Bhanu, the verse says whoever serves you with the whole mind obtains the eight siddhis and the nine treasures.

Chaupai 15

बारह नाम उच्चारन करते ।
सहस जनम के पातक टरते ॥

By uttering the twelve names, the sins of a thousand births are removed, the verse says.

Chaupai 16

उपाख्यान जो करते तवजन ।
रिपु सों जमलहते सोतेहि छन ॥

Your devotees who recite your story are, the verse says, freed in that very moment from enemies and from Yama, the lord of death.

Chaupai 17

धन सुत जुत परिवार बढतु है ।
प्रबलमोह को फँद कटतु है ॥

The verse says their family grows in wealth and children, and the noose of powerful delusion is cut.

Chaupai 18

अर्क शीश को रक्षा करते ।
रवि ललाट पर नित्य बिहरते ॥

Arka protects the head; Ravi always dwells on the forehead.

Chaupai 19

सूर्य नेत्र पर नित्य विराजत ।
कर्ण देस पर दिनकर छाजत ॥

Surya always presides over the eyes; Dinakara shines over the region of the ears.

Chaupai 20

भानु नासिका वास करहु नित ।
भास्कर करत सदा मुख कौ हित ॥

O Bhanu, dwell always in the nose; Bhaskara always does good to the mouth.

Chaupai 21

ओंठ रहैं पर्जन्य हमारे ।
रसना बीच तीक्ष्ण बस प्यारे ॥

May Parjanya guard our lips; the beloved Tikshna, the fierce one, dwells within the tongue.

Chaupai 22

कंठ सुवर्ण रेत की शोभा ।
तिग्मतेजसः कांधे लोभा ॥

The throat has the splendour of Suvarnareta, the golden-seeded one; the shoulders are adorned by Tigmatejas, the one of piercing brilliance.

Chaupai 23

पूषां बाहू मित्र पीठहिं पर ।
त्वष्टा-वरुण रहत सुउष्णकर ॥

Pusha guards the arms and Mitra the back; Tvashta and Varuna, the giver of warm rays, stay there too.

Chaupai 24

युगल हाथ पर रक्षा कारन ।
भानुमान उरसर्म सुउदरचन ॥

Over both hands, for protection, Bhanuman stands guard; he shelters the chest and the belly.

Chaupai 25

बसत नाभि आदित्य मनोहर ।
कटि मंह हँस रहत मन मुदभर ॥

The charming Aditya dwells in the navel; Hamsa stays at the waist, and the mind remains full of joy.

Chaupai 26

जंघा गोपति सविता बासा ।
गुप्त दिवाकर करत हुलासा ॥

Gopati and Savita dwell in the thighs; Divakara gladdens the private parts.

Chaupai 27

विवस्वान पद की रखवारी ।
बाहर बसते नित तम हारी ॥

Vivasvan guards the feet; outside dwells the remover of darkness, always.

Chaupai 28

सहस्त्रांशु सर्वांग सम्हारै ।
रक्षा कवच विचित्र विचारे ॥

The thousand-rayed one takes care of the whole body; consider this a wonderful armour of protection.

Chaupai 29

अस जोजन अपने मन माहीं ।
भय जग बीच करहुँ तेहि नाहीं ॥

The verse says that whoever holds this armour in the mind is touched by no fear anywhere in the world.

Chaupai 30

दरिद्र कुष्ट तेहिं कबहुँ न व्यापै ।
जोजन याको मनमहं जापै ॥

Poverty and leprosy never afflict the one who repeats this inwardly, the verse says.

Chaupai 31

अंधकार जग का जो हरता ।
नव प्रकाश से आनन्द भरता ॥

He who takes away the darkness of the world fills it with joy through new light.

Chaupai 32

ग्रह गन ग्रसि न मिटावत जाही ।
कोटि बार मैं प्रनवौं ताही ॥

The one whom the host of planets cannot swallow and destroy, to him I bow ten million times.

Chaupai 33

मन्द सदृश सुतजग में जाके ।
धर्मराज सम अद्भुत बाँके ॥

His sons in the world are Shani, the slow one, and the wondrous, splendid Dharmaraja (Yama).

Chaupai 34

धन्य धन्य तुम दिनमनि देवा ।
किया करत सुरमुनि नर सेवा ॥

Blessed, blessed are you, O god, jewel of the day; gods, sages and men serve you.

Chaupai 35

भक्ति भावयुत पूर्ण नियमसों ।
दूर हटतसो भवके भ्रमसों ॥

One who worships with devotion and the full discipline is drawn away from the delusions of worldly existence.

Chaupai 36

परम धन्य सो नर तनधारी ।
हैं प्रसन्न जेहि पर तम हारी ॥

Supremely blessed is that embodied person with whom the remover of darkness is pleased.

Chaupai 37

अरुण माघ महं सूर्य फाल्गुन ।
मधु वेदांगनाम रवि उदयन ॥

In Magha he is Aruna, in Phalguna Surya; in Madhu (Chaitra) the sun rises with the name Vedanga.

Chaupai 38

भानु उदय वैसाख गिनावै ।
ज्येष्ठ इन्द्र आषाढ़ रवि गावै ॥

In Vaishakha his rising is counted as Bhanu; in Jyeshtha he is sung as Indra, in Ashadha as Ravi.

Chaupai 39

यम भादों आश्विन हिमरेता ।
कातिक होत दिवाकर नेता ॥

In Bhadon he is Yama, in Ashvin Himareta; in Kartik the leader is Divakara.

Chaupai 40

अगहन भिन्न विष्णु हैं पूसहिं ।
पुरुष नाम रवि हैं मलमासहिं ॥

In Agahan he is Bhinna, in Pausha Vishnu; in the intercalary month the sun bears the name Purusha.

Doha 2

भानु चालीसा प्रेम युत गावहि जे नर नित्य ।
सुख सम्पत्ति लहै विविध होंहि सदा कृतकृत्य ॥

The verse says those who sing this Bhanu Chalisa daily with love gain many kinds of happiness and wealth and are always fulfilled.

The syllable people get wrong

The name sahastrāṃśu, the thousand-rayed one, appears three times; it is Sanskrit sahasra plus aṃśu, so say sa-ha-SRAAM-shu, with the nasal running straight into a palatal sh, and without the intrusive t that the Hindi spelling सहस्त्रांशु suggests.

When the Surya Chalisa is chanted

Festival. Makar Sankranti

Questions

Its author is unknown: the closing doha names no poet, and the printed collections that preserve it, along with the newspaper reprints, present it without attribution. It is a traditional folk chalisa of North India. The Sanskrit hymns to the Sun with named sources are different works: the Aditya Hridayam is taught by the sage Agastya in the Ramayana, and the twelve Surya Namaskar names have their own lineage.

Bhanu, the radiant one, is one of the Sun's commonest names in the hymn: it appears in the second chaupai, again in chaupais 14 and 20, and as the month-name for Vaishakha in chaupai 38. The closing doha uses it as a title, saying that those who sing this Bhanu Chalisa daily with love gain many kinds of happiness and are fulfilled. Both titles refer to the same forty chaupais.

Chaupais 18 to 28 assign a guardian name to each part of the body: Arka to the head, Ravi to the forehead, Surya to the eyes, Dinakara to the ears, Parjanya to the lips, Pusha to the arms, Aditya to the navel, Vivasvan to the feet, and Sahastramshu over the whole body. Chaupai 28 itself calls this a wonderful armour of protection, and the next two chaupais state what the verse says it guards against.

Chaupai 33 names the Sun's sons in the world as Manda, the slow one, meaning Shani, and Dharmaraja, meaning Yama. Both are counted in the Puranas as children of Surya by his consort Chhaya and his consort Sanjna respectively. The hymn mentions them to magnify the father: even these two formidable figures are his offspring, and chaupai 32 adds that the host of planets cannot swallow him.

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Surya Chalisa

What the Surya Chalisa is

A folk hymn kept by the booklets

The mantra, in six scripts

Surya Chalisa lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Surya Chalisa is chanted

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

Related

Surya Mantra

Surya Namaskar Mantras

Surya Ashtakam

Nirnaya