Editorial Standards

What we publish

Divyam publishes Hindu devotional texts — Chalisas, Aartis, Bhajans, and Mantras — together with hand-written commentary in Hindi and English. Every devotional text is presented in two layers:

• The verses themselves, in their original form (Devanagari for Hindi pages, IAST transliteration for English pages).
• Original editorial content: line-by-line meaning, history, ritual instructions, significance, and frequently asked questions.

Sourcing the verses

The verse texts of traditional Chalisas and Aartis are part of the public domain and the shared heritage of Hindu devotional tradition. They have been transmitted orally and in print for centuries, and slightly different versions circulate in different regions and lineages. When preparing a text for the Site, we consult multiple printed and online editions and present a version that reflects the most widely-accepted reading. Where a known variant exists, we acknowledge it.

Attribution of authorship — for example, the Hanuman Chalisa to Tulsidas, the Shiva Chalisa to Ayodhyadas, the Durga Chalisa to Devidas — follows traditional and scholarly consensus, with caveats noted where authorship is contested.

Writing the commentary

Every commentary on the Site is written by hand by our editorial team. We do not run public-domain texts through machine translation and call the output a translation. We do not generate commentary mechanically.

Each language version is written natively in that language — the Hindi commentary is composed in Hindi by drawing on the source material in its original language; the English commentary is composed in English. Neither is a literal rendering of the other; each addresses readers in the conventions of its own language.

Our commentary draws on:

• The verses themselves — the primary source.
• Established Puranic narratives — for example, the Devi Mahatmya for Durga, the Shiva Purana for Shiva, the Ramcharitmanas and Sundara Kanda for Hanuman, the Ganesha Purana and Brahma Vaivarta Purana for Ganesha.
• Mainstream traditional commentaries and accepted scholarly interpretations.
• Standard ritual handbooks for puja-vidhi and how-to-chant guidance.

Transliteration

Roman-script transliterations of Sanskrit, Awadhi, Braj, and Khari Boli verses on the Site use the IAST (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration) standard, with diacritics preserved. We aim for character-level fidelity to the source script.

Structure of every page

Every devotional text on the Site is presented in a consistent six-section structure:

1. Verses — the text itself, in the original or transliterated form.
2. Meaning — line-by-line or stanza-by-stanza explanation.
3. History — author, era, language, traditional context, scholarly notes.
4. How to Chant — ritual instructions, timing, materials, and special practices.
5. Significance — symbolism, theological meaning, place in tradition.
6. FAQ — common questions about the text and its practice.

Authorship and attribution

Editorial pages display the original author of the devotional text (where known), the era of composition, the original language, and a “Last reviewed” date. Editorial content — commentary and analysis — is the work of the Divyam editorial team and is published collectively under the Divyam name.

Review and revision

Each page is reviewed before publication. The “Last reviewed” date in the page metadata indicates when the page was last checked or revised. We revise pages when:

• A reader reports a factual error and we verify it;
• We discover an error during routine review;
• Additional material substantially improves the page;
• An accepted scholarly position has clearly evolved.

Material corrections — to verses, transliterations, names, dates, or factual claims — are made promptly. Stylistic edits and additions are made on a rolling basis.

Corrections policy

If you find an error on the Site, please use our contact form and include the page URL, the specific line or claim in question, and what you believe the correct version should be. We aim to acknowledge correction reports within five working days. Verified factual corrections are typically deployed within one to two weeks.

Things we do not do

• We do not publish auto-generated or machine-translated content as our own.
• We do not present sectarian polemics or claims that one tradition is superior to another.
• We do not adjudicate ritual disputes between sampradayas.
• We do not offer personalised astrological, medical, or spiritual counsel.
• We do not solicit or accept payment for editorial coverage. Advertisements are clearly labelled as such.

Independence

Divyam is independent of any temple, ashram, sect, sampradaya, religious organisation, or political body. Editorial decisions are made solely by the Divyam team on the basis of accuracy and relevance to readers.

Related

See also About Divyam, our Disclaimer, and our Privacy Policy.