Hanuman Chalisa (English)

The Hanuman Chalisa opens with two dohas (couplets) in which Tulsidas dedicates the work and asks for blessings, follows with forty chaupais praising Hanuman’s nature, deeds and powers, and closes with a final doha asking Hanuman to dwell in the devotee’s heart.

Opening dohas — invocation

“Polishing the mirror of my mind with the dust of my Guru’s lotus feet, I narrate the spotless glory of Sri Rama, the giver of the four fruits of life.” Tulsidas begins by humbling himself: he treats his teacher’s blessings as the cleansing dust that lets his mind clearly reflect the divine. The “four fruits” are dharma (righteousness), artha (prosperity), kama (love) and moksha (liberation).

“Knowing my body to be devoid of intelligence, I remember the Son of the Wind. Grant me strength, intellect and knowledge, and remove all my afflictions and impurities.” Tulsidas confesses his own limitation and asks Hanuman — Pavan-Kumar, the son of the wind god Vayu — for the three things every seeker needs.

Chaupais 1–3 — praising Hanuman’s nature

Hanuman is hailed as the ocean of knowledge and virtue, the king of monkeys who illumines the three worlds, the messenger of Rama with immeasurable strength, son of Anjana and the Wind. He is Mahavir (the great hero) and Bajrangi (one whose body is as strong as a thunderbolt) — he removes wrong thinking and is the companion of the wise.

Chaupais 4–6 — Hanuman’s form

His body is golden and beautifully adorned. He wears earrings and has curly hair. In his hand he carries the vajra (thunderbolt mace) and a flag; across his shoulder is the sacred thread (janeu) of munja grass. He is the son of Shiva (born of Shiva’s energy) and of Kesari, his foster father. His radiance and majesty are praised throughout the world.

Chaupais 7–10 — devotion to Rama

Hanuman is learned, virtuous and exceptionally clever, ever-eager to do Rama’s work. He delights in hearing Rama’s deeds, and Rama, Lakshman and Sita dwell in his heart. He took a tiny form to appear before Sita in the Ashok-Vatika; he took a fearsome form to burn down Lanka; he took a giant form to slay the demons — every form serves Rama’s purpose.

Chaupais 11–13 — saving Lakshman, earning Rama’s love

By bringing the Sanjivani herb from the Dronagiri mountain, Hanuman revived the unconscious Lakshman; Rama embraced him with joy. Rama himself praises Hanuman: “You are as dear to me as my brother Bharat.” The thousand-mouthed serpent Sheshnag sings Hanuman’s glory; saying so, the Lord of Lakshmi (Rama) embraces him.

Chaupais 14–16 — universal praise and acts of grace

The four Kumaras, Brahma and the great sages, Narada, Saraswati and the king of serpents, Yama, Kubera, the guardians of the directions — none of the poets and learned ones can fully describe Hanuman’s glory. He restored Sugriva to the throne of Kishkindha by introducing him to Rama; he gave Vibhishana the counsel that made him king of Lanka, known throughout the world.

Chaupais 17–19 — three famous deeds

In childhood, mistaking the sun (“twelve thousand yojanas away”) for a ripe fruit, Hanuman leapt up to swallow it. Carrying Rama’s ring in his mouth, he leapt across the ocean to Lanka — no surprise, given his powers. Whatever task in the world is impossibly difficult becomes easy by his grace.

Chaupais 20–22 — guardian and protector

Hanuman stands at Rama’s door — none may enter without his permission. All comforts are found in his shelter; with him as protector, no devotee need fear anything. He alone can bear his own splendor: at his roar, the three worlds tremble.

Chaupais 23–25 — driving away affliction

Ghosts, demons and evil spirits dare not approach when Mahavir’s name is uttered. Disease perishes and pain departs from those who chant Hanuman’s name continually. He frees from every kind of trouble those who fix their mind, action and speech upon him.

Chaupais 26–28 — the giver of all desires

Rama is the supreme ascetic king, but you, Hanuman, accomplish all his work. Whatever wish a devotee brings is fulfilled, granting limitless reward in this life. Your glory is established across all four ages — Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali — illumining the world.

Chaupais 29–31 — protector of saints, giver of siddhis

You are the guardian of saints and sages, the destroyer of demons, beloved of Rama. You are the bestower of the eight siddhis (yogic accomplishments) and the nine nidhis (treasures); this boon was granted to you by Mother Sita. You hold the elixir of Rama’s name, and you remain forever the servant of the Lord of the Raghus.

Chaupais 32–34 — devotion as the final goal

Through chanting your name, the devotee attains Rama and forgets the sorrows of countless lives. At the time of death, the devotee goes to Rama’s eternal abode, and is born thereafter as a devotee of Hari. One who keeps no other deity in mind, but worships only Hanuman, attains complete happiness.

Chaupais 35–37 — repeated assurance

All troubles end and pain disappears for those who remember Hanuman, the strong and brave one. Glory, glory, glory to Hanuman, lord of the senses — bestow your grace as a teacher does on a disciple. Whoever recites this hymn a hundred times is freed from bondage and obtains great happiness.

Chaupais 38–40 — Tulsidas’s signature

Whoever reads this Hanuman Chalisa attains success — Shiva himself stands witness. Tulsidas, ever the servant of Hari, prays: “O Lord, make my heart your dwelling-place.”

Closing doha

“Son of the wind, remover of suffering, embodiment of auspiciousness — together with Rama, Lakshman and Sita, dwell in my heart, O lord of the gods.” The hymn ends with the same prayer it began with: an invitation for the divine to take up residence within the devotee.

The Hanuman Chalisa was composed by Goswami Tulsidas (c. 1532–1623 CE), the saint-poet best known for the Ramcharitmanas — his vernacular retelling of the Ramayana. He wrote in Awadhi, an eastern Hindi dialect of medieval North India, making the text accessible to ordinary villagers at a time when most religious literature was confined to Sanskrit.

The hymn is built of forty chaupais (four-line verses) bracketed by three dohas (couplets) — two at the start and one at the end. The Hindi numeral chālīs means “forty,” from which the text takes its name. It is the most widely-recited devotional text in the Hindi-speaking world today.

Tradition holds that Tulsidas composed the hymn in Varanasi, where Hanuman is said to have appeared to him personally and become his lifelong companion. Tulsidas signs off in the second-to-last chaupai with his own name — “Tulsidas sadā Hari cherā” (“Tulsidas, ever the servant of Hari”) — a personal mark common in bhakti-era poetry.

The Chalisa quickly entered the daily prayer routine of households across Awadh, Braj and beyond, and over the centuries it has been set to countless musical renderings. Its survival owes as much to its singable metre as to its theology: the Awadhi is direct, the imagery vivid, and the entire text can be chanted in roughly ten minutes.

The Hanuman Chalisa can be chanted at any time, but the following practices are commonly observed:

• Best days: Tuesdays and Saturdays are traditionally associated with Hanuman. Many devotees recite the Chalisa daily, with extra emphasis on these two days.
• Best times: Early morning after bathing, or in the evening before sundown. Some chant it before sleep as protection during the night.
• Posture: Sit facing east or north if possible, with a clean cloth or asana under you. Keep the back straight and breathing steady.
• Before beginning: Light a diya (lamp) with mustard or sesame oil, offer flowers (preferably red or marigold) to a picture or image of Hanuman, and bow.
• Repetitions: One reading is sufficient daily. For specific intentions, devotees recite seven, eleven, twenty-one, or one-hundred-and-eight times — the last is considered especially powerful and is often performed during Hanuman Jayanti or in times of difficulty.
• Pronunciation: It is more important to chant with feeling and concentration than with perfect Sanskrit articulation. The Devanagari original is available on the Sanskrit/Hindi version of this page.

There is no caste, gender or age restriction. The text is open to anyone who wishes to recite it.

The Hanuman Chalisa is read on three levels at once: as a hymn of praise, as a protective shield, and as a yogic text.

The eight siddhis and nine nidhis (chaupai 31) — Hanuman is described as the bestower of eight yogic powers and nine treasures, a boon given by Sita. The ashta siddhis are: anima (becoming infinitesimally small), mahima (becoming infinitely large), garima (becoming infinitely heavy), laghima (becoming weightless), prapti (obtaining anything), prakamya (irresistible will), ishitva (lordship over creation) and vashitva (mastery over all beings). The nava nidhis are nine semi-divine treasures associated with Kubera — wealth in its many forms, both material and spiritual.

The leap to the sun (chaupai 18) — The line “juga sahasra jojana para bhānū” states that Hanuman leapt to the sun as if to a sweet fruit, naming a distance of yuga × sahasra × yojana. Calculations using traditional measurements have produced figures close to the actual mean Earth–Sun distance, a coincidence that has fascinated readers for centuries. Whether one reads this as poetic exaggeration or as an embedded astronomical observation, the verse memorialises Hanuman’s most famous childhood feat.

The four ages of glory (chaupai 28) — Hanuman is one of the chiranjivis, the seven immortals of Hindu tradition. The Chalisa affirms that his protective presence spans all four yugas — Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali — making him uniquely available to the devotee of every era.

Protection against malign influence (chaupais 23–25) — The hymn promises that simply uttering Hanuman’s name drives away ghosts, demons and disease. For this reason the Chalisa has long been used as a kavach — a protective recitation during illness, fear, or transition.

The bhakti core — Underneath the praise is a single message repeated in chaupais 32–34: pure devotion to Hanuman leads to Rama, and remembering Hanuman at the moment of death leads to Rama’s eternal abode. The Chalisa is, in the end, a path of bhakti yoga — yoga through devotion.

Who wrote the Hanuman Chalisa?

The Hanuman Chalisa was composed by Goswami Tulsidas, a saint-poet of 16th-century North India. He is also the author of the Ramcharitmanas, the Awadhi retelling of the Ramayana. Tulsidas signs his name in the penultimate chaupai of the Chalisa itself.

In what language is the Hanuman Chalisa written?

It is written in Awadhi, an eastern Hindi dialect spoken in the Awadh region of present-day Uttar Pradesh. Awadhi is closely related to modern Hindi, which is why most Hindi speakers can follow the Chalisa with little difficulty.

When is the best time to chant the Hanuman Chalisa?

Tuesdays and Saturdays are traditionally considered the most auspicious days. Within the day, early morning after bathing — or evening before sundown — are the preferred times. That said, the Chalisa can be recited at any time when the mind is calm.

How many times should the Hanuman Chalisa be chanted?

A single recitation per day is the common practice. For specific intentions, devotees recite it 7, 11, 21 or 108 times. A sata-paath — one hundred recitations — is mentioned by Tulsidas himself in chaupai 37 as freeing the devotee from bondage.

Can women chant the Hanuman Chalisa? Are there any restrictions?

Yes, women can chant the Hanuman Chalisa. There is no scriptural restriction in the text itself, and most contemporary teachers affirm that the hymn is open to all devotees regardless of gender, caste or age. Restrictions sometimes mentioned in folk practice are not derived from the Chalisa.

What are the benefits of chanting the Hanuman Chalisa?

The hymn itself promises four kinds of benefit: removal of fear and negative influences (chaupais 23–25), relief from disease and pain (chaupai 25), fulfilment of legitimate desires (chaupai 27), and ultimately devotion to Rama leading to liberation (chaupais 32–34). Many devotees also report a sense of focus and emotional steadiness from daily recitation.

What are the eight siddhis and nine nidhis mentioned in the Chalisa?

The eight siddhis are yogic accomplishments — anima, mahima, garima, laghima, prapti, prakamya, ishitva, and vashitva — covering powers over size, weight, attainment and mastery. The nine nidhis are nine sacred treasures associated with Kubera, lord of wealth. Sita granted Hanuman the boon to bestow both upon his devotees.