Lyrics and translation of the song
namo namo durge sukha karanī namo namo
namo namo ambe duḥkha haranī namo namo
namo namo durge sukha karanī namo namo
I bow before You, O Goddess Durga, bestower of happiness!
I bow before You, O Goddess Amba, who delivers from all sorrows!
nirākāra hai jyoti tumhārī
tihūṁ loka phailī ujiyārī ||
śaśi lalāṭa mukha mahāviśālā
netra lāla bhṛkuṭī vikarālā || 1
The splendor of Your light is boundless and all-penetrating, and all three worlds (Earth, Heaven and Underground) are illuminated by You.
Your face is like the moon, You have a huge mouth. Your eyes radiate a red glow and you have an intimidating look.
rūpa mātu ko adhika suhāve
daraśa karata jana ati sukha pāve ||
tuma saṁsāra śakti lai kīnā
pālana hetu anna dhana dīnā || 2
Oh Mother! You look so charming that just by looking at You, the devotees become well-being.
All the powers of this world are in You, and it is You who provide food and wealth for the survival of this world.
annapūrṇā huī jaga pālā
tuma hī ādi sundarī bālā ||
pralayakāla saba nāśana hārī
tuma gaurī śiva śaṅkara pyārī || 3
Like Mother Annapurna, who gives food, You nourish the entire universe.
And it is You who appear in the timeless form of Bala Sundari (a young girl of the greatest beauty).
In times of discord, it is You, O Mother, who destroys everything. You are the beloved Consort of Lord Shiva, Gauri (Parvati).
śiva yogī tumhare guṇa gāveṁ
brahmā viṣṇu tumheṁ nita dhyāveṁ ||
rūpa sarasvatī ko tuma dhārā
de subuddhi ṝiṣi munina ubārā || 4
Lord Shiva and all the yogis sing about how You glorify Brahma, Vishnu, and all the gods constantly meditate on You.
You also appear in the form of Saraswati to bestow wisdom on learned men and ensure their well-being.
dharayo rūpa narasiṁha ko ambā
paragaṭa bhaī phāḍa-kara khambā ||
rakṣā kari prahlāda bacāyo
hiranyakashipu ko svarga paṭhāyo || 5
Oh Mother Amba! It was You who appeared in the form of Narasimha breaking the pillar.
Thus You saved Prahlada, and Hiranyakasipu went to Heaven because He was killed by Your hands.
lakṣmī rūpa dharo jaga māhīṁ
śrī nārāyaṇa aṅga samāhīṁ ||
kṣīra-sindhu meṁ karata vilāsā
dayā-sindhu dījai mana āsā || 6
In the form of Goddess Lakshmi, O Mother, You appear in this world and stay near Lord Sri Narayana.
O Goddess who resides in the ocean of milk with Lord Vishnu, please fulfill my desires.
hiṅgalāja meṁ tumhīṁ bhavānī
mahimā amita na jāta bakhānī ||
mātaṅgī dhūmāvati mātā
bhuvaneśvari bagalā sukha-dātā || 7
Oh Bhavani, the famous Goddess Hingalaja is You Yourself.
Your glory is boundless, beyond description. You are Matangi and Dumawati Mata.
It is You who appear as Buvaneshwari and Bagalamukhi Devi to bestow happiness on all.
śrī bhairava tārā jaga tāriṇī
chinna bhāla bhava duḥkha nivāriṇī ||
kehari vāhana soha bhavānī
lāṅgura vīra calata agavānī || 8
It is You who liberate the world and end all its sorrows, appearing as Sri Bhairavi, Taradevi and Chinnamasta Devi.
Brave Langur (Lord Hanuman) greets You gracefully seated on Your chariot.
kara meṁ khappara khaḍga virāje
jāko dekha kāla ḍara bhāge ||
sohe astra aura triśūlā
jāte uṭhaja śatru hiya śūlā || 9
When You appear in the form of the Goddess Kali, with a saber in one hand and a knife in the other, even Time flees in panic.
When you appear well-armed, with a trident in your hand, terror pierces the heart of the enemy.
nagarakoṭa meṁ tumhīṁ virājata
tihūṁ loka meṁ ḍaṅkā bājata ||
śuṁbha niśuṁbha dānava tuma māre
rakta-bīja śaṁkhana saṁhāre || 10
You also reside in the form of Devi in Nagarkot in Kangari. And all three worlds tremble at the power of Your glory.
You have slain demons such as Shumbha and Nishumbha and killed thousands of forms of the terrifying demon Raktabija.
mahiṣāsura nṛip ati abhimānī
jehi agha bhāra mahī akulānī ||
rūpa karāla kālikā dhārā
sena sahita tuma tihi saṁhārā || 11
When the earth was undergoing serious disasters under the burden of the sins of the arrogant Mahishasura, you assumed the fearsome form of the Goddess Kali and destroyed him and his army.
padī bheed santana para jaba jaba
bhaī sahāya mātu tuma taba taba ||
amarapūrī aru bāsava lokā
taba mahimā saba raheṁ aśokā || 12
Whenever righteous saints need You, O Mother, You come to their aid.
All worlds, including Amarpuri (Divine world), are relieved of sorrow and made happy by your Grace, O Goddess!
jvālā meṁ hai jyoti tumhārī
tumheṁ sadā pūjeṁ nara nārī ||
prema bhakti se jo yaśa gāve
duḥkha dāridra nikaṭa nahi āve || 13
The dazzlingly burning Shri Jwala Ji is the symbol of Your glory! All mans
and women worship You forever, O Mother!
One who sings of Your glory with devotion and sincerity is not subject to sorrow and need.
dhyāve tumhe jo nara mana lāī
janma maraṇa tākau chuṭi jāī ||
jogī sura muni kahata pukārī
yoga nai ho bina śakti tumhārī || 14
One who meditates on Your form with concentration comes out of the cycle of birth and death.
All yogis, gods and sages openly declare that without Your support no one can establish contact with the Supreme.
śaṅkara ācāraja tapa kīno
kāma aru krodha jīti saba līno ||
niśidina dhyāna dharo śaṅkara ko
kāhu kāla nahīṁ sumiro tumako || 15
Sri Shankaracharya once performed a special austerity – Acharaj, through which he subdued his anger and desire.
He has always worshiped Lord Shankara and has never before directed his mind towards You.
śakti rūpa ko marama na pāyo
śakti gaī taba mana pachitāyo ||
śaraṇāgata huī kīrti bakhānī
jai jai jai jagadamba bhavānī || 16
Because he did not realize Your great greatness, his strength was waning, but now he repented of this.
He then took refuge in You, singing Your glory and “Your victory, victory, victory, O Jagadamba Bhavani.”
bhaī prasanna ādi jagadambā
daī śakti nahiṁ kīna vilaṁbā ||
moko mātu kaṣṭa ati ghero
tuma bina kauna harai duḥkha mero || 17
Then, O Supreme Goddess Jagadamba Ji, he won Your favor and You gave him his lost powers. Oh Mother!
Adversity grieves me, and no one but Your great Person can help me. Please take me out of my sadness.
āśā tṛṣṇā nipaṭa satāveṁ
moha madādika saba vinaśāveṁ ||
śatru nāśa kī-jai mahārānī
sumirauṁ ikacita tumheṁ bhavānī || 18
Hopes and desires torment me. All sorts of passions and lusts break my heart.
Oh Goddess Bhavani! I meditate only on You. Please destroy my enemies, O Queen!
karo kṛpā he mātu dayālā
ṝddhi siddhi de karahu nihālā ||
jaba lagi jiūm̐ dayā phala pāūm̐
tumharo yaśa meṁ sadā sunāūm̐ || 19
Oh Merciful Mother! Show me Your favor and make me happy by giving me all kinds of wealth and power.
Oh Mother! Grant me the honor to test Your Grace while I live by telling everyone about Your glorious deeds.
śrī durgā cālīsā jo koī gāve
saba sukha bhoga parama pada pāve ||
devīdāsa śaraṇa nija jānī
karahu kṛpā jagadamba bhavānī || 20
Anyone who sings this Durga Chalisa will always enjoy all possible blessings and attain the highest state.
Oh Bhavani, give me your patronage.
Here are some interesting variations of Sri Durga Chalis:
