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gangaganga-maiyariver-gangachalisa

ශ්රී ගංගා චාලීසා

श्री गंगा चालीसा in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Sunrise; Ganga Dussehra and Ganga Jayanti; while bathing in or honouring the river·🎵 Audio included·📜 Traditional Hindi devotional chalisa
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Origin & Story

Traditional Hindi devotional chalisa · Sundardas (as named in the closing verse) · Devotional era

Ganga is the sacred river worshipped as a goddess who flows through the three worlds: as Mandakini in heaven, as Bhagirathi-Jahnavi on earth, and as Bhagavati in the netherworld. The Chalisa recalls how, through the penance of Bhagiratha, she descended from heaven and was caught in Shiva's matted locks to spare the earth her force, then flowed on to liberate the ancestors of Sagara, becoming the eternal purifier of all who come to her.

As told in scripture

It is held that even uttering 'Ganga, Ganga' from afar, or a single drop of her water at life's end, washes away the sins of many births, for at her name Yama himself turns away; the river that liberated the sixty thousand sons of Sagara liberates her devotees still.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Doha 1

ජය ජය ජය ජග පාවනී ජයති දේවසරි ගංග . ජය ශිව ජටා නිවාසිනී අනුපම තුංග තරංග ..

Jaya jaya jaya jaga pavani jayati devasari gamga Jaya shiva jata nivasini anupama tumga taramga

Meaning:जय जय जय गंगे, जगत् की पावनी, देवताओं की नदी! शिव की जटाओं में निवास करने वाली, अनुपम और ऊँची तरंगों वाली को नमन।

Doha 2

ජය ජග ජනනි අඝ ඛානී, ආනන්ද කරනි ගංග මහරානී . ජය භාගීරථි සුරසරි මාතා, කලිමල මූල දලනි විඛයාතා ..

Jaya jaga janani agha khani, ananda karani gamga maharani Jaya bhagirathi surasari mata, kalimala mula dalani vikhayata

Meaning:जय हो जगत् जननी, पापों का नाश करने वाली, आनंद देने वाली गंगा महारानी! जय भागीरथी, देवों की सरि-माता, कलियुग के पापों के मूल को नष्ट करने वाली रूप में विख्यात।

Chaupai 1

ජය ජය ජය හනු සුතා අඝ අනනී, භීෂම කී මාතා ජග ජනනී . ධවල කමල දල මම තනු සාජේ, ලඛි ශත ශරද චන්ද්ර ඡවි ලාජේ ..

Jaya jaya jaya hanu suta agha anani, bhishama ki mata jaga janani Dhavala kamala dala mama tanu saje, lakhi shata sharada chandra chhavi laje

Meaning:जय जाह्नवी, पाप का नाश करने वाली, भीष्म की माता और जगत् जननी! आपका रूप कमलों के समूह सा श्वेत शोभित है; उसे देखकर सौ शरद चंद्रों की छवि भी लज्जित हो जाती है।

Chaupai 2

වාහන මකර විමල ශුචි සෝහෛ, අමිය කලශ කර ලඛි මන මෝහෛ . ජඩිත රත්න කංචන ආභූෂණ, හිය මණි හාර, හරණිතම දූෂණ ..

Vahana makara vimala shuchi sohai, amiya kalasha kara lakhi mana mohai Jadita ratna kamchana abhushana, hiya mani hara, haranitama dushana

Meaning:आपका निर्मल, पवित्र मकर वाहन सुशोभित है; हाथ में अमृत कलश देखकर मन मोहित हो जाता है। स्वर्ण और जड़े रत्नों के आभूषणों से सजी, वक्ष पर मणि-हार धारण किए, आप हर दोष और पाप के अंधकार को हर लेती हैं।

Chaupai 3

ජග පාවනි ත්රය තාප නසාවනි, තරල තරංග තංග මන භාවනි . ජෝ ගණපති අති පූජ්ය ප්රධානා, තිහුං තේ ප්රථම ගංග අස්නානා ..

Jaga pavani traya tapa nasavani, tarala taramga tamga mana bhavani Jo ganapati ati pujya pradhana, tihum te prathama gamga asnana

Meaning:जगत् की पावनी, तीनों तापों का नाश करने वाली, आपकी तरल, उठती तरंगें मन को भाती हैं। जो गणपति अत्यंत पूज्य और प्रधान हैं, उनसे भी पहले गंगा का स्नान आता है।

Chaupai 4

බ්රහ්ම කමණ්ඩල වාසිනී දේවී ශ්රී ප්රභු පද පංකජ සුඛ සේවී . සාඨි සහත්ර සගර සුත තාරයෝ, ගංගා සාගර තීරථ ධාරයෝ ..

Brahma kamandala vasini devi shri prabhu pada pamkaja sukha sevi Sathi sahatra sagara suta tarayo, gamga sagara tiratha dharayo

Meaning:हे देवी जो कभी ब्रह्मा के कमंडल में निवास करती थीं, जो आनंदपूर्वक प्रभु के चरण-कमलों की सेवा करती थीं! आपने सगर के साठ हजार पुत्रों का उद्धार किया और गंगासागर तीर्थ की स्थापना की।

Chaupai 5

අගම තරංග උඨයෝ මන භාවන, ලඛි තීරථ හරිද්වාර සුහාවන . තීරථ රාජ ප්රයාග අක්ෂෛවට, ධරයෞ මාතු පුනි කාශී කරවට ..

Agama taramga uthayo mana bhavana, lakhi tiratha haridvara suhavana Tiratha raja prayaga akshaivata, dharayau matu puni kashi karavata

Meaning:आपकी अगम तरंगें उठती हैं, मन को भाती हैं; देखो हरिद्वार का सुंदर पावन तीर्थ। तीर्थराज प्रयाग अक्षयवट सहित, और फिर हे माता, आप काशी (वाराणसी) की ओर मुड़ीं।

Chaupai 6

ධනි ධනි සුරසරි ස්වර්ග කී සීඪ़ී, තාරණි අමිත පිතෘ පද පීඪී . භාගීරථ තප කියෝ අපාරා, දියෝ බ්රහ්ම තබ සුරසරි ධාරා ..

Dhani dhani surasari svarga ki sidha़i, tarani amita pitri pada pidhi Bhagiratha tapa kiyo apara, diyo brahma taba surasari dhara

Meaning:धन्य धन्य हो देवों की सरि, स्वर्ग की सीढ़ी, अनगिनत पितरों की पीढ़ियों को तारने वाली! भगीरथ ने अपार तप किया, और तब ब्रह्मा ने देवसरि की धारा छोड़ी।

Chaupai 7

ජබ ජග ජනනී චල්යෝ ලහරාඊ, ශංභු ජටා මහං රහ්යෝ සමාඊ . වර්ෂ පර්යන්ත ගංග මහරානී, රහීං ශංභු කේ ජටා භුලානී ..

Jaba jaga janani chalyo laharai, shambhu jata maham rahyo samai Varsha paryanta gamga maharani, rahim shambhu ke jata bhulani

Meaning:जब जगत् जननी लहराती हुई बही, तब शंभु (शिव) की जटाओं में समाई रहीं। पूरे एक वर्ष तक गंगा महारानी शिव की जटाओं में खोई रहीं, भूली रहीं।

Chaupai 8

මුනි භාගීරථ ශංභුහිං ධ්යායෝ, තබ ඉක බූංද ජටා සේ පායෝ . තාතේ මාතු භඊ ත්රය ධාරා, මෘත්යු ලෝක, නභ අරු පාතාරා ..

Muni bhagiratha shambhuhim dhyayo, taba ika bumda jata se payo Tate matu bhai traya dhara, mrityu loka, nabha aru patara

Meaning:मुनि भगीरथ ने शंभु का ध्यान किया, तब जटाओं से एक बूँद पाई। उससे, हे माता, आप तीन धाराएँ बनीं — मृत्यु लोक, आकाश और पाताल के लिए।

Chaupai 9

ගඊ පාතාල ප්රභාවති නාමා, මන්දාකිනී ගඊ ගගන ලලාමා . මෘත්යු ලෝක ජාහ්නවී සුහාවනි, කලිමල හරණි අගම ජග පාවනි ..

Gai patala prabhavati nama, mandakini gai gagana lalama Mrityu loka jahnavi suhavani, kalimala harani agama jaga pavani

Meaning:पाताल में आप भगवती नाम से गईं; आकाश में मंदाकिनी, गगन का आभूषण बनकर गईं। मृत्यु लोक में आप सुहावनी जाह्नवी हैं, कलियुग के मलों को हरने वाली, अगम जगत्-पावनी।

Chaupai 10

ධනි මඉයා තව මහිමා භාරී, ධර්ම ධුරි කලි කලුෂ කුඨාරී . මාතු ප්රභාවති ධනි මන්දාකිනී, ධනි සුරසරිත සකල භයනාසිනී ..

Dhani maiya tava mahima bhari, dharma dhuri kali kalusha kuthari Matu prabhavati dhani mandakini, dhani surasarita sakala bhayanasini

Meaning:धन्य माता, आपकी महिमा महान है, धर्म की धुरी, कलियुग के कलुष को काटने वाली कुठारी। माता भगवती धन्य, मंदाकिनी धन्य; धन्य देवसरि, समस्त भय का नाश करने वाली।

Chaupai 11

පාන කරත නිර්මල ගංගාජල, පාවත මන ඉච්ඡිත අනන්ත ඵල . පූරබ ජන්ම පුණ්ය ජබ ජාගත, තබහිං ධ්යාන ගංගා මහං ලාගත ..

Pana karata nirmala gamgajala, pavata mana ichchhita ananta phala Puraba janma punya jaba jagata, tabahim dhyana gamga maham lagata

Meaning:निर्मल गंगाजल का पान करने से अनंत फल, मन की हर इच्छा प्राप्त होती है। पूर्व जन्मों का पुण्य जब जागता है, तभी मन गंगा के ध्यान में लगता है।

Chaupai 12

ජඊ පගු සුරසරි හේතු උඨාවහිං, තඉ ජගි අශ්වමේධ ඵල පාවහිං . මහා පතිත ජින කාහු තාරේ, තින තාරේ ඉක නාම තිහාරේ ..

Jai pagu surasari hetu uthavahim, tai jagi ashvamedha phala pavahim Maha patita jina kahu na tare, tina tare ika nama tihare

Meaning:जो भी पग देवसरि के हेतु उठाए जाते हैं, उनसे इस जगत् में अश्वमेध यज्ञ का फल मिलता है। जिन महापापियों को कोई न तार सका, उन्हें आपके एक नाम ने तार दिया।

Chaupai 13

ශත යෝජනහූ සේ ජෝ ධ්යාවහිං, නිශ්චය විෂ්ණු ලෝක පද පාවහිං . නාම භජත අගණිත අඝ නාශෛ, විමල ජ්ඤාන බල බුද්ධි ප්රකාශෛ ..

Shata yojanahu se jo dhyavahim, nishchaya vishnu loka pada pavahim Nama bhajata aganita agha nashai, vimala jnana bala buddhi prakashai

Meaning:जो सौ योजन दूर से भी आपका ध्यान करते हैं, वे निश्चय ही विष्णु लोक का पद पाते हैं। आपका नाम जपने से अगणित पाप नष्ट होते हैं और निर्मल ज्ञान, बल तथा बुद्धि प्रकाशित होती है।

Chaupai 14

ජිමි ධන මූල ධර්ම අරු දානා, ධර්ම මූල ගංගාජල පානා . තව ගුණ ගුණන කරත සුඛ භාජත, ගෘහ ගෘහ සම්පත්ති සුමති විරාජත ..

Jimi dhana mula dharma aru dana, dharma mula gamgajala pana Tava guna gunana karata sukha bhajata, griha griha sampatti sumati virajata

Meaning:जैसे धन धर्म और दान का मूल है, वैसे गंगाजल का पान धर्म का मूल है। आपके गुणों का गुणगान करने से दुःख भाग जाता है; घर-घर में संपत्ति और सुमति विराजती है।

Chaupai 15

ගංගහිං නේම සහිත නිජ ධ්යාවත, දුර්ජනහූං සජ්ජන පද පාවත . බුද්ධිහීන විද්යා බල පාවෛ, රෝගී රෝග මුක්ත හ්වෛ ජාවෛ ..

Gamgahim nema sahita nija dhyavata, durjanahum sajjana pada pavata Buddhihina vidya bala pavai, rogi roga mukta hvai javai

Meaning:जो दृढ़ नियम सहित गंगा का ध्यान करता है, दुर्जन भी सज्जन का पद पाता है। बुद्धिहीन विद्या का बल पाता है, और रोगी रोग से मुक्त हो जाता है।

Chaupai 16

ගංගා ගංගා ජෝ නර කහහීං, භූඛේ නංගේ කබහූං රහහීං . නිකසත කී මුඛ ගංගා මාඊ, ශ්රවණ දාබි යම චලහිං පරාඊ ..

Gamga gamga jo nara kahahim, bhukhe namge kabahum na rahahim Nikasata ki mukha gamga mai, shravana dabi yama chalahim parai

Meaning:जो नर 'गंगा गंगा' कहते हैं, वे कभी भूखे-नंगे नहीं रहते। मुख से 'गंगा माई' निकलते ही, यम कान दबाकर भाग जाता है।

Chaupai 17

මහාං අධින අධමන කහං තාරේං, භඒ නර්ක කේ බන්ද කිවාරේ . ජෝ නර ජපෛ ගංග ශත නාමා, සකල සිද්ධ පූරණ හ්වෛ කාමා ..

Maham adhina adhamana kaham tarem, bhae narka ke banda kivare Jo nara japai gamga shata nama, sakala siddha purana hvai kama

Meaning:आप महान अधम और पतितों को भी तार देती हैं; उनके लिए नरक के द्वार बंद हो जाते हैं। जो नर गंगा के सौ नाम जपता है, उसके सब काम सिद्ध और पूर्ण हो जाते हैं।

Chaupai 18

සබ සුඛ භෝග පරම පද පාවහිං, ආවාගමන රහිත හ්වෛ ජාවහිං . ධනි මඉයා සුරසරි සුඛදෛනී, ධනි ධනි තීරථ රාජ ත්රිවේණී ..

Saba sukha bhoga parama pada pavahim, avagamana rahita hvai javahim Dhani maiya surasari sukhadaini, dhani dhani tiratha raja triveni

Meaning:वे सब सुख भोगते हैं और परम पद पाते हैं, आवागमन (जन्म-मृत्यु) से रहित हो जाते हैं। धन्य माता देवसरि, सुख देने वाली; धन्य धन्य तीर्थराज त्रिवेणी।

Closing Doha

කකරා ග්රාම ඍෂි දුර්වාසා, සුන්දරදාස ගංගා කර දාසා . ජෝ යහ පඪ़ෛ ගංගා චාලීසා, මිලෛ භක්ති අවිරල වාගීසා ..

Kakara grama rishi durvasa, sundaradasa gamga kara dasa Jo yaha padha़ai gamga chalisa, milai bhakti avirala vagisa

Meaning:ककरा ग्राम में, ऋषि दुर्वासा के स्थान पर, सुंदरदास गंगा के दास हैं। जो यह गंगा चालीसा पढ़ता है, उसे अविरल भक्ति और वाणी के स्वामी (वागीश) की कृपा मिलती है।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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දේවසරි🔊DevasariThe river (sari) of the gods (deva), a name of Ganga who flows in heaven, earth and the netherworld
භාගීරථී🔊BhagirathiGanga as 'brought down by Bhagiratha', whose penance won her descent to earth to liberate his ancestors
ජාහ්නවී🔊Jahnavi'Daughter of Jahnu', the sage who drank and then released Ganga, giving her this name
ත්රිවේණී🔊TriveniThe confluence at Prayag (Prayagraj) of the Ganga, Yamuna and the unseen Saraswati
සගර සුත🔊Sagara-sutaThe sixty thousand sons of King Sagara, liberated when Ganga's waters reached their ashes

Benefits of Chanting श्री गंगा चालीसा

Recited to invoke Maa Ganga, the sacred river-goddess, for the washing away of sins, inner purification and peace of mind.

Narrates Ganga's descent (the penance of Bhagiratha, her passage through Shiva's locks, and the liberation of Sagara's sons), deepening faith and devotion.

Believed to grant the fruit of bathing in the Ganga even to those far from her banks, and to bring health, prosperity and freedom from fear to the devotee.

Especially recited on Ganga Dussehra, Ganga Jayanti, Kartik Purnima and Makar Sankranti, and when bathing in or offering to the Ganga.

Chanted with the Ganga Aarti ('Om Jai Gange Mata') to complete the worship of Mother Ganga.

How to Chant श्री गंगा चालीसा

Repetitions1times
Best TimeSunrise; Ganga Dussehra and Ganga Jayanti; while bathing in or honouring the river
FaceFacing the river, or East

After bathing, sit facing the Ganga or her image, light a lamp and offer flowers, and if possible keep Gangajal (Ganga water) before you. Recite the Chalisa with devotion, remembering her descent to earth, and conclude with the Ganga Aarti. It is offered with special faith on Ganga Dussehra and while taking a holy dip.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete श्री गंगा चालीसा written in the Sinhala script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.
Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.
It is a devotional Hindi hymn in praise of Maa Ganga, the sacred river worshipped as a goddess. It tells of her descent to earth and her power to wash away sin, and is recited for purification, blessings and peace.
Ganga is revered as a living goddess who descended from heaven through Shiva's locks to liberate the ancestors of King Bhagiratha. Her waters are held to be supremely pure, washing away sin, and so she is honoured as 'Ganga Maiya', Mother Ganga.
It may be recited daily at sunrise, and is especially auspicious on Ganga Dussehra and Ganga Jayanti (her descent and appearance days), on Kartik Purnima and Makar Sankranti, and while bathing in or making offerings to the Ganga.
King Bhagiratha performed great penance so that the heavenly Ganga would come down and liberate the sixty thousand sons of Sagara, reduced to ashes by a sage's curse. To break her mighty fall, Shiva caught Ganga in his matted hair and released her gently, and so she flowed to earth as Bhagirathi.
The Ganga Chalisa is a longer hymn of verses narrating Ganga's glory and story, while the Ganga Aarti ('Om Jai Gange Mata') is the shorter song of lamp-offering sung at the riverside aarti. Devotees often recite the Chalisa and then perform the Aarti.

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Read the full श्री गंगा चालीसा with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts