कृष्ण चालीसा — Complete Lyrics

कृष्ण चालीसा

Sanskrit text with English transliteration and translation

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Verse 1

बंशी शोभित कर मधुर, नील जलद तन श्याम। अरुण अधर जनु बिम्बा फल, पिताम्बर शुभ साज॥

Bamshi shobhita kara madhura, nila jalada tana shyama Aruna adhara janu bimba phala, pitambara shubha saja

The flute graces his sweet hands; his body is dark as a blue rain-cloud; his red lips are like the bimba fruit, and the yellow silk adorns him beautifully.

Verse 2

जय मनमोहन मदन छवि, कृष्णचन्द्र महाराज। करहु कृपा हे रवि तनय, राखहु जन की लाज॥

Jaya manamohana madana chhavi, krishnachandra maharaja Karahu kripa he ravi tanaya, rakhahu jana ki laja

Victory to the mind-enchanting one, lovely as Kamadeva, Krishnachandra the great king! Show your grace, O son of the Sun's realm, and protect the honour of your devotees.

Verse 3

जय यदुनन्दन जय जगवन्दन। जय वसुदेव देवकी नन्दन॥

Jaya yadunandana jaya jagavandana Jaya vasudeva devaki nandana

Victory, O delight of the Yadus, adored by the world; victory, O son of Vasudeva and Devaki!

Verse 4

जय यशुदा सुत नन्द दुलारे। जय प्रभु भक्तन के दृग तारे॥

Jaya yashuda suta nanda dulare Jaya prabhu bhaktana ke driga tare

Victory, O cherished son of Yashoda and Nanda; victory, O Lord, the very pupils of your devotees' eyes!

Verse 5

जय नट-नागर नाग नथैया। कृष्ण कन्हैया धेनु चरैया॥

Jaya nata-nagara naga nathaiya Krishna kanhaiya dhenu charaiya

Victory, O graceful actor who subdued the serpent (Kaliya); Krishna Kanhaiya, the cowherd who tends the cattle!

Verse 6

पुनि नख पर प्रभु गिरिवर धारो। आओ दीनन कष्ट निवारो॥

Puni nakha para prabhu girivara dharo Ao dinana kashta nivaro

Again, O Lord, you bore the great mountain on your fingernail; come and remove the suffering of the lowly.

Verse 7

वंशी मधुर अधर धरी तेरी। होवे पूर्ण मनोरथ मेरो॥

Vamshi madhura adhara dhari teri Hove purna manoratha mero

Your sweet flute rests upon your lips; let my heart's desire be fulfilled.

Verse 8

आओ हरि पुनि माखन चाखो। आज लाज भारत की राखो॥

Ao hari puni makhana chakho Aja laja bharata ki rakho

Come, O Hari, and once more taste the butter; today preserve the honour of Bharata.

Verse 9

गोल कपोल, चिबुक अरुणारे। मृदु मुस्कान मोहिनी डारे॥

Gola kapola, chibuka arunare Mridu muskana mohini dare

Round cheeks, a reddish chin, and a tender, enchanting smile;

Verse 10

रंजित राजिव नयन विशाला। मोर मुकुट वैजयंती माला॥

Ramjita rajiva nayana vishala Mora mukuta vaijayamti mala

— wide, lovely lotus-like eyes, a peacock-feather crown and the Vaijayanti garland.

Verse 11

कुण्डल श्रवण पीतपट आछे। कटि किंकणी काछन काछे॥

Kundala shravana pitapata achhe Kati kimkani kachhana kachhe

Earrings at your ears, fine yellow silk, a girdle of tiny bells at your waist;

Verse 12

नील जलज सुन्दर तनु सोहे। छवि लखि, सुर नर मुनिमन मोहे॥

Nila jalaja sundara tanu sohe Chhavi lakhi, sura nara munimana mohe

— your beautiful dark-blue body shines so that gods, men and sages are all enchanted at the sight.

Verse 13

मस्तक तिलक, अलक घुंघराले। आओ कृष्ण बांसुरी वाले॥

Mastaka tilaka, alaka ghumgharale Ao krishna bamsuri vale

A tilak on your brow and curling locks — come, O flute-bearing Krishna!

Verse 14

करि पय पान, पुतनहि तारयो। अका बका कागासुर मारयो॥

Kari paya pana, putanahi tarayo Aka baka kagasura marayo

Drinking her poisoned milk, you delivered Putana; you slew Aghasura, Bakasura and Kakasura.

Verse 15

मधुवन जलत अग्नि जब ज्वाला। भै शीतल, लखितहिं नन्दलाला॥

Madhuvana jalata agni jaba jvala Bhai shitala, lakhitahim nandalala

When the forest of Madhuvan blazed with fire, it grew cool the moment Nandalala looked upon it.

Verse 16

सुरपति जब ब्रज चढ़यो रिसाई। मसूर धार वारि वर्षाई॥

Surapati jaba braja chadha़yo risai Masura dhara vari varshai

When Indra, lord of the gods, rose in anger over Braj and poured down torrents of rain,

Verse 17

लगत-लगत ब्रज चहन बहायो। गोवर्धन नखधारि बचायो॥

Lagata-lagata braja chahana bahayo Govardhana nakhadhari bachayo

— as Braj was about to be washed away, you saved it by holding up Govardhan on your fingertip.

Verse 18

लखि यसुदा मन भ्रम अधिकाई। मुख महं चौदह भुवन दिखाई॥

Lakhi yasuda mana bhrama adhikai Mukha maham chaudaha bhuvana dikhai

Seeing this, Yashoda's mind filled with wonder — and you showed the fourteen worlds within your mouth.

Verse 19

दुष्ट कंस अति उधम मचायो। कोटि कमल जब फूल मंगायो॥

Dushta kamsa ati udhama machayo Koti kamala jaba phula mamgayo

When the wicked Kamsa raised great turmoil and demanded a crore of lotus blooms,

Verse 20

नाथि कालियहिं तब तुम लीन्हें। चरणचिन्ह दै निर्भय किन्हें॥

Nathi kaliyahim taba tuma linhem Charanachinha dai nirbhaya kinhem

— you then subdued the serpent Kaliya, and set your footprints upon him, making all fearless.

Verse 21

करि गोपिन संग रास विलासा। सबकी पूरण करी अभिलाषा॥

Kari gopina samga rasa vilasa Sabaki purana kari abhilasha

Sporting the Rasa dance with the gopis, you fulfilled the longing of every one of them.

Verse 22

केतिक महा असुर संहारयो। कंसहि केस पकड़ि दै मारयो॥

Ketika maha asura samharayo Kamsahi kesa pakaड़i dai marayo

You destroyed so many great demons, and seizing Kamsa by the hair, struck him dead.

Verse 23

मात-पिता की बन्दि छुड़ाई। उग्रसेन कहं राज दिलाई॥

Mata-pita ki bandi chhuड़ai Ugrasena kaham raja dilai

You freed your mother and father from prison and bestowed the kingdom upon Ugrasena.

Verse 24

महि से मृतक छहों सुत लायो। मातु देवकी शोक मिटायो॥

Mahi se mritaka chhahom suta layo Matu devaki shoka mitayo

You brought back the six dead sons from the realm of death and ended mother Devaki's grief.

Verse 25

भौमासुर मुर दैत्य संहारी। लाये षट दश सहसकुमारी॥

Bhaumasura mura daitya samhari Laye shata dasha sahasakumari

Slaying the demons Bhaumasura and Mura, you brought back the sixteen thousand maidens.

Verse 26

दै भिन्हीं तृण चीर सहारा। जरासिंधु राक्षस कहं मारा॥

Dai bhinhim trina chira sahara Jarasimdhu rakshasa kaham mara

Giving even a blade of grass and a piece of cloth as refuge, you slew the demon-king Jarasandha.

Verse 27

असुर बकासुर आदिक मारयो। भक्तन के तब कष्ट निवारियो॥

Asura bakasura adika marayo Bhaktana ke taba kashta nivariyo

You slew Bakasura and other demons, and so removed the sufferings of your devotees.

Verse 28

दीन सुदामा के दुःख टारयो। तंदुल तीन मूंठ मुख डारयो॥

Dina sudama ke duhkha tarayo Tamdula tina mumtha mukha darayo

You dispelled the sorrow of the poor Sudama, accepting three handfuls of his humble beaten rice.

Verse 29

प्रेम के साग विदुर घर मांगे। दुर्योधन के मेवा त्यागे॥

Prema ke saga vidura ghara mamge Duryodhana ke meva tyage

You begged for simple greens at Vidura's home and refused Duryodhana's rich delicacies;

Verse 30

लखि प्रेम की महिमा भारी। ऐसे श्याम दीन हितकारी॥

Lakhi prema ki mahima bhari Aise shyama dina hitakari

— seeing the greatness of love, such is Shyama, the benefactor of the lowly.

Verse 31

भारत के पारथ रथ हांके। लिए चक्र कर नहिं बल ताके॥

Bharata ke paratha ratha hamke Lie chakra kara nahim bala take

In the war of the Bharatas you drove Partha's (Arjuna's) chariot, taking up the discus though needing no strength.

Verse 32

निज गीता के ज्ञान सुनाये। भक्तन हृदय सुधा वर्षाये॥

Nija gita ke jnana sunaye Bhaktana hridaya sudha varshaye

You expounded the wisdom of your Gita, raining nectar upon the hearts of devotees.

Verse 33

मीरा थी ऐसी मतवाली। विष पी गई बजाकर ताली॥

Mira thi aisi matavali Visha pi gai bajakara tali

Mira was so intoxicated with your love that she drank poison clapping in joy;

Verse 34

राना भेजा सांप पिटारी। शालिग्राम बने बनवारी॥

Rana bheja sampa pitari Shaligrama bane banavari

— the Rana sent a snake in a basket, but it became, by your grace, a Shaligrama stone.

Verse 35

निज माया तुम विधिहिं दिखायो। उर ते संशय सकल मिटायो॥

Nija maya tuma vidhihim dikhayo Ura te samshaya sakala mitayo

You showed your divine power (Maya) to all, and wiped away every doubt from the heart.

Verse 36

तब शत निन्दा करी तत्काला। जीवन मुक्त भयो शिशुपाला॥

Taba shata ninda kari tatkala Jivana mukta bhayo shishupala

When Shishupala had hurled a hundred insults, he was at once liberated and freed in life.

Verse 37

जबहिं द्रौपदी टेर लगाई। दीनानाथ लाज अब जाई॥

Jabahim draupadi tera lagai Dinanatha laja aba jai

The moment Draupadi cried out, 'O Lord of the helpless, now my honour goes!' —

Verse 38

तुरतहिं वसन बने ननन्दलाला। बढ़े चीर भै अरि मुँह काला॥

Turatahim vasana bane nanandalala Baढ़e chira bhai ari munha kala

— at once you, Nandalala, became her endless cloth; the garment grew and grew, blackening the faces of her enemies.

Verse 39

अस नाथ के नाथ कन्हैया। डूबत भंवर बचावत नैया॥

Asa natha ke natha kanhaiya Dubata bhamvara bachavata naiya

Such is Kanhaiya, the Lord of lords, who steers the sinking boat through the whirlpool.

Verse 40

सुन्दरदास आस उर धारी। दयादृष्टि कीजै बनवारी॥

Sundaradasa asa ura dhari Dayadrishti kijai banavari

Sundardas, holding hope in his heart, prays: cast your merciful glance, O Banwari.

Verse 41

नाथ सकल मम कुमति निवारो। क्षमहु बेगि अपराध हमारो॥

Natha sakala mama kumati nivaro Kshamahu begi aparadha hamaro

O Lord, dispel all my dull-witted ways and quickly forgive my offences.

Verse 42

खोलो पट अब दर्शन दीजै। बोलो कृष्ण कन्हैया की जै॥

Kholo pata aba darshana dijai Bolo krishna kanhaiya ki jai

Open the doors and grant me your darshan now; proclaim the victory of Krishna Kanhaiya!

Verse 43

अष्ट सिद्धि नवनिधि फल, लहै पदारथ चारि॥

Ashta siddhi navanidhi phala, lahai padaratha chari

Whoever recites this attains the eight siddhis, the nine treasures (navanidhi) and the four aims of human life.

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