ਸਰਸ੍ਵਤੀ ਚਾਲੀਸਾ

ਅਰਥ:Placing on my head the dust of the lotus-feet of my parents, I bow to Mother Saraswati — grant me, O giver, intellect and strength.

ਅਰਥ:Your glory pervades the whole world, boundless and infinite; O Mother, now destroy the sins of (the poet) Ramsagar.

ਅਰਥ:Victory, O glorious one, the store of all intellect and strength; victory, O all-knowing, immortal and imperishable.

ਅਰਥ:Victory, victory, victory, O bearer of the veena; ever riding upon the graceful swan.

ਅਰਥ:O four-armed Mother, renowned throughout the entire world.

ਅਰਥ:When sinful thinking arises in the world, and the light of dharma grows dim —

ਅਰਥ:— then the Mother takes her own incarnation, and freeing it of sin, delivers the earth.

ਅਰਥ:Valmiki was a murderer; by your grace the world now knows him —

ਅਰਥ:— for he composed the Ramayana and attained the rank of the first poet (Adi Kavi).

ਅਰਥ:Kalidasa became renowned, O Mother, through your gracious glance.

ਅਰਥ:Tulsidas, Surdas and other scholars, and many another wise one, came to be —

ਅਰਥ:— they had no other support, O Mother Amba, but only your grace.

ਅਰਥ:Show such grace, O Mother Bhavani, knowing your servant to be sorrowful and lowly.

ਅਰਥ:Though the child commits many a fault, the gracious Mother does not take it to heart.

ਅਰਥ:Preserve my honour now, O Mother; in many ways I offer abundant prayer.

ਅਰਥ:I am an orphan, you are my support; show grace — victory, victory, O Jagadamba.

ਅਰਥ:Madhu and Kaitabha, exceedingly mighty, engaged Vishnu in hand-to-hand combat.

ਅਰਥ:For five thousand years the dreadful battle raged, yet he turned not his face from them.

ਅਰਥ:The Mother became his help at that hour, deranging the wits of the wicked pair.

ਅਰਥ:By that their death came about; fulfil my heart's desire, O Mother.

ਅਰਥ:Chanda and Munda, who were renowned, the Mother destroyed in an instant.

ਅਰਥ:Raktabija, the mighty sinner, at whom the hearts of gods and sages all trembled —

ਅਰਥ:— you struck off his head as one fells a plantain trunk; again and again I pray, O Jagadamba.

ਅਰਥ:The world-famed Shumbha and Nishumbha — in a moment you slew them, O Amba.

ਅਰਥ:You turned the mind of Bharata's mother (Kaikeyi), bringing about Ramachandra's exile to the forest.

ਅਰਥ:In this way you brought about Ravana's slaying, giving joy to gods, men and sages alike.

ਅਰਥ:Who is able to sing your glory and virtues? The Vedas proclaim you beginningless and endless.

ਅਰਥ:Vishnu, Rudra and Brahma (the unborn) cannot be slain — they whose protector you are.

ਅਰਥ:Raktadantika and Shatakshi — your names are countless, O devourer of demons.

ਅਰਥ:You accomplished impossible deeds upon the earth; the whole world took up the name 'Durga'.

ਅਰਥ:You are the Mother who removes every difficulty (durga); show grace whenever needed, O giver of joy.

ਅਰਥ:When an angry king seeks to kill, or one is hemmed in by beasts in the forest —

ਅਰਥ:— when a ship breaks in mid-ocean amid a great storm, with no companion near —

ਅਰਥ:— in the affliction of ghosts and spirits, in poverty or in calamity —

ਅਰਥ:— chanting your name, all becomes auspicious; let none harbour any doubt in this.

ਅਰਥ:The sonless one, the anxious one — abandoning all else, let them worship this Mother.

ਅਰਥ:Whoever recites this Chalisa daily obtains a son, beautiful and virtuous as Isha.

ਅਰਥ:Offering incense and food-offerings, one surely becomes free of calamity.

ਅਰਥ:Whoever ever performs devotion to the Mother — no affliction comes near them.

ਅਰਥ:The prisoner who recites it a hundred times has every bond of captivity loosed.

ਅਰਥ:Show grace and grant liberation, O Bhavani, ever knowing me as your own servant.

ਅਰਥ:O Mother, yours is the radiance of the sun, mine the form of darkness; save me from drowning, that I fall not into the well of existence.

ਅਰਥ:Grant me strength, intellect and learning; hear me, O Mother Saraswati; O purifier, give shelter to the lowly Ramsagar.