SARASWATI CHALISA ( A hymn to Saraswati )

JAYATI JAYATI JAI BHAARATII,

SARASVATI JAGA DEVII

JAYATI AMITA VARADAAYINII,

SURA NARA MUNI JANA SEVII

 

Glory, glory, all glory to you, O Bharati, who are Saraswati, the

goddess of Speech, who are revered throughout the world. Glory to you,

O Mother, who are the inexhaustible fountainhead of blessings and on

whom the gods, men, hermits and votaries wait.

 

JAI SATA VAADINII SHAAMBHAVII,

VIINAA VAADINII AMBA

PADMAPRIY PARAMESHAVARII,

IKA TUMHAARII HII AVALAMBA

 

Glory to you, O Mother Shambhavi you are creative sound and sacred

speech; you play on the veena and love lotuses; you are the supreme

goddess of the world and the only support of the poet.

 

JAI JAI SARASVATII JAGADAMBAA

KARAHU MAATU JANI AAJA VILAMBAA

BASI MAMA KANTHA DEHU SADA VAANII

NIJA SUTA JAANI EKA AJNAANII

 

Glory, all glory to you, O Saraswati, the mother of the world! Tarry

not today, O Mother, but come at once (to deliver me from ignorance).

Make my throat your dwelling and bless me with sacred speech,

considering that I, your own son am ignorant.

 

KARAHU KAAJA PUURANA DAI BHAKTI

BHARAHU BUDDHI BALA, VIDYAA SHAKTI

LAHAUN VIJAYA JAGA MAHAN YASHA PAAUUN

TAVA NITA MAATU CHARANA SHIRA NAAUUN

 

Grant me faith and bringing my efforts to fruition bless me with the

strength of wisdom and the power of knowledge, so that I may win

victory and become a universal celebrity. This I say, O Mother, with

my head bowed everyday to your feet.

 

SAPTA SURANA RASNAAMRUTA VAANII

YAHA TAVA CHARANAAMRUTA MAHAARAANII

SHARACHCHANDRA SAMA TAVA TANA SOHATA

SHVETA HANSAVAAHANA MANA MOHATA

 

O queen consort, all the seven musical notes and all mellifluous

speech, which is sweet as nectar, are but the ambrosial water with

which your feet are washed (or the sacred water flowing from your

feet). Your appearance is as beautiful as the fair, full autumnal moon

and the swan your white vehicle looks charming.

 

NAYANA KAMALA SHOBHITA SHASHI BHAALAA

VIINAA HASTA MAALATII MAALAA

SHESHA MAHESHA SUYASHA NITA GAAVAI

CHAVI LAKHI KOTIHUN KAAMA LAJAAVAI

 

Your shapely and beautiful eyes rival the loveliness of the lotus and

your right forehead the luster of the moon. The Veena in your hand and

the wreath of the malati flowers are two of your other adornments. The

Serpent-King and the great god Mahesha sing your praise everyday,

while myriad of Loves (Kama) feel abashed when they behold your

beauty.

 

JAI HO RACHANAA SAAJANA VAALII

RASANAA BICHA VIRAAJANA VAALII

JAYATI KAUSHIKI GAURA DULAARII

JAYATI JAYATI CHATURAANANA PYAARII

 

Glory to you, O goddess of creative art and its embellisher; you dwell

on the tongues of the poet and the minstrel. Glory to you, O Kaushiki

and beloved of Gauri! Glory, all glory to you, O beloved of the

four-faced Brahma!

 

SHRII SARASVATYAI NAMAH JAPATA JANA

SVAPNAHUN ROGA NA VYAADHI RAHATA TANA

YADI TAJI KUMATI KUSANGATI KOII

VIDYAARTHII PADHAHIN YAHA JOII

SAPHALA PARIIKSHAA MAHAN HVAI JAAVAI

VIDYAA BUDDHI BADHAI SUKHA PAAVAI

 

Whosoever repeats the sacred formula "Shri Sarasvatyai Namah" never

succumbs to any sickness even in a dream. The student who shakes off

perversity and evil company and chants the mantra (regularly),

succeeds in all examinations, finds himself happier, and his knowledge

and intellect grow richer and sharper.

 

KAHUN GAHI KUMATI NA BANE GANVAARAA

KHANDAI VIIRYA NA EKAHU BAARAA

ASHTAPRAKAARA PRASANGANA MEIN SE

JO NA KARAI PRASANGA BHUULAHUN SE

HO NIROGA BAALAKA TANU SOII

TAAKAHUN SVAPNADOSHA NAHIN HOII

 

Never does he yield to indiscretion and become stupid, nor does he

ever break the vow of celibacy. There are eight ways of gratifying

one's sexual urge, one of which is indulgence in imaginary coitus. He

who does not indulge in any of these several modes of sexual

gratification even by mistake, comes to possess a body free from all

infirmity such as that of involuntary nocturnal emission.

 

BRAMACHARYA KARI BIISA BARIISAA

BUDDHI BALA MAHAN BANAI AVAISHAA

NIBHAYAA JU NIYAMA PACHISA PRAMAANAA

SO HOVAI HANUMAANA SAMAANAA

 

Having observed the vow of celibacy for twenty years, he attains

supremacy in intellectual excellence (both wisdom and power). If he

holds on to the rules of purity and sexual continence for twenty-five

years, he verily becomes as invincible as Hanuman.

 

BRAHMACHARYA ASA BAALAKA SAAJAIN

SARASVATII TEHI JIVHAA RAAJAIN

BANAI AASHUKAVI ATI SUKHA PAAVAIN

SUTA BHI MAHAAVIIRA UPAJAAVAIN

 

The student who does not transgress the rules of celibacy, finds

Saraswati shedding her lustre on his tongue. He becomes an impromptu

and ready poet enjoying great creative contentment, a poet who also

fathers renowned and valiant sons.

 

VEDA PURAANA SUBHAASHITA VAANII

AVASI LAABHI KARI DEKHAHIN PRAANII

JO NASI VIIRAJA BAALAAPANA MEIN

BHARI VIHCAARA VYABHICHARAHIN MANA MEIN

SARASVATIHIN KAHAN DHARAHIN NA DHYAANAA

NITA ASHIILAHIN GAAVAHIN GAANAA

VAHA BAALAKA ATISHAYA DUKHA PAAVAI

ROGA GRASITA HO JANAMA GANVAAVAI

SVAPNADOSHA TEHIN MRITAKA BANAAVAI

VIIRYA KOSHA TANA TIKA NA PAAVAI

 

He acquires competence in the Vedas, Puranas and all other poetic

utterances, a feat appreciated by people around him. He who wastes the

sap of life in adolescence, who fills his mind with promiscuous

thoughts, remembers not the Goddess Saraswati and sings lewd songs,

becomes extremely unhappy, a victim of wasting diseases, who squanders

away his priceless life. With his body refusing to retain the vital

fluid, involuntary nocturnal emissions (popularly known as wet dreams)

precipitate his death.

 

YADI PUNI MANA KO VASHA KARI PRAANII

DHYAAVAI SARAVATIHIN HATHA THAANII

CHALAHIN CHETA ATISHAYA SUKHA PAAVAHIN

JO NA LIKHITA UPADESHA BHULAAVAHIN

KARAI SUPUUJANA DEVAHIN DEVAA

ARU GURU MAATU PITAA KII SEVAA

TAAHI NA VYAADHI SATAAVAHI KAAYAA

JAAPARA SARASVATII KII DAAYAA

 

If he realizes his error and puts a bridle on his mind with

unflinching devotion to Saraswati and understandable wariness (of his

wasteful past), he becomes exceedingly happy once again. Similarly, he

who does not forget the written instructions (of the scriptures or of

the enlightened sages and gurus), who worships gods and goddesses and

who attends on his teachers and parents never succumbs to physical

infirmities; Saraswati lavishes many a kindly favour on him.

 

YADI YAHA SHIKSHAA MAN PITU DEVAIN

BANAI PUTRA LAAYAKA SUKHA DEVAIN

JO NARA PADHAHIN SARASVATIICHAALIISAA

GUNAHIN ARU NAAVAHIN SHIISHAA

VISHVAMAAHIN BALA VIDYAA MAAHIN

TAASON JIITI SAKE KOU NAAHIN

 

If these instructions are given by the parents at home, every child

will grow into a worthy man and contribute to their happiness. He who

reads this hymn to Saraswati and bears its instructions in mind with

bowed head, becomes so great an embodiment of learning and valor in

the world that none can overthrow him.

 

BANAI MAHIIPA KAVISIISHVARA SOII

VACHANA SIDDHI NIDHI NAVA GRAHA HOII

LEKHAKA SHAKTI SHASTRA PADHI DEKHYO

TABA YAHA VIDYAARTHINA HITA LIKHYO

 

He becomes the most renowned poet whose writings enrapture the whole

world and make him rule over all hearts; he attains not only

perfection of speech but also all the nine treasures at home. The

Shastras read by the author revealed to him the overpowering influence

of the creative arts. Having realized this he wrote these lines for

the edification of all students.

 

GAHATA NIYAMA SUKHA LAHATA SHARIIRAA

KARATA VISHVA RAKSHAA BANI VIIRAA

SUNDARADAASA NAVAAVATA SHIISHAA

MAAN CHAALIISAA DIYO CHAALIISAA

 

Adherence to the rules (of conduct and discipline) is conducive to

physical health and happiness. It is in a disciplined life that the

body acquires lustiness and becomes capable of protecting all.

Sundardasa bows his head to Saraswati, who, being the goddess of all

creative writings (including chaaalisa) inspired him to compose this

hymn.

 

DHANI DHANI SARASA SARASVATII AMBAA

NIJA JANA HETU NA KARATA VILAMBAA

VAANII BIINAA VAADINII MAATAA

VIDYAA VAARIDHI BUDDHI VIDHAATAA

 

Blessed, blessed are you, O Sweet Mother Saraswati, who do not tarry

when your votaries cry for help. You are, O Goddess of speech, O

Mother who play on the Veena, the very ocean of learning and

controller of the human intellect.

 

TUMAHIN GANESHA SUMIRI JO DHYAAVATA

ARU HANUMANTAHI SHIISHA NAVAAVATA

KATHINA SE KATHINA KAARYA KARI DAARATA

SATYA SATYA ASA VEDA PUKAARATA

 

He who sets his mind on Ganesha and then meditates on you and also

bows his head to Hanuman , finds himself accomplishing the most

difficult undertaking-so testify the Vedas, saying that all this is

true, true and true.

 

DOHAA

 

NIJA SEVAKA KO MAAN TUMAHIIN DIINHYO PINGALA GYAANA

CHAALIISAA VIDHI CHAALIISAHIN LIKHA, LIINHYO SUYASHA MAHAANA

 

O Mother, you imparted to me, your own devotee, a knowledge of

prosody, which enabled me to compose this hymn in its forty modes and

earn great renown.

 

SARASVATII YAHA CHAALIISAA, VIRACHITA SUNDARADAASA

NITYA PADHATA VIDYAA BADHATA, PUURANA HOTA SHUBHA AASA

 

Sundardasa has composed this hymn to Saraswati, the recitation of

which regularly causes learning and happiness to grow and all proper

expectations to be fulfilled.

 

GURU PITU MAATU PADHAI SUTA, JO YAHI SHIKHSAA DEHIN

BALA BUDDHI VIDYAA SUMATI KII, MAAN SE BHIKSHAA LEHIN

 

If teachers and parents instruct a child in it, he receives from

Mother the blessings of moral strength, wisdom, learning and

intelligence.

 

 

Om ParaShaktiye Namaha