Shiv Chalisa Meaning

Glory to Lord Ganesha, the son of Goddess Parvati, the root of all auspiciousness and the wise one. O Lord, I, Ayodhya Das, pray to you to grant me the boon of fearlessness.

Glory to Lord Shiva, the husband of Parvati, who is merciful to the poor and always protects the saints. The crescent moon looks beautiful on your forehead, and you wear earrings of serpents. The holy Ganges flows from your fair matted hair, and your body is smeared with ashes and adorned with a garland of skulls. You look majestic wearing the skin of a tiger, and even the serpents are mesmerized by your beautiful form.

You are the beloved of mother Maina, and Parvati looks uniquely beautiful on your left side. The trident in your hand enhances your majestic appearance, and you always destroy the enemies. Nandi and Lord Ganesha look as beautiful beside you as lotuses in the middle of an ocean. Lord Kartikeya and the Ganas also surround you; your splendid form cannot be described in words.

Whenever the gods called out to you in distress, you instantly removed their sorrows. When the demon Tarakasur caused massive destruction, all the gods prayed to you. You immediately sent Lord Kartikeya to defeat him, and he killed the demon in the blink of an eye. You yourself destroyed the demon Jalandhara; your great fame is known throughout the entire world.

You fought a fierce battle with the demon Tripurasura, and by your grace, you saved everyone. Sage Bhagirath performed severe penance, and you fulfilled his vow. There is no donor equal to you in this world; your devotees constantly sing your praises. Even the Vedas sing the glory of your name, but none have completely understood your infinite, beginningless mystery.

When the deadly poison emerged from the churning of the ocean, all the gods and demons were terrified. You showed mercy and helped them by drinking the poison, which is why you are called ‘Neelkanth’ (the blue-throated one). When Lord Ramachandra worshipped you, you blessed him to conquer Lanka and give it to Vibhishana. When Lord Rama offered a thousand lotus flowers to you, you tested his devotion.

You hid one lotus flower to see what Lord Rama would do. The lotus-eyed Lord Rama prepared to offer his own eye in its place. Seeing such difficult devotion, you were pleased and granted him his desired boon. Glory, glory, glory to the infinite and indestructible Lord! You reside in everyone’s heart and bestow your grace. Evil people constantly torment me; I wander aimlessly and find no peace.

I call out to you for protection, O Lord! Please come and save me at this moment. Take your trident and destroy my enemies; deliver me from this severe crisis. Neither mother, father, brother, nor anyone else comes to help me in my time of distress. You are my only hope, O Lord; please come and take away this heavy burden of sorrow.

You always grant wealth to the poor; whoever begs from you receives the fruits of their prayers. How should I praise you properly? O Lord, please forgive my mistakes. O Lord Shankar, you are the destroyer of all crises, the cause of all auspiciousness, and the remover of obstacles. Yogis, sages, and ascetics meditate on you, and even sages like Narada and Goddess Saraswati bow their heads to you.

I bow to you, Om Namah Shivaya! Even Brahma and the other gods cannot fully comprehend your greatness. Whoever reads this Chalisa with full devotion, Lord Shiva helps them cross the ocean of life. Whoever has the authority to read this will be purified. If someone desiring a child reads it, they will surely receive one by Lord Shiva’s grace.

One should call a priest on Trayodashi (the 13th day of the lunar fortnight) to perform a homa (fire ritual) with deep devotion. Whoever fasts on Trayodashi will never suffer from physical ailments. By offering incense, lamps, and food, and reciting this text in front of Lord Shiva, the sins of many past births are destroyed, and they ultimately attain a place in Lord Shiva’s divine abode.

Ayodhya Das says, I have placed all my hopes in you, O Lord. Knowing all my sorrows, please take them away and grant me peace.