Shitala Chalisa
शीतला चालीसा
जय जय माता शीतला, तुमहिं धरै जो ध्यान।
होय विमल शीतल हृदय, विकसै बुद्धि बल ज्ञान॥Jai jai Mata Sheetla, tumahin dharai jo dhyan. Hoy vimal sheetal hriday, vikasai buddhi bal gyan.
Victory, victory to Mother Shitala! Whoever meditates on you has a pure, cool heart, and their intellect, strength and wisdom grow.
घट घट वासी शीतला, शीतल प्रभा तुम्हार।
शीतल छइयाँ में झुलई, मइया पलना डार॥Ghat ghat vasi Sheetla, sheetal prabha tumhar. Sheetal chhaiyan mein jhulai, maiya palna daar.
Shitala, you dwell in every heart and your radiance is cool; Mother, rock us in a cradle in your cool shade.
जय जय श्री शीतला भवानी।
जय जग जननि सकल गुणधानी॥Jai jai Shri Sheetla Bhavani. Jai jag janani sakal gundhani.
Victory, victory to Shri Shitala Bhavani! Victory to the Mother of the world, home of every virtue.
गृह गृह शक्ति तुम्हारी राजित।
पूरण शरदचंद्र सम साजित॥Grih grih shakti tumhari rajit. Pooran sharadchandra sam sajit.
Your power shines in every home, lovely as the full autumn moon.
विस्फोटक से जलत शरीरा।
शीतल करत हरत सब पीड़ा॥Visphotak se jalat sharira. Sheetal karat harat sab peeda.
When the body burns with pox, you cool it and take away all its pain.
मातु शीतला तव शुभनामा।
सबके गाढ़े आवहिं कामा॥Matu Sheetla tav shubhnama. Sabke gaadhe aavahin kama.
Mother Shitala, your blessed name comes to everyone’s aid in hard times.
शोकहरी शंकरी भवानी।
बाल प्राणरक्षी सुखदानी॥Shokhari Shankari Bhavani. Baal pranrakshi sukhdani.
Bhavani, Shankari, you take away grief, protect the lives of children and give happiness.
शुचि मार्जनी कलश कर राजै।
मस्तक तेज सूर्य सम साजै॥Shuchi marjani kalash kar raajai. Mastak tej soorya sam saajai.
A clean broom and a water pot shine in your hands, and your forehead glows like the sun.
चौंसठ योगिन संग में गावैं।
वीणा ताल मृदंग बजावैं॥Chaunsath yogin sang mein gaavain. Veena taal mridang bajaavain.
The sixty-four yoginis sing with you, playing the veena, cymbals and drum.
नृत्य नाथ भैरौं दिखलावैं।
सहज शेष शिव पार न पावैं॥Nritya Nath Bhairaun dikhlaavain. Sahaj Shesh Shiv paar na paavain.
Lord Bhairav dances for you; even Shesh and Shiva cannot reach the end of your glory.
धन्य धन्य धात्री महारानी।
सुर नर मुनि सब सुयश बखानी॥Dhanya dhanya Dhatri Maharani. Sur nar muni sab suyash bakhani.
Blessed, blessed are you, great queen and nurturer of all; gods, humans and sages all sing your glory.
ज्वाला रूप महा बलकारी।
दैत्य एक विस्फोटक भारी॥Jvala roop maha balkari. Daitya ek Visphotak bhari.
There was a mighty demon called Visphotak, the pox, fierce as a flame and immensely strong.
घर घर प्रविशत कोई न रक्षत।
रोग रूप धरि बालक भक्षत॥Ghar ghar pravishat koi na rakshat. Rog roop dhari balak bhakshat.
He entered house after house, and no one could stop him; taking the form of disease, he devoured children.
हाहाकार मच्यो जग भारी।
सक्यो न जब संकट टारी॥Hahakar machyo jag bhari. Sakyo na jab sankat taari.
A great cry of anguish rose across the world when no one could ward off this calamity.
तब मैया धरि अद्भुत रूपा।
कर में लिये मार्जनी सूपा॥Tab maiya dhari adbhut roopa. Kar mein liye marjani soopa.
Then the Mother took a wondrous form, holding a broom and a winnowing basket in her hands.
विस्फोटकहिं पकड़ि कर लीन्हो।
मूसल प्रहार बहुविधि कीन्हो॥Visphotakahin pakadi kar leenho. Moosal prahar bahuvidhi keenho.
She seized Visphotak in her hand and struck him again and again with a pestle.
बहुत प्रकार वह विनती कीन्हा।
मैया नहीं भल मैं कछु कीन्हा॥Bahut prakar vah vinti keenha. Maiya nahin bhal main kachhu keenha.
He pleaded in many ways: Mother, I have done nothing good.
अब नहिं मातु काहु गृह जइहौं।
जहँ अपवित्र वही घर रहिहौं॥Ab nahin matu kahu grih jaihaun. Jahan apavitra vahi ghar rahihaun.
Mother, I will no longer go into anyone’s home; I will stay only in a house that is unclean.
अब भगतन शीतल भय जइहौं।
विस्फोटक भय घोर नसइहौं॥Ab bhagtan sheetal bhay jaihaun. Visphotak bhay ghor nasaihaun.
For your devotees I will become cool and harmless, and the terrible fear of the pox will vanish.
श्री शीतलहिं भजे कल्याना।
वचन सत्य भाषे भगवाना॥Shri Sheetlahin bhaje kalyana. Vachan satya bhashe Bhagvana.
Worshipping Shri Shitala brings well-being; the Lord himself has spoken these true words.
पूजन पाठ मातु जब करी है।
भय आनंद सकल दुःख हरी है॥Poojan paath matu jab kari hai. Bhay anand sakal dukh hari hai.
When one worships the Mother and recites her praise, joy comes and every sorrow is taken away.
विस्फोटक भय जिहि गृह भाई।
भजै देवि कहँ यही उपाई॥Visphotak bhay jihi grih bhai. Bhajai devi kahan yahi upai.
Brother, in any home that fears the pox, the remedy is this: worship the Goddess.
कलश शीतला का सजवावै।
द्विज से विधिवत पाठ करावै॥Kalash Sheetla ka sajvavai. Dvij se vidhivat paath karavai.
Let them set up Shitala’s sacred pot and have a priest recite her praises properly.
तुम्हीं शीतला जग की माता।
तुम्हीं पिता जग के सुखदाता॥Tumhin Sheetla jag ki mata. Tumhin pita jag ke sukhdata.
Shitala, you are the mother of the world, and you are its father too, the giver of happiness.
तुम्हीं जगद्धात्री सुखसेवी।
नमो नमामि शीतले देवी॥Tumhin Jagaddhatri sukhsevi. Namo namami Sheetle Devi.
You are the nurturer of the world, giver of comfort; Goddess Shitala, I bow to you again and again.
नमो सुखकरणी दुखहरणी।
नमो नमो जगतारिणि धरणी॥Namo sukhkarani dukhharani. Namo namo jagtarini dharani.
Salutations to you who give joy and take away sorrow; salutations to you, saviour of the world, who uphold the earth.
नमो नमो त्रैलोक्य वन्दिनी।
दुखदारिद्रादिक निकन्दिनी॥Namo namo trailokya vandini. Dukhdaridradik nikandini.
Salutations to you, worshipped in the three worlds, who root out sorrow, poverty and every ill.
श्री शीतला शेढ़ला महला।
रुणलीहृणनी मातु मंदला॥Shri Sheetla Shedhla Mahla. Runlihrinani Matu Mandla.
You are Shri Shitala, known by many local names, such as Shedhla, Mahla and Mandla, the Mother who takes away disease.
हो तुम दिगम्बर तनुधारी।
शोभित पंचनाम असवारी॥Ho tum Digambar tanudhari. Shobhit panchnaam asvari.
You take a sky-clad form, and you look splendid riding your mount of five names.
रासभ खर बैसाख सुनन्दन।
गर्दभ दुर्वाकंद निकन्दन॥Rasabh khar Baisakh Sunandan. Gardabh doorvakand nikandan.
Your mount, the donkey, is called Rasabh, Khar, Vaishakhanandan and Gardabh, the one who grazes on durva grass.
सुमिरत संग शीतला माई।
जाहि सकल दुख दूर पराई॥Sumirat sang Sheetla Maai. Jahi sakal dukh door parai.
Whoever remembers Mother Shitala sees every sorrow run far away.
गलका गलगण्डादि जु होई।
ताकर मंत्र न औषधि कोई॥Galka galgandadi ju hoi. Takar mantra na aushadhi koi.
For throat ailments, goitre and the like, there is no mantra or medicine that can match this.
एक मातु जी का आराधन।
और नहिं कोई है साधन॥Ek Matu ji ka aradhan. Aur nahin koi hai sadhan.
Worship of the Mother alone is the way; there is no other means.
निश्चय मातु शरण जो आवै।
निर्भय मन इच्छित फल पावै॥Nishchay Matu sharan jo aavai. Nirbhay man ichchhit phal paavai.
Whoever comes to the Mother’s refuge with firm faith becomes fearless and gains what they desire.
कोढ़ी निर्मल काया धारै।
अंधा दृग निज दृष्टि निहारै॥Kodhi nirmal kaya dharai. Andha drig nij drishti niharai.
The leper gains a clean body, and the blind see again with their own eyes.
वन्ध्या नारि पुत्र को पावै।
जन्म दरिद्र धनी होइ जावै॥Vandhya naari putra ko paavai. Janm daridra dhani hoi jaavai.
A childless woman is blessed with a son, and one poor from birth becomes wealthy.
मातु शीतला के गुण गावत।
लखा मूक को छन्द बनावत॥Matu Sheetla ke gun gaavat. Lakha mook ko chhand banavat.
Singing Mother Shitala’s praises, even the mute have been seen composing verses.
यामे कोई करै जनि शंका।
जग में मैया का ही डंका॥Yame koi karai jani shanka. Jag mein maiya ka hi danka.
Let no one doubt this; the Mother’s drum alone resounds through the world.
कहत रामसुन्दर प्रभुदासा।
तट प्रयाग से पूरब पासा॥Kahat Ramsundar Prabhudasa. Tat Prayag se poorab paasa.
So says Ramsundar, the Lord’s servant, who lives to the east of Prayag, on the riverbank.
ग्राम तिवारी पूर मम बासा।
ककरा गंगा तट दुर्वासा॥Gram Tiwaripur mam baasa. Kakra Ganga tat Durvasa.
My home is the village of Tiwaripur, near Kakra on the Ganga’s bank, where the sage Durvasa’s place is.
अब विलंब मैं तोहि पुकारत।
मातु कृपा की बाट निहारत॥Ab vilamb main tohi pukarat. Matu kripa ki baat niharat.
I am calling you, why the delay? Mother, I am waiting for your grace.
पड़ा द्वार सब आस लगाई।
अब सुधि लेत शीतला माई॥Pada dvaar sab aas lagai. Ab sudhi let Sheetla Maai.
I lie at your door with all my hopes in you; Mother Shitala, look after me now.
यह चालीसा शीतला, पाठ करै जो कोय।
सपनेउ दुख व्यापै नहीं, नित सब मंगल होय॥Yah chalisa Sheetla, paath karai jo koy. Sapneu dukh vyapai nahin, nit sab mangal hoy.
Whoever recites this Shitala Chalisa is not touched by sorrow even in dreams, and all goes well for them every day.
बुझे सहस्र विक्रमी शुक्ल, भाल भल किंतु।
जग जननी का ये चरित, रचित भक्ति रस बिंतु॥Bujhe sahasra Vikrami shukla, bhaal bhal kintu. Jag janani ka ye charit, rachit bhakti ras bintu.
Composed in a bright fortnight of the Vikram era, this story of the Mother of the world is written as a drop of the nectar of devotion.