Tulsi Chalisa
श्री तुलसी चालीसा
जय जय तुलसी भगवती, सत्यवती सुखदानी।
नमो नमो हरि प्रेयसी, श्री वृन्दा गुन खानी॥Jai jai Tulsi Bhagavati, Satyavati sukhdani. Namo namo Hari preyasi, Shri Vrinda gun khani.
Victory to goddess Tulsi, the truthful one who gives happiness. Salutations again and again to Hari’s beloved, Shri Vrinda, a mine of virtues.
श्री हरि शीश बिराजिनी, देहु अमर वर अम्ब।
जनहित हे वृन्दावनी, अब न करहु विलम्ब॥Shri Hari sheesh birajini, dehu amar var amb. Janhit he Vrindavani, ab na karahu vilamb.
Mother, who rests on Shri Hari’s head, grant us an undying blessing. O Vrindavani, for the good of your devotees, delay no longer.
धन्य धन्य श्री तुलसी माता।
महिमा अगम सदा श्रुति गाता॥Dhanya dhanya Shri Tulsi mata. Mahima agam sada shruti gata.
Blessed, blessed are you, Mother Tulsi. The Vedas forever sing your unfathomable glory.
हरि के प्राणहु से तुम प्यारी।
हरिहीं हेतु कीन्हो तप भारी॥Hari ke pranahu se tum pyari. Harihin hetu keenho tap bhari.
You are dearer to Hari than his own life. For Hari’s sake you performed great austerities.
जब प्रसन्न ह्वै दर्शन दीन्ह्यो।
तब कर जोरि विनय उस कीन्ह्यो॥Jab prasann hvai darshan deenhyo. Tab kar jori vinay us keenhyo.
When he was pleased and appeared before you, you joined your palms and made this request.
हे भगवन्त कन्त मम होहू।
दीन जानि जनि छाड़हु छोहू॥He Bhagavant kant mam hohu. Deen jani jani chhadahu chhohu.
“O Lord, become my husband. Knowing me to be humble, do not withdraw your affection.”
सुनि लक्ष्मी तुलसी की बानी।
दीन्हो श्राप कध पर आनी॥Suni Lakshmi Tulsi ki bani. Deenho shrap kadh par aani.
Hearing Tulsi’s words, Lakshmi laid a curse on her.
उस अयोग्य वर मांगन हारी।
होहु विटप तुम जड़ तनु धारी॥Us ayogya var mangan hari. Hohu vitap tum jad tanu dhari.
“You who asked for an unworthy boon, become a tree and take on a lifeless body.”
सुनि तुलसी हीं श्राप्यो तेहिं ठामा।
करहु वास तुहु नीचन धामा॥Suni Tulsi hin shrapyo tehin thama. Karahu vas tuhu neechan dhama.
Hearing this, Tulsi cursed her there and then: “May you too dwell in the homes of the lowly.”
दियो वचन हरि तब तत्काला।
सुनहु सुमुखि जनि होहु बिहाला॥Diyo vachan Hari tab tatkala. Sunahu sumukhi jani hohu bihala.
Then Hari at once gave his word: “Listen, fair one, do not be distressed.”
समय पाइ व्हौ रौ पति तोरा।
पुजिहौ आस वचन सत मोरा॥Samay pai vhau rau pati tora. Pujihau aas vachan sat mora.
“In time I will become your husband and your hope will be fulfilled; my word is true.”
तब गोकुल महँ गोप सुदामा।
तासु भई तुलसी तू बामा॥Tab Gokul mahan gop Sudama. Tasu bhai Tulsi tu bama.
Then in Gokul there was a cowherd named Sudama, and you, Tulsi, became his beloved.
कृष्ण रास लीला के माहीं।
राधे शक्यो प्रेम लखि नाहीं॥Krishna raas leela ke mahin. Radhe shakyo prem lakhi nahin.
During Krishna’s Raas dance, Radha could not bear to see your love.
दियो श्राप तुलसिहि तत्काला।
नर लोकहि तुम जन्महु बाला॥Diyo shrap Tulsihi tatkala. Nar lokahi tum janmahu bala.
She cursed Tulsi at once: “Young woman, be born in the world of humans.”
भयो गोप वह दानव राजा।
शंखचूड़ नामक शिर ताजा॥Bhayo gop vah danav raja. Shankhachood namak shir taja.
That cowherd became a crowned demon king named Shankhachuda.
तुलसी भई तासु की नारी।
परम सती गुण रूप अगारी॥Tulsi bhai tasu ki nari. Param sati gun roop agari.
Tulsi became his wife, utterly devoted and a treasury of virtue and beauty.
अस द्वै कल्प बीत जब गयऊ।
कल्प तृतीय जन्म तब भयऊ॥As dvai kalp beet jab gayau. Kalp tritiya janm tab bhayau.
When two ages had passed in this way, she was born again in the third age.
वृन्दा नाम भयो तुलसी को।
असुर जलन्धर नाम पति को॥Vrinda nam bhayo Tulsi ko. Asur Jalandhar nam pati ko.
Tulsi was named Vrinda, and her husband was the demon Jalandhara.
करि अति द्वन्द अतुल बलधामा।
लीन्हा शंकर से संग्रामा॥Kari ati dvand atul baldhama. Leenha Shankar se sangrama.
Mighty beyond measure and full of strife, he went to war against Shiva.
जब निज सैन्य सहित शिव हारे।
मरहि न तब हर हरिहि पुकारे॥Jab nij sainya sahit Shiv hare. Marahi na tab Har Harihi pukare.
When Shiva and his army were beaten back and the demon would not die, Shiva called on Hari.
पतिव्रता वृन्दा थी नारी।
कोउ न सके पतिहि संहारी॥Pativrata Vrinda thi nari. Kou na sake patihi sanhari.
Vrinda was a wife utterly faithful to her husband, so no one could kill him.
तब जलन्धर ही भेष बनाई।
वृन्दा ढिग हरि पहुँच्यो जाई॥Tab Jalandhar hi bhesh banai. Vrinda dhig Hari pahunchyo jai.
Then Hari took on Jalandhara’s appearance and went to Vrinda.
शिव हित लहि करि कपट प्रसंगा।
कियो सतीत्व धर्म तोहि भंगा॥Shiv hit lahi kari kapat prasanga. Kiyo satitva dharm tohi bhanga.
For Shiva’s sake he used this deceit and broke your vow of chastity.
भयो जलन्धर कर संहारा।
सुनि उर शोक उपारा॥Bhayo Jalandhar kar sanhara. Suni ur shok upara.
Jalandhara was slain, and hearing of it, grief welled up in her heart.
तिहि क्षण दियो कपट हरि टारी।
लखि वृन्दा दुःख गिरा उचारी॥Tihi kshan diyo kapat Hari tari. Lakhi Vrinda dukh gira uchari.
At that moment Hari dropped his disguise. Seeing him, Vrinda spoke in sorrow.
जलन्धर जस हत्यो अभीता।
सोइ रावण तस हरिहि सीता॥Jalandhar jas hatyo abheeta. Soi Ravan tas harihi Sita.
“Just as you fearlessly brought about Jalandhara’s death, so will Ravana carry off your Sita.”
अस प्रस्तर सम हृदय तुम्हारा।
धर्म खण्डि मम पतिहि संहारा॥As prastar sam hriday tumhara. Dharm khandi mam patihi sanhara.
“Your heart is like stone: you broke my virtue and had my husband killed.”
यहि कारण लहि श्राप हमारा।
होवे तनु पाषाण तुम्हारा॥Yahi karan lahi shrap hamara. Hove tanu pashan tumhara.
“For this, receive my curse: may your body turn to stone.”
सुनि हरि तुरतहि वचन उचारे।
दियो श्राप बिना विचारे॥Suni Hari turatahi vachan uchare. Diyo shrap bina vichare.
Hearing this, Hari spoke at once: “You have cursed me without thinking.”
लख्यो न निज करतूती पति को।
छलन चह्यो जब पारवती को॥Lakhyo na nij kartooti pati ko. Chhalan chahyo jab Parvati ko.
“You did not see your own husband’s deeds, when he set out to deceive Parvati.”
जड़मति तुहु अस हो जड़रूपा।
जग महँ तुलसी विटप अनूपा॥Jadmati tuhu as ho jadroopa. Jag mahan Tulsi vitap anoopa.
“Dull-minded one, you too will take a rooted form, as the matchless Tulsi plant in the world.”
धरब रूप हम शालिग्रामा।
नदी गण्डकी बीच ललामा॥Dharab roop ham Shaligrama. Nadi Gandaki beech lalama.
“I will take the form of the Shaligram stone, beautiful in the waters of the Gandaki river.”
जो तुलसी दल हमहिं चढ़इहैं।
सब सुख भोगि परम पद पइहैं॥Jo Tulsi dal hamahin chadhaihain. Sab sukh bhogi param pad paihain.
“Whoever offers me Tulsi leaves will enjoy every happiness and reach the highest abode.”
बिनु तुलसी हरि जलत शरीरा।
अतिशय उठत शीश उर पीरा॥Binu Tulsi Hari jalat sharira. Atishay uthat sheesh ur peera.
Without Tulsi, Hari’s body burns, and great pain rises in his head and heart.
जो तुलसी दल हरि शिर धारत।
सो सहस्र घट अमृत डारत॥Jo Tulsi dal Hari shir dharat. So sahasra ghat amrit darat.
Whoever places a Tulsi leaf on Hari’s head earns the merit of pouring a thousand pots of nectar.
तुलसी हरि मन रञ्जनि हारी।
रोग दोष दुःख भञ्जनि हारी॥Tulsi Hari man ranjani hari. Rog dosh dukh bhanjani hari.
Tulsi delights Hari’s heart and destroys disease, fault and sorrow.
प्रेम सहित हरि भजन निरन्तर।
तुलसी राधा में नाहीं अन्तर॥Prem sahit Hari bhajan nirantar. Tulsi Radha mein nahin antar.
She worships Hari with unceasing love; there is no difference between Tulsi and Radha.
व्यञ्जन हों छप्पनहु प्रकारा।
बिनु तुलसी दल न हरिहि प्यारा॥Vyanjan hon chhappanahu prakara. Binu Tulsi dal na Harihi pyara.
Even if there are fifty-six kinds of dishes, without a Tulsi leaf none is dear to Hari.
सकल तीर्थ तुलसी तरु छाहीं।
लहत मुक्ति जन संशय नाहीं॥Sakal teerth Tulsi taru chhahin. Lahat mukti jan sanshay nahin.
All holy places dwell in the shade of the Tulsi plant; there people find liberation, without doubt.
कवि सुन्दर इक हरि गुण गावत।
तुलसिहि निकट सहसगुण पावत॥Kavi Sundar ik Hari gun gavat. Tulsihi nikat sahasgun pavat.
The poet Sundar says: singing Hari’s praises once near Tulsi brings a thousandfold reward.
बसत निकट दुर्बासा धामा।
जो प्रयास ते पूर्व ललामा॥Basat nikat Durbasa dhama. Jo prayas te poorv lalama.
The poet lives near the beautiful abode of the sage Durvasa.
पाठ करहिं जो नित नर नारी।
होहिं सुखी भाषहिं त्रिपुरारी॥Path karahin jo nit nar nari. Hohin sukhi bhashahin Tripurari.
Shiva, slayer of Tripura, declares: men and women who recite this daily will be happy.
तुलसी चालीसा पढ़हिं, तुलसी तरु गृह धारी।
दीपदान करि पुत्र फल, पावहिं बन्ध्यहु नारी॥Tulsi chalisa padhahin, Tulsi taru grih dhari. Deepdan kari putra phal, pavahin bandhyahu nari.
Those who read the Tulsi Chalisa, keep a Tulsi plant at home and offer it a lamp are blessed: even a childless woman is granted a son.
सकल दुःख दरिद्र हरि, हार ह्वै परम प्रसन्न।
आशिय धन जन लहहिं, गृह बसहिं पूर्णा अन्न॥Sakal dukh daridra hari, har hvai param prasann. Ashiy dhan jan lahahin, grih basahin poorna ann.
Hari, greatly pleased, removes all sorrow and poverty. Devotees receive blessings, wealth and family, and their homes stay full of grain.
लहि अभिमत फल जगत महँ, लहि पूर्ण सब काम।
जेइ दल अर्पहिं तुलसी तहँ, सहस बसहिं हरि राम॥Lahi abhimat phal jagat mahan, lahi poorn sab kam. Jei dal arpahin Tulsi tahan, sahas basahin Hari Ram.
They gain the fruits they desire in this world and all their wishes are fulfilled. Wherever Tulsi leaves are offered, Hari dwells a thousand times over.
तुलसी महिमा नाम लख, तुलसी सुत सुखराम।
मानस चालीस रच्यो, जग महँ तुलसीदास॥Tulsi mahima nam lakh, Tulsi sut Sukhram. Manas chalis rachyo, jag mahan Tulsidas.
Seeing the glory of Tulsi’s name, Sukhram, a child of Mother Tulsi and her servant in this world, composed these forty verses from the heart.