The text
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- Opening doha
- Doha (opening)
गणपति गिरजा पुत्र को, सुमिरूँ बारम्बार।हाथ जोड़ बिनती करूँ, शारद नाम आधार॥
gaṇapati girajā putra ko, sumirū̃ bārambāra।hātha joḍa binatī karū̃, śārada nāma ādhāra॥
I remember again and again the son of Girija (Ganesha, son of Parvati); with folded hands I make my plea, taking the name of Sharada (Saraswati) as my support.
- The 40 chaupais
- Chaupai 1
जय जय गोरख नाथ अविनासी।कृपा करो गुरु देव प्रकाशी॥
jaya jaya gorakha nātha avināsī।kṛpā karo guru deva prakāśī॥
Victory, victory to Gorakhnath, the imperishable one; show your grace, O radiant guru-god.
- Chaupai 2
जय जय जय गोरख गुण ज्ञानी।इच्छा रुप योगी वरदानी॥
jaya jaya jaya gorakha guṇa jñānī।icchā rupa yogī varadānī॥
Victory, victory, victory to Gorakh, knower of virtue and wisdom — a yogi who takes the form of desire itself, granter of boons.
- Chaupai 3
अलख निरंजन तुम्हरो नामा।सदा करो भक्तन हित कामा॥
alakha niraṃjana tumharo nāmā।sadā karo bhaktana hita kāmā॥
Alakh Niranjan — the unseen, spotless one — is your name; you ever act for the good of your devotees.
- Chaupai 4
नाम तुम्हारा जो कोई गावे।जन्म जन्म के दुःख मिट जावे॥
nāma tumhārā jo koī gāve।janma janma ke duḥkha miṭa jāve॥
Whoever sings your name, their sorrows across birth after birth are erased.
- Chaupai 5
जो कोई गोरख नाम सुनावे।भूत पिसाच निकट नहीं आवे॥
jo koī gorakha nāma sunāve।bhūta pisāca nikaṭa nahī̃ āve॥
Whoever utters the name of Gorakh, ghosts and evil spirits do not come near them.
- Chaupai 6
ज्ञान तुम्हारा योग से पावे।रुप तुम्हारा लख्या न जावे॥
jñāna tumhārā yoga se pāve।rupa tumhārā lakhyā na jāve॥
Your wisdom is attained through yoga; your true form cannot be perceived.
- Chaupai 7
निराकर तुम हो निर्वाणी।महिमा तुम्हारी वेद न जानी॥
nirākara tuma ho nirvāṇī।mahimā tumhārī veda na jānī॥
You are formless, beyond liberation itself; even the Vedas do not fully know your greatness.
- Chaupai 8
घट घट के तुम अन्तर्यामी।सिद्ध चौरासी करे प्रणामी॥
ghaṭa ghaṭa ke tuma antaryāmī।siddha caurāsī kare praṇāmī॥
You are the indwelling witness in every heart; the eighty-four siddhas bow before you.
- Chaupai 9
भस्म अंग गल नाद विराजे।जटा शीश अति सुन्दर साजे॥
bhasma aṃga gala nāda virāje।jaṭā śīśa ati sundara sāje॥
Sacred ash adorns your limbs, the nada rests at your throat; your matted locks crown your head most beautifully.
- Chaupai 10
तुम बिन देव और नहीं दूजा।देव मुनि जन करते पूजा॥
tuma bina deva aura nahī̃ dūjā।deva muni jana karate pūjā॥
Besides you there is no other god; gods and sages themselves worship you.
- Chaupai 11
चिदानन्द सन्तन हितकारी।मंगल करुण अमंगल हारी॥
cidānanda santana hitakārī।maṃgala karuṇa amaṃgala hārī॥
Full of consciousness and bliss, you are the well-wisher of saints; you bring about good fortune and take away misfortune.
- Chaupai 12
पूर्ण ब्रह्म सकल घट वासी।गोरख नाथ सकल प्रकाशी॥
pūrṇa brahma sakala ghaṭa vāsī।gorakha nātha sakala prakāśī॥
The complete Brahman dwelling within every vessel — Gorakhnath, illuminating all.
- Chaupai 13
गोरख गोरख जो कोई ध्यावे।ब्रह्म रुप के दर्शन पावे॥
gorakha gorakha jo koī dhyāve।brahma rupa ke darśana pāve॥
Whoever meditates saying 'Gorakh, Gorakh' attains the vision of the form of Brahman.
- Chaupai 14
शंकर रुप धर डमरु बाजे।कानन कुण्डल सुन्दर साजे॥
śaṃkara rupa dhara ḍamaru bāje।kānana kuṇḍala sundara sāje॥
In the form of Shankar (Shiva) you hold and sound the damaru; earrings and matted locks adorn you beautifully.
- Chaupai 15
नित्यानन्द है नाम तुम्हारा।असुर मार भक्तन रखवारा॥
nityānanda hai nāma tumhārā।asura māra bhaktana rakhavārā॥
Nityananda, eternal bliss, is your name; you strike down demons and protect your devotees.
- Chaupai 16
अति विशाल है रुप तुम्हारा।सुर नर मुनि पावै न पारा॥
ati viśāla hai rupa tumhārā।sura nara muni pāvai na pārā॥
Your form is exceedingly vast; gods, men, and sages cannot find its limit.
- Chaupai 17
दीन बन्धु दीनन हितकारी।हरो पाप हम शरण तुम्हारी॥
dīna bandhu dīnana hitakārī।haro pāpa hama śaraṇa tumhārī॥
Friend of the humble, well-wisher of the lowly — take away our sins, we are in your refuge.
- Chaupai 18
योग युक्ति में हो प्रकाशा।सदा करो संतन तन वासा॥
yoga yukti meṃ ho prakāśā।sadā karo saṃtana tana vāsā॥
You shine forth in the discipline of yoga; you ever dwell within the being of saints.
- Chaupai 19
प्रातःकाल ले नाम तुम्हारा।सिद्धि बढ़ै अरु योग प्रचारा॥
prātaḥkāla le nāma tumhārā।siddhi baḍhai aru yoga pracārā॥
Taking your name at dawn, spiritual attainment grows and the practice of yoga spreads.
- Chaupai 20
हठ हठ हठ गोरक्ष हठीले।मार मार वैरी के कीले॥
haṭha haṭha haṭha gorakṣa haṭhīle।māra māra vairī ke kīle॥
Resolute, resolute, resolute — O unyielding Goraksha; strike down, strike down the enemy's snares.
- Chaupai 21
चल चल चल गोरख विकराला।दुश्मन मार करो बेहाला॥
cala cala cala gorakha vikarālā।duśmana māra karo behālā॥
Move, move, move — O fearsome Gorakh; strike down the enemy and lay them low.
- Chaupai 22
जय जय जय गोरख अविनासी।अपने जन की हरो चौरासी॥
jaya jaya jaya gorakha avināsī।apane jana kī haro caurāsī॥
Victory, victory, victory to imperishable Gorakh; take away your devotee's eighty-four (the cycle of birth and death).
- Chaupai 23
अचल अगम है गोरख योगी।सिद्धि देवो हरो रस भोगी॥
acala agama hai gorakha yogī।siddhi devo haro rasa bhogī॥
Unmoving and unreachable is the yogi Gorakh; grant attainment, and take away the burden of worldly pleasure.
- Chaupai 24
काटो मार्ग यम को तुम आई।तुम बिन मेरा कौन सहाई॥
kāṭo mārga yama ko tuma āī।tuma bina merā kauna sahāī॥
You come to cut off the path of Yama (death); besides you, who else is my helper?
- Chaupai 25
अजर-अमर है तुम्हारी देहा।सनकादिक सब जोरहिं नेहा॥
ajara-amara hai tumhārī dehā।sanakādika saba jorahiṃ nehā॥
Your body is unaging and immortal; Sanaka and the other eternal sages bind themselves to you in love.
- Chaupai 26
कोटिन रवि सम तेज तुम्हारा।है प्रसिद्ध जगत उजियारा॥
koṭina ravi sama teja tumhārā।hai prasiddha jagata ujiyārā॥
Your radiance is like millions of suns; you are renowned as the light of the world.
- Chaupai 27
योगी लखे तुम्हारी माया।पार ब्रह्मा से ध्यान लगाया॥
yogī lakhe tumhārī māyā।pāra brahmā se dhyāna lagāyā॥
Yogis perceive your maya, and through it fix their meditation upon the supreme Brahman.
- Chaupai 28
ध्यान तुम्हारा जो कोई लावे।अष्टसिद्धि नव निधि घर पावे॥
dhyāna tumhārā jo koī lāve।aṣṭasiddhi nava nidhi ghara pāve॥
Whoever fixes their meditation upon you obtains the eight siddhis and nine treasures in their home.
- Chaupai 29
शिव गोरख है नाम तुम्हारा।पापी दुष्ट अधम को तारा॥
śiva gorakha hai nāma tumhārā।pāpī duṣṭa adhama ko tārā॥
Shiva-Gorakh is your name; you deliver sinners, the wicked, and the fallen.
- Chaupai 30
अगम अगोचर निर्भय नाथा।सदा रहो सन्तन के साथा॥
agama agocara nirbhaya nāthā।sadā raho santana ke sāthā॥
Unreachable, imperceptible, fearless lord — ever remain in the company of saints.
- Chaupai 31
शंकर रूप अवतार तुम्हारा।गोपीचन्द्र भरथरी को तारा॥
śaṃkara rūpa avatāra tumhārā।gopīcandra bharatharī ko tārā॥
The form of Shankar (Shiva) is your incarnation; you delivered King Gopichand and King Bhartrihari (legendary royal renunciants of Nath tradition).
- Chaupai 32
सुन लीजो प्रभु अरज हमारी।कृपासिन्धु योगी ब्रह्मचारी॥
suna lījo prabhu araja hamārī।kṛpāsindhu yogī brahmacārī॥
Hear our plea, O Lord — ocean of mercy, celibate yogi.
- Chaupai 33
पूर्ण आस दास की कीजे।सेवक जान ज्ञान को दीजे॥
pūrṇa āsa dāsa kī kīje।sevaka jāna jñāna ko dīje॥
Fulfill fully the hope of this servant; know me as your servant and grant me wisdom.
- Chaupai 34
पतित पावन अधम अधारा।तिनके हेतु तुम लेत अवतारा॥
patita pāvana adhama adhārā।tinake hetu tuma leta avatārā॥
Purifier of the fallen, support of the lowly — for their sake you take incarnation.
- Chaupai 35
अलख निरंजन नाम तुम्हारा।अगम पन्थ जिन योग प्रचारा॥
alakha niraṃjana nāma tumhārā।agama pantha jina yoga pracārā॥
Alakh Niranjan is your name; you spread the unreachable path of yoga.
- Chaupai 36
जय जय जय गोरख भगवाना।सदा करो भक्तन कल्याना॥
jaya jaya jaya gorakha bhagavānā।sadā karo bhaktana kalyānā॥
Victory, victory, victory to Gorakh, the Lord; ever work for the welfare of your devotees.
- Chaupai 37
जय जय जय गोरख अविनासी।सेवा करै सिद्ध चौरासी॥
jaya jaya jaya gorakha avināsī।sevā karai siddha caurāsī॥
Victory, victory, victory to imperishable Gorakh; the eighty-four siddhas serve you.
- Chaupai 38
जो ये पढ़हि गोरख चालीसा।होय सिद्ध साक्षी जगदीशा॥
jo ye paḍhahi gorakha cālīsā।hoya siddha sākṣī jagadīśā॥
Whoever recites this Gorakh Chalisa attains accomplishment, with God himself as witness.
- Chaupai 39
हाथ जोड़कर ध्यान लगावे।और श्रद्धा से भेंट चढ़ावे॥
hātha joḍakara dhyāna lagāve।aura śraddhā se bheṃṭa caḍhāve॥
With folded hands one fixes their meditation, and with devotion offers a gift.
- Chaupai 40
बारह पाठ पढ़ै नित जोई।मनोकामना पूर्ण होइ॥
bāraha pāṭha paḍhai nita joī।manokāmanā pūrṇa hoi॥
Whoever reads it twelve times daily, their heart's every desire is fulfilled.
- Closing dohas
- Doha (closing) 1
सुने सुनावे प्रेम वश, पूजे अपने हाथ।मन इच्छा सब कामना, पूरे गोरखनाथ॥
sune sunāve prema vaśa, pūje apane hātha।mana icchā saba kāmanā, pūre gorakhanātha॥
Whoever hears and recites it out of love, and worships with their own hands — Gorakhnath fulfills every wish and desire of their mind.
- Doha (closing) 2
अगम अगोचर नाथ तुम, पारब्रह्म अवतार।कानन कुण्डल सिर जटा, अंग विभूति अपार॥
agama agocara nātha tuma, pārabrahma avatāra।kānana kuṇḍala sira jaṭā, aṃga vibhūti apāra॥
You, O Nath, are unreachable and imperceptible, an incarnation of the supreme Brahman — earrings in your ears, matted locks upon your head, and sacred ash covering your limbs beyond measure.
- Doha (closing) 3
सिद्ध पुरुष योगेश्वरो, दो मुझको उपदेश।हर समय सेवा करुँ, सुबह शाम आदेश॥
siddha puruṣa yogeśvaro, do mujhako upadeśa।hara samaya sevā karū̃, subaha śāma ādeśa॥
O accomplished one, lord of yogis, grant me your teaching; let me serve at your command at every hour, morning and evening.
Overview
The Gorakhnath Chalisa is a devotional composition in praise of Gorakhnath, one of the most revered gurus of the Nath sampradaya — the yogic lineage built around the practice of hatha yoga, renunciation, and the discipline of the Kanphata (“split-ear”) yogis, who take their name from the large earrings the chalisa itself describes (“kanana kundala,” chaupai 14). Tradition holds Gorakhnath to be the foremost disciple of Matsyendranath and counts him among the Navnaths, the nine legendary masters of the lineage. Framed, like other chalisas, by an opening and closing doha around a body of forty chaupai verses, the text praises Gorakhnath’s yogic power, his protection of devotees, and his identity as “Alakh Niranjan” — the unseen, spotless one — a name and concept central to Nath yogic vocabulary.
Origin and source
As with most chalisas, the Gorakhnath Chalisa does not name its author within the verses, and no secure historical attribution has been established; it is treated here as a traditional composition recited across the Nath sampradaya and by Gorakhnath’s wider devotee base.
The text itself offers a specific, if not fully consistent, picture of Gorakhnath’s divine status. Two verses identify him directly with Shiva: “Shiva-Gorakh is your name” (chaupai 29) and “the form of Shankar is your incarnation” (chaupai 31), and a further verse describes him sounding Shiva’s damaru while dressed in Shiva’s iconography (chaupai 14). Some strands of Nath tradition read these lines as casting Gorakhnath as an avatar of Shiva; other accounts within the same tradition instead emphasize his standing as the chief human disciple of Matsyendranath, without treating him as a literal incarnation. This page notes the association on the basis of the chalisa’s own wording, without asserting that either reading is the sampradaya’s single settled position.
The same verse (chaupai 31) also credits Gorakhnath with delivering “Gopichand and Bhartrihari” — two legendary kings who, in Nath hagiography, renounced their thrones to become his yogi disciples, a story widely told within the tradition to illustrate the reach of his guruhood beyond the ascetic order itself.
How it is recited
The Gorakhnath Chalisa is recited by Nath sampradaya practitioners, including Gorakhnathi (Kanphata) yogis, both in daily practice and at Gorakhnath temples and akhadas. The chalisa’s own closing chaupai specifies that reciting it twelve times fulfills the reciter’s wishes, an instruction repeated in the devotional literature surrounding the text. It is especially associated with Makar Sankranti, the major annual festival at Gorakhnath shrines — most prominently the Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, where the occasion draws large numbers of devotees.
Frequently asked questions
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Sourcing
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