The text
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- Opening dohas
- Doha 1
जय काली जगदम्ब जय, हरनि ओघ अघ पुंज।वास करहु निज दास के, निशदिन हृदय निकुंज॥
jaya kālī jagadamba jaya, harani ogha agha puñja।vāsa karahu nija dāsa ke, niśadina hṛdaya nikuñja॥
Victory to Kali, Mother of the world, victory — remover of the flood of sin. Dwell in this servant's heart, in its inner grove, day and night.
- Doha 2
जयति कपाली कालिका, कंकाली सुख दानि।कृपा करहु वरदायिनी, निज सेवक अनुमानि॥
jayati kapālī kālikā, kaṅkālī sukha dāni।kṛpā karahu varadāyinī, nija sevaka anumāni॥
Victory to Kapali, to Kalika, to Kankali, giver of happiness. Show grace, O granter of boons, and think kindly of this servant.
- The 54 chaupais
- Chaupai 1
जय जय जय काली कंकाली।जय कपालिनी, जयति कराली॥
jaya jaya jaya kālī kaṅkālī।jaya kapālinī, jayati karālī॥
Victory, victory, victory to Kali, Kankali; victory to Kapalini, victory to Karali, the terrible one.
- Chaupai 2
शंकर प्रिया, अपर्णा, अम्बा।जय कपर्दिनी, जय जगदम्बा॥
śaṅkara priyā, aparṇā, ambā।jaya kapardinī, jaya jagadambā॥
Beloved of Shankar (Shiva), Aparna, Amba — victory to Kapardini, victory to Jagadamba, Mother of the world.
- Chaupai 3
आर्या, हला, अम्बिका, माया।कात्यायनी उमा जगजाया॥
āryā, halā, ambikā, māyā।kātyāyanī umā jagajāyā॥
Arya, Hala, Ambika, Maya — Katyayani, Uma, born for the sake of the world.
- Chaupai 4
गिरिजा गौरी दुर्गा चण्डी।दाक्षाणायिनी शाम्भवी प्रचंडी॥
girijā gaurī durgā caṇḍī।dākṣāṇāyinī śāmbhavī pracaṇḍī॥
Girija, Gauri, Durga, Chandi — daughter of Daksha, Shambhavi, the fierce one.
- Chaupai 5
पार्वती मंगला भवानी।विश्वकारिणी सती मृडानी॥
pārvatī maṅgalā bhavānī।viśvakāriṇī satī mṛḍānī॥
Parvati, Mangala, Bhavani — maker of the universe, Sati, Mridani.
- Chaupai 6
सर्वमंगला शैल नन्दिनी।हेमवती तुम जगत वन्दिनी॥
sarvamaṅgalā śaila nandinī।hemavatī tuma jagata vandinī॥
Sarvamangala, daughter of the mountain — Hemavati, you whom the world reveres.
- Chaupai 7
ब्रह्मचारिणी कालरात्रि जय।महारात्रि जय मोहरात्रि जय॥
brahmacāriṇī kālarātri jaya।mahārātri jaya moharātri jaya॥
Victory to Brahmacharini, Kalaratri; victory to Maharatri; victory to Moharatri.
- Chaupai 8
तुम त्रिमूर्ति रोहिणी कालिका।कूष्माण्डा कार्तिका चण्डिका॥
tuma trimūrti rohiṇī kālikā।kūṣmāṇḍā kārtikā caṇḍikā॥
You are Trimurti, Rohini, Kalika — Kushmanda, Kartika, Chandika.
- Chaupai 9
तारा भुवनेश्वरी अनन्या।तुम्हीं छिन्नमस्ता शुचिधन्या॥
tārā bhuvaneśvarī ananyā।tumhī̃ chinnamastā śucidhanyā॥
Tara, Bhuvaneshvari, the incomparable one — you alone are Chinnamasta, pure and blessed.
- Chaupai 10
धूमावती षोडशी माता।बगला मातंगी विख्याता॥
dhūmāvatī ṣoḍaśī mātā।bagalā mātaṅgī vikhyātā॥
Mother Dhumavati, Shodashi — Bagala, Matangi, renowned everywhere.
- Chaupai 11
तुम भैरवी मातु तुम कमला।रक्तदन्तिका कीरति अमला॥
tuma bhairavī mātu tuma kamalā।raktadantikā kīrati amalā॥
Mother, you are Bhairavi, you are Kamala — Raktadantika, of spotless renown.
- Chaupai 12
शाकम्भरी कौशिकी भीमा।महातमा अग जग की सीमा॥
śākambharī kauśikī bhīmā।mahātamā aga jaga kī sīmā॥
Shakambhari, Kaushiki, Bhima — great in majesty, the bound of all that moves and does not move.
- Chaupai 13
चन्द्रघण्टिका तुम सावित्री।ब्रह्मवादिनी मां गायत्री॥
candraghaṇṭikā tuma sāvitrī।brahmavādinī mā̃ gāyatrī॥
You are Chandraghantika, Savitri — Mother, speaker of Brahman, Gayatri.
- Chaupai 14
रूद्राणी तुम कृष्ण पिंगला।अग्निज्वाला तुम सर्वमंगला॥
rudrāṇī tuma kṛṣṇa piṅgalā।agnijvālā tuma sarvamaṅgalā॥
You are Rudrani, dark and tawny Pingala — Agnijwala, you are Sarvamangala.
- Chaupai 15
मेघस्वना तपस्विनि योगिनी।सहस्राक्षि तुम अगजग भोगिनी॥
meghasvanā tapasvini yoginī।sahasrākṣi tuma agajaga bhoginī॥
Meghasvana, the ascetic, the yogini — thousand-eyed, you enjoy all that moves and does not move.
- Chaupai 16
जलोदरी सरस्वती डाकिनी।त्रिदशेश्वरी अजेय लाकिनी॥
jalodarī sarasvatī ḍākinī।tridaśeśvarī ajeya lākinī॥
Jalodari, Sarasvati, Dakini — lady of the thirty gods, unconquerable Lakini.
- Chaupai 17
पुष्टि तुष्टि धृति स्मृति शिव दूती।कामाक्षी लज्जा आहूती॥
puṣṭi tuṣṭi dhṛti smṛti śiva dūtī।kāmākṣī lajjā āhūtī॥
Pushti, Tushti, Dhriti, Smriti, Shivaduti — Kamakshi, Lajja, Ahuti.
- Chaupai 18
महोदरी कामाक्षि हारिणी।विनायकी श्रुति महा शाकिनी॥
mahodarī kāmākṣi hāriṇī।vināyakī śruti mahā śākinī॥
Mahodari, remover of desire — Vinayaki, of the Vedas, the great Shakini.
- Chaupai 19
अजा कर्ममोही ब्रह्माणी।धात्री वाराही शर्वाणी॥
ajā karmamohī brahmāṇī।dhātrī vārāhī śarvāṇī॥
Aja, who bewilders action, Brahmani — Dhatri, Varahi, Sharvani.
- Chaupai 20
स्कन्द मातु तुम सिंह वाहिनी।मातु सुभद्रा रहहु दाहिनी॥
skanda mātu tuma sinha vāhinī।mātu subhadrā rahahu dāhinī॥
Mother of Skanda, you who ride the lion — Mother Subhadra, remain gracious toward us.
- Chaupai 21
नाम रूप गुण अमित तुम्हारे।शेष शारदा बरणत हारे॥
nāma rūpa guṇa amita tumhāre।śeṣa śāradā baraṇata hāre॥
Your names, forms, and virtues are boundless; even Shesha and Sharada tire of describing them.
- Chaupai 22
तनु छवि श्यामवर्ण तव माता।नाम कालिका जग विख्याता॥
tanu chavi śyāmavarṇa tava mātā।nāma kālikā jaga vikhyātā॥
Your body's hue is dark, O Mother; your name, Kalika, is known throughout the world.
- Chaupai 23
अष्टादश तब भुजा मनोहर।तिनमहँ अस्त्र विराजत सुन्दर॥
aṣṭādaśa taba bhujā manohara।tinamahã̆ astra virājata sundara॥
Eighteen are your lovely arms; in them an array of weapons shines beautifully.
- Chaupai 24
शंख चक्र अरू गदा सुहावन।परिघ भुशण्डी घण्टा पावन॥
śaṅkha cakra arū gadā suhāvana।parigha bhuśaṇḍī ghaṇṭā pāvana॥
Conch, discus, and lovely mace; club, blunderbuss, and sacred bell.
- Chaupai 25
शूल बज्र धनुबाण उठाए।निशिचर कुल सब मारि गिराए॥
śūla bajra dhanubāṇa uṭhāe।niśicara kula saba māri girāe॥
Trident, thunderbolt, bow and arrow raised — you struck down the whole clan of night-wandering demons.
- Chaupai 26
शुंभ निशुंभ दैत्य संहारे।रक्तबीज के प्राण निकारे॥
śumbha niśumbha daitya sanhāre।raktabīja ke prāṇa nikāre॥
You destroyed the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, and drew the life out of Raktabija.
- Chaupai 27
चौंसठ योगिनी नाचत संगा।मद्यपान कीन्हैउ रण गंगा॥
cauṃsaṭha yoginī nācata saṅgā।madyapāna kīnhaiu raṇa gaṅgā॥
The sixty-four yoginis dance in your company; you drank wine while the battlefield ran like the Ganga.
- Chaupai 28
कटि किंकिणी मधुर नूपुर धुनि।दैत्यवंश कांपत जेहि सुनि-सुनि॥
kaṭi kiṅkiṇī madhura nūpura dhuni।daityavaṃśa kāmpata jehi suni-suni॥
The bells at your waist and the sweet sound of your anklets — hearing them again and again, the race of demons trembled.
- Chaupai 29
कर खप्पर त्रिशूल भयकारी।अहै सदा सन्तन सुखकारी॥
kara khappara triśūla bhayakārī।ahai sadā santana sukhakārī॥
The skull-bowl and trident in your hand strike fear, yet you are ever the bringer of joy to the saintly.
- Chaupai 30
शव आरूढ़ नृत्य तुम साजा।बजत मृदंग भेरी के बाजा॥
śava ārūḍha nṛtya tuma sājā।bajata mṛdaṅga bherī ke bājā॥
Mounted upon a corpse, you perform your dance, while the mridanga drum and the war-drum sound.
- Chaupai 31
रक्त पान अरिदल को कीन्हा।प्राण तजेउ जो तुम्हिं न चीन्हा॥
rakta pāna aridala ko kīnhā।prāṇa tajeu jo tumhĩ na cīnhā॥
You drank the blood of the army of foes; whoever failed to recognize you gave up their life.
- Chaupai 32
लपलपाति जिव्हा तव माता।भक्तन सुख दुष्टन दुःख दाता॥
lapalapāti jivhā tava mātā।bhaktana sukha duṣṭana duḥkha dātā॥
Your tongue flickers and lolls, O Mother; you give joy to your devotees and suffering to the wicked.
- Chaupai 33
लसत भाल सेंदुर को टीको।बिखरे केश रूप अति नीको॥
lasata bhāla sendura ko ṭīko।bikhare keśa rūpa ati nīko॥
A mark of vermilion shines upon your brow; your hair falls loose, your form exceedingly lovely.
- Chaupai 34
मुंडमाल गल अतिशय सोहत।भुजामल किंकण मनमोहन॥
muṇḍamāla gala atiśaya sohata।bhujāmala kiṅkaṇa manamohana॥
A garland of skulls graces your neck most beautifully; the ornaments on your arms enchant the mind.
- Chaupai 35
प्रलय नृत्य तुम करहु भवानी।जगदम्बा कहि वेद बखानी॥
pralaya nṛtya tuma karahu bhavānī।jagadambā kahi veda bakhānī॥
You perform the dance of dissolution, O Bhavani; the Vedas describe you as Jagadamba, Mother of the world.
- Chaupai 36
तुम मशान वासिनी कराला।भजत तुरत काटहु भवजाला॥
tuma maśāna vāsinī karālā।bhajata turata kāṭahu bhavajālā॥
You dwell in the cremation ground, terrible one; for those who worship you, you swiftly cut through the snare of worldly existence.
- Chaupai 37
बावन शक्ति पीठ तव सुन्दर।जहाँ बिराजत विविध रूप धर॥
bāvana śakti pīṭha tava sundara।jahā̃ birājata vividha rūpa dhara॥
Yours are the fifty-two beautiful Shakti Peethas, where you dwell, taking on many different forms.
- Chaupai 38
विन्धवासिनी कहूँ बड़ाई।कहँ कालिका रूप सुहाई॥
vindhavāsinī kahū̃ baḍāī।kahã̃ kālikā rūpa suhāī॥
Here your glory is Vindhyavasini; there your lovely form is Kalika.
- Chaupai 39
शाकम्भरी बनी कहँ ज्वाला।महिषासुर मर्दिनी कराला॥
śākambharī banī kahã̃ jvālā।mahiṣāsura mardinī karālā॥
Here you become Shakambhari, there Jwala — the terrible slayer of the buffalo-demon Mahishasura.
- Chaupai 40
कामाख्या तव नाम मनोहर।पुजवहिं मनोकामना द्रुततर॥
kāmākhyā tava nāma manohara।pujavahĩ manokāmanā drutatara॥
Kamakhya is your enchanting name; those who worship you have their heart's desires fulfilled swiftly.
- Chaupai 41
चंड मुंड वध छिन महं करेउ।देवन के उर आनन्द भरेउ॥
caṇḍa muṇḍa vadha china mahaṃ kareu।devana ke ura ānanda bhareu॥
In an instant you slew Chanda and Munda, filling the hearts of the gods with joy.
- Chaupai 42
सर्व व्यापिनी तुम माँ तारा।अरिदल दलन लेहु अवतारा॥
sarva vyāpinī tuma mā̃ tārā।aridala dalana lehu avatārā॥
All-pervading Mother Tara, you take incarnation to crush the armies of your foes.
- Chaupai 43
खलबल मचत सुनत हुँकारी।अगजग व्यापक देह तुम्हारी॥
khalabala macata sunata hũkārī।agajaga vyāpaka deha tumhārī॥
Tumult breaks out at the sound of your roar; your body pervades all that moves and does not move.
- Chaupai 44
तुम विराट रूपा गुणखानी।विश्व स्वरूपा तुम महारानी॥
tuma virāṭa rūpā guṇakhānī।viśva svarūpā tuma mahārānī॥
You are of vast form, a mine of virtues; you are the universe itself, the great queen.
- Chaupai 45
उत्पत्ति स्थिति लय तुम्हरे कारण।करहु दास के दोष निवारण॥
utpatti sthiti laya tumhare kāraṇa।karahu dāsa ke doṣa nivāraṇa॥
Creation, sustenance, and dissolution occur through you; remove the faults of this servant.
- Chaupai 46
माँ उर वास करहू तुम अंबा।सदा दीन जन की अवलंबा॥
mā̃ ura vāsa karahū tuma ambā।sadā dīna jana kī avalambā॥
Mother Amba, dwell in this heart; you are ever the support of the humble.
- Chaupai 47
तुम्हारो ध्यान धरै जो कोई।ता कहँ भीति कतहुँ नहिं होई॥
tumhāro dhyāna dharai jo koī।tā kahã̃ bhīti katahũ nahĩ hoī॥
Whoever holds you in meditation — fear never touches them anywhere.
- Chaupai 48
विश्वरूप तुम आदि भवानी।महिमा वेद पुराण बखानी॥
viśvarūpa tuma ādi bhavānī।mahimā veda purāṇa bakhānī॥
You are the universal form, the primeval Bhavani; the Vedas and Puranas describe your glory.
- Chaupai 49
अति अपार तव नाम प्रभावा।जपत न रहन रंच दुःख दावा॥
ati apāra tava nāma prabhāvā।japata na rahana rañca duḥkha dāvā॥
The power of your name is boundless; for one who chants it, not the slightest claim of sorrow remains.
- Chaupai 50
महाकालिका जय कल्याणी।जयति सदा सेवक सुखदानी॥
mahākālikā jaya kalyāṇī।jayati sadā sevaka sukhadānī॥
Victory to Mahakalika, the auspicious one; victory to her who ever gives joy to her servants.
- Chaupai 51
तुम अनन्त औदार्य विभूषण।कीजिए कृपा क्षमिये सब दूषण॥
tuma ananta audārya vibhūṣaṇa।kījie kṛpā kṣamiye saba dūṣaṇa॥
You are adorned with boundless generosity; show grace, and forgive all faults.
- Chaupai 52
दास जानि निज दया दिखावहु।सुत अनुमानित सहित अपनावहु॥
dāsa jāni nija dayā dikhāvahu।suta anumānita sahita apanāvahu॥
Knowing me as your servant, show your mercy; consider me your own child and accept me.
- Chaupai 53
जननी तुम सेवक प्रति पाली।करहु कृपा सब विधि माँ काली॥
jananī tuma sevaka prati pālī।karahu kṛpā saba vidhi mā̃ kālī॥
Mother, you nurture and protect your servants; show your grace in every way, Mother Kali.
- Chaupai 54
पाठ करै चालीसा जोई।तापर कृपा तुम्हारी होई॥
pāṭha karai cālīsā joī।tāpara kṛpā tumhārī hoī॥
Whoever recites this Chalisa — upon them your grace shall rest.
- Closing doha
- Doha (closing)
जय तारा, जय दक्षिणा, कलावती सुखमूल।शरणागत 'भक्त' है, रहहु सदा अनुकूल॥
jaya tārā, jaya dakṣiṇā, kalāvatī sukhamūla।śaraṇāgata 'bhakta' hai, rahahu sadā anukūla॥
Victory to Tara, victory to Dakshina, Kalavati, root of all happiness; this devotee has taken refuge — remain ever gracious.
Overview
The Kali Chalisa is a Hindi devotional composition praising Kali under a great many of her names, framed by two opening dohas and one closing doha around a body of fifty-four chaupai couplets. Like other chalisas, its name reflects the genre’s conventional association with the number forty, though this particular composition runs considerably longer. Much of the text is a sustained naming of the Goddess’s forms — Durga, Chandi, Parvati, Bhairavi, and Kamala appear alongside several of the ten Mahavidyas that Shakta tantra recognizes, including Tara, Chinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagala, and Matangi — echoing the view, described on Kali’s own page, that Shakta devotion reads many of the Goddess’s names as forms of a single Devi. Other verses turn to her fierce iconography — the skull garland, the dance upon a corpse, the lolling tongue — and to her role in the Devi Mahatmyam’s account of the demons Shumbha, Nishumbha, Chanda, Munda, and Raktabija.
Origin and source
This page’s text follows the version most widely circulated online, cross-checked across several independently operated devotional sites. The wording is stable across sources but for a small number of word-level variants — for instance, the chaupai section’s opening line reads “काली कंकाली” on some sites and “काली कपाली” on others, and this page follows the more internally consistent “कंकाली” reading, since the doha immediately before it already addresses the Goddess as both “कपाली” and “कंकाली” together. No source consulted for this page names an author, and the Chalisa’s authorship is not otherwise documented. The closing doha’s line “शरणागत ‘भक्त’ है” (“this devotee has taken refuge”), set off in quotation marks in the way some other chalisas mark a composer’s name at the same point in the text, may carry a similar signature — but “bhakta” is simply the Hindi word for “devotee,” so this page does not treat it as an identified name. The text’s own description of Kali with eighteen arms (“अष्टादश तब भुजा”) is this composition’s own imagery, offered alongside — rather than in place of — the four-armed depiction more commonly described on Kali’s deity page.
How it is recited
The Kali Chalisa is recited by devotees particularly around Kali Puja, Bengal’s major annual festival for the Goddess, and during Navratri. Tuesday is also kept by many devotees as a day for reciting it, alongside other Shakta devotional texts. As with other chalisas, it is commonly recited before a lit lamp or an image of the Goddess, seeking her protection and grace.
Frequently asked questions
How many verses does Kali Chalisa have?
Who is Kali Chalisa dedicated to?
When is Kali Chalisa typically recited?
What language is Kali Chalisa composed in?
What tradition is Kali Chalisa associated with?
Is an English translation of Kali Chalisa available?
Is there a Roman transliteration of Kali Chalisa?
Sourcing
Checked against independent sources before publishing — see our sourcing and editorial policy. Spotted an error? Report an issue .
