The text
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- Opening dohas
- Doha (opening) 1
जय जय तुलसी भगवती, सत्यवती सुखदानी।नमो नमो हरि प्रेयसी, श्री वृन्दा गुन खानी॥
jaya jaya tulasī bhagavatī, satyavatī sukhadānī।namo namo hari preyasī, śrī vṛndā guna khānī॥
Victory, victory to Tulsi Bhagavati, the truthful one who gives happiness. Salutations, salutations to Hari's beloved, Shri Vrinda, a treasure of virtues.
- Doha (opening) 2
श्री हरि शीश बिरजिनी, देहु अमर वर अम्ब।जनहित हे वृन्दावनी, अब न करहु विलम्ब॥
śrī hari śīśa birajinī, dehu amara vara amba।janahita he vṛndāvanī, aba na karahu vilamba॥
You who adorn Shri Hari's head, grant us the boon of immortality, O Mother. For the people's welfare, O Vrindavani, do not delay any longer.
- The 40 chaupais
- Chaupai 1
धन्य धन्य श्री तुलसी माता।महिमा अगम सदा श्रुति गाता॥
dhanya dhanya śrī tulasī mātā।mahimā agama sadā śruti gātā॥
Blessed, blessed is Shri Tulsi Mata, whose glory is unfathomable and ever sung by the Vedas.
- Chaupai 2
हरि के प्राणहु से तुम प्यारी।हरीहीँ हेतु कीन्हो तप भारी॥
hari ke prāṇahu se tuma pyārī।harīhī̃ hetu kīnho tapa bhārī॥
You are dearer to Hari than his own life; for Hari's sake you performed great austerity.
- Chaupai 3
जब प्रसन्न है दर्शन दीन्ह्यो।तब कर जोरी विनय उस कीन्ह्यो॥
jaba prasanna hai darśana dīnhyo।taba kara jorī vinaya usa kīnhyo॥
When he became pleased and granted his darshan, she then, with folded hands, made this humble plea.
- Chaupai 4
हे भगवन्त कन्त मम होहू।दीन जानी जनि छाडाहू छोहु॥
he bhagavanta kanta mama hohū।dīna jānī jani chāḍāhū chohu॥
"O Lord, become my husband; knowing me humble, do not withdraw your affection."
- Chaupai 5
सुनी लक्ष्मी तुलसी की बानी।दीन्हो श्राप कध पर आनी॥
sunī lakṣmī tulasī kī bānī।dīnho śrāpa kadha para ānī॥
Hearing Tulsi's words, Lakshmi, displeased, pronounced a curse upon her.
- Chaupai 6
उस अयोग्य वर मांगन हारी।होहू विटप तुम जड़ तनु धारी॥
usa ayogya vara māṅgana hārī।hohū viṭapa tuma jaḍa tanu dhārī॥
"You who beg for an unworthy boon — become a plant, bearing an inert, lifeless form."
- Chaupai 7
सुनी तुलसी हीँ श्रप्यो तेहिं ठामा।करहु वास तुहू नीचन धामा॥
sunī tulasī hī̃ śrapyo tehiṃ ṭhāmā।karahu vāsa tuhū nīcana dhāmā॥
Hearing this, Tulsi in turn cursed her in that moment: "May you dwell in a lowly abode."
- Chaupai 8
दियो वचन हरि तब तत्काला।सुनहु सुमुखी जनि होहू बिहाला॥
diyo vacana hari taba tatkālā।sunahu sumukhī jani hohū bihālā॥
Then Hari at once gave his word: "Listen, fair one, do not be distressed."
- Chaupai 9
समय पाई व्हौ रौ पाती तोरा।पुजिहौ आस वचन सत मोरा॥
samaya pāī vhau rau pātī torā।pujihau āsa vacana sata morā॥
"In time this will be undone; my true promise will be fulfilled."
- Chaupai 10
तब गोकुल मह गोप सुदामा।तासु भई तुलसी तू बामा॥
taba gokula maha gopa sudāmā।tāsu bhaī tulasī tū bāmā॥
Then, in Gokul, there was the gopa Sudama — you became his sister, Tulsi.
- Chaupai 11
कृष्ण रास लीला के माही।राधे शक्यो प्रेम लखी नाही॥
kṛṣṇa rāsa līlā ke māhī।rādhe śakyo prema lakhī nāhī॥
During Krishna's rasa lila, Radha could not bear to witness that love.
- Chaupai 12
दियो श्राप तुलसिह तत्काला।नर लोकही तुम जन्महु बाला॥
diyo śrāpa tulasiha tatkālā।nara lokahī tuma janmahu bālā॥
She at once gave Tulsi a curse: "You shall take birth as a child in the mortal world."
- Chaupai 13
यो गोप वह दानव राजा।शङ्ख चुड नामक शिर ताजा॥
yo gopa vaha dānava rājā।śaṅkha cuḍa nāmaka śira tājā॥
That gopa became a demon king, named Shankhachuda.
- Chaupai 14
तुलसी भई तासु की नारी।परम सती गुण रूप अगारी॥
tulasī bhaī tāsu kī nārī।parama satī guṇa rūpa agārī॥
Tulsi became his wife — supremely chaste, foremost in virtue and beauty.
- Chaupai 15
अस द्वै कल्प बीत जब गयऊ।कल्प तृतीय जन्म तब भयऊ॥
asa dvai kalpa bīta jaba gayaū।kalpa tṛtīya janma taba bhayaū॥
So when two kalpas (cosmic ages) had passed, this birth took place in the third kalpa.
- Chaupai 16
वृन्दा नाम भयो तुलसी को।असुर जलन्धर नाम पति को॥
vṛndā nāma bhayo tulasī ko।asura jalandhara nāma pati ko॥
Tulsi's name became Vrinda; her husband's name was the demon Jalandhar.
- Chaupai 17
करि अति द्वन्द अतुल बलधामा।लीन्हा शंकर से संग्राम॥
kari ati dvanda atula baladhāmā।līnhā śaṅkara se saṅgrāma॥
Waging a fierce and unmatched battle, Jalandhar took up war against Shankar (Shiva).
- Chaupai 18
जब निज सैन्य सहित शिव हारे।मरही न तब हर हरिही पुकारे॥
jaba nija sainya sahita śiva hāre।marahī na taba hara harihī pukāre॥
When Shiva, with his own army, was defeated and could not slay him, Hara then called upon Hari.
- Chaupai 19
पतिव्रता वृन्दा थी नारी।कोऊ न सके पतिहि संहारी॥
pativratā vṛndā thī nārī।koū na sake patihi saṃhārī॥
Vrinda was a devoted, chaste wife; because of her virtue, no one could kill her husband.
- Chaupai 20
तब जलन्धर ही भेष बनाई।वृन्दा ढिग हरि पहुच्यो जाई॥
taba jalandhara hī bheṣa banāī।vṛndā ḍhiga hari pahucyo jāī॥
So, taking on the very likeness of Jalandhar, Hari went and approached Vrinda.
- Chaupai 21
शिव हित लही करि कपट प्रसंगा।कियो सतीत्व धर्म तोही भंगा॥
śiva hita lahī kari kapaṭa prasaṅgā।kiyo satītva dharma tohī bhaṅgā॥
For Shiva's sake, through this deception, he broke her vow of chastity and dharma.
- Chaupai 22
भयो जलन्धर कर संहारा।सुनी उर शोक उपारा॥
bhayo jalandhara kara saṃhārā।sunī ura śoka upārā॥
Jalandhar was slain; hearing this, sorrow rose in Vrinda's heart.
- Chaupai 23
तिही क्षण दियो कपट हरि टारी।लखी वृन्दा दुःख गिरा उचारी॥
tihī kṣaṇa diyo kapaṭa hari ṭārī।lakhī vṛndā duḥkha girā ucārī॥
At that very moment the deception was revealed; seeing it, Vrinda spoke these sorrowful words.
- Chaupai 24
जलन्धर जस हत्यो अभीता।सोई रावन तस हरिही सीता॥
jalandhara jasa hatyo abhītā।soī rāvana tasa harihī sītā॥
"As you have slain Jalandhar through deceit and without fear, so may Ravana one day take Sita from you."
- Chaupai 25
अस प्रस्तर सम हृदय तुम्हारा।धर्म खण्डी मम पतिहि संहारा॥
asa prastara sama hṛdaya tumhārā।dharma khaṇḍī mama patihi saṃhārā॥
"Your heart is as hard as stone; breaking dharma, you have slain my husband."
- Chaupai 26
यही कारण लही श्राप हमारा।होवे तनु पाषाण तुम्हारा॥
yahī kāraṇa lahī śrāpa hamārā।hove tanu pāṣāṇa tumhārā॥
"For this, receive our curse: may your body become stone."
- Chaupai 27
सुनी हरि तुरतहि वचन उचारे।दियो श्राप बिना विचारे॥
sunī hari turatahi vacana ucāre।diyo śrāpa binā vicāre॥
Hearing this, Hari at once spoke: "You have given this curse without due thought."
- Chaupai 28
लख्यो न निज करतूती पति को।छलन चह्यो जब पारवती को॥
lakhyo na nija karatūtī pati ko।chalana cahyo jaba pāravatī ko॥
"You did not see your own husband's deed, when he sought to deceive Parvati."
- Chaupai 29
जड़मति तुहु अस हो जड़रूपा।जग मह तुलसी विटप अनूपा॥
jaḍamati tuhu asa ho jaḍarūpā।jaga maha tulasī viṭapa anūpā॥
"Since your mind is clouded, become inert in form: in the world, become the incomparable Tulsi plant."
- Chaupai 30
धग्व रूप हम शालिग्रामा।नदी गण्डकी बीच ललामा॥
dhagva rūpa hama śāligrāmā।nadī gaṇḍakī bīca lalāmā॥
"And I too shall take a form — the Shaligram stone, the treasure amid the river Gandaki."
- Chaupai 31
जो तुलसी दल हमही चढ़ इहैं।सब सुख भोगी परम पद पईहै॥
jo tulasī dala hamahī caḍha ihaiṃ।saba sukha bhogī parama pada paīhai॥
Whoever offers a Tulsi leaf here shall enjoy every happiness and attain the highest state.
- Chaupai 32
बिनु तुलसी हरि जलत शरीरा।अतिशय उठत शीश उर पीरा॥
binu tulasī hari jalata śarīrā।atiśaya uṭhata śīśa ura pīrā॥
Without Tulsi, Hari's body burns; great pain rises in his head and heart.
- Chaupai 33
जो तुलसी दल हरि शिर धारत।सो सहस्त्र घट अमृत डारत॥
jo tulasī dala hari śira dhārata।so sahastra ghaṭa amṛta ḍārata॥
Whoever places a Tulsi leaf on Hari's head, it is as though they poured a thousand vessels of nectar.
- Chaupai 34
तुलसी हरि मन रञ्जनी हारी।रोग दोष दुःख भंजनी हारी॥
tulasī hari mana rañjanī hārī।roga doṣa duḥkha bhañjanī hārī॥
Tulsi delights Hari's heart; she destroys disease, fault, and sorrow.
- Chaupai 35
प्रेम सहित हरि भजन निरन्तर।तुलसी राधा में नाही अन्तर॥
prema sahita hari bhajana nirantara।tulasī rādhā meṃ nāhī antara॥
In loving, ceaseless devotion to Hari, there is no difference between Tulsi and Radha.
- Chaupai 36
व्यन्जन हो छप्पनहु प्रकारा।बिनु तुलसी दल न हरीहि प्यारा॥
vyanjana ho chappanahu prakārā।binu tulasī dala na harīhi pyārā॥
Even amid fifty-six varieties of food offerings, none is dear to Hari without a Tulsi leaf.
- Chaupai 37
सकल तीर्थ तुलसी तरु छाही।लहत मुक्ति जन संशय नाही॥
sakala tīrtha tulasī taru chāhī।lahata mukti jana saṃśaya nāhī॥
All the sacred pilgrimage sites dwell in the shade of the Tulsi plant; there one attains liberation without doubt.
- Chaupai 38
कवि सुन्दर इक हरि गुण गावत।तुलसिहि निकट सहसगुण पावत॥
kavi sundara ika hari guṇa gāvata।tulasihi nikaṭa sahasaguṇa pāvata॥
A poet who sings even once of Hari's virtues near Tulsi obtains a thousandfold merit.
- Chaupai 39
बसत निकट दुर्बासा धामा।जो प्रयास ते पूर्व ललामा॥
basata nikaṭa durbāsā dhāmā।jo prayāsa te pūrva lalāmā॥
Near her abode dwells the sage Durvasa, who by earlier effort attained that excellence.
- Chaupai 40
पाठ करहि जो नित नर नारी।होही सुख भाषहि त्रिपुरारी॥
pāṭha karahi jo nita nara nārī।hohī sukha bhāṣahi tripurārī॥
Whoever, man or woman, recites this daily finds happiness — so declares Tripurari (Shiva).
- Closing dohas
- Doha (closing) 1
तुलसी चालीसा पढ़ही, तुलसी तरु ग्रह धारी।दीपदान करि पुत्र फल, पावही बन्ध्यहु नारी॥
tulasī cālīsā paḍhahī, tulasī taru graha dhārī।dīpadāna kari putra phala, pāvahī bandhyahu nārī॥
Whoever reads this Tulsi Chalisa while keeping a Tulsi plant at home, and offers a lamp, even a childless woman shall obtain the blessing of a son.
- Doha (closing) 2
सकल दुःख दरिद्र हरि, हार ह्वै परम प्रसन्न।आशिय धन जन लड़हि, ग्रह बसही पूर्णा अत्र॥
sakala duḥkha daridra hari, hāra hvai parama prasanna।āśiya dhana jana laḍahi, graha basahī pūrṇā atra॥
All sorrow and poverty are removed, and she becomes greatly pleased; desired wealth and offspring are gained, and the home is filled with abundance.
- Doha (closing) 3
लाही अभिमत फल जगत, मह लाही पूर्ण सब काम।जेई दल अर्पही तुलसी तंह, सहस बसही हरीराम॥
lāhī abhimata phala jagata, maha lāhī pūrṇa saba kāma।jeī dala arpahī tulasī taṃha, sahasa basahī harīrāma॥
One obtains the desired fruit in this world, and every undertaking is fulfilled; wherever a Tulsi leaf is offered, Hari-Ram dwells there a thousandfold.
- Doha (closing) 4
तुलसी महिमा नाम लख, तुलसी सूत सुखराम।मानस चालीस रच्यो, जग महं तुलसीदास॥
tulasī mahimā nāma lakha, tulasī sūta sukharāma।mānasa cālīsa racyo, jaga mahaṃ tulasīdāsa॥
Knowing the glory and name of Tulsi, and of Tulsi's son Sukhram — this forty-verse chalisa was composed in the world by Tulsidas.
Overview
The Tulsi Chalisa is a Hindi devotional composition of forty chaupai verses in praise of Tulsi Mata, the sacred basil plant honored in Vaishnav households. Unlike many chalisas framed by a single opening and closing doha, this one opens with two dohas and closes with four, bracketing the forty-verse body. The chaupais retell a Puranic legend explaining Tulsi’s origin: her earlier life as Vrinda, the devoted wife of the demon king Jalandhar (also named Shankhachuda), whose chastity made him unconquerable; Vishnu’s disguised approach to break that chastity so Jalandhar could be defeated; and Vrinda’s grief and curse turning Vishnu himself to stone, answered by his decree that he would take the form of the Shaligram stone while she became the Tulsi plant, forever paired in worship. It is a longer, more narrative companion to the short aarti Jai Jai Tulsi Mata, which is also on this site.
Origin and source
The closing doha signs off by naming “Tulsidas” as the composer, alongside a reference to “Tulsi’s son Sukhram” in the line just before it. As with the Ganesh Chalisa’s uncertain attribution to Tulsidas, this signature does not amount to secure evidence that the composer was Goswami Tulsidas, author of the Ramcharitmanas — no independent secondary literature confirms that identification, and the text itself leaves the exact authorship ambiguous between the two names it invokes. The Vrinda–Jalandhar narrative it recounts belongs to a wider body of Puranic literature associating Tulsi with Lakshmi and with Vishnu’s most beloved offering, and it is this story, not a documented author, that the chalisa is chiefly valued for preserving in verse.
How it is recited
The Tulsi Chalisa is read especially during Tulsi Vivah, the ceremony marking Tulsi’s ritual marriage to Vishnu in his Shaligram form, and throughout the month of Kartik, when devotees light lamps at the household tulsi plant each evening. Many Vaishnav households also include it in daily or weekly tulsi puja, often alongside the shorter aarti Jai Jai Tulsi Mata — the aarti sung nightly at the plant itself, and this longer chalisa read on more particular occasions for its fuller telling of Tulsi’s story.
Frequently asked questions
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Sourcing
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