Saraswati Chaalisa
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Glory, glory, all glory to you, O Bharati, who are Saraswati, the goddess of Speech, whoa re reverenced throughout the world. Glory to you, O Mother, who are the inexhaustible fountainhead of blessings, and on whom the gods, men, hermits and votaries wait.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
ika tumhari hi avalamba II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Glory to you, O Mother, Sambhavi, you are creative sound and sacred speech; you play on the vina, and love lotuses; you are the supreme goddess of the world and the only support of the poet.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
basi mama kamtha dehu sada vani I nija suta jani eka ajnani II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Glory, all glory to you, O Sarasvati, the mother of the world ! Tarry not today, O Mother, but come at once (to deliver me from ignorance). Make my throat your dwelling and bless me with sacred speech, considering that I, your own son, am ignorant.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
lahaum vijaya jaga maham yasa paum I tava nita matu carana sira naum II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Grant me faith and bringing my efforts to fruition bless me with the stregth of wisdom and the power of knowledge, so that I may win victory and become a universal celebrity. This I say, O Mother, with my head bowed everyday to your feet.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
saraccamdra sama tava tana sohata I sveta hamsavahana mana mohata II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
O queen consort, all the seven musical notes and all mellifluous speech, which is sweet as nectar, are but the ambrosial water with which your feet are washed (or the sacred water flowing from your feet). Your appearance is as beautiful as the fair, full autumnal moon, and the swan, your white vehicle, looks charming.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Yours shapely and beautiful eyes rival the loveliness of the lotus and your bright forehead the lustre of the moon. The vina in your hand and the wreath of malati flowers are two of your other adornments. The serpent king and the great god Mahesa sing your praises everyday, while myriads of Loves (Kama) feel abashed when they behold your beauty.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Glory to you, O goddess of creative art and its embellisher; you dwell on the tongues of the poet and the minstrel. Glory to you, O Kausiki and beloved of Gauri ! Glory, all glory to you, O beloved of the four-faced Brahma !
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
yadi taji kumati kusamgati koi I vidyarthi paRhahim yaha joi II
saphala pariksa maham hvai javai I vidya buddhi baRhai sukha pavai II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Whosoever repeats the sacred formula ?Sri sarasvatyai namah? never succumbs to any sickness even in a dream. The student who shakes off perversity and evil company and chants the mantra (regularly), succeeds in all examinations, finds himself happier, and his knowledge and intellect grow richer and sharper.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
astaprakara prasamgana mem se I jo na kari prasamga bhulahum se II
ho niroga balaka tanu soi I takahum svapnadosa nahim hoi II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Never does he yield to indiscretion and become stupid, nor does he ever break the vow of celibacy. There are eight ways of gratifying one?s sexual urge, one of which is indulgence in imaginary coitus. He who does not indulge in any of these several modes of sexual gratification even by mistake, comes to posses a body free from all infirmity such as that of involuntary nocturnal emission.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
nibhaya ju niyama pacisa pramana I so hovai hanumana samana II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Having observed the vow of celibacy for twenty years, he attains supremay in intellectual excellence (both wisdom and power). If he holds on to the rules of purity and sexual continence for twenty-five years, he verily becomes as invincible as Hanuman.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
banai asukavi ati sukha pavaim I suta bhi mahavira upajavaim II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
The student, who does not transgress the rules of celibacy, finds Sarasvai shedding her lustre on his tongue. He becomes an impromptu and ready poet enjoying great creative contentment, a poet who also fathers renowned and valiant sons.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
jo nasi viraja balapana mem I bhari vicara vyabhicarahim mana mem II
sarasvatihim kaham dharahim na dhyana I nita aslilahim gavahim gana II
vaha balaka atisaya dukha pavai I roga grasita ho janama gamvavai II
svapnadosa tehim mrtaka banavai I virya kosa tana tika na pavai II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
He acquires competence in the Vedas, Puranas, and all other poetic utterances, a feat appreciated by people around him. He who wastes the sap of life in adolescene, who fills his mind with promiscuous thoughts, remembers not the Goddess Sarasvati, and sings lewd songs, becomes extremely unhappy, a victim of wasting diseases, who squanders aways his priceless life. With his body refusing to retain the vital fluid, involuntary nocturnal emissions (popularly known as wet dreams) precipitate his death.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
calahim cheti atisaya sukha pavahim I jo na likhita upadesa bhulavahim II
karai supujana devahim deva I aru guru matu pita ki seva II
tahi na vyadhi satavahi kaya I japara sarasvati ki daya II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
If he realizes his error and puts a bridle on his mind with unflinching devotion to Sarasvati and underrstandable wariness (of his wasteful past), he becomes exceedingly happy once again. Similarly, he who does not forget the written instructions (of the scriptures or of the enlightened sages and gurus), who worships gods and goddess, and who attends on his teachers and parents never succumbs to physical infirmities; Sarasvati lavishes many a kindly favour on him.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
jo nara paRhahim sarasvaticalisa I gunahim aru navahim sisa II
visvamahim bala vidya mahim I tasom jiti sake kou nahim II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
If these instructions are given by the parents at home, every child will grow into a worthy man and contribute to their happiness. He who reads this hymn to Sarasvati and bears its instructions in mind with bowed head, becomes so great an embodiment of learning and valour in the world that none can overthrow him.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
lekhaka sakti sastra paRhi dekhyo I taba yaha vidyarthina hita likhyo II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
He becomes the most renowned poet whose writings enrapture the whole world and make him rule over all hearts; he attains not only perfection of speech but also all the nine treasures at home. The Sastras read by the author revealed to him the overpowering influence of the creative arts. Having realized this he wrote these lines for the edification of all students.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
sundaradasa navavata sisa I mam calisa diyo calisa II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Adherence to the rules (of conduct and discipline) is conducive to physical health and happiness. It is in a disciplined life that the body acquires lustiness and becomes capable of protecting all. Sundaradasa bows his head to Sarasvati, who, being the goddess of all creative writtings (including calisas), inspired him to compose this hymn (Sarasvaticalisa).
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
vani vina vadini mata I vidya varidhi buddhi vidhata II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Blessed, blessed are you, O Sweet Mother Sarasvati, who do not tarry when your votaries cry for help. You are, O Goddess of Speech, O Mother who play on the Vina, the very ocean of learning and controller of the human intellect.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
kathina se kathina karya kari darata I satya satya asa veda pukarata II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
He who sets his minds on Ganesa and then meditates on you and also bows his head to Hanuman, finds himself accomplishing the most difficult undertaking ? so testify the Vedas, saying that all this is true, true, and true.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
calisa vidhi calisahim likha, linhyo suyasa mahana II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
O Mother, you imparted to me, your own devotee, a knowledge of prosody, which enabled me to compose this hymn in its forty modes and earn great renown.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
nitya paRhata vidya baRhata, purana hota subha asa II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Sundaradasa has composed this hymn to Sarasvati, the recitation of which regularly causes learning and happiness to grow and all proper expectations to be fulfilled.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
bala buddhi vidya sumati ki, mam se bhiksa lehim II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
If teachers and parents instruct a child in it, he receives from Mother the blessing of moral strengh, wisdom, learning and intelligence.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Glory, glory, all glory to you, O Mother Sarasvati; you are renowned throughout the three spheres as teh treasure-house of all great noble virtues. Let all sing to the glory of your name
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
O infinitely radiant Goddess, you are beautiful and bright as the moon and are seated in lotus posture; you are lustrous in appearance and source of all blessings; your vehicle, the auspicious swan, looks elegent.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
In your left hand, O Mother Sarasvati, is the lute (Vina) and in the right a wreath; on your head lies a splendid coronet of gems and around your neck a string of pearls.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
O Goddess, whosoever sought refuge in you was released from the cycle of birth and death. By perverting the mind of Kaikeyi?s dull-witted handmaid, Manthara, you became instrumental in the destruction of Ravana.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
moha aura ajnana timira ka jaga se nasa karo II
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
o bestower of learning and skill, illumine the world with light of knowledge and dispel the darkness of ignorance and infatuation.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
O Mother, pray accept my gift of incense, light, both green and dry fruits, and endowing the world with the eyes of knowledge ferry it across the ocean of this phenomenal world.
Sanskrit Wording:
English Wording:
Hindi Meaning:
English Meaning:
Whosoever sings this hymn to Mother Sarasvati, becomes a recipient of knowledge and devotion, both of which are beneficial and yield great happiness.