Mahalakshmi Chalisa: lyrics in Hindi and English with meaning

Salutations to Maha Lakshmi, victory to the Mother, your name is known across the world. Those are the words of the first chaupai of the Mahalakshmi Chalisa (Namo Maha Lakshmi jai mata), a Hindi prayer to Maa Lakshmi with 40 chaupais set between an opening doha and a closing one. You get the whole of it twice, once in Devanagari and once in English letters, and then every line in plain English.

Every word here comes from one printed book. It is 51 Chalisa Sangrah Artiyon Sahit, published by Randhir Prakashan in Haridwar, and the chalisa runs from page 187 to page 190 in it. Online it gets confused with the Shri Lakshmi Chalisa all the time. That one begins Matu Lakshmi kari kripa and is a separate prayer. You will find the other chalisas we carry in the Tirth chalisa collection.

Mahalakshmi Chalisa lyrics in Hindi

Start with the opening doha, where the reader asks to be treated as her own child. The earlier version of this page printed the closing doha here in Devanagari, in place of the opening one, so a sheet copied from it starts with different words. After the doha come the 40 chaupais in the book, each a pair of half-lines.

॥ दोहा ॥
जय जय श्री महालक्ष्मी करूँ मात तव ध्यान।
सिद्ध काज मम कीजिए निज शिशु सेवक जान॥
॥ चौपाई ॥
नमो महा लक्ष्मी जय माता, तेरो नाम जगत विख्याता।
आदि शक्ति हो मात भवानी, पूजत सब नर मुनि ज्ञानी।
जगत पालिनी सब सुख करनी, निज जनहित भण्डारन भरनी।
श्वेत कमल दल पर तव आसन, मात सुशोभित है पद्मासन।
श्वेताम्बर अरु श्वेता भूषन, श्वेतहि श्वेत सुसज्जित पुष्पन।
शीश छत्र अति रूप विशाला, गल सौहे मुक्तन की माला।
सुन्दर सोहे कुंचित केशा, विमल नयन अरू अनुपम भेषा।
कमलनाल समभुज तवचारी, सुरनर मुनिजनहित सुखकारी।
अद्भुत छटा मात तवबानी, सकलविश्व कीन्हो सुखखानी।
शांतिस्वभाव मृदुलतव भवानी, सकल विश्वकी हो सुखखानी।
महालक्ष्मी धन्य हो माई, पंच तत्व में सृष्टि रचाई।
जीव चराचर तुम उपजाए, पशु पक्षी नर नारि बनाए।
क्षितितल अगणित वृक्ष जमाए, अमितरंग फल फूल सुहाए।
छवि बिलोक सुरमुनि नरनारी, करे सदा तव जय-जय कारी।
सुरपति औ नरपत सब ध्यावैं, तेरे सम्मुख शीश नवावैं।
चारहु वेदन तव यश गाया, महिमा अगम पार नहिं पाया।
जापर करहु मातु तुम दाया, सोई जग में धन्य कहाया।
पल में राजाहि रंक बनाओ, रंक राव कर बिलम न लाओ।
जिन घर करहु माततुम बासा, उनका यश हो विश्व प्रकाशा।
जो ध्यावै सो बहु सुख पावै, विमुख रहै हो दुख उठावै।
महालक्ष्मी जन सुख दाई, ध्याऊं तुमको शीश नवाई।
निजजन जानिमोहिं अपनाओ, सुखसम्पति दे दुख नसाओ।
ॐ श्री-श्री जयसुखकी खानी, रिद्धिसिद्ध देउ मात जनजानी।
ॐह्रीं-ॐह्रीं सब ब्याधिहटाओ, जनउन बिमल दृष्टिदर्शाओ।
ॐक्लीं-ॐक्लीं शत्रुन क्षयकीजै, जनहित मात अभय वरदीजै।
ॐ जयजयति जयजननी, सकल काज भक्तन के सरनी।
ॐ नमो-नमो भवनिधि तारनी, तरणि भंवर से पार उतारनी।
सुनहु मात यह विनय हमारी, पुरवहु आशन करहु अबारी।
ऋणी दुखी जो तुमको ध्यावै, सो प्राणी सुख सम्पत्ति पावै।
रोग ग्रसित जो ध्यावै कोई, ताकी निर्मल काया होई।
विष्णु प्रिया जय-जय महारानी, महिमा अमित न जाय बखानी।
पुत्रहीन जो ध्यान लगावै, पाये सुत अतिहि हुलसावै।
त्राहि त्राहि शरणागत तेरी, करहु मात अब नेक न देरी।
आवहु मात विलम्ब न कीजै, हृदय निवास भक्त बर दीजै।
जानूँ जप तप का नहिं भेवा, पार करौ भवनिध बन खेवा।
बिनवों बार-बार कर जोरी, पूरण आशा करहु अब मेरी।
जानि दास मम संकट टारौ, सकल व्याधि से मोहिं उबारौ।
जो तव सुरति रहै लव लाई, सो जग पावै सुयश बड़ाई।
छायो यश तेरा संसारा, पावत शेष शम्भु नहिं पारा।
गोविंद निशदिन शरण तिहारी, करहु पूरण अभिलाष हमारी।
॥ दोहा ॥
महालक्ष्मी चालीसा पढ़ै सुनै चित लाय।
ताहि पदारथ मिलै अब कहै वेद अस गाय।

The same chalisa in English letters

Line for line, in Roman letters. For anyone who reads Hindi slowly, or not at all.

(Doha)
Jai jai Shri Mahalakshmi, karun maat tav dhyan. Siddh kaaj mam kijiye, nij shishu sevak jaan.
(Chaupai)
Namo Maha Lakshmi jai mata, tero naam jagat vikhyata.
Aadi Shakti ho maat Bhavani, poojat sab nar muni gyani.
Jagat palini sab sukh karni, nij janhit bhandaran bharni.
Shwet kamal dal par tav aasan, maat sushobhit hai padmasan.
Shwetambar aru shweta bhushan, shwetahi shwet susajjit pushpan.
Sheesh chhatra ati roop vishala, gal sohe muktan ki mala.
Sundar sohe kunchit kesha, vimal nayan aru anupam bhesha.
Kamalnaal sam bhuj tav chaari, surnar munijan hit sukhkari.
Adbhut chhata maat tav bani, sakal vishv kinho sukhkhani.
Shanti swabhav mridul tav Bhavani, sakal vishv ki ho sukhkhani.
Mahalakshmi dhanya ho maai, panch tatva mein srishti rachaai.
Jeev charachar tum upjaaye, pashu pakshi nar nari banaaye.
Kshitital aganit vriksh jamaaye, amit rang phal phool suhaaye.
Chhavi bilok surmuni narnari, kare sada tav jai jai kaari.
Surpati au narpat sab dhyaavain, tere sammukh sheesh navaavain.
Chaarahu vedan tav yash gaaya, mahima agam paar nahin paaya.
Jaapar karahu maatu tum daaya, soi jag mein dhanya kahaaya.
Pal mein raajaahi rank banaao, rank raav kar bilam na laao.
Jin ghar karahu maat tum baasa, unka yash ho vishv prakaasha.
Jo dhyaavai so bahu sukh paavai, vimukh rahai ho dukh uthaavai.
Mahalakshmi jan sukh daai, dhyaaun tumko sheesh navaai.
Nij jan jaani mohin apnaao, sukh sampati de dukh nasaao.
Om Shri Shri jai sukh ki khaani, riddhi siddhi deu maat jan jaani.
Om Hrim Om Hrim sab byaadhi hataao, jan un bimal drishti darsaao.
Om Klim Om Klim shatrun kshay keejai, janhit maat abhay var deejai.
Om jai jayati jai janani, sakal kaaj bhaktan ke sarani.
Om namo namo bhavnidhi taarani, tarani bhanvar se paar utaarani.
Sunahu maat yah vinay hamaari, puravahu aashan karahu abaari.
Rini dukhi jo tumko dhyaavai, so praani sukh sampatti paavai.
Rog grasit jo dhyaavai koi, taaki nirmal kaaya hoi.
Vishnu priya jai jai Maharaani, mahima amit na jaay bakhaani.
Putraheen jo dhyaan lagaavai, paaye sut atihi hulasaavai.
Traahi traahi sharanaagat teri, karahu maat ab nek na deri.
Aavahu maat vilamb na keejai, hriday nivaas bhakt bar deejai.
Jaanoon jap tap ka nahin bheva, paar karau bhavnidh ban kheva.
Binavon baar baar kar jori, puran aasha karahu ab meri.
Jaani daas mam sankat taarau, sakal vyaadhi se mohin ubaarau.
Jo tav surati rahai lav laai, so jag paavai suyash badaai.
Chhaayo yash tera sansaara, paavat Shesh Shambhu nahin paara.
Govind nishdin sharan tihaari, karahu puran abhilaash hamaari.
(Doha)
Mahalakshmi chalisa padhai sunai chit laay. Taahi padaarath milai ab kahai ved as gaay.

Bilam or bimal in chaupai 18?

Chaupai 18 is where the earlier page slipped.

In the print, she makes a king a pauper in a moment, and a pauper a king bilam na laao, with no delay at all (bilam is an old form of bilamb, delay). Bhakti Bharat prints bimal (pure) in that spot, and so did this page until now, a word that does not fit the sense. The Randhir Prakashan text reads बिलम.

Then chaupai 36. Our book has ab meri, whereas Bhakti Bharat has ab mori, which is an Awadhi form.

Mahalakshmi Chalisa meaning, line by line

The last column puts each line into plain English. Where a hard word has a dictionary meaning, you will find it in brackets beside the line (bhandar, kunchit, rank etc.). Om, Shri, Hrim and Klim are left alone. Seed syllables, and we would rather not guess at them.

Line	Words	Plain meaning (Tirth’s rendering)
Opening doha	Jai jai Shri Mahalakshmi, karun maat tav dhyan. Siddh kaaj mam kijiye, nij shishu sevak jaan.	Victory, victory to Shri Mahalakshmi: Mother, I meditate on you. Know me as your own child and servant, and bring my work to success.
1	Namo Maha Lakshmi jai mata, tero naam jagat vikhyata.	Salutations to Maha Lakshmi, victory to the Mother. Your name is known across the world.
2	Aadi Shakti ho maat Bhavani, poojat sab nar muni gyani.	You are Aadi Shakti, the first power, Mother Bhavani. All people, sages and the wise worship you.
3	Jagat palini sab sukh karni, nij janhit bhandaran bharni.	You sustain the world and bring every happiness. For the good of your own people you fill the storehouses (bhandar: storehouse).
4	Shwet kamal dal par tav aasan, maat sushobhit hai padmasan.	Your seat is on the petals of a white lotus. Mother, you sit in grace on the lotus throne.
5	Shwetambar aru shweta bhushan, shwetahi shwet susajjit pushpan.	White clothes and white ornaments, adorned all in white, with flowers.
6	Sheesh chhatra ati roop vishala, gal sohe muktan ki mala.	A canopy over your head, your form vast. A garland of pearls shines at your throat.
7	Sundar sohe kunchit kesha, vimal nayan aru anupam bhesha.	Your curled hair (kunchit: curled) is beautiful, your eyes are pure and your dress is beyond compare.
8	Kamalnaal sam bhuj tav chaari, surnar munijan hit sukhkari.	Your four arms are like lotus stalks. You bring good and happiness to gods, people and sages.
9	Adbhut chhata maat tav bani, sakal vishv kinho sukhkhani.	Wondrous is your splendour (chhata), Mother, and your speech. You made the whole world a mine of happiness.
10	Shanti swabhav mridul tav Bhavani, sakal vishv ki ho sukhkhani.	Your nature is peaceful and gentle, Bhavani. You are the mine of happiness for the whole world.
11	Mahalakshmi dhanya ho maai, panch tatva mein srishti rachaai.	Blessed are you, Mother Mahalakshmi. You shaped creation out of the five elements.
12	Jeev charachar tum upjaaye, pashu pakshi nar nari banaaye.	You brought forth all beings, moving and unmoving (charachar). You made animals, birds, men and women.
13	Kshitital aganit vriksh jamaaye, amit rang phal phool suhaaye.	Over the face of the earth (kshitital) you set countless trees, lovely with fruit and flowers of endless colours.
14	Chhavi bilok surmuni narnari, kare sada tav jai jai kaari.	Seeing your beauty, gods, sages, men and women always call out your victory.
15	Surpati au narpat sab dhyaavain, tere sammukh sheesh navaavain.	The lord of the gods and the kings of men all meditate on you and bow their heads before you.
16	Chaarahu vedan tav yash gaaya, mahima agam paar nahin paaya.	All four Vedas sang your glory. Your greatness is beyond reach and they found no end to it.
17	Jaapar karahu maatu tum daaya, soi jag mein dhanya kahaaya.	Whoever receives your kindness, Mother, is called blessed in the world.
18	Pal mein raajaahi rank banaao, rank raav kar bilam na laao.	In a moment you turn a king into a pauper (rank), and you make a pauper a king (rav) without delay (bilam).
19	Jin ghar karahu maat tum baasa, unka yash ho vishv prakaasha.	In the homes where you live, Mother, the family’s good name shines across the world.
20	Jo dhyaavai so bahu sukh paavai, vimukh rahai ho dukh uthaavai.	Whoever meditates on you finds much happiness. Whoever turns away bears sorrow.
21	Mahalakshmi jan sukh daai, dhyaaun tumko sheesh navaai.	Mahalakshmi, giver of happiness to your people, I meditate on you with my head bowed.
22	Nij jan jaani mohin apnaao, sukh sampati de dukh nasaao.	Know me as your own and take me in. Give happiness and wealth, and destroy sorrow (nasao: destroy).
23	Om Shri Shri jai sukh ki khaani, riddhi siddhi deu maat jan jaani.	Om Shri Shri, victory to you, mine of happiness. Mother, knowing me as one of your own, give riddhi and siddhi.
24	Om Hrim Om Hrim sab byaadhi hataao, jan un bimal drishti darsaao.	Om Hrim, Om Hrim: take away every affliction, and turn your clear gaze on your people.
25	Om Klim Om Klim shatrun kshay keejai, janhit maat abhay var deejai.	Om Klim, Om Klim: destroy the enemies. Mother, for your people’s good, give the boon of fearlessness.
26	Om jai jayati jai janani, sakal kaaj bhaktan ke sarani.	Om, victory, victory to the Mother, who sees through every task of her devotees.
27	Om namo namo bhavnidhi taarani, tarani bhanvar se paar utaarani.	Om, salutations again and again to you who carry us across, who bring us out of the whirlpool to the far shore.
28	Sunahu maat yah vinay hamaari, puravahu aashan karahu abaari.	Hear this prayer of ours, Mother, and fulfil our hopes.
29	Rini dukhi jo tumko dhyaavai, so praani sukh sampatti paavai.	The line says that whoever is in debt or distress and meditates on you gains happiness and wealth.
30	Rog grasit jo dhyaavai koi, taaki nirmal kaaya hoi.	The line says that whoever is gripped by illness and meditates on you comes to a clean body.
31	Vishnu priya jai jai Maharaani, mahima amit na jaay bakhaani.	Beloved of Vishnu, victory to the great queen. Your boundless greatness cannot be put into words.
32	Putraheen jo dhyaan lagaavai, paaye sut atihi hulasaavai.	The line says that whoever has no son and fixes the mind on you gains a son and is overjoyed (hulasavai: is gladdened).
33	Traahi traahi sharanaagat teri, karahu maat ab nek na deri.	Save me, save me, I have come to your shelter. Mother, do not delay even a little now.
34	Aavahu maat vilamb na keejai, hriday nivaas bhakt bar deejai.	Come, Mother, do not delay. Live in my heart and give your devotee a boon.
35	Jaanoon jap tap ka nahin bheva, paar karau bhavnidh ban kheva.	I do not know the secret (bheva) of japa and austerity. Take me across, the way a boat (kheva) is rowed to the far bank.
36	Binavon baar baar kar jori, puran aasha karahu ab meri.	With joined hands I plead again and again: fulfil my hopes now.
37	Jaani daas mam sankat taarau, sakal vyaadhi se mohin ubaarau.	Know me as your servant and avert my troubles (taro: avert). Set me free (ubaro) from every affliction.
38	Jo tav surati rahai lav laai, so jag paavai suyash badaai.	Whoever keeps their mind on you (surati: remembrance, attention) wins a good name and honour in the world.
39	Chhaayo yash tera sansaara, paavat Shesh Shambhu nahin paara.	Your fame has spread over the world. Even Shesh and Shambhu cannot reach its end.
40	Govind nishdin sharan tihaari, karahu puran abhilaash hamaari.	Govind is in your shelter night and day. Fulfil our wishes.
Closing doha	Mahalakshmi chalisa padhai sunai chit laay. Taahi padaarath milai ab kahai ved as gaay.	Whoever reads or hears the Mahalakshmi Chalisa with an attentive mind obtains the thing they seek (padarath: object, thing). So the Vedas sing, says the doha.

How the chalisa moves from praise to plea

Praise comes first. Over chaupais 4 to 8 you see her on a white lotus, dressed all in white down to her ornaments, pearls at her throat, four arms like lotus stalks. Chaupai 2 names her Aadi Shakti and Bhavani. In chaupai 31 she is Vishnu priya, the beloved of Vishnu (the Vishnu Chalisa praises him from his side).

Then creation. Chaupais 11 to 13 give it all to her, the five elements, every being that moves and every being that does not, the trees across the face of the earth. From chaupai 17 to chaupai 22 the subject is her grace. Chaupai 18 falls in that run, and it is the one people quote, the king brought down to a pauper and the pauper raised to a king. Chaupais 23 to 27 sound different again. Each one starts on seed syllables (Om, Shri, Hrim, Klim), much like a mantra. Nothing in the chalisa explains them. We won’t try to either, and even Monier-Williams gives Hrim only as an exclamation.

After chaupai 33 it is plain asking. Save me. Don’t delay. I know nothing of japa and austerity, so row me across. Govind turns up in the final chaupai, in her shelter night and day, and because the book names no poet, he is best read as a name in the line and nothing more.

Is the Mahalakshmi Chalisa the same as the Lakshmi Chalisa?

No, they are two prayers. The same book prints them back to back, and if the first chaupai you hear is Namo Maha Lakshmi jai mata, it is this one.

	Shri Mahalakshmi Chalisa	Shri Lakshmi Chalisa
Opening doha begins	Jai jai Shri Mahalakshmi, karun maat tav dhyan	Matu Lakshmi kari kripa, karo hriday mein vaas
In 51 Chalisa Sangrah Artiyon Sahit	Item 33, pages 187 to 190	Item 32, pages 183 to 186

Reading the Mahalakshmi Chalisa at home

Its closing doha wants it read or heard chit laay, with the mind attentive, and nothing else. It says nothing at all about a day, an hour or a number of readings. Any rule you have heard about those is household custom.

Our advice for a first reading is one slow pass with the meaning table beside you, and only after that the full recitation straight through. Attention is what the doha asks for, and it is hard to give attention to lines you cannot follow.

So what does the text claim? According to its closing doha, anyone who reads or hears it attentively obtains padarath, the thing they seek, and the Vedas sing so. A few chaupais go further. Meditate on her, says chaupai 29, and the indebted and distressed gain happiness and wealth, while chaupai 30 speaks of the sick gaining a clean body and chaupai 32 of the sonless gaining a son.

That is praise, in the text’s own words, and we report it as praise and add nothing. An older version of this page said the chalisa strengthens Shukra (Venus). No printed source for that turned up, so the line has gone.

For Lakshmi worship through the rest of the year, there are also more Lakshmi mantras and the Kojagara (Sharad Purnima) Lakshmi vrat.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Lakshmi Chalisa and Mahalakshmi Chalisa?

Different prayers altogether. This one starts Jai jai Shri Mahalakshmi, and its first chaupai is Namo Maha Lakshmi jai mata. The Shri Lakshmi Chalisa starts Matu Lakshmi kari kripa. In one printed collection they sit side by side as items 32 and 33.

How many verses are in the Mahalakshmi Chalisa?

Two lines of opening doha, 40 chaupais, two lines of closing doha. That is the count in the printed edition. Chaupais 9 and 10 both end in sukhkhani. That repeat is in the book itself and is no copying slip.

When should the Mahalakshmi Chalisa be recited?

Whenever you can give it your full attention. The text names no day or hour, and the closing doha asks only for an attentive mind.

What are the benefits of reading the Mahalakshmi Chalisa?

Going by the text, an attentive reader or listener obtains what they seek (that is the closing doha), and chaupais 29, 30 and 32 add happiness and wealth, a clean body and a son. Those are words of praise inside the chalisa, and nobody can promise any of them to you as a result.

Who wrote the Mahalakshmi Chalisa?

The book does not say. Neither the printed edition nor the websites that carry the text credit anyone, and no source identifies the Govind of the last chaupai as the poet.

If you want a puja to Maa Lakshmi done for your family, the Devi Mahalaxmi Puja is performed in Prayagraj.

Also on the blog: the Durga Chalisa, the Mahalakshmi Vrat Katha and Lakshmi mantras with meaning.