Tulsidas · 16th Century · Awadhi Hindi
Hanuman Chalisa Meaning Word by Word
The Hanuman Chalisa is one of the most recited prayers in the world — chanted by hundreds of millions every Tuesday and Saturday. Very few know what a single word means. Here is the complete word-by-word breakdown of every doha and the first five chaupais.
Goswami Tulsidas
Author
Awadhi Hindi
Language
40 Chaupais + 3 Dohas
Verses
श्री गुरु चरन सरोज रज, निज मनु मुकुरु सुधारि। बरनउँ रघुबर बिमल जसु, जो दायकु फल चारि।।
śrī guru carana saroja raja, nija manu mukuru sudhāri baranauṃ raghubar bimala jasu, jo dāyaku phala cāri
Cleansing the mirror of my mind with the dust of the lotus feet of the revered Guru, I sing the pure glory of Sri Ramachandra — the best of Raghus — who is the giver of the four fruits of life.
बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके, सुमिरौं पवन-कुमार। बल बुद्धि विद्या देहु मोहिं, हरहु कलेश बिकार।।
buddhihīna tanu jānike, sumirauṃ pavana-kumāra bala buddhi vidyā dehu mohiṃ, harahu kleśa vikāra
Knowing my body to be devoid of wisdom, I remember you, O son of the Wind. Grant me strength, wisdom, and knowledge — and remove my suffering and afflictions.
जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुण सागर। जय कपीस तिहुँ लोक उजागर।।
jaya hanumāna jñāna guṇa sāgara jaya kapīsa tihuṃ loka ujāgara
Victory to Hanuman, the ocean of knowledge and virtue! Victory to the Lord of the monkeys, who illumines the three worlds!
राम दूत अतुलित बल धामा। अंजनि-पुत्र पवनसुत नामा।।
rāma dūta atulita bala dhāmā añjani-putra pavanasuta nāmā
You are the messenger of Rama, the abode of incomparable strength. You are the son of Anjani — and by name the son of the Wind.
महावीर विक्रम बजरंगी। कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी।।
mahāvīra vikrama bajaraṃgī kumati nivāra sumati ke saṃgī
O great hero, mighty in prowess, with a body like a thunderbolt — you remove wicked thoughts and are the companion of pure intelligence.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of "Shri Guru Charan Saroj Raj" — the first line of Hanuman Chalisa?
Shri Guru Charan Saroj Raj means "the dust of the lotus feet of the revered Guru." Shri = revered/auspicious. Guru = teacher. Charan = feet. Saroj = lotus (sara = lake + ja = born). Raj = dust/particles. The full first Doha: "With the dust of the lotus feet of the Guru (applied) to my eyes, I narrate the pure glory of Sri Ramachandra, the purifier of the sinful." This opening is a traditional invocation of the Guru's grace before any sacred text is recited.
What does "Jai Hanuman Gyan Gun Sagar" mean?
Jai Hanuman Gyan Gun Sagar means "Victory to Hanuman, the ocean of wisdom and virtue." Jai = victory to, glory to. Hanuman = name (from hanu = jaw + man = destroyed/deformed — Vajra struck his jaw as a child, or from the Sanskrit hanu = to leave/go beyond). Gyan = knowledge, wisdom (jñāna). Gun = qualities, virtues (guṇa). Sagar = ocean. Hanuman is called the ocean of wisdom because he carries the wisdom of the Vedas in his heart.
Who wrote the Hanuman Chalisa and when?
The Hanuman Chalisa was written by the saint-poet Goswami Tulsidas in the 16th century (approximately 1497–1623 CE). It is written in Awadhi, a dialect of Hindi — not classical Sanskrit. "Chalisa" means "forty" in Hindi — the text has 40 chaupais (verses), preceded by 2 dohas (couplets) and followed by 1 concluding doha. Tulsidas is also the author of the Ramcharitmanas, the most widely read retelling of the Ramayana in North India.
What does "Jai Kapees Tihu Lok Ujagare" mean?
Jai Kapees Tihu Lok Ujagare means "Victory to the Lord of the monkeys, who illumines all three worlds." Kapees = lord/king of monkeys (kapi = monkey + īśa = lord). Tihu = three (ti = three in Awadhi + hu = emphasis). Lok = worlds (loka — realms of existence). Ujagare = who illumines, who makes bright (Awadhi form from ujāgar — to become bright). Hanuman is called the illuminer of the three worlds because his devotion to Rama and his own spiritual brilliance lights up all planes of existence.
What is the difference between the Hanuman Chalisa and a Sanskrit mantra?
The Hanuman Chalisa is written in Awadhi (a Hindi dialect), not Sanskrit. A mantra (like the Gayatri or Mahamrityunjaya) is Sanskrit — precise sounds composed according to Vedic metre, where the exact syllable counts and sounds carry the mantra's power. The Chalisa is a stotra or hymn — its power comes from devotion and meaning, not from syllabic precision. Both are valid and powerful but in different ways. A mantra is a vibration; a stotra is a prayer of the heart.
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