By Om Tat Sat · Hindu Seeker Library · 19 October 2026
The Hanuman Chalisa is a 40-verse Awadhi hymn by Goswami Tulsidas (16th century) in praise of Hanuman, the devoted servant of Rama. It opens with two dohas (couplets), has forty chaupais (quatrain-verses, from which "Chalisa", "the forty", gets its name) and closes with one doha. Its central message: strength comes from devotion, and the one who remembers Hanuman with mind, action and speech in one direction is freed from fear and trouble.
Who wrote the Hanuman Chalisa, and in what language?
It is traditionally attributed to Goswami Tulsidas, the poet-saint who also wrote the Ramcharitmanas. It is written in Awadhi, an eastern dialect of Hindi, not Sanskrit, which is why its words feel close to modern Hindi yet sometimes differ (teṁ for "from", bacana for "speech").
How is the Hanuman Chalisa structured?
- Opening dohas — 2 — Purifying the mind with the Guru's grace; asking for strength, wisdom and knowledge
- Chaupais 1–20 — 20 — Hanuman's glory, form and qualities, and his great deeds in the Ramayana: finding Sita, burning Lanka, bringing the sanjivani herb
- Chaupais 21–30 — 10 — Hanuman as gatekeeper of Rama's grace and protector of devotees
- Chaupais 31–40 — 10 — The fruits of devotion and of reciting the hymn
- Closing doha — 1 — A prayer that Hanuman dwell in the heart with Rama, Lakshmana and Sita
What do the most important verses mean?
Opening doha 1: polishing the mirror श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज, निज मनु मुकुरु सुधारि। बरनउँ रघुबर बिमल जसु, जो दायकु फल चारि॥ śrīguru carana saroja raja, nija manu mukuru sudhāri; baranauṁ raghubara bimala jasu, jo dāyaku phala cāri. "With the dust of my Guru's lotus feet I polish the mirror of my mind, and then I sing the spotless glory of Rama, who bestows the four fruits of life." Meaning: the hymn begins with humility, not requests. The "four fruits" are dharma, artha, kama and moksha: right living, wellbeing, fulfilment and liberation.
Chaupai 1: an ocean of wisdom जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर। जय कपीस तिहुँ लोक उजागर॥ jaya hanumāna jñāna guna sāgara, jaya kapīsa tihuṁ loka ujāgara. "Victory to Hanuman, ocean of wisdom and virtue! Victory to the Lord of the Vanaras, who lights up the three worlds!" Meaning: the first word is jaya, victory. The Chalisa opens in celebration, not fear.
Chaupai 24: fear in the dark भूत पिसाच निकट नहिं आवै। महाबीर जब नाम सुनावै॥ bhūta pisāca nikaṭa nahiṃ āvai, mahābīra jaba nāma sunāvai. "Ghosts and evil spirits do not come near when the name of the Great Hero is spoken." Meaning: whatever we fear, outer or inner, fear grows in silence and shrinks in remembrance.
Chaupai 26: thought, deed and word aligned संकट तें हनुमान छुड़ावै। मन क्रम बचन ध्यान जो लावै॥ saṅkaṭa teṁ hanumāna chuṛāvai, mana krama bacana dhyāna jo lāvai. "Hanuman frees from trouble the one who remembers him in thought, deed and word." Meaning: this is why Hanuman is called Saṅkaṭa Mocana, the Remover of Troubles. But the verse names a condition: mana (mind), krama (action) and bacana (speech) must point the same way. Much of our exhaustion comes from believing one thing, saying another and doing a third.
Chaupai 36: the line people repeat in hard times संकट कटै मिटै सब पीरा। जो सुमिरै हनुमत बलबीरा॥ saṅkaṭa kaṭai miṭai saba pīrā, jo sumirai hanumata balabīrā. "Troubles are cut away and every pain fades for the one who remembers mighty, heroic Hanuman." Meaning: the key word is sumirai, "remembers", again and again, not once. Remembrance is a muscle.
Does the Hanuman Chalisa cure illness or remove problems?
Verse 25 (nāsai roga harai saba pīrā…) speaks of disease and pain being removed, and devotees have long found real comfort and courage in it. Read it as tradition does: prayer strengthens the mind and the will, and it walks beside good medical care, never replacing it. The Chalisa's deeper promise is fearlessness, not a transaction.
When and how many times should I chant it?
- Tuesdays and Saturdays are traditionally dedicated to Hanuman.
- Once daily with attention is a complete practice. 7, 11 or 108 recitations are traditional for special vows.
- A 40-day sankalpa (one recitation daily for 40 days, matching the 40 verses) is a popular way to build the habit.
- Morning after bathing, or at dusk before a lamp, facing east or your altar. Follow your family's tradition where it differs.
How do I chant it if I don't read Devanagari script?
Use a transliteration and go slowly: one doha and five chaupais a day for a week, then the full hymn. Say the meaning of each verse silently once before chanting it. Understanding turns recitation into prayer.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to recite? About 7–10 minutes at a steady pace. Can women and children chant it? Yes. It is a devotional hymn chanted by everyone, everywhere. Is it from the Ramayana? No. It is a separate hymn by Tulsidas, though it retells episodes from the Ramayana. What should I chant after it? Traditionally the Hanuman Aarti, or Śrī Rām Jay Rām Jay Jay Rām.
Go deeper. The Power of Hanuman Chalisa gives you all 40 chaupais and the dohas in Devanagari, transliteration and English, a reflection on every verse, ten chapters on Hanuman bhakti, the Hanuman Aarti and a 40-day tracker: https://payhip.com/b/Lj6MY
Start with something free. The 11-Minute Daily Mantra Practice is a free guide to five essential mantras with a 21-day tracker: https://payhip.com/b/R23E6
Want a structured 40-day practice with any Name? The Naam Jaap 40-Day Sadhana Kit: https://payhip.com/b/vKRwy
Om Tat Sat · Hindu Seeker Library