Hanuman Chalisa of Tulsi Dasa

[madanmohandas]

I had previously done an hundred lines based on the text, but now I am attempting to render Tulsi's couplets into English couplets, so that Chalisa remains Chalisa, ie. forty. Here is the first half, including the invocation which is supernumerary to the forty.

Sri Hanuman Chalisa
Goswami Tulsi Dasa

(Doha)
May dust from teacher's lotus-feet refined,
Wipe tarnished stains from my mirror-like mind;
Then pure fame of Raghu's hero I sing,
Which four-fold fruits of fair fulfilment bring.

(The ancients would clean mirrors with dust)

I am by meagre intellect confined,
Oh Wind god's son, I recall you to mind;
Grant strength and wisdom and learning, I pray,
And drive vicissitudes of grief away.

(Chaupai)

Hail Hanuman! virtue and wisdom's sea;
Renowned in the three worlds, lordly monkey! 1

Rama's envoy of undiminished fame,
Anjani's child, son of the Wind by name. 2

Mighty hero, puissant, of thunderous arms,
Dispelling vice with good company's charms. 3

Attired well, with gold complexion fair,
Bright earrings and abundant curly hair. 4

Holding a flag and thunder weapon dread,
Athwart your breast a Moonja sacred thread. 5

Son of Shankara, Keshari's delight,
The world admires your potent glory bright. 6

Sagacious, clever, and extremely wise,
And ways to assist Rama you devise. 7

When hearing your great master glorified,
In your heart Ram, Lakhan, Sita, abide. 8

For Siya in a minute form you sought,
Then huge, with flames Lanks'a destruction wrought. 9

In form fearsome the demons you destroyed,
In Ramachandra's service thus employed. 10

You brought elixir, Lakhan's life to save,
And were embraced by Raghu's hero brave. 11

And Raghu's Lord admired your bravery,
And said, 'Like Bharat, you are dear to me.' 12

'Your fame is sung e'en by the Thousand-faced'
Then by Fortuna's Lord you were embraced. 13

Sanaka, Brahma, and the sages sing,
Narada, Sharada, and the snake king, 14

Yama, Kuvera and the deities,
Are wonderstruck; what bard could sing your praise! 15

Sugriva with your assistance and aid,
Met Rama, and by him was the king made; 16

And Vibhisan, by your advice implored,
As all the world knows, became Lanka's lord. 17

To leap a thousand leagues you did assay,
Thinking the Sun sweet fruit to take away. 18

Then with the Master's ring in your mouth kept,
'Tis no wonder across the sea you leapt. 19

Acts in the world that are hard to maintain,
Become easy if they your favour gain. 20

[madanmohandas]

Some more.

You are at Rama's gate the faithful guard,
And without your consent entry is barred. 21

All joy is theirs who in you refuge take,
With you as guardian their fears forsake. 22

In puissant might you are your own compere,
Your roaring makes the world tremble in fear. 23

Ogres and fiends and ghosts cannot remain
When heard, O mighty hero, is your name. 24

All distemper and ailments are assuaged,
For those in chanting Hanumat engaged. 25

All sorrows Hanuman eradicates,
For who with acts, speech, and mind meditates. 26

For Rama of anchorites eminent,
You helped him in his deeds accomplishment. 27

By your grace whatever the mind desires,
All that and more your votary acquires. 28

In all four ages your power prevails,
And all the world in your glory regales. 29

You guard the holy pious devotees,
Rama's dear one, you slay the fiends with ease. 30

By mother Janaki's grace you bestow
Eight perfections and nine bright gems that glow. 31

[madanmohandas]

Concluding the text.

You relish Rama's ambrosial fame,
As Raghupati's servant you remain. 32

Who worships you will gain Lord Rama's grace,
Which doth grief of repeated birth efface; 33

Then dying goes to Raghupati's town,
There takes his birth as Hari's lover known. 34

Whoso adores no other deity,
Attains through Hanuman felicity. 35

Dispelled are all pains and sore affliction,
Recalling Hanuman, the mighty one. 36

All hail, all hail, to Hanuman adored!
Show favour like a preceptor and lord. 37

Whoever doth an hundred times recite,
Is freed from bondage, filled with vast delight. 38

Who reads Hanuman Chalisa with bliss,
Perfection gains; Gaurisha is witness. 39

Says Tulsidas, the servant of Hari,
'When in my heart will the Lord favour me?' 40

(Doha)
Son of the Wind, remover of distress,
The very form of pure auspiciousness,
With Rama, Lakhan, and Sita beside,
King of devotees, in my heart abide.