Chhinnamasta Chalisa

Glory to the mother of Ganesha, the very source of all good qualities. Victory to Chhinnamastaka, the Divine Mother Bhavani.

You are Gauri, Sati, Uma and Rudrani in your many forms. Victory to you, the great goddess of wisdom who brings blessing and welfare.

You are auspiciousness itself and the giver of every good fortune. You raise the sword to your own head, yet you remain changeless and untouched.

Your dwelling is at Rajrappa, your beloved shrine. The whole world stays lit and bright because of you.

O Mother, everything that moves and everything still comes from you. Even Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma the creator worship you.

Ascetics and the greatest of sages keep their minds fixed on you in meditation. Narada and Shesha sing your praises day after day.

You carried the sage Medha across life's troubles. You brought forth the good fortune of King Surath.

O Ambika, the merchant named Samadhi, graced by deep meditative insight, became a truly wise man in a single moment by your grace.

Every grain of Rajrappa is special and set apart. There the Damodar river flows with pure, sanctifying water.

At the place where Bhairavi and Bhavani came together, the greatness is boundless and cannot be fully told.

Victory to the dearly loved daughter of the mountain king Himalaya. Jaya and Vijaya are her cherished companions.

She went down to the riverside confluence to bathe. While there, her companions were seized by sharp hunger.

Then the companions begged her for food. Hearing their pleading cry, her tender love for them rose up.

At once she cut off her own head and showed it to them. She gave them her own blood to drink to satisfy their hunger.

Ever since that day all the wise and learned declare together: victory to Chhinnamasta, the giver of boons.

You are the mother of the universe, without any beginning and without any end. The Vedas, sages and saints sing your glory without pause.

The red hibiscus flower is especially dear to you. The kaner blossom and other flowers find their blessing at the dust of your feet.

At the beloved bank of the Bhandaradah confluence, one day a certain Brahmin arrived.

He was carrying conch-shell bangles and garlands in his hands. Just then a lovely young girl appeared before him.

Her face was fair and beautiful, bathed in a moon-like glow. She was dressed in red and adorned with fine ornaments.

She said, O Brahmin, come here to me. Slip these conch-shell bangles onto my wrists.

After fitting the bangles onto the girl, the Brahmin set off, filled with unusual happiness.

Then the girl said, Listen, O Brahmin, and she opened up a tangled, hidden secret to him.

Her story was utterly wondrous and whole in itself: My father, she said, is Jageshwar, the temple priest.

He will pay you the price for the bangles. He will welcome you with great delight and honour.

The Brahmin reached the priest's house. He too, and everyone there, was amazed to hear the whole account.

The two of them went together to the Bhandaradah bank. There they received the blessed vision of Chhinnamasta herself.

Her face shone like the rising moon. She drives out the impurity and darkness from the minds of her devotees like a weapon against night.

Seated on a red lotus amid a bright, cool flame, that young girl revealed her divine, radiant form.

Mother Chhinnamastaka spoke and said, The Bhandaradah confluence is a place close to my heart.

Whoever is worn down by heavy misfortune, or is threatened by wicked people and by evil spirits,

Whoever is burdened by growing illness, by debt, by the pain caused by enemies, and whose body is worn weak by suffering,

That person should never let the mind fall into confusion. They should hurry at once to Rajrappa and come to me.

When they perform the worship with true devotion, no one else will be as happy and content as they become.

Both the Brahmins bowed low before her in reverence. Every one of their wishes was completely fulfilled.

Whoever recites the Chhinnamasta Chalisa each day and bows their head daily before the Mother,

upon that person the Mother's grace descends, and then they can accomplish whatever their heart truly desires.

I am very lowly, greedy and full of wanting. I have no real virtue, no true knowledge, and no steady, faultless devotion.

O Bhavani, hear the prayer within my heart. Remove the obstacles of this dull-minded one and grant me clear understanding.

Fulfil this single request of mine, O Mother. The moment you hear it, O Bhavani, the binding knots of worldly life are loosened.