Kamakhya Chalisa

Glory and glory to you, great Queen Kamakhya. As Bhavani you grant every joy and every spiritual attainment.

Your dwelling is in the land of Kamarupa in Assam. Once a devotee's mind rests there, it no longer drifts or strays.

You make your home on the high hill of Nilachal. May you always fulfil the hopes your devotees carry in their hearts.

Worldly abundance and spiritual power come at once to the devotee who meditates on you with an undivided mind.

Whoever longs to see the Goddess should look deep within and seek her in the centre of their own heart through meditation.

With love, one should invite learned priests and, after careful thought, settle on an auspicious time for the worship.

Having taken leave and blessing from one's own Guru, one should resolve firmly and set out on the pilgrimage with the proper rites.

One should first worship Gauri and Ganesha, and also perform the Nandimukh rites for the ancestors.

On the journey one should keep Venus to the left or behind, and ensure that Jupiter and Venus stand in favourable positions.

When all the planets are favourable and one's Guru, father, mother and family are all supportive, the time for the journey is right.

One should invite nine Brahmins, feed them with care, and receive their blessings.

When every omen turns auspicious, only then should the pilgrimage begin, and it will bring happiness and success.

A devotee who wishes to achieve some particular spiritual aim should go to the Goddess and receive a sacred mantra.

One should respectfully call upon the Guru and fix a suitable day for receiving the mantra initiation.

At the auspicious moment one should take initiation and, with a glad heart, offer the customary fee to the Guru.

One should utter the sacred 'Om Namah' and perform Matrika Nyasa, placing the seed-letters upon the head.

One should carry out the six-limbed Nyasa and hold Mother Kamaksha firmly within the heart.

One should silently recall the Devi's mantra in the mind and form the Sanmukhi Mudra to steady the focus.

Pleased by this devotion, Goddess Bhavani readily grants the boon the worshipper holds in mind.

Once the devotee has been initiated, they should give generous gifts to the officiating priests.

One should feed the Brahmin kinfolk and also serve a meal to Brahmin women and young girls.

One should call the poor, the orphaned and the destitute, and give without any trace of miserliness.

Following this path with understanding, a devotee fulfils their purpose and should keep repeating the Guru's mantra, even at rest.

One becomes a true servant at the feet of the Goddess, and no religious duty is weightier or higher than this.

Every kind of prosperity and spiritual power comes to the one who fixes their meditation steadily on the Goddess.

You alone are Durga and you alone are Kali. O Mother, the red sindoor in your hair-parting shines with beauty.

You are the speech of Saraswati, learning itself, and the fair Gauri. O Mother, a crown adorns your head.

You overcome hunger, the hardest obstacles, sleep and thirst. O Mother, your form is dark in hue.

You are the wish-granting cow Kamadhenu, the fortunate and the beautiful one. O Mother, rings adorn your fingers.

You are Kalaratri, the womb of the Vedas, and the goddess of wisdom. A garland rests at your throat.

You are Trisha and Sati, the one, the valiant and the imperishable. Those who let go of attachment to the body see that it is fleeting.

You are Swara, Maha, Shri and Chandi. Those who fail to know you, O Mother, remain hollow pretenders.

You are Mahamari, Bharati and Arya, and you are the consort of Lord Shiva.

You are Padma, Kamala, Lakshmi and the auspicious Shiva. O Mother, your radiant form glows like a bright lamp.

You are Uma, Jayi, Brahmi and speech itself. You completely fulfil the longings of your devotees.

When you reveal your Rajaswala form, marked by the Ambubachi season, all the gods withdraw to the mountains in observance.

Taking the gentle form of Gauri, you remain there until your divine light shines forth once more.

For this reason the site is called a Siddha Peetha, a seat of fulfilment, where whatever a devotee desires is granted.

The devotee who sings this Chalisa enjoys every happiness and in the end reaches the feet of the Goddess.

May Lord Shiva and Goddess Bhavani be pleased. O Mother, pour your grace upon this humble servant who prays to you.