Introductory Dohas

shrguru charana saroja raja nija mana mukuru sudhri baranau raghubara bimala jasu jo dyaku phala chri Cleansing the mirror in the form of my mind with the

pollen of the lotus-feet of the Guru, I describe the unblemished glory of Rama, which bestows the four

fruits.

Gita Press translation interprets the four fruits as the four Pururthas Dharma, Artha, Kma, and Moka.

Rambhadracharya comments that the four fruits refer to any of the following

1. The four Pururthas Dharma, Artha, Kma, Moka

2. The four types of Mukti Slokya, Smpya, Syujya, Srpya

3. Dharma, Jna, Yoga, Japa

buddhihna tanu jnikai sumirau pavanakumra bala budhi bidy dehu mohi harahu kalesa bikra

Knowing my body to be devoid of intelligence, I remember Hanuman, the son of Vyu. Give me strength,

intelligence and knowledge and remove all ailments (kalesa) and impurities (bikra).

Gita Press interprets kalesa as bodily ailments and bikra as mental maladies. Rambhadracharya comments that

kalesa (Sanskrit klea) refers to the five afflictions (Avidy, Asmit, Rga, Dvea, and Abhinivea) as

described in the Yoga Sutras, and bikra (Sanskrit vikra) refers to the six impurities of the mind (Kma, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, and Mtsarya). Rambhadracharya adds that these five afflictions and six impurities are the eleven enemies, and Hanuman is capable of removing

them as he is the incarnation of the eleven Rudras.

jaya hanumna gyna guna sgara jaya kapsa tihu loka ujgara 1

O Hanuman, the ocean of knowledge and virtues, may you be victorious. O the chief amongst Vanaras famous

across the three Lokas (Ptla, Prithvi (earth) and Svarga), may you be victorious.

Rambhadracharya comments that Hanuman is called ocean of knowledge by Tulsidas as the Valmiki Ramayana

describes him as one who knows the three Vedas (gveda, Yajurveda, and Smaveda) and Sanskrit

grammar.

rma dta atulita bala dhm

anjani putra pavanasuta nm 2 You are the trusted messenger of Rama and you are the abode of incomparable strength. You are known by the names of Anjaniputra (son of Anjana) and Pavanasuta

(son of Vyu).

Hanuman is called Anjaniputra as he was born from the womb of Anjana, who was an Apsara with the name

Pujikasthal and was born as a Vanara by the curse of Agastya. Hanuman is called Pavanasuta since Vyu

carried the divine power of Shiva into Anjana's womb, and since the Valmiki Ramayana calls Hanuman as Vyu's

own son (mrutasyaurasa putra).

mahbra bikrama bajarang kumati nivra sumati ke sang 3

You are the great hero, you are endowed with valour, your body is as strong as Indra's Vajra. You are the

destroyer of vile intellect, and you are the companion of one whose intellect is pure.

Rambhadracharya explains the word bajarang to come from Sanskrit Vajrg and gives two meanings of the word bikrama based on the root kram in Sanskrit and

usage of the verb form vikramasva in Valmiki Ramayana

1. Hanuman is endowed with special progression of sdhan (penance).

2. Hanuman is endowed with the special action of going over or across, i.e. the crossing of the ocean

kanchana barana birja subes

knana kundala kunchita kes 4 Your complexion is that of molten gold, and you are

resplendent in your handsome form. You wear Kundalas (small earrings worn in old times by Hindus) in your ears

and your hair is curly.

Noting that in the Ramcharitmanas Tulsidas calls Hanuman as Subea (one with an handsome form),

Rambhadracharya comments that this verse describes the form of Hanuman when he took the appearance of a

Brahmin, which happens three times in the Ramcharitmanas.

htha bajra au dhvaj birjai kdhe mnja jane sjai 5

You have the Vajra and the flag in your hands, and the sacred-thread (Yajnopavita) made of the Munja grass

adorns your shoulder.

Rambhadracharya gives two meanings for the first half of the verse

1. The flag signifying the victory of Rama shines forth in Hanuman's Vajra-like powerful hand

2. The Vajra-like powerful Gad and the victory flag of Rama shine forth in Hanuman's hands

He also gives the variant reading chhjai () instead of sjai () in the second half.

shankara suvana kesar nandana

teja pratpa mah jaga bandana 6 O son of Shiva (or son of Vyu carrying the power of

Shiva), the delighter of Kesari, your aura and majesty is great and is revered by the whole world.

Rao and Mehta explain the first half as Hanuman is the son of Kesari and Shiva. Rambhadracharya gives two

variant readings for the first part

1. shankara svayam which is explained as Hanuman is Shiva himself, as Vyu carried the power of Shiva himself

in Anjana's womb from which Hanuman was born. Tulsidas mentions Hanuman as an Avatar of Shiva in the

Vinayapatrika.

2. shankara suvana which is explained as Hanuman is the son of Vyu, who is one of the eight manifestations of

Shiva as per Kalidasa. An alternate explanation is that the word suvana is used in the sense of Aa as per the Puranic narrative of Vyu carrying Shivas power to

Anjana's womb.

Rambhadracharya explains kesar nandana as the Ketraja son of Kesari, which is one of the twelve kinds of

offspring recognized in the ancient Hindu law.

bidyvna gun ati chtura rma kja karibe ko tura 7

You are the praiseworthy abode of the eighteen types of Vidy (knowledge), all virtues reside in you, and you are exceedingly clever. You are ever eager to perform tasks

for Rama.

prabhu charitra sunibe ko rasiy

rma lakhana st mana basiy 8 You delight in listening to the acts of Rama (Ramayana).

Rama, Lakshmana and Sita reside in your mind. Alternately, you reside in the minds of Rama, Lakshmana

and Sita [owing to their affection towards you].

skshma rpa dhari siyahi dikhv bikata rpa dhari lanka jarv 9

You assumed an extremely minute form and saw Sita in the Ashok Vatika. You assumed a very large and scary

form and burnt the city of Lanka.

bhma rpa dhari asura sahre

rmachandra ke kja savre 10 You assumed a frightening form and destroyed the

demons in the army of Ravana. You carried out all the tasks of Rama.

Rambhadracharya comments that the word bhma is an allusion to the event in the Mahabharata when Hanuman

showed the same frightening form to Bhima.

lya sajvani lakhana jiye shr raghubra harashi ura le 11

You brought the Sanjivini, the life saving herb from Dronagiri in Himalayas, and revitalized Lakshman. Out of

elation, Rama embraced you.

raghupati knh bahut bar tuma mama priya bharatahi sama bh 12

Rama, the chief among Raghu's descendants, praised you profusely saying "You are dear to me like my brother

Bharata.

Rambhadracharya associates the term bh with bharata. In contrast, Rao and Mehta interpret the second half as Rama said that you (Hanuman) are my dear brother, like

Bharata.

sahasa badana tumharo jasa gvai

asa kahi shrpati kantha lagvai 13 Rao and Mehta's translation Rama also added that a

thousand people will praise Hanuman's glory and embraced him again.

Rambhadracharya interprets sahasa badana as the thousand-hooded serpent Shesha. His translation is The serpent Shesha, who has a thousand mouths, sings and

will sing your glory, saying thus Rama embraces Hanuman again and again.

sanakdika brahmdi muns nrada srada sahita ahs 14

jama kubera dikpla jah te kabi kobida kahi sakai kah te 15

Rao and Mehta translate the two verses as Saints like Sanka, Bramha, Munisa, Narad, Sarad, Sahit and Ahisa have blessed Hanuman; Yama (God of death), Kubera

(God of wealth), Dikpala (Gods of eight directions), Kavis (poets), Kovidas (folk singers) cannot describe

Hanuman's reputation. Rambhadracharya associates the verb gvai in verse 13 with verse 14 and first half of verse

15 also, interprets ahs as standing for both Shiva and Vishnu, and kovida as one who knows Vedas. His

translation reads The celibate Rishis like Sanaka, the Devatas like Brahma, Narada the best among Munis (sages), Saraswati with Shiva and Vishnu, the eight

Dikpalas including Yama and Kubera all these will sing your glory. To what extent can the mortal poets and

scholars of Vedas speak about your infinite glory?

tuma upakra sugrvahi knh ram milya rjapada dnh 16

You did Sugriva a great favour by making him meet Rama and bestowing on him the kingdom of Kishkindha.

tumharo mantra bibhshana mn

lankeshvara bhae saba jaga jn 17 Your Mantra was accepted by Vibishana, as a result of which he became the king of Lanka. The whole world

knows this.

juga sahasra jojana para bhn llyo thi madhura phala jn 18

The Surya, situated many thousands of Yojanas from the earth, was swallowed by you after you assumed him to

be a sweet fruit.

Though Hanuman does not end up swallowing the Surya in Valmiki's Ramayana, the narrative is referred to by

Tulsidas in the Vinayapatrika. Rambhadracharya ascribes the differences in the narration by Valmiki and Tulsidas

to the difference in the Kalpas.

prabhu mudrik meli mukha mh

jaladhi lghi gaye acharaja nh 19 O Lord, placing the ring given by Rama in your mouth,

you leaped across the ocean there is no wonder here.

durgama kja jagata ke jete sugama anugraha tumhare tete 20

All the unattainable tasks in the world become easily attainable with your grace.

rma dure tuma rakahvre hota na gy binu paisre 21

You are the doorkeeper and protector of the door to Rama's court. Without your command, nobody can enter

the abode of Rama.

Rambhadracharya explains paisre as the Tadbhava form of Sanskrit padasra.

saba sukha lahai tumhr saran

tuma rakshaka kh ko daran 22 Once in your refuge, a Sdhaka obtains all the pleasures. You are the protector, and there is nothing to be afraid

of.

pana teja samhro pai tinau loka hka te kpai 23

When you roar, after remembering your powers, the three worlds tremble with fear.

Rambhadracharya comments that this verse refers to the narrative of Jambavan reminding Hanuman of his powers

in the Kishkindha Kanda of Ramayana.

bhta pishcha nikata nahi vai

mahbra jaba nma sunvai 24 Evil spirits (bhta) and meat-eating ghosts (pishcha) do not come near those chant the Mahvira name of yours.

nsai roga harai saba pr

japata nirantara hanumata br 25 The brave Hanuman, when invoked incessantly by the means of Japa, destroys all ailments and removes all

sufferings.

sankata se hanumna chhudvai mana krama bachana dhyna jo lvai 26

Hanuman extricates those from all adversities who remember him (or contemplate upon him) in their heart,

by their actions and by their words.

saba para rma tapasv rj tina ke kja sakala tuma sj 27

Rama is the supreme God and a king with Tapas, and yet you executed all his tasks.

Rambhadracharya explains that the word saba para is from Sanskrit sarvapara, meaning supreme. A variant

reading of this verse is saba para rma rya siratj, on which Rambhadracharya's commentary says Rama is the

supreme God and king of kings.

aura manoratha jo ko lvai so amita jvana phala pvai 28

And whoever comes to you with any wish, that wish is fulfilled beyond limits (literally, "they obtain the

unlimited fruit of the wish") in this very birth.

chro juga para tpa tumhr hai parasiddha jagata ujiyyr 29

Your glory is famous in all the four Yugas, and illuminates the whole world.

Rambharacharya adds that this verse refers to the immortality of Hanuman, as four cycles of the four Yugas

are believed to have passed since the Avatar of Rama.

sdhu santa ke tuma rakhavre

asura nikandana rma dulre 30 You are the protector of Sadhus (mendicants) and Sants (saints). You are the destroyer of demons and dear as a

son to Rama.

Rambhadracharya interprets the word sdhu as Bhaktas who are performing sdhan and the word santa as

Bhaktas whose sdhan is complete.

ashta siddhi nau nidhi ke dt

asa bara dnha jnak mt 31 You are the bestower the eight Siddhis (supernatural

powers named Aim, Garim, Mahim, Laghim, Prpti, Prkmya, itva, and Vaitva) and the nine Nidhis (divine treasures named Mahpadma, Padma, akha, Makara, Kacchapa, Mukunda, Kunda, Nla and Kharva). Mother

Sita, the daughter of Janaka, has granted you this boon.

rma rasyana tumhare ps sad raho raghupati ke ds 32

You have the treasure of Rama's Bhakti (rma rasyana) with you. You are, respectfully, the servant of Raghupati

(Shri Raam).

Rambhadracharya explains the term rma rasyana in two ways

1. The treasure of love (Bhakti) towards Rama, with rasa meaning devotion and yana meaning repository

2. The abode of devotion to Rama (i.e. Ramyana), with rasa meaning devotion and yana meaning a house or

edifice

tumhare bhajana rma ko pvai janama janama ke dukha bisarvai 33

Singing of you (Hanuman), a Bhakta obtains Rama and forgets the adversities and afflictions of many births.

Rambhadracharya explains using verses from Ramcharitmanas and Kavitavali, that as per Tulsidas

Jna and Vairgya are the two means to obtain Rama, and Hanuman is both Jna and Vairgya incarnate.

Hence serving Hanuman leads to Rama.

anta kla raghubara pura j jah janma hari bhakta kah 34

As a result of devotion to you, a Bhakta goes to Sketa Loka (raghubara pura) at the time of their end (physical death). Once the Bhakta reaches Sketa, wherever they

take birth, they are known as the Bhaktas of Hari.

Rambhadracharya interprets this verse to mean that the Bhakta, even discards the blissful Moksha to take birth again in this world as a devotee of Hari, as Tulsidas says

in the fourth book of Ramcharitmanas.

aura devat chitta na dhara hanumata sei sarba sukha kara 35

Even one who does not contemplate on any other Devatas in their mind and only serves Hanuman, achieves

all favourable bliss in this world and the next.

Rambhadracharya explains that as per Bhagavad Gita, only Devatas can grant the desired results of actions, but even if one serves Hanuman and no other Devata, they

obtain all worldly and other-worldly bliss.

sankata katai mitai saba pr jo sumirai hanumata balabr 36

Whoever remembers the brave and mighty Hanuman gets free of all adversities and relief from all pains.

jaya jaya jaya hanumna gus krip karahu gurudeva k n 37

O Hanuman, the master of senses, may you be victorious, may you be victorious, may you be victorious. May you

shower your grace lovingly, as a Guru does, and reveal to me the knowledge of devotion to Rama.

Rambhadracharya interprets the three utterances of jaya to mean that Hanuman is sat-cit-nanda.

jo shata bra ptha kara ko

chhtahi bandi mah sukha ho 38 One who recites Hanuman Chalisa a hundred times (or

for hundred days) is released from bondage and obtains great bliss".

Rambhadracharya interprets shata as standing for the number 108 and bra (Sanskrit vra) to mean a day. He

explains the words to mean that one who recites the Hanuman Chalisa 108 times daily for 108 days will be released from of bondages of this world and the next,

and will obtain great bliss.

jo yaha parhai hanumna chls hoya siddha skh gaurs 39

One who reads this Hanuman Chalisa obtains Siddhi (accomplishment or liberation). Shiva himself bears

witness to this statement.

Rao and Mehta explain this as "One who reads Hanuman Chalisa attains siddhis of God Shiva and becomes his

friend."

tulasdsa sad hari cher kjai ntha hridaya mama der 40

Tulsidas is always a devotee of Hari. O Lord, make my heart your abode.

Rambhadracharya offers three explanations for this verse in accordance with three different Anvayas (connection

of words) -

1. O Hanuman, the lord of Vanaras, you are always in the service of Hari (Rama), may you reside in the heart of

Tulsidas.

2. Tulsidas says O Lord Hanuman, may you ever reside in the heart of the devotees who serve Hari (Rama).

3. Tulsidas is ever the servant of Hari (Hanuman, as Hari also means Vanara in Sanskrit), may you reside in my

heart.

Concluding Doha

pavanatanaya sankata harana mangala mrati rpa rma lakhana st sahita hridaya basahu sura bhpa

O Son of Vyu, remover of adversities, one with an auspicious form, and the chief among all Devas, may you reside in our hearts along with Ram, Lakshman and Sita.

Rambhadracharya explains that Tulsidas addresses Hanuman with four adjectives in this final verse to

indicate that Hanuman helps cleanse the mind (Manas), intellect (Buddhi), heart (Citta) and ego (Ahakra), and

by asking him to reside in the heart of the devotee, Tulsidas ends the work by implying that the refuge of

Hanuman is the supreme pursuit.