This first section of the Hanuman Chalisa contains the two opening dohas and the first eight chaupais. In the first doha, Tulsidas invokes his Guru and sets out to sing Rama's glory. In the second, he humbly acknowledges his own weakness and prays to Hanuman for strength, intellect, and freedom from sorrow. Chaupais 1–8 then draw a full portrait of Hanuman — his radiance, his names and parentages, his weapons and adornments, his knowledge, his virtue, and above all his unshakeable devotion to Shri Rama.
📖 Composed by Tulsidas (16th century)
Doha 1
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज, निज मनु मुकुरु सुधारि ।
बरनउँ रघुबर बिमल जसु, जो दायकु फल चारि ॥
Shriguru charan saroj raj, nij manu mukuru sudhaari.
Barnaun Raghubar bimal jasu, jo daayaku phal chaari.
श्रीगुरु
of the revered Guru
चरन सरोज
lotus feet
रज
dust
निज मनु
my own mind, like a
मुकुरु
mirror
सुधारि
having cleansed
बरनउँ
I describe / sing
रघुबर
of Shri Rama (best of the Raghu clan)
बिमल जसु
pure, unstained glory
दायकु
the giver
फल चारि
the four fruits (dharma, artha, kama, moksha)
Tulsidas opens by invoking his Guru. He uses the dust of the Guru's lotus feet to cleanse the mirror of his own mind — only then, he says, can he faithfully sing the pure glory of Shri Rama. That glory, he adds, is the giver of all four fruits of human life: dharma (righteous living), artha (material well-being), kama (fulfillment of desires), and moksha (liberation).
Doha 2
बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके, सुमिरौं पवन-कुमार ।
बल बुधि बिद्या देहु मोहिं, हरहु कलेस बिकार ॥
Buddhiheen tanu jaanike, sumiraun Pawan-Kumar.
Bal budhi bidyaa dehu mohin, harahu kales bikaar.
बुद्धिहीन
weak in intellect
तनु
body
जानिके
knowing, recognising
सुमिरौं
I remember, I call to mind
पवन-कुमार
son of the Wind — Hanuman
बल
strength
बुधि
intellect
बिद्या
knowledge
देहु मोहिं
please give to me
हरहु
please remove
कलेस बिकार
sorrows and impurities
Recognising his own weakness of body and mind, Tulsidas turns to Pawan-Kumar — Hanuman, the son of the Wind. He prays simply and directly: give me strength, give me intellect, give me knowledge. And take away my sorrows and inner impurities. It is a very human prayer — an admission of need before an appeal for grace.
Chaupai 1
जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर ।
जय कपीस तिहुँ लोक उजागर ॥
Jai Hanumaan gyaan gun saagar.
Jai Kapees tihun lok ujaagar.
जय
glory, victory
ज्ञान गुन सागर
ocean of knowledge and virtues
कपीस
lord of the vanaras (monkey-warriors)
तिहुँ लोक
in all three worlds
उजागर
renowned, radiant
The Chalisa begins with two salutations. Hanuman is called an ocean — not just a reservoir — of knowledge and virtue. Then comes his title: Kapeesh, lord of the vanaras. His fame, the verse says, lights up all three worlds. These opening lines set the scale: this is not a local deity but a presence that fills all of existence.
Chaupai 2
राम दूत अतुलित बल धामा ।
अंजनि-पुत्र पवनसुत नामा ॥
Raam doot athulit bal dhaama.
Anjani-putra Pawanasut naama.
राम दूत
messenger of Shri Rama
अतुलित
without equal, incomparable
बल धामा
the very abode of strength
अंजनि-पुत्र
son of mother Anjana
पवनसुत
son of Pawan, the Wind
नामा
known by the name
Two parentages are named here, and both matter. Hanuman is Anjani-putra — born of mother Anjana — which speaks to his human form and his belonging in the world. And he is Pawanasut — son of the Wind — which speaks to his speed, his reach, and his boundless energy. As Rama's messenger, he carries not just words but divine purpose.
Chaupai 3
महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी ।
कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी ॥
Mahaabeer bikram Bajrangi.
Kumati nivaar sumati ke sangi.
महाबीर
the great hero
बिक्रम
of mighty valour
बजरंगी
body hard as the thunderbolt (vajra)
कुमति निवार
remover of crooked thinking
सुमति के संगी
companion of good, clear thinking
Bajrangi is one of Hanuman's most beloved names — his body is as hard as the vajra, the thunderbolt weapon of Indra. But the verse does not stop at physical strength. Hanuman is also the remover of crooked thinking and the companion of good thinking. He is a hero of the mind as much as of the body.
Chaupai 4
कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा ।
कानन कुंडल कुंचित केसा ॥
Kanchan baran biraaj subesa.
Kaanan kundal kunchit kesa.
कंचन बरन
complexion of gold
बिराज
radiant, resplendent
सुबेसा
beautifully adorned
कानन कुंडल
earrings in the ears
कुंचित केसा
curly hair
Tulsidas paints a visual portrait. The complexion is golden — kanchan, the word for pure gold. Hanuman is fully adorned: beautiful dress, earrings, and curly hair. This description follows a classical tradition of stotra poetry where the deity is seen fully before being praised. The devotee's eye moves lovingly from feature to feature.
Chaupai 5
हाथ बज्र औ ध्वजा बिराजै ।
काँधे मूँज जनेऊ साजै ॥
Haath bajra au dhwajaa biraaje.
Kaandhe moonj janeoo saaje.
हाथ
in the hand
बज्र
mace (also read as vajra-club)
ध्वजा
flag, banner
बिराजै
are resplendent
काँधे
on the shoulder
मूँज जनेऊ
sacred thread made of munja grass
साजै
adorns gracefully
The portrait continues. In hand: the mace and the banner — symbols of strength and victory. On the shoulder: the sacred thread of munja grass. The janeu (sacred thread) marks Hanuman's identity as a brahmachari, a celibate devotee of the highest order. Warrior and ascetic at once — that is one of Hanuman's defining qualities.
Chaupai 6
शंकर सुवन केसरीनंदन ।
तेज प्रताप महा जग बंदन ॥
Shankar suvan Kesaree Nandan.
Tej prataap mahaa jag bandan.
शंकर सुवन
born of Shankara's (Shiva's) essence
केसरीनंदन
son of Kesari
तेज
radiance, brilliance
प्रताप
glory, might
महा
great
जग बंदन
worthy of the whole world's reverence
Here a third parentage appears. Hanuman is called Shankar Suvan — born of Shiva's own essence. The tradition holds that Shiva took the form of a vanara and his spiritual energy brought Hanuman into being. So Hanuman holds within him both the devotion of a servant and the power of Shiva. His radiance and glory, the verse says, make the entire world bow before him.
Chaupai 7
बिद्यावान गुनी अति चातुर ।
राम काज करिबे को आतुर ॥
Bidyaavaan gunee ati chaatur.
Raam kaaj karibe ko aatur.
बिद्यावान
deeply learned
गुनी
full of virtues
अति चातुर
exceedingly clever and capable
राम काज
the work of Shri Rama
करिबे को
in order to do
आतुर
ever eager, ever ready
Knowledge, virtue, and sharp intelligence — Hanuman has all three. But these qualities do not exist for their own sake. He is aatur — eager, restless — to perform the work of Shri Rama. This is the model of bhakti (devoted service) the Chalisa holds up: great capability placed entirely at the feet of one's lord.
Chaupai 8
प्रभु चरित्र सुनिबे को रसिया ।
राम लखन सीता मन बसिया ॥
Prabhu charitra sunibe ko rasiyaa.
Raam Lakhan Seetaa man basiyaa.
प्रभु चरित्र
the stories and deeds of the Lord (Rama)
सुनिबे को
in the hearing of
रसिया
one who finds deep joy and delight
राम लखन सीता
Shri Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita
मन बसिया
dwell always in the heart
Hanuman finds pure delight in hearing Rama's stories. The word rasiya is beautiful — it means someone who savours the rasa, the essence and joy, of something. And in Hanuman's heart, three figures are permanently seated: Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita. The devotee carries his lord with him always.
References
Hanuman Chalisa · 1 / 5