Durga Chalisa in Bengali

I bow to you again and again, Durga, giver of happiness. I bow to you again and again, Amba, who takes away sorrow.

Some printings repeat 'Durge' in the second line ('namo namo Durge dukh harni'). We print 'Ambe', which most sources have.

Your light has no form, and its brightness fills all three worlds.

The moon shines on your forehead and your face is grand. Your eyes are red and your brows are fierce.

The Mother's form is very lovely. Whoever sees her feels great joy.

By your power the world comes into being and dissolves again. To sustain it, you gave food and wealth.

Some books read 'shakti lai kina' (you made the world by taking up your power) in place of 'shakti lay kina'. The sense is close.

As Annapurna, the giver of food, you nourish the world. You are the first and eternal one, the beautiful young Goddess.

At the time of the great dissolution, you bring everything to an end. You are Gauri, beloved of Shiva Shankar.

Shiva and the yogis sing of your virtues. Brahma and Vishnu meditate on you every day.

You took the form of Saraswati, gave the sages clear understanding and lifted them up.

O Amba, you took the form of Narasimha and appeared by bursting out of the pillar.

Here the Chalisa sees the Goddess as the power behind Vishnu's avatars. Many people sing 'pragat' for परगट.

You protected Prahlad and saved him, and you sent Hiranyakashipu to heaven.

Some printings read 'Hiranyaksh' (हिरण्याक्ष) here. We follow the sources that read हिरणाकुश (Hiranyakashipu), the father of Prahlad whom Narasimha killed. 'Sent to heaven' means he was freed by dying at the Lord's hand.

In the world you took the form of Lakshmi and you dwell at the side of Shri Narayan.

You dwell happily in the ocean of milk. O ocean of mercy, fulfil the hopes of my heart.

You are Bhavani who dwells at Hinglaj. Your glory has no limit and cannot be put into words.

Hinglaj Mata's shrine is in Balochistan, Pakistan, and tradition counts it among the Shakti Peethas.

You are Mother Matangi and Dhumavati. You are Bhuvaneshwari and Bagala, who give happiness.

Verses 15 and 16 name forms among the ten Mahavidyas, the great wisdom-goddesses of Shakta tradition.

You are Bhairavi, and Tara who carries the world across. As Chhinnamasta you end the sorrows of worldly life.

'Bhairav' here is read as Bhairavi and 'chhinna bhal' (severed head) as Chhinnamasta, two of the Mahavidyas.

Bhavani looks splendid riding her lion, and the brave Langur walks ahead of her.

In North Indian Devi worship, the 'Langur' or 'Languriya' who walks before the Mother is usually understood as Hanuman; some families understand Bhairav.

In your hands are the skull-bowl and the sword. Seeing them, even Death runs away in fear.

Weapons and the trident adorn you, and at their sight a sharp pain rises in the enemy's heart.

You dwell at Nagarkot, and your victory drum sounds in all three worlds.

Nagarkot is the old name of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, home of the Brajeshwari Devi temple. Some books print 'Nagar koti'.

You killed the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, and destroyed Raktabija though he multiplied beyond counting.

'Shankhan' comes from shankh, a very large number. Every drop of Raktabija's blood became a new demon, so he multiplied without end.

King Mahishasura was very proud, and the earth was in distress under the weight of his sins.

You took the terrible form of Kali and destroyed him along with his whole army.

Whenever hard times fell on the good and the devout, Mother, you came to help them.

The city of the gods and Indra's heaven all stay free of sorrow through your glory.

'Basav' is Vasava, a name of Indra. 'Tab' here is the old form 'tav', meaning 'your'.

Your light burns in the flame at Jwala, and men and women worship you always.

This is usually read as the Jwalamukhi temple in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, where natural flames are worshipped as the Goddess.

Those who sing your glory with love and devotion, sorrow and poverty do not come near them.

Whoever meditates on you with the whole mind is freed from the cycle of birth and death.

Yogis, gods and sages declare aloud that without your power no yoga is possible.

Shankaracharya performed great austerities and conquered desire and anger.

Verses 30 to 34 tell a devotional legend about Shankaracharya. It is told to show that even a great sage needs the Mother's shakti; it is not a historical account.

Day and night he meditated on Shiva, but never once did he remember you.

He did not understand the secret of your form as Shakti. When his strength left him, he was filled with regret.

Then he took refuge in you and sang your glory: victory, victory, victory to Jagadamba Bhavani!

The primal Mother of the world was pleased and gave back his strength without delay.

Mother, great troubles surround me. Who but you can take away my pain?

Hope and craving torment me deeply. Destroy delusion, pride and all such faults in me.

Some books have a different second line here: 'ripu moorakh mohi ati darpave' (foolish enemies frighten me greatly).

O great Queen, destroy my enemies. With a single mind I remember you, Bhavani.

Tradition reads 'enemies' both as outside foes and as the inner ones named in the verse before.

O kind Mother, be gracious to me. Give me prosperity and success and fill my life with joy.

As long as I live, may I receive the fruit of your kindness, and I will always tell of your glory.

Whoever sings this Shri Durga Chalisa enjoys every happiness and reaches the highest state.

This is the phalashruti, the traditional statement of what the recitation brings. Other books read 'Durga chalisa jo nit gavai' or 'jo jan gavai'.

Knowing Devidas as one who has come to your shelter, show him your grace, O Jagadamba Bhavani.

Here the poet places his name, Devidas, as poets did in a closing verse. Little is reliably known about him.