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Radha Chalisa

The Radha Chalisa - the forty-verse hymn to Radha Rani, the beloved of Shri Krishna, recited for love, devotion and divine bliss.

श्री राधे वृषभानु सुता, बरसाने की रानी।
कृपा करहु मोहन प्रिया, सुनहु विनय यह बानी॥

जय जय राधे श्याम दुलारी। बरसाने की राजकुमारी॥
वृषभानु की प्यारी बेटी। कीर्ति मातु गोद की लेटी॥

श्याम प्रिया तुम जग में जानी। राधा रानी परम कल्याणी॥
रास रचावत श्याम सँग प्यारी। वृन्दावन की शोभा न्यारी॥

गोरे अंग छवि अति सुखदाई। श्याम संग जोड़ी मन भाई॥
राधे राधे जो जन गावे। श्याम सुन्दर सो जन पावे॥

बरसाना धाम सुहावन सोहे। दर्शन कर मन सबको मोहे॥
राधा कुण्ड में जो नर न्हावे। श्याम कृपा सो जन पावे॥

तुम बिन श्याम अधूरे माने। राधा बिना न कृष्ण बखाने॥
युगल रूप जग में परचा दीन्हा। प्रेम भक्ति का वर तुम दीन्हा॥

जो जन तुमको शीश नवावे। प्रेम भक्ति सो जन पावे॥
दुख दारिद्र सब दूर हो जावे। मन इच्छित वरदान सो पावे॥

राधाष्टमी को व्रत जो कीजे। मन इच्छित वरदान सो लीजे॥
श्रद्धा से जो ध्यान लगावे। सो नर राधा कृपा पावे॥

राधा नाम है अति सुखकारी। जपत निरन्तर नर अरु नारी॥
राधे कृष्ण जो नित जन गावे। भव सागर से पार सो जावे॥

राधा रानी की महिमा भारी। पूजत नर नारी सब प्यारी॥
प्रेम रूप तुम जग में जानी। भक्तन की तुम हो हितकारी॥

जो यह पाठ करे चालीसा। पूरण आस करे जगदीशा॥
राधा रानी कृपा जो पावे। सो नर सकल मंगल पावे॥

राधा रानी चालीसा, पढ़े सुने जो कोय।
प्रेम भक्ति श्याम की, हृदय में पूरण होय॥

Shri Raadhe Vrishabhaanu suta, Barsaane ki raani.
Kripa karahu Mohan priya, sunahu vinay yah baani.

Jai jai Raadhe Shyaam dulaari. Barsaane ki raajkumaari.
Vrishabhaanu ki pyaari beti. Keerti maatu god ki leti.

Shyaam priya tum jag me jaani. Raadha raani param kalyaani.
Raas rachaavat Shyaam sang pyaari. Vrindaavan ki shobha nyaari.

Gore ang chhavi ati sukhdaai. Shyaam sang jodi man bhaai.
Raadhe raadhe jo jan gaave. Shyaam sundar so jan paave.

Barsaana dhaam suhaavan sohe. Darshan kar man sabko mohe.
Raadha kund me jo nar nhaave. Shyaam kripa so jan paave.

Tum bin Shyaam adhoore maane. Raadha bina na Krishna bakhaane.
Yugal roop jag me parcha deenha. Prem bhakti ka var tum deenha.

Jo jan tumko sheesh navaave. Prem bhakti so jan paave.
Dukh daaridra sab door ho jaave. Man ichchhit vardaan so paave.

Raadhaashtami ko vrat jo keeje. Man ichchhit vardaan so leeje.
Shraddha se jo dhyaan lagaave. So nar Raadha kripa paave.

Raadha naam hai ati sukhkaari. Japat nirantar nar aru naari.
Raadhe Krishna jo nit jan gaave. Bhav saagar se paar so jaave.

Raadha raani ki mahima bhaari. Poojat nar naari sab pyaari.
Prem roop tum jag me jaani. Bhaktan ki tum ho hitkaari.

Jo yah paath kare Chalisa. Pooran aas kare jagdeesha.
Raadha raani kripa jo paave. So nar sakal mangal paave.

Raadha raani Chalisa, padhe sune jo koy.
Prem bhakti Shyaam ki, hriday me pooran hoy.

Frequently asked questions about Radha Chalisa

When is the Radha Chalisa recited?

At Radha Ashtami in Bhadrapada, her birth day; on Ekadashi and at Janmashtami; and daily in Braj households and Vaishnava homes that keep a Radha-Krishna altar. Evening seva is the usual time.

Why is Radha named before Krishna?

Because in the Braj tradition she is his hladini shakti, the very power of his delight, so approaching him through her is the settled devotional path. Radhe Krishna, in that order, is how devotees greet each other in Vrindavan.

What is offered to her?

What is offered to Krishna, since the two are worshipped together - makhan-mishri, kheer, panjiri, tulsi on the bhog - with flowers and a ghee lamp. Many add a lehnga-chunri offering at Radha Ashtami.

Is the Krishna Chalisa read with it?

Often, and Radha first. The Krishna Chalisa follows, then the Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki with the lamp.

What is the Chalisa asking for?

Prem and bhakti - the capacity to love - rather than any material thing. That is the whole register of Radha upasana, and it is why her devotees speak of the mood of the prayer more than its result.

About the Radha Chalisa

The Radha Chalisa - the forty-verse hymn to Radha Rani, the beloved of Shri Krishna, recited for love, devotion and divine bliss.

A chalisa is a devotional hymn of forty (chalis) verses (chaupais), framed by opening and closing dohas (couplets). The Radha Chalisa above is given in both Hindi (Devanagari) and English (Hinglish, Roman script) so you can read it in whichever script you are most comfortable with - switch between the two using the buttons above. It is traditionally recited with devotion, often after a bath and before the deity, especially on the day associated with the deity.

A chalisa is forty verses. It is not the short lamp-song (that is an aarti) and not a longer Sanskrit stotram. Other forty-verse hymns are on the Chalisa index. For japa of a compact formula use a mantra. If you are keeping a fast, the story is under Vrat Katha.