The Yamuna Chalisa - the forty-verse hymn to Maa Yamuna, the beloved river goddess of Braj, recited for grace, devotion and purity.
जय जय यमुना महरानी, कालिन्दी सुखधाम।
श्याम प्रिया भव तारिणी, करहु कृपा निष्काम॥
जय जय यमुना जग की माता। सूर्य सुता तुम परम विख्याता॥
यम की बहन कहावत प्यारी। भक्तन की तुम हो रखवारी॥
श्याम वरण जल अति सुखदाई। ब्रज की शोभा तुमसे पाई॥
कृष्ण संग तुम रास रचाई। वृन्दावन की शोभा बढ़ाई॥
कालिय नाग जब विष फैलायो। कृष्ण नाथ तब तुम्हें बचायो॥
तुम तट कृष्ण लीला रचाई। गोपी संग बहु प्रीत बढ़ाई॥
मथुरा गोकुल तुमसे सोहे। दर्शन कर मन सबको मोहे॥
जो जन तुममें नित अन्हवावे। पाप ताप सब दूर सिधावे॥
यम द्वितीया को पूजन कीजे। भाई बहन सुख वर सो लीजे॥
यम से रक्षा तुम करवाती। भाई बहन का स्नेह बढ़ाती॥
तुम्हरी महिमा वेद बखाने। श्याम प्रिया सब जग पहचाने॥
श्रद्धा से जो ध्यान लगावे। सो नर निर्मल मन हो जावे॥
यमुना जल जो घर में राखे। पावन रहे सकल अभिलाषे॥
दुख दारिद्र सब दूर हो जावे। मन इच्छित वरदान सो पावे॥
माँ यमुना की कृपा अपारा। उतरहु भव से दीन हमारा॥
तुम बिन ब्रज की शोभा सूनी। यमुना बिना सब लीला ऊनी॥
जो जन तुमको शीश नवावे। श्याम कृपा सो जन पावे॥
रोग शोक संकट सब टारे। यमुना माँ जो शरण निहारे॥
जो यह पाठ करे चालीसा। पूरण आस करे जगदीशा॥
यमुना माँ की कृपा जो पावे। सो नर भव सागर तर जावे॥
यमुना माँ चालीसा, पढ़े सुने जो कोय।
श्याम कृपा सब पाइये, निर्मल जीवन होय॥
Jai jai Yamuna mahraani, Kaalindi sukhdhaam.
Shyaam priya bhav taarini, karahu kripa nishkaam.
Jai jai Yamuna jag ki maata. Soorya suta tum param vikhyaata.
Yam ki bahan kahaavat pyaari. Bhaktan ki tum ho rakhvaari.
Shyaam varan jal ati sukhdaai. Braj ki shobha tumse paai.
Krishna sang tum raas rachaai. Vrindaavan ki shobha badhaai.
Kaaliy naag jab vish phailaayo. Krishna naath tab tumhe bachaayo.
Tum tat Krishna leela rachaai. Gopi sang bahu preet badhaai.
Mathura Gokul tumse sohe. Darshan kar man sabko mohe.
Jo jan tumme nit anhvaave. Paap taap sab door sidhaave.
Yam dwitiya ko poojan keeje. Bhai bahan sukh var so leeje.
Yam se raksha tum karvaati. Bhai bahan ka sneh badhaati.
Tumhri mahima Ved bakhaane. Shyaam priya sab jag pehchaane.
Shraddha se jo dhyaan lagaave. So nar nirmal man ho jaave.
Yamuna jal jo ghar me raakhe. Paavan rahe sakal abhilaashe.
Dukh daaridra sab door ho jaave. Man ichchhit vardaan so paave.
Maa Yamuna ki kripa apaara. Utrahu bhav se deen hamaara.
Tum bin Braj ki shobha sooni. Yamuna bina sab leela ooni.
Jo jan tumko sheesh navaave. Shyaam kripa so jan paave.
Rog shok sankat sab taare. Yamuna maa jo sharan nihaare.
Jo yah paath kare Chalisa. Pooran aas kare jagdeesha.
Yamuna maa ki kripa jo paave. So nar bhav saagar tar jaave.
Yamuna maa Chalisa, padhe sune jo koy.
Shyaam kripa sab paaiye, nirmal jeevan hoy.
Frequently asked questions about Yamuna Chalisa
When is the Yamuna Chalisa recited?
At Yamuna Jayanti - Yamuna Chhath in Chaitra - at Bhai Dooj, when brothers and sisters bathe in her, and by Braj devotees on any Krishna festival. It is read at a bath in the river or before a picture at home.
Why is she called Shyam priya?
Beloved of Shyam. The Yamuna is the river of Braj, the water of Krishna's childhood and the raas - so in this tradition she is not merely holy but personally dear to him, which is what devotees are appealing to when they recite her Chalisa.
What is her relation to Yama?
She is his sister, and Surya's daughter, which the Chalisa states directly. That is the basis of Bhai Dooj: a bath in the Yamuna on that day is said to protect a brother, from the account of Yama visiting his sister.
Why is her water described as dark?
Shyam varan jal - the dark-hued water, matching Krishna's own colour, which the devotional tradition takes as a mark of her closeness to him rather than a description of turbidity.
What is offered to her?
Flowers, a lamp on a leaf boat, coconut, and prasad shared on the bank. As with the Ganga, nothing plastic or synthetic should go into the water - the Yamuna needs that care more than most rivers. This page is the forty-verse Chalisa; the lamp-song on the ghats is an aarti such as Om Jai Gange Mata, and compact japa formulas sit under Mantra.
About the Yamuna Chalisa
The Yamuna Chalisa - the forty-verse hymn to Maa Yamuna, the beloved river goddess of Braj, recited for grace, devotion and purity.
A chalisa is a devotional hymn of forty (chalis) verses (chaupais), framed by opening and closing dohas (couplets). The Yamuna 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.
