॥ दोहा ॥
विष्णु सुनिए विनय सेवक की चितलाय।
कीरत कुछ वर्णन करूं दीजै ज्ञान बताय॥
॥ चौपाई ॥
नमो विष्णु भगवान खरारी, कष्ट नशावन अखिल बिहारी।
प्रबल जगत में शक्ति तुम्हारी, त्रिभुवन फैल रही उजियारी॥
सुन्दर रूप मनोहर सूरत, सरल स्वभाव मोहनी मूरत।
तन पर पीताम्बर अति सोहत, बैजन्ती माला मन मोहत॥
शंख चक्र कर गदा विराजे, देखत दैत्य असुर दल भाजे।
सत्य धर्म मद लोभ न गाजे, काम क्रोध मद लोभ न छाजे॥
सन्तभक्त सज्जन मनरंजन, दनुज असुर दुष्टन दल गंजन।
सुख उपजाय कष्ट सब भंजन, दोष मिटाय करत जन सज्जन॥
पाप काट भव सिन्धु उतारण, कष्ट नाशकर भक्त उबारण।
करत अनेक रूप प्रभु धारण, केवल आप भक्ति के कारण॥
धरणि धेनु बन तुमहिं पुकारा, तब तुम रूप राम का धारा।
भार उतार असुर दल मारा, रावण आदिक को संहारा॥
आप वाराह रूप बनाया, हिरण्याक्ष को मार गिराया।
धर मत्स्य तन सिन्धु बनाया, चौदह रतनन को निकलाया॥
अमिलख असुरन द्वन्द मचाया, रूप मोहनी आप दिखाया।
देवन को अमृत पान कराया, असुरन को छवि से बहलाया॥
कूर्म रूप धर सिन्धु मझाया, मन्द्राचल गिरि तुरत उठाया।
शंकर का तुम फन्द छुड़ाया, भस्मासुर को रूप दिखाया॥
वेदन को जब असुर डुबाया, कर प्रबन्ध उन्हें ढुढवाया।
मोहित बनकर खलहि नचाया, उसही कर से भस्म कराया॥
असुर जलन्धर अति बलदाई, शंकर से उन कीन्ह लड़ाई।
हार पार शिव सकल बनाई, कीन सती से छल खल जाई॥
सुमिरन कीन तुम्हें शिवरानी, बतलाई सब विपत कहानी।
तब तुम बने मुनीश्वर ज्ञानी, वृन्दा की सब सुरति भुलानी॥
देखत तीन दनुज शैतानी, वृन्दा आय तुम्हें लपटानी।
हो स्पर्श धर्म क्षति मानी, हना असुर उर शिव शैतानी॥
तुमने ध्रुव प्रहलाद उबारे, हिरणाकुश आदिक खल मारे।
गणिका और अजामिल तारे, बहुत भक्त भव सिन्धु उतारे॥
हरहु सकल संताप हमारे, कृपा करहु हरि सिरजन हारे।
देखहुं मैं निज दरश तुम्हारे, दीन बन्धु भक्तन हितकारे॥
चाहता आपका सेवक दर्शन, करहु दया अपनी मधुसूदन।
जानूं नहीं योग्य जब पूजन, होय यज्ञ स्तुति अनुमोदन॥
शीलदया सन्तोष सुलक्षण, विदित नहीं व्रतबोध विलक्षण।
करहुं आपका किस विधि पूजन, कुमति विलोक होत दुख भीषण॥
करहुं प्रणाम कौन विधिसुमिरण, कौन भांति मैं करहु समर्पण।
सुर मुनि करत सदा सेवकाई, हर्षित रहत परम गति पाई॥
दीन दुखिन पर सदा सहाई, निज जन जान लेव अपनाई।
पाप दोष संताप नशाओ, भव बन्धन से मुक्त कराओ॥
सुत सम्पति दे सुख उपजाओ, निज चरनन का दास बनाओ।
निगम सदा ये विनय सुनावै, पढ़ै सुनै सो जन सुख पावै॥
॥ इति श्री विष्णु चालीसा ॥
Doha:
Vishnu Suniye Vinaya Sevaka Ki Chitalaya.
Kirata Kuchha Varnana Karun Dijai Jnana Bataya.
Chaupai:
Namo Vishnu Bhagawan Kharari, Kashta Nashavana Akhila Bihari.
Prabala Jagata Mein Shakti Tumhari, Tribhuvana Phaila Rahi Ujiyari.
Sundara Rupa Manohara Surata, Sarala Svabhava Mohani Murata.
Tana Para Pitambara Ati Sohata, Baijanti Mala Mana Mohata.
Shankha Chakra Kara Gada Viraje, Dekhata Daitya Asura Dala Bhaje.
Santa Bhakta Sajjana Manaranjana, Danuja Asura Dushtan Dala Ganjana.
Nita Nigama Ye Vinaya Sunavai, Padhai Sunai So Jana Sukha Pavai.
The Vishnu Chalisa is a traditional devotional hymn addressed to Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the universe and the second deity of the Hindu Trinity (Trimurti). The opening doha is a humble petition in which the devotee acknowledges personal inadequacy and asks Vishnu to grant divine wisdom so that a worthy hymn of praise may be offered. The forty chaupais traverse Vishnu's cosmic role as sustainer and protector: they celebrate his ten principal avatars (dashavatara), including Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (man-lion), Vamana (dwarf), Parashurama, Rama, and Krishna, narrating how each incarnation was taken specifically to restore the balance of dharma when it was threatened by demonic forces. The hymn identifies Vishnu with qualities of infinite light spreading across three worlds, the beauty of the Shrivatsa mark on his chest, and the radiance of the Pitambara robe. It closes with a moving petition from the devotee's perspective, acknowledging ignorance of proper worship yet placing complete trust in Vishnu's compassion for the downtrodden.
Lord Vishnu is the preserver and sustainer in the Hindu Trinity, alongside Brahma the creator and Shiva the destroyer. He is depicted as a four-armed deity clad in yellow (Pitambara), carrying the conch shell (Shankha), discus (Chakra), mace (Gada), and lotus (Padma). He rests on the cosmic serpent Shesha Naga in the primordial ocean, with his consort Lakshmi at his feet. Vishnu's most distinctive doctrine is that of the avatara: he descends to earth in a physical form whenever righteousness (dharma) declines and evil becomes dominant. Of his ten principal avatars, Rama and Krishna are the most widely worshipped. The Vishnu Sahasranama lists his one thousand names, each reflecting a different facet of his infinite nature. Vaishnava traditions, including Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita and Madhva's Dvaita schools, regard Vishnu as the supreme being.
Thursday (Guruvara or Brihaspativara) is the day most strongly associated with Vishnu worship in the Hindu calendar. The Ekadashi tithi (eleventh lunar day) of each fortnight is the supreme day of Vishnu devotion and is widely observed as a day of fasting, scripture reading, and chalisa recitation. Within each day, the Brahma Muhurta (the hour and a half before sunrise) and the evening twilight (Sandhyakala) are considered the most spiritually receptive times. Regular Thursday worship with the Vishnu Chalisa is a traditional practice for seekers of prosperity, protection, and liberation.
The Vishnu Chalisa refers to several of Vishnu's principal avatars, including Matsya (the fish who recovered the Vedas), Kurma (the tortoise who bore Mount Mandara during the churning of the cosmic ocean), Varaha (the boar who defeated Hiranyaksha), Narasimha (who protected Prahlada), Vamana (the dwarf who reclaimed the three worlds), Parashurama, Rama (who defeated Ravana), and Krishna (the divine teacher of the Bhagavad Gita). The chalisa also references Mohini, the enchantress form Vishnu took to retrieve amrita from the demons.
In Vedic astrology, Thursday is governed by Jupiter (Brihaspati), the teacher of the gods and the planet that represents wisdom, devotion, and dharma—all qualities closely associated with Vishnu. The guru-planet connection also links Jupiter to the Guru-Shishya tradition of Vaishnavism. Observing a simple fast on Thursdays, eating only once after sunset, and reciting the Vishnu Chalisa is a traditional practice believed to invoke Jupiter's benevolence alongside Vishnu's grace.
The hymn is most commonly called the Vishnu Chalisa or Shri Vishnu Chalisa. In some regional traditions it may also be referred to as the Narayan Chalisa or Hari Chalisa, as Narayana and Hari are among the most common names of Vishnu used throughout the hymn. The text itself uses the word "Nigam" (the Vedas) in its closing verse to assert that this praise is aligned with scriptural wisdom.
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Vishnu Chalisa — forty verses tracing the cosmic preserver across every age
The Vishnu Chalisa addresses the Preserver of the cosmos in his most comprehensive aspect, moving through the ten principal avatars — the Dashavatara — as a way of celebrating how the Divine descends again and again to restore balance whenever it is lost. The dominant rasa is one of steady, grateful surrender: this is not a prayer of crisis but of sustained relationship, acknowledging Vishnu's role as the patient, all-pervading intelligence that holds creation together. Recitation is most traditional on Ekadashi — the eleventh lunar day of each fortnight — which is specifically dedicated to Vishnu in the sacred calendar, and many devoted Vaishnavas observe a fast alongside their recitation on this day. The Chalisa is also associated with Vaikuntha Ekadashi, Rama Navami, and Janmashtami, and forms a natural part of the home puja of families following the Vaishnava tradition.
What makes this Chalisa distinctive is its encyclopaedic sweep alongside its accessibility: in forty structured verses a devotee can hold the entire arc of Vishnu's cosmic engagement — from Matsya emerging from primordial waters to Kalki yet to come — without needing any prior scholarly knowledge. Each avatar verse functions as a contemplation point, inviting the reciter to reflect on what form of divine intervention the present moment calls for. In the Jyotish tradition, Vishnu is associated with Jupiter, and recitation of the Vishnu Chalisa is regarded as spiritually complementary to Jupiter-strengthening practices. The abiding reflection is that the universe is not abandoned to chaos — it is continuously held, and the one who recites this Chalisa is invited into conscious participation with that holding.