Shri Guru Charan Saroj Raj: Hanuman Chalisa Doha 1 Meaning
Opening DohasVerse 1 of 43
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रजनिज मनु मुकुरु सुधारि।बरनउँ रघुबर बिमल जसुजो दायकु फल चारि॥
Other editions read बरनऊँ for बरनउँ (popular printings).
śrīguru carana saroja rajanija manu mukuru sudhāri |baranaũ raghubara bimala jasujo dāyaku phala cāri ||
Shri Guru Charan Saroj Raj,Nij Manu Mukuru Sudhari.Baranau Raghubar Bimal Jasu,Jo Dayaku Phal Chari.
Pyłem kwiatowym z lotosowych stóp mojego czcigodnego Guru poleruję zwierciadło mojego umysłu. Potem przystępuję do opisania nieskalanej chwały Ramy, najlepszego z rodu Raghu, który obdarza czterema celami życia: dharmą, arthą, kamą i mokszą.
Explanation
Tulsidas opens the hymn by first honouring his Guru. He pictures his mind as a mirror that has gathered dust. A dusty mirror cannot show a clear image. So he cleans it with the fine pollen dust of the Guru's lotus feet. In the devotional tradition, touching the Guru's feet and taking their dust stands for humility and grace. Only a mind cleared in this way can reflect the glory of God truly.
With his mind made clear, Tulsidas says he will describe the spotless glory of Rama, called Raghubara, the finest of King Raghu's line. Rama is praised as the giver of the four aims of human life. These are dharma (right living), artha (wealth and well-being), kama (fulfilment of rightful wishes) and moksha (liberation).
This same couplet opens the Ayodhya Kanda of Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas. Here it begins the Hanuman Chalisa, because the praise of Hanuman is part of the glory of Rama, whom Hanuman serves with complete devotion.
Devotional Significance
Devotees recite this doha at the very start of every reading of the Hanuman Chalisa, often with folded hands or after bowing to their Guru or to an image of Rama and Hanuman. It is treated as a short prayer for inner cleansing, asking that the mind be cleared of pride and distraction before the recitation begins. Many also remember their own teachers while reciting it, holding to the belief that the Guru's grace makes the hymn fruitful.
FAQs
In the devotional tradition, any sacred undertaking begins by bowing to the Guru, whose grace makes understanding possible. Tulsidas cleans the mirror of his mind with the dust of the Guru's lotus feet, so that it can truly reflect divine glory. Only after this act of humility does he begin his praise.
They are the four aims of human life: dharma (right living), artha (wealth and well-being), kāma (fulfilment of rightful wishes) and mokṣa (liberation). The verse praises Rama as the one who grants all four. Devotees understand this as the belief that singing Rama's glory brings every kind of good.
Hanuman's whole life is service to Rama, so his greatness is part of Rama's glory. By promising to describe Raghubara's spotless fame, Tulsidas places the praise of Hanuman inside the larger praise of Rama. The same couplet also opens the Ayodhya Kand of his Ramcharitmanas.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Hanuman Chalisa in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Awadhi recitation where available, and more.
