Hanuman Chalisa

Hanuman Chalisa is hindi poem written by Mahakavi Goswami Tulsidas in the sixteenth century in praise of Lord Hanuman. It is very popular among a lot of modern hindus and is generally recited on Tuesdays (considered a holy day for devotees of Lord Hanuman).
The poem is called a chalisa as it contains forty (chalis in Hindi) verses. The structure of the poem is extremely simple and rhythmic, thus making it all the more popular. The poem praises Lord Hanuman’s strength and kindness and recounts the Lord’s great deeds.

Shri Hanuman Chalisa

Doha

Shri guru charan saraj raj, Nij manu mukur sudhare |
Barnau raghubar bimal jasu, Jo dhayak phal chare ||
Budhihien tanu jaanke, Sumerao pavan-kumar |
Bal budhi vidhya dehu mohe, Harhu kales bikar ||

Chopai

Jai hanuman gyan gun sagar |
Jai kapise tehu lok ujagar ||
Ram dut atulit bal dhama |
Anjani putra pavan sut nama ||
Mahabir bikram bajragee |
Kumati nivas sumati ke sangi ||
Kanchan baran biraj subesa |
Kann kundal kunchit kesa ||
Haat vajar ao dheja biraje |
Kandhe muj janeu sajee ||
Sankar suvan kesrinandan |
Tej pratap maha jag bandhan ||
Vidhyavan gune aati chatur |
Ram kaaj kaibe ko aatur ||
Prabhu charit sunibe ko rasiya |
Ram lakhan sita maan basiya ||
Susham roop dhari siyahi dhikhava |
Bikat roop dhari lank jarava ||
Bhim roop dhari asur sahare |
Ramchandra ke kaaj savare ||
Laye sanjeevan lakhan jiyaye |
Shriraghuvir harsha ure laye ||
Raghupati kinhe bahut badai |
Tum mam preye bharat sam bhai ||
Sahart badan tumarhu jas gavey |
Aas kahi shripati kant lagavey ||
Sankadeek bhramadhi munisa |
Narad sarad sahit ahisa ||
Jam kuber digpal jaha thi |
Kavi kovid kahi sake kaha thi ||
Tum upkar sughuv kehina |
Ram milaye raj pad denha ||
Tumraho mantra vibhekshan mana |
Lankeshvar bhaye sab jag jaan ||
Jug sahes jojan per bhanu |
Linyo tahi madhur phal janu ||
Prabhu mudrika meli mukh mahi |
Jaldhi ladhi gaye acraj nahi ||
Durgam kaaj jagat ke jete |
Sugam anugrah tumre tete ||
Ram duaare tum rakhvare |
Hoot na aagya binu pasare ||
Sab sukh lahai tumhre sarna |
Tum rchak kahu ko daarna ||
Aapan tej samharo aape |
Teno lok hakte kape ||
Bhut pesach nikat nahi aaveh |
Mahavir jab naam sunaveh ||
Nase rog hare sab peera |
Japat nirantar hanumat bal bira ||
Sankat se hanuman chudave |
Maan kam bachan dayan jo lavey ||
Sab per ram tapasvi raja |
Tin ke kaaj sakal tum saja ||
Aur manorat jo kayi lave |
Tasuye amit jeevan phal pavey ||
Charo guj pratap tumarah |
Hai prasidh jagat ujeyara ||
Sadhu sant ke tum rakhvare |
Asur nikandan ram dulare ||
Ashat sidhi navnidhi ke data |
As var deen jaanki mata ||
Ram rasayan tumhre pasa |
Sada raho raghupati ke dasa ||
Tumreh bhajan ram ko bhavey |
Janam janam ke dukh bisravey ||
Ant kaal raghubar pur jaie |
Jaha janam hari bhagat kahaei ||
Aur devta chitna dhareyo |
Hanumat seye sarav sukh karaei ||
Sankat kate mite sab pera |
Jo sumere hanumat balbira ||
Jai jai jai hanuman gusai |
Kripa karo guru dev ke naai ||
Jo sat bar pat kar koi |
Chutehi bandhi maha sukh hoai ||
Jo yahe pade hanuman chalisa |
Hoye sidhi sa ke goresa ||
Tulsidas sada hari chera |
Kijeye nath hridaye maha dera ||

Doha

Pavantnaye sankat haran, Mangal murti roop |
Ram lakhan sita sahet, Hridaye basau sur bhup ||

A Butterfly that couldn't fly

"One day, a small

opening appeared

in a cocoon; a

man sat and

watched for the

butterfly for

several hours as

it struggled to

force its body

through that little

hole.

Then, it seems to

stop making any

progress.

It appeared as if

it had gotten as

far as it could

and it could not

go any further.

So the man

decided to help

the butterfly: he

took a pair of

scissors and

opened the

cocoon.

The butterfly

then emerged

easily.

But it had a

withered body, it

was tiny and

shriveled wings.

The man

continued to

watch because

he expected

that, at any

moment, the

wings would

open, enlarge

and expand, to

be able to

support the

butterfly’s

body, and

become firm.

Neither

happened!

In fact, the

butterfly spent

the rest of its

life crawling

around with a

withered body

and shriveled

wings. It never

was able to fly.

What the man, in his

kindness and his goodwill

did not understand was

that the restricting

cocoon and the struggle

required for the butterfly

to get through the tiny

opening, were nature’s

way of forcing fluid from

the body of the butterfly

into its wings, so that it

would be ready for flight

once it achieved its

freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes,

struggles are

exactly what we

need in our life.

If we were allowed

to go through our

life without any

obstacles, it would

cripple us. We

would not be as

strong as we could

have been. Never

been able to fly.