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Every Diwali, we recite the Mahavir Chalisa during the Diwali Pooja. For years, I have considered translating it for my children, who have grown up in the U.S., are unfamiliar with the Devanagari script, and have a limited Hindi vocabulary. They find it challenging to understand its depth and significance. 

I wanted them to connect with the chalisa as I did as a child and see it as more than just a recitation. Translating it has brought me closer to the verses. 

This evening, I plan to use this translation during the pooja, and I look forward to seeing them embrace this cherished tradition. I hope it helps them build Diwali memories that will keep our heritage alive.

Mahavir Chalisa (40 couplets and quartets) 

Hindi	English Transliteration	English translation by Anuj Jain
॥ दोहा॥	DOHA	Couplet
शीश नवा अरिहन्त को, सिद्धन करूँ प्रणाम ।।	Sheesh nawa Arihant ko, siddhan karu pranam.	I bow my head to the Arihants (enlightened ones) and offer my respect to the Siddhas (liberated souls).
उपाध्याय आचार्य का, ले सुख कारी नाम ।।	Upadhyay Acharya ka, le sukh kaari naam.	With devotion, I take the names of Upadhyaya (head teacher) and Acharya (teacher), which brings comfort and is conducive to well-being.
सर्व साधु और सरस्वती, जिन मन्दिर सुख कार ।।	Sarva Sadhu aur Saraswati, jin mandir sukh kaar.	To all (sarva), the monks (Sadhus), Saraswati (goddess of knowledge), and the blissful Jain temples  (Jin Mandir),
महावीर भगवान को, मन मन्दिर में धार ।।	Mahavir bhagwan ko, man mandir kay dhar.	I welcome Lord Mahavir into the temple of my heart (Man Mandir).
।। चौपाई ।।	CHOPAAI	Quartet
जय महावीर दयालु स्वामी । वीर प्रभु तुम जग में नामी ।।	Jai Mahavir Dayalu Swami, Veer prabhu tum jag mein nami.	Hail (victory to) Mahavir, the compassionate bhagwan (Dayalu Swami); you are courageous, renowned (Jag Me Nami), and worshipped worldwide.
वर्धमान है नाम तुम्हारा । लगे हृदय को प्यारा प्यारा ।।	Vardhman hai naam tumhara, lage hriday ko pyara pyara.	Your name is Vardhaman (one who brings prosperity), and it feels dear  (Pyara) to the heart (hriday).
शांति छवि और मोहनी मूरत । शान हँसीली सोहनी सूरत ।।	Shanti chavi or mohini murat, shan hansili sohini surat.	Your image embodies peace (Shanti), with a radiant, hypnotic countenance (Mohni Murat) and a dignified smile (Shan Hansili) adorning your radiant face (Sohni Surat).
तुमने वेश दिगम्बर धारा । कर्म शत्रु भी तुम से हारा ।।	Tumne vesh digambar dhara, karm shatru bhi tum se haraa.	You wore no clothes (the Digambara attire, Ambar as in Umbra for Sky and Dig meaning for people following the Dig sect,   hence the word, naked people following the sect Digambara), and even the Karma, a great enemy (shatru) is defeated by you (attaining nirvana)
क्रोध मान अरु लोभ भगाया । महा मोह तुमसे डर खाया ।।	Krodha maan aru lobh bhagaya, maha moh tumse dar khaya.	You dispelled anger (Krodha), pride (Man), and greed (Lobh), and even great attachments (Maha Moh) feared you (Tumse Dar Khaya).
तू सर्वज्ञ सर्व का ज्ञाता । तुझ को दुनिया से क्या नाता ।।	Tu sarvgya sarva ka gyata, tujhko duniya se kya naata.	You are omniscient (Sarvgya), knowing everything  (Sarva Ka Gyata) about all beings, what connection  (Nata) could you have with the material world (Duniya)?
तुझ में नहीं राग और द्वेष । वीर रण राग तू हितो उपदेश ।।	Tujh me nahi raag or dvesh, veer ran raag tu hitopdesh.	You bear no attachment  (Raag) and hatred (Dvesh), yet you provide righteous guidance (Hitopdesh) on the battlefield (Ran) of life.
तेरा नाम जगत में सच्चा । जिस को जाने बच्चा बच्चा ।।	Tera naam jagat me sachaa, jisko jane bachaa bachaa,	Your name is true in the world (Naam Jagat Me Sachaa), and even the youngest or all children (Bachaa Bachaa)  know of you.
भूत प्रेत तुम से भय खावें । व्यन्तर राक्षस सब भग जावें ।।	Bhoot prait tumse bhay khave, vyantar rakshas sab bhag jave.	Ghosts (Bhoot) and spirits (Pret) fear you, demons (rakshas) and evil forces (vyantar) run away from you.
महा व्याध मारी न सतावे । महा विकराल काल डर खावे ।।	Maha vyadh Mari na satave, maha vikral kaal dar khave.	Great (Maha) diseases (Vyadh) such as plague (mari) do not trouble (satave); even the death, the biggest (maha) vilain (vikral) of time (kaal), itself fears (dar) you.
काला नाग होय फन धारी । या हो शेर भयंकर भारी ।।	Kala naag hoy fun dhari, ya ho sher bhayanker bhari.	Be it a black (kala) venomous serpent  (naag) with a raised hood (fun-dhari), or a ferocious (bhaynkar) lion, none can harm you.
ना हो कोई बचाने वाला । स्वामी तुम्हीं करो प्रति पाला ।।	Na ho koi bachane wala, swami tumhi karo pratipala.	If there’s no one to protect (bachana), Lord, you alone come to guard (pratipala).
अग्नि दावानल सुलग रही हो । तेज हवा से भड़क रही हो ।।	Agni dawanal sulag rahi ho, tej hawa se bhadak rahi ho.	When a fierce wildfire (agni and dawanal) rages, or blazes (bhadak) fiercely in strong (tej) winds (hawa) (the wind is blowing, making it burn faster)
नाम तुम्हारा सब दुख खोवे । आग एक दम ठंडी होवे ।।	Naam tumhara sab dukh khovay, aag ek dum thandi hovay.	Your name alone dispels (khovay) all suffering (dukh), and the fire (aag or agni or Igni as in ignition) cools (thandi) instantly (ek dum).
हिंसामय था भारत सारा । तब तुमने कीना निस्तारा ।।	Hinsa mein tha bharat saraa, tab tum ne kina nistaraa.	When violence (Hinsa, compared to Ahimsa) engulfed the whole of Bharat (India), you liberated (nistara) it from violence (Hinsa).
जनम लिया कुण्डलपुर नगरी । हुई सुखी तब प्रजा सगरी ।।	Janam liya Kundalpur nagri, hui sukhi tab praja sagri,	When you were born (Janam liya) in Kundalpur city (nagri), the people (praja) were comforted (sukhi) with your birth as prosperity spread.
सिद्धारथ जी पिता तुम्हारे । त्रिशला के आँखों के तारे ।।	Siddharth ji pita tumhare, Trishla kay aankho kay taare.	Siddhartha Ji is your father (pita), and you are the apple (taare as in star, but the phrase apple is used for idiomatic expression) of your mother Trishala's eyes (aankho.)
छोड़ सभी झंझट संसारी । स्वामी हुए बाल ब्रह्मचारी ।।	Chod sabi jhanjhat sansari, swami hue bal- brahmachari.	You renounced worldly ties and became a true celibate (never married).
पंचम काल महा दुखदाई । चाँदनपुर महिमा दिखलाई ।।	Pancham kaal maha-dukhdai, Chandanpur mahima dikh lai.	In this era of extreme (maha) suffering and sorrow (dukh dai, dukh dene wala as in giving grief), which is called the fifth  (Pancham as in Punch) epoch/time (kaal), you showed  (dikh lai or dikhai) your influence (mahima) in Chandanpur.
टीले में अतिशय दिखलाया । एक गाय का दूध गिराया ।।	Teelay me atishay dikh laya, ek gaay ka dudh giraya.	Extraordinary events happened on a small hillock (Teelay or Teelaa) in Chandanpur and you manifested (dikh laya) your influence (atishay); a cow started dripping (giraya) milk (dudh) without being milked.
सोच हुआ मन में ग्वाले के । पहुँचा एक फावड़ा ले के ।।	Soch hua man me gwale kay, pahuncha ek fawda leke.	When the cowherd (gwale) saw this, he pondered (Soch or sochna). He arrived (pahuncha) with a shovel  (fawda) at the hillock in Chandanpur.
सारा टीला खोद भगाया । तब तुमने दर्शन दिख लाया ।।	Sara teela khod bagaya, tab tum ne darshan dikh laya.	The entire mound (teela) was dug (kohd), and then you showed (dikh laya) your divine form (darshan) in the form of a murti (idol).
जोधराज को दुख ने घेरा । उसने नाम जपा जब तेरा ।।	Jodharaj ko dukh ne ghera, usne naam japaa jab tera.	Jodharaj, a king, was surrounded (ghera) by enemies who were shooting cannon balls; he was distressed (dukh) and when he (usne) chanted (japaa) your name (naam)
ठंडा हुआ तोप का गोला । तब सब ने जयकारा बोला ।।	Thanda hua top ka gola, tab sab ne jaikara bola.	The  cannon (top) ball's (gola) fire was extinguished (Thanda hua meaning it became cold or non-effective); then everyone shouted (bola) jai kara ("mahavir bahgwan ki jai ho".)
मंत्री ने मन्दिर बनवाया । राजा ने भी द्रव्य लगाया ।।	Mantri ne mandir banwaya, raja ne bhi dravya lagaya.	Jodharaj's minister (Mantri) built a temple (to house your murti from the hill where it was found), and Jodharaj, the king (raja) also paid his respects by doing pooja with liquids (Dravya as in liquid).
बड़ी धर्मशाला बनवाई । तुमको लाने को ठहराई ।।	Badi dharmshala banwai, tum ko laane ko thahrai.	A grand Dharamshala (a place for visitors to stay) was constructed; it was decided (thaharai) to bring you to the adjacent temple. Arrangements were made to get you (your statue from the hillock of Chandanpur) in the temple.
तुमने तोड़ी बीसों गाड़ी । पहिया खिसका नहीं अगाड़ी ।।	Tum ne todi biso gadi, pahiya khiska nahi agadi.	(When your murti was put on a bullock cart), the wheels (pahiya)  of the bullock cart (gadi) did not turn (khiska) even move an inch forward (agadi meaning in front of the gadi or the rath), and your must have broken (todi) at least twenty (biso) bullock carts in this process.
ग्वाले ने जो हाथ लगाया । फिर तो रथ चलता ही पाया ।।	Gwale ne jo hath lagaya, fir to rath chalta he paya.	But as soon as the cowherd (gwala) who had discovered you (your murti) touched (haath lagaya) the rath (the fancy bullock cart),  with you in it, people found (paya) that it started moving (chalta) right away.
पहिले दिन बैशाख बदी के । रथ जाता है तीर नदी के ।।	Pahile din baishaak vadi kay, rath jata hai teer nadi kay.	It was the first (pahle) day (din) of the date (vadi) Hindi lunar month of Vaishakh (aka Baishakh), the rath went (jata) along the banks of the river (nadi) like a fast-moving arrow (teer) in a straight line without any hindrance.
मीना गूजर सब ही आते । नाच कूद सब चित उम गाते ।।	Mina gujar sab hain aate, naach kood sab chit um gate.	All the birds, such as Meena, Gujjar, and everyone came—people of every caste and community-come (aate) to see you, singing (gate as in gaanaa), dancing (naach or nauch), and jumping up and down (kood as in uchal kood) with excitement.
स्वामी तुमने प्रेम निभाया । ग्वाले का बहु मान बढ़ाया ।।	Swami tum ne prem nibhaya, gwale ka bahu maan badaya.	Swami, you (tum ne) reciprocated (nibhaya) shepherd's (gwale) love (prem) and by doing so greatly honored (maan) him and elevated (badaya) his status.
हाथ लगे ग्वाले का जब ही । स्वामी रथ चलता है तब ही ।।	Hath lage gwale ka jab he, swami rath chalta hai tab he.	The rath would proceed (chalta) only (jab) when (tab) the cowherd touched (hath lage) it.
मेरी है टूटी सी नैया । तुम बिन कोई नहीं खिवैया ।।	Meri hai tutti si nayyaa, tum bin koi nahi khivaiyaa.	My life is like a small broken (tutti) boat (Nayya) floating in the water without an oar. Only (koi nahi) you (tum) can steer it (khivaiya meaning the steerer) and offer guidance.
मुझ पर स्वामी जरा कृपा कर । मैं हूँ प्रभु तुम्हारा चाकर ।।	Mujh par swami jara kripa kar, mein hoon prabhu tumhara chaakar.	Swami, show me a little mercy (kripa), for I am your (tumhara) humble servant (chakar) .
तुम से मैं अरु कछु नहीं चाहूँ । जन्म जन्म तेरे दर्शन पाऊँ ।।	Tumse mein aru kuch nahi chahun, janam janam tere darshan paaun.	I (mein) desire (chahun) nothing (kuch nahi) from you (tumse) but to have a vision (darshan) of you (tere) in lifetime after lifetime (janam janam).
चालीसे को चन्द्र बनावे । बीर प्रभु को शीश नवावे ।।	Chalisa ko chadra banave, veer prabhu ko sheesh navave.	May this Chalisa serve as my offering, and may I bow before you, O veer (brave) Prabhu (lord).
।। सोरठा ।।	SORTHA
नित चालीसहि बार, पाठ करे चालीस दिन ।	Nit Chalishi Baar, Path Kare Chaalis Din.	By chanting (path kare) this Chalisa’s forty lines (chalis) everyday (nit baar) for forty (chalis) days (din),
खेय सुगन्ध अपार, वर्धमान के सामने ।।	Khey Sugandh Apaar, Vardhman Kay Samne.	With boundless (apaar) fragrances (sugandh or kushboo) offered (khey meaning burning the incense) in front (samne) of Vardhman,
होय कुबेर समान, जन्म दरिद्री होय जो ।	Hoay Kuber Samaan, Janam Daridri Hoay Jo.	One becomes (Hoey) as (samaan) prosperous as Kubera, the god of wealth, ending poverty (daridri) for life (jaman).
जिसके नहिं संतान, नाम वंश जग में चले ।।	Jiske Nahi Santan, Naam Vansh Jag Mein Chale.	One (jiske) who is child (santaan) less, will have children, and their lineage (vansh)  or last name (naam) will continue (chale) in the world (jag).