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The best-loved aarti of Hanuman, sung after the Hanuman Chalisa — a lively retelling of his great deeds, from burning Lanka to bringing the Sanjeevani herb.
Traditional aarti in the Tulsidas tradition
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Hanuman Aarti
Son of Kali · Power of Hanuman
Each line shows an easy way to say it, with its English meaning. Turn on the Sanskrit, the exact pronunciation or the word-by-word meaning whenever you want to go deeper.
आरती कीजै हनुमान लला की ।
Aarti Kijai Hanuman Lala Ki
āratī kījai hanumāna lalā kī
Let us perform the aarti of dear Hanuman,
दुष्ट दलन रघुनाथ कला की ॥
Dusht Dalan Raghunath Kala Ki
duṣṭa dalana raghunātha kalā kī
crusher of the wicked, the very power of Rama.
जाके बल से गिरिवर काँपे ।
Jake Bal Se Girivar Kaanpe
jāke bala se girivara kā̃pe
By whose strength the mountains tremble,
रोग दोष जाके निकट न झाँके ॥
Rog Dosh Jake Nikat Na Jhaanke
roga doṣa jāke nikaṭa na jhā̃ke
near whom no disease or fault dares even to peep.
अञ्जनि पुत्र महा बलदाई ।
Anjani Putra Maha Baldai
añjani putra mahā baladāī
The son of Anjana, giver of great strength,
सन्तन के प्रभु सदा सहाई ॥
Santan Ke Prabhu Sada Sahai
santana ke prabhu sadā sahāī
always the helper of the Lord’s saints.
दे बीरा रघुनाथ पठाए ।
De Beera Raghunath Pathaye
de bīrā raghunātha paṭhāe
Rama gave him the betel leaf of command and sent him;
लंका जारि सिया सुधि लाए ॥
Lanka Jaari Siya Sudhi Laye
laṃkā jāri siyā sudhi lāe
he burned Lanka and brought back news of Sita.
लंका सो कोट समुद्र सी खाई ।
Lanka So Kot Samudra Si Khai
laṃkā so koṭa samudra sī khāī
Lanka was the fortress, and the ocean was its moat,
जात पवनसुत बार न लाई ॥
Jaat Pavansut Baar Na Lai
jāta pavanasuta bāra na lāī
yet the son of the Wind crossed it without delay.
लंका जारि असुर संहारे ।
Lanka Jaari Asur Sanhare
laṃkā jāri asura saṃhāre
He burned Lanka and destroyed the demons,
सियारामजी के काज सवारे ॥
Siyaramji Ke Kaaj Savare
siyārāmajī ke kāja savāre
accomplishing the work of Sita and Rama.
लक्ष्मण मूर्छित पड़े सकारे ।
Lakshman Murchhit Pade Sakare
lakṣmaṇa mūrchita paṛe sakāre
When Lakshmana lay unconscious on the battlefield,
आनि संजीवन प्राण उबारे ॥
Aani Sanjeevan Pran Ubare
āni saṃjīvana prāṇa ubāre
he brought the Sanjeevani herb and saved his life.
पैठि पाताल तोरि जम-कारे ।
Paithi Patal Tori Jam Kare
paiṭhi pātāla tori jama-kāre
He entered the underworld and broke open Yama’s prison,
अहिरावण की भुजा उखारे ॥
Ahiravan Ki Bhuja Ukhare
ahirāvaṇa kī bhujā ukhāre
and tore off the arms of Ahiravana.
बाएँ भुजा असुर दल मारे ।
Baayen Bhuja Asur Dal Maare
bāẽ bhujā asura dala māre
With his left arm he struck down the demon armies;
दाहिने भुजा सन्तजन तारे ॥
Dahine Bhuja Santjan Taare
dāhine bhujā santajana tāre
with his right arm he lifted up the saints.
सुर नर मुनि आरती उतारें ।
Sur Nar Muni Aarti Utaren
sura nara muni āratī utāreṃ
Gods, humans and sages perform his aarti,
जय जय जय हनुमान उचारें ॥
Jai Jai Jai Hanuman Ucharen
jaya jaya jaya hanumāna ucāreṃ
crying “Victory, victory, victory to Hanuman!”
कञ्चन थार कपूर लौ छाई ।
Kanchan Thaar Kapur Lau Chhai
kañcana thāra kapūra lau chāī
On a golden plate the camphor flame spreads its light,
आरती करत अञ्जना माई ॥
Aarti Karat Anjana Mai
āratī karata añjanā māī
and Mother Anjana herself performs the aarti.
लंक विध्वंस किए रघुराई ।
Lank Vidhvans Kiye Raghurai
laṃka vidhvaṃsa kie raghurāī
Rama, lord of the Raghus, destroyed Lanka,
तुलसीदास स्वामी कीर्ति गाई ॥
Tulsidas Swami Kirti Gai
tulasīdāsa svāmī kīrti gāī
and Tulsidas sings the glory of his master.
जो हनुमानजी की आरती गावे ।
Jo Hanumanji Ki Aarti Gave
jo hanumānajī kī āratī gāve
Whoever sings this aarti of Hanuman
बसि बैकुण्ठ परम पद पावे ॥
Basi Baikunth Param Pad Pave
basi baikuṇṭha parama pada pāve
dwells in Vaikuntha and attains the highest state.
“Aarti Kije Hanuman Lala Ki” — “let us perform the aarti of dear Hanuman” — is sung in almost every Hanuman temple, usually right after the Hanuman Chalisa, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
In just a few verses it tells the essential Ramayana deeds of Hanuman: carrying Rama’s message to Lanka, finding Sita, burning the city, saving Lakshmana with the Sanjeevani herb, and descending to the underworld to defeat Ahiravana and rescue Rama and Lakshmana.
Lala is an affectionate word, like “dear child.” The aarti sings of the mightiest hero with the tenderness of a family.
The aarti mentions a story not found in Valmiki’s Ramayana but much loved in later tradition: the sorcerer Ahiravana kidnapped Rama and Lakshmana and carried them to Patala, the underworld, to sacrifice them.
Hanuman followed, broke the gates of Yama’s prison, took on a five-faced form and defeated Ahiravana, carrying both brothers home on his shoulders.
When to chant
How many times
Once, at the end of worship.
Light a ghee lamp or camphor on a plate.
Wave it clockwise before Hanuman’s image while singing.
Ring a bell; everyone joins the first line as a refrain.
Offer the flame to all present at the end.
The sounds that trip people up most in this hymn, and how to say them.
kījai
kee-jai — “let us do.”
saṃjīvana
sun-jee-va-na — the life-restoring herb.
ahirāvaṇa
a-hi-raa-va-na.
When is the Hanuman aarti sung?
Usually after the Hanuman Chalisa, especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and on Hanuman Jayanti.
Who wrote Aarti Kije Hanuman Lala Ki?
It belongs to the tradition of Tulsidas and is often printed with his name, though its exact author is not certain.
What does “Lala” mean?
An affectionate word for a dear child — it shows the warm, family-like love devotees feel for Hanuman.
Who is Ahiravana?
A sorcerer who, in later Ramayana tradition, kidnapped Rama and Lakshmana to the underworld. Hanuman rescued them.