Mantra for power: Hanuman and Durga mantras for inner strength
Mantras for inner strength and courage: Hanuman Chalisa, Om Hum Hanumate Namah and Durga's Ya Devi, with meaning and how to chant them for power and steadiness.
The mantras most often chanted for power are those of Hanuman, such as the Hanuman Chalisa and Om Hum Hanumate Namah, and of Goddess Durga, such as Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Shaktirupena. The power they are chanted for is inner: courage, willpower, and the strength to keep going when things are hard. Chant one daily, 108 times if you can, and especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays for Hanuman.
In the tradition, real strength is never power over other people. Hanuman, the mightiest of Rama's companions in the Ramayana, is also the humblest; Durga's power protects. That is the spirit of every mantra on this page.
Five mantras for inner strength
Hanuman Chalisa (opening verses)
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज, निजमन मुकुरु सुधारि। बरनउं रघुवर बिमल जसु, जो दायकु फल चारि।। बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके, सुमिरौं पवन-कुमार। बल बुधि बिद्या देहु मोहिं, हरहु कलेस बिकार।। Shri Guru Charana Saroja Raja, Nija Mana Mukura Sudhari, Baranau Raghuvara Vimala Jasu, Jo Dayaka Phala Chari, Buddhihina Tanu Janike, Sumirau Pavana Kumara, Bala Budhi Bidya Dehu Mohi, Harahu Kalesa Bikara
"Cleaning the mirror of my mind with the dust of my guru's feet, I sing the pure glory of Rama. Knowing myself to be without wisdom, I remember Hanuman, son of the wind: give me strength, intelligence and knowledge, and take away my troubles." The opening of Tulsidas's forty-verse hymn in Awadhi, chanted by millions for courage and calm when fear rises. Listen on Mahakatha.
Om Hum Hanumate Namah
ॐ हुं हनुमते नमः Om Hum Hanumate Namah
"Om, with the seed sound Hum, I bow to Hanuman." A short mantra, easy to repeat 108 times, traditionally chanted for strength and determination. Listen on Mahakatha.
Om Namo Hanumate Bhayabhanjanaya
ॐ नमो हनुमते भयभञ्जनाय सुखं कुरु फट् स्वाहा Om Namo Hanumate Bhayabhanjanaya Sukham Kuru Phat Swaha
"I bow to Hanuman, the breaker of fear: bring us peace and well-being." Bhaya means fear. This mantra is chanted when fear is the obstacle, for fearlessness and a steady mind. Listen on Mahakatha.
Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Shaktirupena
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥ Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Shaktirupena Samsthita, Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah
"To the Goddess who lives in every being as strength, we bow again and again." From the Devi Mahatmyam. It reminds us that strength (shakti) is not something outside us to be acquired, but something already present in every being. Listen to the full hymn on Mahakatha.
Om Namah Shivaya
ॐ नमः शिवाय Om Namah Shivaya
"I bow to Shiva." Shakti and Shiva are never apart in the tradition, and for many families Om Namah Shivaya is the mantra of steady, quiet strength: the strength to stay calm rather than to fight. It is chanted for a calm, steady mind. Listen on Mahakatha.
How to chant for strength
- Choose a regular time. Morning is traditional. For Hanuman, Tuesdays and Saturdays are the special days; for Durga, Navratri and Fridays.
- Sit straight, face east or north, and take a few slow breaths.
- Chant the mantra 108 times with a mala, or 11 or 21 times with full attention.
- Read the Hanuman Chalisa once right through on Tuesdays or Saturdays, if you can. It takes about ten minutes.
- Carry it into the day. Strength from a mantra shows up in small choices: speaking calmly, keeping a promise, not giving up.
Navratri 2026 runs from 11 to 20 October, nine days for the nine forms of Durga; see our Navratri mantra guide. Dates are for New Delhi; tithi timings shift slightly by city.
Mahakatha Radio plays Hanuman, Durga and Shiva mantras like these, day and night, free and without ads.
When you need strength for someone else
If someone you love is going through an illness, a loss or a hard season, strength can come from knowing others are praying with you. You can offer a prayer for them; it is read aloud on air at 7:00 am or 7:00 pm India time, followed by a mantra chosen for them. For success in a specific task, see mantras for karya siddhi. If fear or worry is constant, see mantras for anxiety, and please also talk to a doctor or therapist.
Questions people ask
Which god's mantra is most powerful for strength?
Hanuman is the deity most associated with strength and courage, and his mantras and the Hanuman Chalisa are the most widely chanted for it. Durga's mantras are chanted for protective strength and fearlessness.
What are the 7 most powerful mantras?
Lists vary, but most include Om, the Gayatri Mantra, the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, Om Namah Shivaya, Om Gan Ganapataye Namah, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya and the Hare Krishna mantra. For strength, add the Hanuman Chalisa. See our list of the most powerful mantras.
Which mantra is most powerful for success?
For success in a task, families traditionally chant to Ganesha first, with Vakratunda Mahakaya or Om Gan Ganapataye Namah, and to Hanuman for the strength to see it through. See mantras for karya siddhi.
What are the 3 most powerful Shiva mantras?
Om Namah Shivaya, the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra (Om Tryambakam Yajamahe) and the Rudra Gayatri (Om Tatpurushaya Vidmahe) are the three most widely chanted Shiva mantras.
How do I get Shiva's power?
In the tradition, Shiva's power is stillness and self-mastery rather than force. Regular chanting of Om Namah Shivaya, with honest living and a quiet mind, is the path the tradition points to.
Is the Hanuman Chalisa in Sanskrit?
No. The Hanuman Chalisa was written by the poet-saint Tulsidas in Awadhi, a form of Hindi. That is part of why it is so widely loved: it is easy to understand and to sing.