The Chalisa line explained
Ashta Siddhi and Nau Nidhi
॥ अष्ट सिद्धि नौ निधि के दाता ॥
The ashta siddhi are eight great powers (आठ सिद्धियाँ) and the nau nidhi are nine divine treasures (नौ निधियाँ), and Hanuman ji is called their giver. This comes straight from the Hanuman Chalisa line, अष्ट सिद्धि नौ निधि के दाता, अस बर दीन जानकी माता. मान्यता है कि माता सीता के वरदान से हनुमान जी ये सिद्धियाँ और निधियाँ अपने भक्तों को दे सकते हैं. Here is what each one means, and the story of who blessed him with them.
What are the Ashta Siddhi and Nau Nidhi
In short, the ashta siddhi are eight supernatural powers and the nau nidhi are nine kinds of divine wealth. Together they stand for complete mastery over the body and the world, and complete abundance. The Hanuman Chalisa remembers this in one famous line, ashta siddhi nau nidhi ke data, as bar deen Janki mata, which says Hanuman ji can bestow all eight siddhis and nine nidhis, because Mata Janki gave him that boon.
Who gave them to Hanuman ji
Mata Sita gave him this blessing. When Hanuman ji found her in Ashok Vatika and served Ram ji with such a pure and fearless heart, Sita ji was filled with love and blessed him. That is the as bar deen Janki mata of the Chalisa, the boon given by Mother Janki. So Hanuman ji did not go after these powers, they came to him as a reward for his bhakti and seva. That is the real teaching hidden in this line.
The eight siddhis, one by one
These eight are the classic ashta siddhi named in the yog tradition:
The nine nidhis
The nau nidhi are the nine treasures, known in our tradition as the nidhis of Kubera, the lord of wealth. Their names are Padma, Mahapadma, Neel, Mukund, Nand, Makar, Kachchhap, Shankh and Kharv. Do note that different granths describe these treasures a little differently, and their deeper meanings are not something everyone agrees on. What matters for us is the sense of the line, that Hanuman ji is the master of all abundance and can give it to a true bhakt.
Are the siddhis real, and should I want them
Our shastras do speak of the siddhis as real powers that a great tapasvi can attain through very deep sadhana. But the same shastras give a clear warning, that the siddhis are a side lane, not the destination, and that the mind which runs after them usually loses the main road, which is bhakti. Hanuman ji is the perfect example. He held every siddhi, and he used them only in the seva of Ram ji, never for show. So the honest answer is, do not chase the siddhis. Ask Bajrang Bali instead for shraddha and a steady mind. That boon is worth more than all eight.
The line in the Chalisa
When you next read the Hanuman Chalisa and reach ashta siddhi nau nidhi ke data, you will know the whole story behind it, the powers, the treasures, and the boon of Sita ji that stands behind them. It is one of the most loved lines of the Chalisa for exactly this reason.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 8 siddhis and 9 nidhis?
The ashta siddhi are eight supernatural powers like Anima (becoming very small) and Mahima (becoming very large), and the nau nidhi are nine kinds of divine wealth, the treasures of Kubera. Together they mean total mastery and abundance. In the Hanuman Chalisa the line ashta siddhi nau nidhi ke data says Hanuman ji has the power to give both.
Who gave the Ashta Siddhi to Hanuman?
Mata Sita gave him this boon. The Chalisa says it plainly, ashta siddhi nau nidhi ke data, as bar deen Janki mata, that Mother Janki (Sita ji) blessed him to be the giver of the eight siddhis and nine nidhis, pleased by his devotion and his service to Ram ji.
How did Hanuman get the Ashta Siddhi?
Through his bhakti and seva. When Hanuman ji served Ram ji and Sita ji with a pure heart in Lanka, Sita ji was moved and gave him the boon of the eight siddhis and nine nidhis. So he did not chase these powers, they came to him as a blessing for his devotion.
Are the Ashta Siddhi real?
In our tradition they are described as real yogic powers that great tapasvis can attain. But the shastras also warn that siddhis are a side path, not the goal. The real aim is bhakti and a clean mind. Hanuman ji himself never used his powers for show, only in the seva of Ram ji.
Can I get Ashta Siddhi?
Honestly, this is not something to chase. The scriptures say siddhis can come through very deep sadhana, but they also say they become a trap if the mind wants them for power. Far better to ask Hanuman ji for bhakti and a steady heart. That is the boon worth having.
Which god has Ashta Siddhi?
Hanuman ji is the one most remembered as the master and giver of the ashta siddhi, by Sita ji's boon. In yog, the ashta siddhi are linked with great yogis and with Bhagwan Shiva as the adiyogi. But in Hanuman bhakti, it is Bajrang Bali who is the ashta siddhi nau nidhi ke data.
Ashta siddhi nau nidhi ka matlab kya hai?
Ashta siddhi matlab aath divya shaktiyan, jaise Anima (bahut chhota ho jaana) aur Mahima (bahut bada ho jaana). Nau nidhi matlab nau tarah ke divya khazane, Kubera ki nidhiyan. Hanuman Chalisa ki line ashta siddhi nau nidhi ke data yahi kehti hai ki Hanuman ji ke paas yeh dono hain aur woh apne bhakton ko de sakte hain.
हनुमान जी को अष्ट सिद्धि और नौ निधि किसने दी?
माता सीता ने यह वरदान दिया था. जब हनुमान जी ने अशोक वाटिका में माता सीता को खोजा और श्री राम की सच्ची सेवा की, तब माता जानकी ने प्रसन्न होकर उन्हें आठों सिद्धियों और नौ निधियों का दाता बनने का वरदान दिया. इसीलिए हनुमान चालीसा कहती है, अष्ट सिद्धि नौ निधि के दाता, अस बर दीन जानकी माता.
One small thing about me. I am not a pandit or a big scholar, just an ordinary bhakt of Bajrang Bali from Jaipur. I made this page as seva, and I have checked the text with care. Still, if you notice any mistake anywhere, please write to me on the contact page and I will correct it.
Saurabh Satyaram, Jaipur