Vakratunda Mahakaya
The short verse to Lord Ganesha said before any new work, a puja, a journey or an exam: may the god of the curved trunk keep every task free of obstacles. In English letters, with its meaning word by word.
Say the verse once, slowly, then read what each word means. It is often the first prayer a child learns, and it opens most pujas, since Lord Ganesha is worshipped first.
The verse
- The mantra
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय
सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव
सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥Vakratunda mahakaya,
Suryakoti samaprabha,
Nirvighnam kuru me deva,
Sarva karyeshu sarvada.O god of the curved trunk and the mighty body, as bright as ten million suns: Lord, keep all my work free of obstacles, always.
हे टेढ़ी सूँड़ और विशाल शरीर वाले, करोड़ों सूर्यों जैसे तेजस्वी देव: मेरे सब कामों को सदा बिना किसी बाधा के पूरा कीजिए।
Word by word
- Word 1
वक्रतुण्ड
Vakratunda
Of the curved (vakra) trunk (tunda): Ganesha, whose trunk bends to one side.
टेढ़ी (वक्र) सूँड़ (तुण्ड) वाले: गणेश जी, जिनकी सूँड़ एक ओर मुड़ी है।
- Word 2
महाकाय
Mahakaya
Of the mighty (maha) body (kaya): great in form and in strength.
विशाल (महा) शरीर (काय) वाले: रूप और बल दोनों में महान।
- Word 3
सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ
Suryakoti samaprabha
Whose radiance (prabha) equals (sama) that of ten million (koti) suns (surya).
जिनकी आभा (प्रभा) करोड़ों (कोटि) सूर्यों (सूर्य) के बराबर (सम) है।
- Word 4
निर्विघ्नं
Nirvighnam
Free of obstacles (vighna), without any hindrance.
बिना किसी बाधा (विघ्न) के, हर रुकावट से मुक्त।
- Word 5
कुरु मे
Kuru me
Make it so (kuru) for me (me): please do this for me.
मेरे लिए (मे) ऐसा कीजिए (कुरु)।
- Word 6
देव
Deva
O god, O Lord: Ganesha, called on directly.
हे देव, हे प्रभु: गणेश जी को सीधे पुकारना।
- Word 7
सर्वकार्येषु
Sarvakaryeshu
In all (sarva) my works and tasks (karya), great and small.
मेरे सब (सर्व) कामों (कार्य) में, बड़े हों या छोटे।
- Word 8
सर्वदा
Sarvada
Always, at every time, now and in all that is to come.
सदा, हर समय, अभी और आगे भी।
How to recite it
- When · Before you begin anything: a puja, a journey, new work, study or an exam; and on Wednesdays, on Sankashti Chaturthi and through Ganesh Chaturthi.
- How · Fold your hands before an image of Lord Ganesha, or simply close your eyes, and say it once, or 11 or 108 times on a mala.
- Offering · Many offer durva grass, a red flower or a modak, and light a diya as they say it.