Ganesha shloka · traditional prayer
Vakratunda Mahakaya: Ganesh mantra meaning and how to chant
Before a new job, an exam, a journey or a new home, millions begin with this prayer to Ganesha, the remover of obstacles.
Verses checked against the source texts · Drafted with AI help and reviewed before publishing · Last reviewed 2026-11-12 · How we write
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥
vakratuṇḍa mahākāya sūryakoṭi samaprabha
nirvighnaṁ kuru me deva sarva-kāryeṣu sarvadā
Traditional Ganesha shloka
Meaning
O Lord with the curved trunk and the great body, shining with the light of ten million suns — please remove the obstacles from everything I undertake, at all times.
हिंदी में अर्थ
हे घुमावदार सूँड वाले, विशाल शरीर वाले, करोड़ों सूर्यों के समान तेजस्वी देव — मेरे सभी कार्य सदा बिना विघ्न के पूरे कीजिए।
Word by word
Where it comes from
This is a traditional prayer to Ganesha as Vighneśvara, lord of obstacles. It is found in countless prayer books and is recited across India; its exact original text is uncertain. Ganesha is honoured first in almost every Hindu ritual, which is why this verse so often opens a puja, a function or a new venture.
The obstacles inside
The prayer asks for work free of obstacles. Many of the hardest ones are inside us: fear, distraction, the habit of postponing. Saying it before you start is also a way of telling yourself: I’m beginning now.
How to chant
- Fold your hands.Before you begin the task, pause and face Ganesha’s image or simply close your eyes.
- Chant clearly.Once, three times or eleven — whatever suits the moment.
- Begin at once.Let the prayer be the start of the work, not a delay before it.
Questions people ask
What is the meaning of “vakratunda mahakaya”?
“O Lord with the curved trunk and mighty body” — the opening of a prayer asking Ganesha, radiant as ten million suns, to make all our work free of obstacles.
When should the Vakratunda mantra be chanted?
Before beginning anything new — study, a journey, a job, a puja or a new home.
Which scripture is the Vakratunda shloka from?
It is a traditional prayer found in many prayer collections; its exact original source is uncertain.