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Ganesh Chalisa

जय गणपति सदगुण सदन कविवर बदन कृपाल । विघ्न हरण मंगल करण जय जय गिरिजालाल ॥

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

What the Ganesh Chalisa is

The Ganesh Chalisa is a Hindi devotional poem to Ganesha in the chalisa form, written in an Awadhi-flavoured Hindi. Its poet names himself only once, in chaupai 37, as Ramsundar, servant of the Lord (prabhudasa). The text has an opening doha, 38 chaupais and two closing dohas, so the 'forty' of the title is a round number rather than an exact count. The sequence moves in clear stages. Chaupais 1 to 8 describe Ganesha's form: the curved trunk, the three-line tripundra on the forehead, a book, axe and trident in his hands, modakas as his offering, a yellow garment, Riddhi and Siddhi waving the fan beside him and the mouse waiting at the door. Chaupais 9 to 30 narrate his birth, and chaupais 31 to 34 the contest of wisdom with his brother. The poet then confesses his own dullness and asks for devotion, the second doha states the fruit of reading, and the last doha is a dated colophon.

Shani's glance and seven turns around two parents

The birth story in chaupais 10 to 30 follows the Ganapati Khanda of the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, not the better-known Shiva Purana account in which Shiva himself beheads the boy guarding Parvati's door. In the Brahma Vaivarta telling, Parvati keeps the punyaka vow for a son, and a hungry, penance-thin brahmin comes to the door and then vanishes; a voice reveals he was Janardana, and a newborn is found inside. The chalisa makes one quiet change: it addresses Ganesha himself as the brahmin guest who blessed his mother and then lay down in the cradle as a baby, in keeping with that Purana's claim that Ganesha is a form of Krishna. Among the gods who come to see the child is Shani, who keeps his eyes lowered. The Purana explains why: his wife had cursed him that whatever he looked at would be destroyed. Parvati insists, the glance falls, and the head flies off. Vishnu rides Garuda to the Pushpabhadra river and returns with an elephant's head, Shiva restores life, and the child is named Ganesha and made first to be worshipped. Chaupai 33 then takes the contest from the Shiva Purana's Kumara Khanda, where Ganesha circles his parents seven times instead of the earth; the chalisa keeps that number, 'sata pradakshina'.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiजय गणपति सदगुण सदन कविवर बदन कृपाल । विघ्न हरण मंगल करण जय जय गिरिजालाल ॥

Tamilஜய கணபதி ஸதகுண ஸதந கவிவர பதந க்ருபால । விக்ந ஹரண மம்கல கரண ஜய ஜய கிரிஜாலால ॥

Teluguజయ గణపతి సదగుణ సదన కవివర బదన కృపాల । విఘ్న హరణ మంగల కరణ జయ జయ గిరిజాలాల ॥

Kannadaಜಯ ಗಣಪತಿ ಸದಗುಣ ಸದನ ಕವಿವರ ಬದನ ಕೃಪಾಲ । ವಿಘ್ನ ಹರಣ ಮಂಗಲ ಕರಣ ಜಯ ಜಯ ಗಿರಿಜಾಲಾಲ ॥

Malayalamജയ ഗണപതി സദഗുണ സദന കവിവര ബദന കൃപാല । വിഘ്ന ഹരണ മംഗല കരണ ജയ ജയ ഗിരിജാലാല ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationjaya gaṇapati sadaguṇa sadana kavivara badana kṛpāla | vighna haraṇa maṃgala karaṇa jaya jaya girijālāla ||

“Glory to Ganapati, home of every virtue, gracious one with a face loved by poets. Remover of obstacles and bringer of good fortune, glory, glory to the darling son of Girija (Parvati).”

जय: jaya — glory
गणपति: gaṇapati — to Ganapati
सदगुण: sadaguṇa — of good qualities
सदन: sadana — home
कविवर: kavivara — beloved of poets
बदन: badana — face
कृपाल: kṛpāla — gracious one
विघ्न: vighna — obstacles
हरण: haraṇa — remover
मंगल: maṃgala — good fortune
करण: karaṇa — bringer
जय: jaya — glory
जय: jaya — glory
गिरिजालाल: girijālāla — darling son of Girija (Parvati)

Ganesh Chalisa lyrics in full

All 41 verses, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Ganesh Chalisa PDFAll 41 verses with their meanings, in Hindi. Free to print and keep.

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Doha 1

जय गणपति सदगुण सदन कविवर बदन कृपाल ।
विघ्न हरण मंगल करण जय जय गिरिजालाल ॥

Glory to Ganapati, home of every virtue, gracious one with a face loved by poets. Remover of obstacles and bringer of good fortune, glory, glory to the darling son of Girija (Parvati).

Chaupai 1

जय जय जय गणपति गणराजू ।
मंगल भरण करण शुभ काजू ॥

Glory, glory, glory to Ganapati, king of the ganas, who fills life with blessings and brings good works to completion.

Chaupai 2

जय गजबदन सदन सुखदाता ।
विश्व विनायक बुद्धि विधाता ॥

Glory to the elephant-faced one, the abode and giver of happiness, Vinayaka of the whole world and the giver of wisdom.

Chaupai 3

वक्र तुण्ड शुचि शुण्ड सुहावन ।
तिलक त्रिपुण्ड भाल मन भावन ॥

Your curved trunk is pure and lovely, and the three-line tilak on your forehead delights the mind.

Chaupai 4

राजत मणि मुक्तन उर माला ।
स्वर्ण मुकुट शिर नयन विशाला ॥

A garland of jewels and pearls shines on your chest; a golden crown sits on your head, and your eyes are large.

Chaupai 5

पुस्तक पाणि कुठार त्रिशूलं ।
मोदक भोग सुगन्धित फूलं ॥

In your hands are a book, an axe and a trident; modaks are your offering, along with fragrant flowers.

Chaupai 6

सुन्दर पीताम्बर तन साजित ।
चरण पादुका मुनि मन राजित ॥

A handsome yellow garment adorns your body, and your sandalled feet shine in the minds of sages.

Chaupai 7

धनि शिवसुवन षडानन भ्राता ।
गौरी ललन विश्व-विख्याता ॥

Blessed is the son of Shiva, brother of six-faced Kartikeya, the darling of Gauri, famed throughout the world.

Chaupai 8

ऋद्धि सिद्धि तव चंवर सुधारे ।
मूषक वाहन सोहत द्वारे ॥

Riddhi and Siddhi wave the chamara fan for you, and your mouse mount waits handsomely at the door.

Chaupai 9

कहौं जन्म शुभ कथा तुम्हारी ।
अति शुचि पावन मंगलकारी ॥

Let me tell the auspicious story of your birth, which is very pure, sanctifying and full of blessing.

Chaupai 10

एक समय गिरिराज कुमारी ।
पुत्र हेतु तप कीन्हा भारी ॥

Once the daughter of the mountain king (Parvati) performed great austerities to gain a son.

Chaupai 11

भयो यज्ञ जब पूर्ण अनूपा ।
तब पहुँच्यो तुम धरि द्विज रूपा ॥

When her matchless sacrifice was complete, you arrived there in the form of a brahmin.

Chaupai 12

अतिथि जानि कै गौरी सुखारी ।
बहु विधि सेवा करी तुम्हारी ॥

Knowing you to be a guest, Gauri was glad and served you in many ways.

Chaupai 13

अति प्रसन्न ह्वै तुम वर दीन्हा ।
मातु पुत्र हित जो तप कीन्हा ॥

Greatly pleased, you granted a boon to the mother for the austerity she had done for the sake of a son.

Chaupai 14

मिलहि पुत्र तुहि बुद्धि विशाला ।
बिना गर्भ धारण यहि काला ॥

You told her: you will receive a son of great wisdom, at this very time, without carrying him in the womb.

Chaupai 15

गणनायक गुण ज्ञान निधाना ।
पूजित प्रथम रूप भगवाना ॥

He will be the leader of the ganas, a treasury of virtue and knowledge, a form of the Lord worshipped first of all.

Chaupai 16

अस कहि अन्तर्धान रूप ह्वै ।
पलना पर बालक स्वरूप ह्वै ॥

Saying this, you vanished from sight and appeared in the cradle in the form of a baby.

Chaupai 17

बनि शिशु रुदन जबहिं तुम ठाना ।
लखि मुख सुख नहिं गौरि समाना ॥

When, as an infant, you began to cry, Gauri looked at your face and her joy could not be contained.

Chaupai 18

सकल मगन सुख मंगल गावहिं ।
नभ ते सुरन सुमन वर्षावहिं ॥

Everyone was overjoyed and sang songs of celebration, and the gods showered flowers from the sky.

Chaupai 19

शम्भु उमा बहु दान लुटावहिं ।
सुर मुनिजन सुत देखन आवहिं ॥

Shambhu and Uma gave away gifts freely, and gods and sages came to see the son.

Chaupai 20

लखि अति आनन्द मंगल साजा ।
देखन भी आये शनि राजा ॥

Seeing the great joy and festive preparations, King Shani also came to look.

Chaupai 21

निज अवगुण गुनि शनि मन माहीं ।
बालक देखन चाहत नाहीं ॥

But Shani, mindful of his own harmful nature, did not wish to look at the child.

Chaupai 22

गिरिजा कछु मन भेद बढ़ायो ।
उत्सव मोर न शनि तुहि भायो ॥

Girija felt somewhat hurt and said: Shani, does my celebration not please you?

Chaupai 23

कहन लगे शनि मन सकुचाई ।
का करिहौ शिशु मोहि दिखाई ॥

Shani, hesitant at heart, began to say: what will you gain by showing me the child?

Chaupai 24

नहिं विश्वास उमा उर भयऊ ।
शनि सों बालक देखन कह्यऊ ॥

Uma did not believe him, and she asked Shani to look at the child.

Chaupai 25

पड़तहिं शनि दृग कोण प्रकाशा ।
बालक सिर उड़ि गयो अकाशा ॥

As soon as the glance from the corner of Shani's eye fell on him, the child's head flew off into the sky.

Chaupai 26

गिरिजा गिरीं विकल ह्वै धरणी ।
सो दुख दशा गयो नहिं वरणी ॥

Girija fell to the ground in anguish; that state of grief cannot be described.

Chaupai 27

हाहाकार मच्यो कैलाशा ।
शनि कीन्हों लखि सुत को नाशा ॥

A cry of lament rose over Kailasa: Shani, by looking, had destroyed the son.

Chaupai 28

तुरत गरुड़ चढ़ि विष्णु सिधाये ।
काटि चक्र सो गज शिर लाये ॥

At once Vishnu set out on Garuda, cut off an elephant's head with his discus and brought it back.

Chaupai 29

बालक के धड़ ऊपर धारयो ।
प्राण मन्त्र पढ़ि शंकर डारयो ॥

He placed it on the child's body, and Shankara recited the life-giving mantra and breathed life into him.

Chaupai 30

नाम गणेश शम्भु तब कीन्हे ।
प्रथम पूज्य बुद्धि निधि वर दीन्हे ॥

Then Shambhu named him Ganesha and gave him the boon of being worshipped first, a treasury of wisdom.

Chaupai 31

बुद्धि परीक्षा जब शिव कीन्हा ।
पृथ्वी कर प्रदक्षिणा लीन्हा ॥

When Shiva set a test of wisdom, a race to circle the earth was undertaken.

Chaupai 32

चले षडानन भरमि भुलाई ।
रचे बैठ तुम बुद्धि उपाई ॥

Six-faced Kartikeya set off, wandering and misled, while you sat and devised a clever plan.

Chaupai 33

चरण मातु-पितु के धर लीन्हें ।
तिनके सात प्रदक्षिण कीन्हें ॥

You took hold of the feet of your mother and father and walked around them seven times.

Chaupai 34

धनि गणेश कहि शिव हिय हरषे ।
नभ ते सुरन सुमन बहु बरसे ॥

Saying 'Blessed is Ganesha', Shiva rejoiced at heart, and the gods rained many flowers from the sky.

Chaupai 35

तुम्हरी महिमा बुद्धि बड़ाई ।
शेष सहस मुख सके न गाई ॥

Your glory and the greatness of your wisdom cannot be sung even by Shesha with his thousand mouths.

Chaupai 36

मैं मति हीन मलीन दुखारी ।
करहुँ कौन विधि विनय तुम्हारी ॥

I am dull of mind, impure and sorrowful; in what way can I offer my prayer to you?

Chaupai 37

भजत रामसुन्दर प्रभुदासा ।
जग प्रयाग ककरा दुर्वासा ॥

Ramsundar, servant of the Lord, sings your praise; the rest of the line names places (Prayag, Kakra, Durvasa), and editors read it in different ways.

Chaupai 38

अब प्रभु दया दीन पर कीजै ।
अपनी शक्ति भक्ति कुछ दीजै ॥

Now, Lord, have mercy on this humble one, and grant me something of your strength and devotion.

Doha 2

श्री गणेश यह चालीसा पाठ करै धर ध्यान ।
नित नव मंगल गृह बसै लहे जगत सन्मान ॥

The verse says that whoever recites this Shri Ganesha Chalisa with attention will see fresh blessings dwell in the home every day and will gain honour in the world.

Doha 3

संवत् अपन सहस्र दश ऋषि पंचमी दिनेश ।
पूरण चालीसा भयो मंगल मूर्ति गणेश ॥

This closing doha is a colophon recording when the Chalisa was completed: on Rishi Panchami, falling on a Sunday, in a samvat year given by an obscure phrase ('apana sahasra dasha') that cannot be dated with confidence. So the Chalisa was completed; Ganesha is the embodiment of auspiciousness.

The syllable people get wrong

In chaupai 8, ऋद्धि (ṛddhi, one of the two attendants waving the fan) is often said 'ridhi' with a single soft d. The ṛ is said 'ri', and the द्ध (ddh) cluster is a doubled d whose second half is breathy, so it is rid-dhi, with a slight hold on the d before the aspirated dhi.

When the Ganesh Chalisa is chanted

Weekday. Tuesday

Festival. Ganesh Chaturthi; its colophon names Rishi Panchami, the next day

Questions

The poem names its author in chaupai 37: 'bhajata ramasundara prabhudasa', Ramsundar, the Lord's servant, sings. Many people assume Tulsidas wrote it because he is credited with the Hanuman Chalisa, but nothing in this text points to him. The same line goes on to name Prayag, Kakra and Durvasa; the Prayagraj district lists an old Durvasa Ashram at Kakra Kotwa on the Ganga, so the poet may have had ties to that place, though this remains an inference.

Chaupais 20 to 27 tell how Shani came to see the newborn but would not look at him, aware of his own harmful gaze. Parvati, hurt that he seemed to scorn her celebration, insisted, and when the corner of his eye fell on the child, the head flew into the sky. The episode comes from the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, which traces Shani's destructive glance to a curse laid on him by his wife.

The phala shruti is the second doha, after chaupai 38. The verse says that whoever reads this Shri Ganesha Chalisa with a fixed, attentive mind will find fresh blessings settling in the home day after day and will receive honour in the world. The earlier chaupais make no such statements; they are given to description, narrative and, in chaupais 36 and 38, the poet's own plea for mercy and devotion.

No one knows. The closing doha is a colophon saying the chalisa was completed on Rishi Panchami, which fell on a Sunday, and Rishi Panchami is the fifth of bright Bhadrapada, the day after Ganesh Chaturthi. The year, however, is given in an obscure phrase, 'samvat apana sahasra dasha', that cannot be converted into a date with confidence, and no early dated printing of the text has been traced.

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Ganesh Chalisa

What the Ganesh Chalisa is

Shani's glance and seven turns around two parents

The mantra, in six scripts

Ganesh Chalisa lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Ganesh Chalisa is chanted

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

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