Ganesh Chalisa: Lyrics with Meaning in English

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

Jai Ganpati sadgun sadan, kavivar badan kripalVighna haran mangal karan, jai jai Girijalal

Glory to Ganpati, home of all virtues, gracious one with the face of the finest poets; remover of obstacles and bringer of good, glory to Girija's son.

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

Jai jai jai Ganpati rajuMangal bharan karan shubh kaju

Glory, glory to King Ganpati, who fills life with good and makes every task auspicious.

जय गजबदन सदन सुखदाता।विश्व विनायक बुद्धि विधाता॥

Jai Gajbadan sadan sukhdataVishva Vinayak buddhi vidhata

Glory to the elephant-faced one, home and giver of happiness, Vinayaka of the world, giver of intelligence.

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

Vakra tund shuchi shund suhavanTilak tripund bhal man bhavan

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

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

Rajit mani muktan ur malaSwarn mukut shir nayan vishala

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

पुस्तक पाणि कुठार त्रिशूलं।मोदक भोग सुगन्धित फूलं॥

Pustak pani kuthar trishulamModak bhog sugandhit phoolam

In your hands are a book, an axe and a trident; you are offered modak and fragrant flowers.

सुन्दर पीताम्बर तन साजित।चरण पादुका मुनि मन राजित॥

Sundar pitambar tan sajitCharan paduka muni man rajit

Fine yellow silk adorns your body, and your sandalled feet dwell in the hearts of sages.

धनि शिवसुवन षडानन भ्राता।गौरी ललन विश्व-विधाता॥

Dhani Shiv suvan Shadanan bhrataGauri lalan vishva vidhata

Blessed is Shiva's son, brother of six-faced Kartikeya, Gauri's darling and maker of the world.

ऋद्धि सिद्धि तव चँवर सुधारे।मूषक वाहन सोहत द्वारे॥

Riddhi Siddhi tav chanvar sudhareMushak vahan sohat dware

Riddhi and Siddhi wave the fly-whisk for you, and your mouse vehicle waits at the door.

कहौं जन्म शुभ कथा तुम्हारी।अति शुचि पावन मंगल कारी॥

Kahaun janm shubh katha tumhariAti shuchi pavan mangal kari

Let me tell the auspicious story of your birth, most pure, holy and bringing good.

एक समय गिरिराज कुमारी।पुत्र हेतु तप कीन्हा भारी॥

Ek samay Giriraj kumariPutra hetu tap keenha bhari

Once the daughter of the king of mountains (Parvati) performed a great penance for a son.

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

Bhayo yagya jab purna anupaTab pahunchyo tum dhari dwij rupa

When her wonderful yagya was complete, you arrived in the form of a Brahmin.

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

Atithi jani kai Gauri sukhariBahu vidhi seva kari tumhari

Seeing you as a guest, Gauri was glad and served you in many ways.

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

Ati prasann hvai tum var deenhaMatu putra hit jo tap keenha

Well pleased, you granted a boon to the Mother who had done penance for a son.

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

Milahi putra tuhi buddhi vishalaBina garbh dharan yahi kala

You will have a son of great wisdom, at this very moment, without carrying him in the womb.

गणनायक गुण ज्ञान निधाना।पूजित प्रथम रूप भगवाना॥

Gananayak gun gyan nidhanaPujit pratham roop Bhagvana

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

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

As kahi antardhyan roop hvaiPalna par balak swaroop hvai

Saying this, you vanished, and appeared in the cradle as a baby.

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

Bani shishu rudan jabahi tum thanaLakhi mukh sukh nahin Gauri samana

When you began to cry as an infant, Gauri's joy at seeing your face knew no bounds.

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

Sakal magan sukh mangal gavahinNabh te suran suman varshavahin

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

शम्भु उमा बहुदान लुटावहिं।सुर मुनि जन सुत देखन आवहिं॥

Shambhu Uma bahu dan lutavahinSur muni jan sut dekhan avahin

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

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

Lakhi ati anand mangal sajaDekhan bhi aye Shani raja

Seeing such joy and celebration, King Shani also came to see the child.

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

Nij avgun guni Shani man mahinBalak dekhan chahat nahin

Knowing the harm of his own glance, Shani did not wish to look at the child.

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

Girija kachhu man bhed badhayoUtsav mor na Shani tuhi bhayo

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

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

Kahan lage Shani man sakuchaiKa karihau shishu mohi dikhai

Shani hesitantly replied, what will you gain by showing me the child?

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

Nahin vishvas Uma kar bhayauShani son balak dekhan kahyau

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

पड़तहिं शनि दृग कोण प्रकाशा।बालक शिर उड़ि गयो आकाशा॥

Padatahin Shani drig kon prakashaBalak shir udi gayo akasha

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

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

Girija girin vikal hvai dharaniSo dukh dasha gayo nahin varani

Girija fell to the ground in anguish; her grief cannot be described.

हाहाकार मच्यो कैलाशा।शनि कीन्ह्यों लखि सुत को नाशा॥

Hahakar machyo KailashaShani keenhyo lakhi sut ko nasha

There was an outcry across Kailash: Shani's glance had destroyed the son.

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

Turat Garud chadhi Vishnu sidhayeKati chakra so gaj shir laye

Vishnu at once flew off on Garuda, and with his discus brought back an elephant's head.

बालक के धड़ ऊपर धारयो।प्राण मंत्र पढ़ शंकर डारयो॥

Balak ke dhad upar dharyoPran mantra padh Shankar daryo

He placed it on the child's body, and Shankar breathed life into him with a mantra.

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

Nam Ganesh Shambhu tab keenhePratham pujya buddhi nidhi var deenhe

Shambhu then named him Ganesha and blessed him to be worshipped first, a treasury of wisdom.

बुद्धि परीक्षा जब शिव कीन्हा।पृथ्वी की प्रदक्षिणा लीन्हा॥

Buddhi pariksha jab Shiv keenhaPrithvi ki pradakshina leenha

When Shiva tested his sons' wisdom, they were asked to go around the earth.

चले षडानन भरमि भुलाई।रची बैठ तुम बुद्धि उपाई॥

Chale Shadanan bharami bhulaiRachi baith tum buddhi upai

Six-faced Kartikeya rushed off, confused, while you sat and thought of a clever way.

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

Charan matu pitu ke dhar leenheinTinke sat pradakshin keenhein

You took hold of your parents' feet and walked around them seven times.

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

Dhani Ganesh kahi Shiv hiy harasheNabh te suran suman bahu barase

Shiva rejoiced and said, blessed is Ganesha, and the gods showered many flowers from the sky.

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

Tumhri mahima buddhi badaiShesh sahas mukh sakai na gai

Your glory and your great wisdom cannot be sung even by thousand-mouthed Shesha.

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

Main mati heen maleen dukhariKarahun kaun bidhi vinay tumhari

I am of little understanding, impure and suffering; how can I worthily pray to you?

भजत रामसुन्दर प्रभुदासा।लख प्रयाग ककरा दुर्वासा॥

Bhajat Ramsundar prabhudasaLakh Prayag Kakra Durvasa

Ramsundar, the Lord's servant, sings your praise, at Kakra near Prayag, by Durvasa's seat.

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

Ab prabhu daya deen par keejaiApni shakti bhakti kuchh deejai

Lord, now show mercy to this humble one and give me some of your strength and devotion.

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

Shri Ganesh yah Chalisa, path karein dhar dhyanNit nav mangal grih basai, lahe jagat sanman

Those who read this Ganesh Chalisa with attention have new blessings in their home every day and are honoured in the world.

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

Samvat apan sahasra dash, Rishi Panchami dineshPuran Chalisa bhayo, mangal murti Ganesh

In the Samvat year given here, on a Sunday that was Rishi Panchami, this Chalisa was completed, Ganesha, embodiment of all good.