Vakratunda Mahakaya · वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय
The short Sanskrit prayer to Ganesh recited before beginning any task, asking that all work be free of obstacles.
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ । निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥
vakratuṇḍa mahākāya sūryakoṭi samaprabha । nirvighnaṃ kuru me deva sarvakāryeṣu sarvadā ॥
हे टेढ़ी सूँड और विशाल शरीर वाले, करोड़ों सूर्यों के समान तेजस्वी देव, मेरे सभी कार्य सदा निर्विघ्न कीजिए।
O Lord with the curved trunk and mighty body, radiant as ten million suns: make all my undertakings free of obstacles, always.
About this text
Vakratunda Mahakaya is a single Sanskrit shloka addressed to Ganesh as the one with the curved trunk and mighty body, radiant as ten million suns. It asks him to make every undertaking free of obstacles, always. It is perhaps the most widely recited invocation of Ganesh and is often said at the start of study, travel, ceremonies and new ventures. Some editions print समप्रभा; the grammatical form of address is समप्रभ, which most of the sources compared use.
How it is recited
It is recited with folded hands before beginning any work, at the start of puja, and often three times. Practices vary.
When it is recited
More for Ganesh
More Mantras
Sources & checks
- Editions compared
- Vakratunda Mahakaya, dharmsaar.com (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 96d104294b64
- Vakratunda Mahakaya, hinduaarti.com (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 d60ec5991eb6
- Vakratunda Mahakaya, shubhpanchang.com (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 8ff877082955
- Vakratunda Mahakaya, revivingcultures.com (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 75c2c5880674
- Text checked
- Compared line by line across 4 independent sources; every line confirmed by at least 2 (SanatanVani editorial process)
- Meaning
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- : Published. Text compared line by line across independent sources (see the editorial policy).