Ganesh Chalisa — Lyrics in English with Meaning

Jai jai jai ganpati ganraju ।
Mangal bharan karan shubh kaju ॥

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

Victory, victory to Ganpati, king of the ganas, who fills life with blessings and completes every good work.

Jai gajabdan sadan sukhdata ।
Vishva vinayak buddhi vidhata ॥

जै गजबदन सदन सुखदाता। विश्व विनायक बुद्धि विधाता॥

Victory to the elephant-faced one, giver of happiness, leader of the world and giver of intelligence.

Vakra tund shuchi shund suhavan ।
Tilak tripundra bhal man bhavan ॥

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

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

Rajat mani muktan ur mala ।
Swarn mukut shir nayan vishala ॥

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

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

Pustak pani kuthar trishulan ।
Modak bhog sugandhit phulan ॥

पुस्तक पाणि कुठार त्रिशूलं। मोदक भोग सुगन्धित फूलं॥

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

Sundar pitambar tan sajit ।
Charan paduka muni man rajit ॥

सुन्दर पीताम्बर तन साजित। चरण पादुका मुनि मन राजित॥

Your body is adorned with beautiful yellow cloth, and your sandals dwell in the minds of the sages.

Dhani shivasuvan shadanan bhrata ।
Gauri lalan vishva-vikhyata ॥

धनि शिवसुवन षडानन भ्राता। गौरी ललन विश्व-विख्याता॥

Blessed is the son of Shiva, brother of Kartikeya, darling of Gauri, famous throughout the world.

Riddhi-siddhi tav chanvar sudhare ।
Mushak vahan sohat dware ॥

ऋद्धि-सिद्धि तव चंवर सुधारे। मूषक वाहन सोहत द्वारे॥

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

Kahau janma shubh-katha tumhari ।
Ati shuchi pavan mangalkari ॥

कहौ जन्म शुभ-कथा तुम्हारी। अति शुचि पावन मंगलकारी॥

Now I tell the holy and auspicious story of your birth.

Ek samay giriraj kumari ।
Putra hetu tap kinho bhari ॥

एक समय गिरिराज कुमारी। पुत्र हेतु तप कीन्हो भारी॥

Once Parvati, daughter of the king of mountains, performed great austerities for a son.

Bhayo yagya jab purn anupa ।
Tab pahunchyo tum dhari dwij rupa ॥

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

When that matchless ritual was complete, you arrived in the form of a Brahmin.

Atithi jani kai gauri sukhari ।
Bahuvidhi seva kari tumhari ॥

अतिथि जानि कै गौरि सुखारी। बहुविधि सेवा करी तुम्हारी॥

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

Ati prasann hvai tum var dinha ।
Matu putra hit jo tap kinha ॥

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

Greatly pleased, you granted a boon, because the Mother had performed austerities for a son.

Milhi putra tuhi, buddhi vishala ।
Bina garbh dharan, yahi kala ॥

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

'You will have a son of great intelligence, right now, without carrying him in your womb.'

Gananayak, gun gyan nidhana ।
Pujit pratham, rup bhagvana ॥

गणनायक, गुण ज्ञान निधाना। पूजित प्रथम, रूप भगवाना॥

'He will lead the ganas, be a treasury of virtue and wisdom, be worshipped first, and be divine.'

As kahi antardhan rup hvai ।
Palna par balak swarup hvai ॥

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

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

Bani shishu, rudan jabhin tum thana ।
Lakhi mukh sukh nahin gauri samana ॥

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

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

Sakal magan, sukhamangal gavhin ।
Nabh te suran, suman varshavhin ॥

सकल मगन, सुखमंगल गावहिं। नभ ते सुरन, सुमन वर्षावहिं॥

Everyone rejoiced and sang songs of blessing, and the gods showered flowers from the sky.

Shambhu, uma, bahu dan lutavhin ।
Sur munijan, sut dekhan avhin ॥

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

Shiva and Uma gave away gifts generously; gods and sages came to see the son.

Lakhi ati anand mangal saja ।
Dekhan bhi aye shani raja ॥

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

Seeing such joy and celebration, Shani Dev too came to see the child.

Nij avgun guni shani man mahin ।
Balak, dekhan chahat nahin ॥

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

Thinking of the flaw in his own gaze, Shani did not want to look at the child.

Girija kachhu man bhed barhayo ।
Utsav mor, na shani tuhi bhayo ॥

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

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

Kahan lage shani, man sakuchai ।
Ka karihau, shishu mohi dikhai ॥

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

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

Nahin vishvas, uma ur bhayau ।
Shani son balak dekhan kahau ॥

नहिं विश्वास, उमा उर भयऊ। शनि सों बालक देखन कहाऊ॥

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

Padtahin, shani drig kon prakasha ।
Balak sir uri gayo akasha ॥

पडतहिं, शनि दृग कोण प्रकाशा। बालक सिर उड़ि गयो अकाशा॥

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

Girija girin vikal hvai dharni ।
So dukh dasha gayo nahin varni ॥

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

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

Hahakar machyo kailasha ।
Shani kinho lakhi sut ko nasha ॥

हाहाकार मच्यो कैलाशा। शनि कीन्हो लखि सुत को नाशा॥

Kailash was filled with cries that Shani's gaze had destroyed the son.

Turat garur charhi vishnu sidhayo ।
Kati chakra so gaj shir laye ॥

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

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

Balak ke dhar upar dharyo ।
Pran, mantra parhi shankar daryo ॥

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

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

Nam ganesh shambhu tab kinhe ।
Pratham pujya buddhi nidhi, var dinhe ॥

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

Then Shambhu named him Ganesh and blessed him to be worshipped first and to be a treasury of wisdom.

Buddhi pariksha jab shiv kinha ।
Prithvi kar pradakshina linha ॥

बुद्धि परीक्षा जब शिव कीन्हा। पृथ्वी कर प्रदक्षिणा लीन्हा॥

When Shiva tested their intelligence, he asked his sons to go around the earth.

Chale shadanan, bharmi bhulai ।
Rache baith tum buddhi upai ॥

चले षडानन, भरमि भुलाई। रचे बैठ तुम बुद्धि उपाई॥

Six-faced Kartikeya set off on the journey, while you sat and thought of a wise solution.

Charan matu-pitu ke dhar linhen ।
Tinke sat pradakshin kinhen ॥

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

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

Dhani ganesh kahi shiv hiy harshe ।
Nabh te suran suman bahu barse ॥

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

'Blessed is Ganesh!' said Shiva, delighted, and the gods showered many flowers from the sky.

Tumhari mahima buddhi barai ।
Shesh sahasmukh sake na gai ॥

तुम्हरी महिमा बुद्धि बड़ाई। शेष सहसमुख सके न गाई॥

Even the thousand-mouthed serpent Shesh cannot sing the full glory of your wisdom.

Main matihin malin dukhari ।
Karhun kaun vidhi vinay tumhari ॥

मैं मतिहीन मलीन दुखारी। करहुं कौन विधि विनय तुम्हारी॥

I am without wisdom, impure and sorrowful — how can I offer you my prayer?

Bhajat ramasundar prabhudasa ।
Jag prayag, kakra, durvasa ॥

भजत रामसुन्दर प्रभुदासा। जग प्रयाग, ककरा, दुर्वासा॥

Ramsundar, the Lord's servant from Kakra-Durvasa near Prayag, sings your praise.

Ab prabhu daya din par kijai ।
Apni shakti bhakti kuchh dijai ॥

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

O Lord, have mercy on this humble one now and give me some of your strength and devotion.