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Ganesh Shlokas in Sanskrit With Meaning: Bio, WhatsApp Status and Mantras

October 19, 2026

Ganesha is the god you meet first — at the start of a puja, an exam, a new shop, a new home. He is Vighnaharta, the remover of obstacles, and the old texts are clear that removing them can mean smashing them: in the Puranas he grinds a demon's charm to dust with his tusk and takes an axe-blow on that tusk rather than let his father's gift fail. Here are the Ganesh shlokas people reach for most for an Instagram bio, a WhatsApp status or a tattoo — each one complete in Sanskrit, never cut in half, with how to read it and its meaning in Hindi and English.

Every shloka comes with its real source. A few of the well-known Ganesh lines can't be traced to any text, and one famous Vedic verse was first addressed to a different god; we've marked those honestly.

Ganesh Sanskrit shlokas with meaning

The fiercest first. The battle and tusk verses are from the Brahmanda Purana (the Lalitopakhyana, and the story of Parashurama at Kailasa); the hymns are from the Ganapati Atharvashirsha and the Mayuresha Stotram; and the last is from the Rigveda. The Brahmanda Purana text is the printed vulgate as given on GRETIL, the Göttingen e-text library; there is no critical edition. Use the whole card, or the line that speaks to you.

Vighnaharta in battle: the obstacle-charm smashed

स देवो घोरनिर्घातैर्दुःसहैर्दन्तपातनैः ।
क्षणाच्चूर्णीकरोति स्म जयविघ्नमहाशिलाम् ॥

sa devo ghoranirghātair duḥsahair dantapātanaiḥ
kṣaṇāc cūrṇīkaroti sma jayavighnamahāśilām

“With terrible, crashing blows of his tusk that nothing could withstand, the god ground the great stone of the Jaya-vighna — the demons' charm of obstacles — to dust in an instant.”

उस देव ने अपने दाँत के भयंकर, असहनीय प्रहारों से जयविघ्न की महाशिला को क्षण भर में चूर-चूर कर दिया।

Brahmanda Purana · Lalitopakhyana 3.27.74 · Ganesha in the war against the demon Bhanda's army

स एक एव वीरेन्द्रः प्रचलन्नाखुवाहनः ।
सप्ताक्षौहिणिकायुक्तं गजासुरममर्दयत् ॥

sa eka eva vīrendraḥ pracalann ākhuvāhanaḥ
saptākṣauhiṇikāyuktaṃ gajāsuram amardayat

“Alone, that lord of heroes, charging on his mouse, crushed Gajasura and his seven akshauhinis of troops.”

उस अकेले वीरश्रेष्ठ ने अपने मूषक-वाहन पर आगे बढ़ते हुए सात अक्षौहिणी सेना सहित गजासुर को कुचल डाला।

Brahmanda Purana · Lalitopakhyana 3.27.101 · the same battle

How Ganesha became Ekadanta

गणेशस्त्वभिवीक्ष्याथ पित्रा दत्तं परश्वधम् ।
अमोघं कर्तुकामस्तु वामे तं दशनेऽग्रहीत् ॥
स तु दन्तः कुठारेण विच्छिन्नो भूतलेऽपतत् ।
भुवि शोणितसंदिग्धो वज्राहत इवाचलः ॥

gaṇeśas tv abhivīkṣyātha pitrā dattaṃ paraśvadham
amoghaṃ kartukāmas tu vāme taṃ daśane 'grahīt
sa tu dantaḥ kuṭhāreṇa vicchinno bhūtale 'patat
bhuvi śoṇitasaṃdigdho vajrāhata ivācalaḥ

“Ganesha saw the axe — the axe his own father had given Parashurama — and, so that it would not strike in vain, took the blow on his left tusk. Cut by the axe, the tusk fell to the ground, smeared with blood, like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt.”

गणेश ने देखा कि यह फरसा तो उनके पिता का दिया हुआ है; उसे व्यर्थ न जाने देने के लिए उन्होंने उसका वार अपने बाएँ दाँत पर ले लिया। फरसे से कटकर वह दाँत रक्त से सना हुआ धरती पर गिरा, जैसे वज्र से टूटकर कोई पर्वत गिरा हो।

Brahmanda Purana · Madhyama Bhaga 2.42.3–4 · Ganesha guarding Shiva's door against Parashurama

Lord Ganesha Mobile Skin – ‘सर्वशक्तिमयं सर्वरूपधरं’ | Bharatvarsh Arts — “सर्वशक्तिमयं देवं सर्वरूपधरं विभुम्” — in your bio, and on the back of your phone.

पुरा देवासुरे युद्धे पूजितो दिविषद्गणैः ।
विघ्नं निवारयामास विघ्ननाशस्ततः स्मृतः ॥
अद्यायं देवि रामेण कुठारेण निपात्य च ।
दशनं दैवतो भद्रे ह्येकदन्तः कृतोऽमुना ॥

purā devāsure yuddhe pūjito diviṣadgaṇaiḥ
vighnaṃ nivārayāmāsa vighnanāśas tataḥ smṛtaḥ
adyāyaṃ devi rāmeṇa kuṭhāreṇa nipātya ca
daśanaṃ daivato bhadre hy ekadantaḥ kṛto 'munā

“Long ago, in the war of the gods and the asuras, worshipped by the hosts of heaven, he held back every obstacle — so he is remembered as Vighnanasha, the destroyer of obstacles. And today, Devi, Parashurama's axe struck down his tusk, as fate willed — so he has been made Ekadanta, the one-tusked.”

बहुत पहले देवासुर संग्राम में देवताओं ने इनकी पूजा की, और इन्होंने सारे विघ्न रोक दिए — इसलिए ये विघ्ननाश कहलाते हैं। और हे देवी, आज परशुराम ने फरसे से इनका दाँत गिरा दिया — विधि के विधान से ये एकदन्त बन गए।

Brahmanda Purana · Madhyama Bhaga 2.42.38–39 · Krishna to Parvati, explaining Ganesha's names

कालरात्रिश्च दैत्यानां सा रात्रिर्विरतिं गता ।
ललिता चातिमुदिता बभूवास्य पराक्रमैः ॥
विततार महाराज्ञी प्रीयमाणा गणेशितुः ।
सर्वदैवतपूजायाः पूर्वपूज्यत्वमुत्तमम् ॥

kālarātriś ca daityānāṃ sā rātrir viratiṃ gatā
lalitā cātimuditā babhūvāsya parākramaiḥ
vitatāra mahārājñī prīyamāṇā gaṇeśituḥ
sarvadaivatapūjāyāḥ pūrvapūjyatvam uttamam

“That night — the night of death for the demons — came to an end, and Lalita rejoiced at his valour. Pleased with Ganesha, the great queen gave him the highest honour: to be worshipped first, before every other god.”

दैत्यों के लिए कालरात्रि बनी वह रात समाप्त हुई, और ललिता देवी उसके पराक्रम से अत्यंत प्रसन्न हुईं। प्रसन्न होकर महारानी ने गणेश को सबसे उत्तम सम्मान दिया — सब देवताओं की पूजा में सबसे पहले पूजे जाने का।

Brahmanda Purana · Lalitopakhyana 3.27.103–104 · why Ganesha is worshipped first

सृजन्तं पालयन्तं च संहरन्तं निजेच्छया ।
सर्वविघ्नहरं देवं मयूरेशं नमाम्यहम् ॥
नानादैत्यनिहन्तारं नानारूपाणि बिभ्रतम् ।
नानायुधधरं भक्त्या मयूरेशं नमाम्यहम् ॥

sṛjantaṃ pālayantaṃ ca saṃharantaṃ nijecchayā
sarvavighnaharaṃ devaṃ mayūreśaṃ namāmy aham
nānādaityanihantāraṃ nānārūpāṇi bibhratam
nānāyudhadharaṃ bhaktyā mayūreśaṃ namāmy aham

“He creates, protects and destroys by his own will; he takes away every obstacle — I bow to that god, Mayuresha. Slayer of demon after demon, taking form after form, bearing weapon after weapon — with devotion I bow to Mayuresha.”

जो अपनी इच्छा से सृष्टि, पालन और संहार करते हैं, जो सब विघ्न हर लेते हैं — उन मयूरेश देव को मैं नमन करता हूँ। अनेक दैत्यों का वध करने वाले, अनेक रूप धरने वाले, अनेक आयुध धारण करने वाले मयूरेश को मैं भक्ति से नमन करता हूँ।

Mayūreśa Stotram 3–4 · spoken by Brahma, as the hymn itself says

सर्वशक्तिमयं देवं सर्वरूपधरं विभुम् ।
सर्वविद्याप्रवक्तारं मयूरेशं नमाम्यहम् ॥

sarvaśaktimayaṃ devaṃ sarvarūpadharaṃ vibhum
sarvavidyāpravaktāraṃ mayūreśaṃ namāmy aham

“The god who holds every power, who takes every form, the all-pervading one, the teacher of every kind of knowledge — I bow to Mayuresha.”

जो सर्वशक्तिमय हैं, सब रूप धारण करते हैं, सर्वव्यापी हैं और सब विद्याओं के प्रवक्ता हैं — उन मयूरेश को मैं नमन करता हूँ।

Mayūreśa Stotram 6 · spoken by Brahma · the shloka on our Ganesha poster

The 'सर्वशक्तिमयं सर्वरूपधरं' Ganesha Wall Poster | Premium Quality — Our 'सर्वशक्तिमयं सर्वरूपधरं' Ganesha poster carries the Mayuresha shloka above.

हरिः ॐ नमस्ते गणपतये । त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं तत्त्वमसि ।
त्वमेव केवलं कर्तासि । त्वमेव केवलं धर्तासि ।
त्वमेव केवलं हर्तासि । त्वमेव सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्मासि ।
त्वं साक्षादात्मासि नित्यम् ॥

hariḥ oṃ namas te gaṇapataye | tvam eva pratyakṣaṃ tattvam asi
tvam eva kevalaṃ kartāsi | tvam eva kevalaṃ dhartāsi
tvam eva kevalaṃ hartāsi | tvam eva sarvaṃ khalv idaṃ brahmāsi
tvaṃ sākṣād ātmāsi nityam

“Salutation to you, Ganapati. You alone are the truth before our eyes. You alone are the maker, you alone the upholder, you alone the destroyer. You alone are all this — truly, Brahman. You are the Self itself, forever.”

हे गणपति, तुम्हें नमस्कार। तुम ही प्रत्यक्ष तत्त्व हो। तुम ही एकमात्र कर्ता हो, तुम ही धर्ता (धारण करने वाले) हो, तुम ही हर्ता (संहार करने वाले) हो। यह सब कुछ तुम ही हो — तुम ही ब्रह्म हो। तुम ही साक्षात् नित्य आत्मा हो।

Ganapati Atharvashirsha (Ganapati Upanishad) 1 · the opening invocation

नमो व्रातपतये नमो गणपतये नमः प्रमथपतये
नमस्तेऽस्तु लम्बोदराय एकदन्ताय विघ्नविनाशिने
शिवसुताय श्रीवरदमूर्तये नमः ॥

namo vrātapataye namo gaṇapataye namaḥ pramathapataye
namas te 'stu lambodarāya ekadantāya vighnavināśine
śivasutāya śrīvaradamūrtaye namaḥ

“Salutation to the lord of the hosts, to Ganapati, to the lord of Shiva's warrior-bands. Salutation to you — big-bellied, one-tusked, destroyer of obstacles, son of Shiva, the form that grants boons.”

व्रातपति (समूहों के स्वामी) को नमस्कार, गणपति को नमस्कार, प्रमथपति (शिव के गणों के स्वामी) को नमस्कार। लम्बोदर, एकदन्त, विघ्नविनाशक, शिवपुत्र, वरदमूर्ति — तुम्हें नमस्कार।

Ganapati Atharvashirsha 10

एकदन्ताय विद्महे वक्रतुण्डाय धीमहि ।
तन्नो दन्तिः प्रचोदयात् ॥

ekadantāya vidmahe vakratuṇḍāya dhīmahi
tan no dantiḥ pracodayāt

“We know the One-Tusked; we meditate on the one with the curved trunk. May that tusked god move our minds.”

हम एकदन्त को जानते हैं, वक्रतुण्ड का ध्यान करते हैं। वह दन्ती (दाँत वाले देव) हमारी बुद्धि को प्रेरित करें।

Ganapati Atharvashirsha 8 · the Ganesha Gayatri

ऋतं वच्मि । सत्यं वच्मि ।
अव त्वं माम् । अव वक्तारम् । अव श्रोतारम् ॥

ṛtaṃ vacmi | satyaṃ vacmi
ava tvaṃ mām | ava vaktāram | ava śrotāram

“I speak what is right. I speak what is true. Protect me. Protect the one who speaks; protect the one who listens.”

मैं ऋत (उचित) कहता हूँ, मैं सत्य कहता हूँ। तुम मेरी रक्षा करो। बोलने वाले की रक्षा करो, सुनने वाले की रक्षा करो।

Ganapati Atharvashirsha 2

Lord Ganesha Wall Frame – ‘सर्वशक्तिमयं सर्वरूपधरं’ | Bharatvarsh Arts — The same Ganesha, framed — for the wall you face before you begin anything.

विनायकस्ते तनयो महात्मा महतां महान् ।
यं कामः क्रोध उद्वेगो भयं नाविशते कदा ॥

vināyakas te tanayo mahātmā mahatāṃ mahān
yaṃ kāmaḥ krodha udvego bhayaṃ nāviśate kadā

“Your son Vinayaka is great-souled, the greatest of the great. Desire, anger, agitation and fear never enter him.”

तुम्हारा पुत्र विनायक महात्मा है, महानों में भी महान। काम, क्रोध, उद्वेग और भय उसमें कभी प्रवेश नहीं करते।

Brahmanda Purana · Madhyama Bhaga 2.42.30–31 · Krishna to Parvati

गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे कविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम् ।
ज्येष्ठराजं ब्रह्मणां ब्रह्मणस्पत आ नः शृण्वन्नूतिभिः सीद सादनम् ॥

gaṇānāṃ tvā gaṇapatiṃ havāmahe kaviṃ kavīnām upamaśravastamam
jyeṣṭharājam brahmaṇām brahmaṇas pata ā naḥ śṛṇvann ūtibhiḥ sīda sādanam

“We call on you, lord of the hosts — poet of poets, most famed of all; eldest king of prayers, Brahmanaspati: hear us, and come with your help to sit in your seat.”

हे गणों के स्वामी, हम तुम्हें पुकारते हैं — कवियों में कवि, सबसे अधिक यशस्वी, स्तुतियों के ज्येष्ठ राजा, हे ब्रह्मणस्पति! हमारी सुनकर अपनी रक्षाओं के साथ आओ और अपने आसन पर विराजो।

Rigveda 2.23.1 · addressed to Brahmanaspati (Brihaspati); recited for Ganesha by later tradition

Vighnakarta and Vighnaharta

Ganesha is the lord of obstacles in both directions. In the same Lalitopakhyana battle, his six elephant-faced commanders are called the vighnanayakas, "lords of obstacles" — and one of them is named Vighnakarta, "the obstacle-maker" (Brahmanda Purana 3.27.81–82). Historians note that Ganesha's role grew from one who puts obstacles in the way to one who clears them; both stayed part of who he is. The power that blocks the careless clears the road for the devoted — which is why he is called on first.

Famous "Ganesh quotes" that aren't what they seem

वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ…

The most-loved Ganesh prayer of all ("O curved-trunked, mighty-bodied one, bright as a crore suns, keep my every work free of obstacles"). It is very often credited to the Mudgala Purana, but we found no verse reference anywhere, and it isn't in the Purana texts we searched. It's a genuine traditional prayer — just not one we can tie to a book, so we haven't given it a card.

Traditional prayer verse · source text not traced
गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे

Real Rigveda (2.23.1), and chanted for Ganesha everywhere — but in the Rigveda this hymn is to Brahmanaspati (Brihaspati), lord of prayer. Scholars such as Ludo Rocher point out that the elephant-headed Ganesha isn't in the Rigveda; later tradition took the verse over for him.

Rigveda 2.23.1 · originally to Brahmanaspati
Ganesha wrote the Mahabharata as Vyasa dictated

A much-loved story, but the Bhandarkar critical edition of the Mahabharata leaves it out: it appears in only some manuscripts (South Indian manuscripts leave it out) and is printed only in an appendix.

Later addition · not in the critical edition
सुखकर्ता दुःखहर्ता वार्ता विघ्नाची…

The Ganesh aarti sung in every Maharashtrian home is in Marathi, not Sanskrit, and is traditionally credited to Samarth Ramdas (17th century).

Marathi aarti · traditionally Samarth Ramdas
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः

This one is genuine: it is the root mantra given in the Ganapati Atharvashirsha itself (section 7), right before the Ganesha Gayatri.

Ganapati Atharvashirsha 7
शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम्…

Recited before many pujas as a Ganesha prayer, but the words name Vishnu ("white-robed Vishnu, moon-coloured, four-armed"), and Vaishnavas read it as a Vishnu verse. We couldn't trace it to a named text.

Traditional prayer verse · source text not traced

Questions people ask

What is the most powerful Ganesh mantra?

The two most widely recited are “ॐ गं गणपतये नमः” and the Ganesha Gayatri, “एकदन्ताय विद्महे वक्रतुण्डाय धीमहि । तन्नो दन्तिः प्रचोदयात्” — both from the Ganapati Atharvashirsha (sections 7 and 8).

Where does "Vakratunda Mahakaya" come from?

Nobody has traced it. It is usually credited to the Mudgala Purana, but no edition or verse number is ever given, and we didn't find it in the Purana texts we searched. It is a traditional prayer verse.

Why is Ganesha worshipped first?

The Brahmanda Purana gives one answer: after Ganesha smashed the demons' obstacle-charm and crushed Gajasura, the goddess Lalita, pleased with his valour, granted him the honour of being worshipped before every other god (Lalitopakhyana 3.27.103–104). Other Puranas tell other stories.

How did Ganesha lose his tusk?

In the Brahmanda Purana, he blocked Parashurama from entering while Shiva and Parvati rested. Parashurama threw the axe Shiva had given him, and Ganesha took the blow on his left tusk rather than let his father's weapon fail (2.42.3–4). Krishna then names him Ekadanta (2.42.39). Other texts give other versions.

Is "gananam tva ganapatim" about Ganesha?

Not originally. It is Rigveda 2.23.1, a hymn to Brahmanaspati (Brihaspati). Later tradition recites it for Ganesha, and it is still chanted at the start of pujas.

Where do these meanings come from?

The Sanskrit is from the Brahmanda Purana and the Rigveda (GRETIL e-texts) and from the traditional texts of the Ganapati Atharvashirsha and Mayuresha Stotram. The English and Hindi meanings are our own close renderings.

Bring Vighnaharta home

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