Essential shlokas · Before anything new
Vakratunda Mahakaya: meaning, word by word
A calm family video: the shloka, each word, the story, and a chance to say it together.
1. The shloka
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय
सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव
सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥
vakratuṇḍa mahākāya
sūryakoṭi samaprabha
nirvighnaṃ kuru me deva
sarvakāryeṣu sarvadā
2. Word by word
| Sanskrit | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| वक्रतुण्ड | vakratuṇḍa | O one with the curved trunk |
| महाकाय | mahākāya | O one of mighty form |
| सूर्यकोटि | sūryakoṭi | ten million suns |
| समप्रभ | samaprabha | shining equal to |
| निर्विघ्नम् | nirvighnam | free of obstacles |
| कुरु | kuru | make |
| मे | me | for me |
| देव | deva | O Lord |
| सर्वकार्येषु | sarvakāryeṣu | in all my undertakings |
| सर्वदा | sarvadā | always |
3. What it means
Put together: O Lord with the curved trunk and mighty form, shining like ten million suns: make everything I do free of obstacles, always.
It is not a prayer for a life without effort. It asks for a clear path for the effort we give.
4. The story behind it
Why is Ganesha worshipped first? He is the lord of beginnings and the remover of obstacles (Vighnahartā), so every puja and every new venture starts with him.
A much-loved story tells how the sage Vyasa needed someone to write down the Mahabharata as fast as he could compose it. Ganesha agreed, and when his pen broke in the middle of a verse, he broke off one of his own tusks and kept on writing, so the story would never stop. That is why he is often shown with one broken tusk. He does not take the work away from us; he helps us finish it.
5. When it is said
- At the start of every puja, before any other prayer.
- Before something new: an exam, a first day at school or work, a journey, signing a contract, moving into a new home.
- Once is enough; many families say it three times.
Printable card. The shloka, its sound and its meaning on one page, for the fridge, the prayer shelf or a school bag.
Download the card (PDF)More essential shlokas
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Vakratunda Mahakaya?
O Lord with the curved trunk and mighty form, shining like ten million suns: make everything I do free of obstacles, always.
When should Vakratunda Mahakaya be chanted?
At the start of any puja, and before anything new: an exam, a journey, a new job or a new home.
Where does the Vakratunda Mahakaya shloka come from?
It is a traditional invocation, chanted across India for generations. Its exact textual source is not certain, so we do not cite one.
Why does Ganesha have a broken tusk?
There are several stories. The best known says he broke it off to keep writing the Mahabharata for the sage Vyasa when his pen broke.