Vakratunda Mahakaya
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय
Vakratunda Mahakaya is a two-line Sanskrit shloka to Lord Ganesh and one of the most widely recited. It asks the Lord with the curved trunk, radiant as ten million suns, to keep all our work free of obstacles. Tradition says it before any puja, study, journey or new venture, and many people chant it 11, 21 or 108 times on Wednesdays and on Ganesh Chaturthi.
- 1 verse
- 0.5 min
- Traditional Ganesha shloka
- Best on Wednesday
Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabhaवक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ।
Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarvakaryeshu Sarvadaनिर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥
O Lord with the curved trunk and mighty form, whose radiance equals ten million suns! O God, make all my undertakings free of obstacles, always.
- VakratundaO Lord with the curved trunk
- MahakayaO Lord of mighty form
- Suryakotia crore (ten million) suns
- Samaprabhawhose radiance equals
- Nirvighnamfree of obstacles
- Kuruplease make
- Mefor me, my
- DevaO Lord
- Sarvakaryeshuin all undertakings
- Sarvadaalways
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Questions
When should Vakratunda Mahakaya be chanted?
Before starting anything: a puja, an exam, a journey, a new job, a housewarming or a wedding. Tradition honours Ganesh first as the remover of obstacles. Many people also chant it as japa on Wednesdays, on Sankashti Chaturthi and through the ten days of Ganesh Chaturthi.
How many times should the Vakratunda mantra be recited?
Once is enough before a task. For japa, 11, 21 or 108 times is traditional, often on a rudraksha or red sandalwood mala. The number 21 is specially linked with Ganesh; in puja he is also offered 21 blades of durva grass and 21 modaks.
Which scripture is Vakratunda Mahakaya from?
No one has traced it to a single scripture with certainty. It is a traditional invocation, found in puja books across regions and sampradayas.
Can children or beginners say it?
Yes. It is short, and children often learn it as their first shloka.
What does Vakratunda mean?
Vakra means curved and tunda means trunk, so Vakratunda is "the one with the curved trunk". Mahakaya means "of mighty body".
Source and review
Source: Traditional Ganesha invocation (cross-checked: shlokam.org "Vakratunda Mahakaya"; bhaktibharat.com "Vakratunda Mahakaya Ganesh Shlok"; drikpanchang.com Vakratunda Mahakaya Mantra)
The source text of this shloka is not firmly established; it is a traditional invocation. Some prints (e.g. drikpanchang) prefix "श्री" (Shri Vakratunda). A less common reading is "कोटिसूर्यसमप्रभ" (same meaning). Popular prints often write "वक्रतुंड" with anusvara; we keep the Sanskrit spelling "वक्रतुण्ड".
We checked the text line by line against the sources named here. The meanings are an AI-assisted draft. A scholar has not reviewed them yet.
The meanings are our own first draft. A scholar has not reviewed them yet. If you spot a mistake, please tell us.