ନିର୍ଵିଘ୍ନଂ କୁରୁ ମେ ଦେଵ ସର୍ଵକାର୍ଯେଷୁ ସର୍ଵଦା ॥
- ଵକ୍ରତୁଣ୍ଡ (vakratuṇḍa)O Lord with the curved trunk
- ମହାକାଯ (mahākāya)O Lord with the mighty body
- ସୂର୍ଯକୋଟିସମପ୍ରଭ (sūryakoṭisamaprabha)whose light equals ten million suns
- ନିର୍ଵିଘ୍ନମ୍ (nirvighnam)free of obstacles
- କୁରୁ (kuru)make
- ମେ (me)for me
- ଦେଵ (deva)O God
- ସର୍ଵକାର୍ଯେଷୁ (sarvakāryeṣu)in all my work
- ସର୍ଵଦା (sarvadā)always
anvaya [ହେ] ଵକ୍ରତୁଣ୍ଡ ମହାକାଯ ସୂର୍ଯକୋଟିସମପ୍ରଭ ଦେଵ ମେ ସର୍ଵକାର୍ଯେଷୁ ସର୍ଵଦା ନିର୍ଵିଘ୍ନମ୍ କୁରୁ
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
ଵକ୍ରତୁଣ୍ଡ the one with the curved trunk — In the Mudgala Purana, Vakratunda is the first of Ganesha's eight forms, the one who overcomes Matsarasura, the demon of envy.
ସୂର୍ଯକୋଟିସମପ୍ରଭ as bright as ten million suns — Koti is ten million, a crore. The number is a way of saying his light cannot be counted.
ନିର୍ଵିଘ୍ନମ୍ without any obstacle — This is the one thing the verse asks for: that the work in hand goes ahead with nothing blocking it.
note For many people this is the first Sanskrit verse they ever learn. It is said before starting almost anything: a school exam, a journey, opening a shop, a wedding, a puja. It stands on its own as a prayer and is not tied to a single author.