Aarti · Ganesha

Jai Ganesh Deva: Ganesh aarti lyrics with meaning

The first aarti of almost every North Indian puja, and the one sung before Lakshmi's on Diwali night: given here in Hindi, in English letters and with a plain meaning, with the simple way to do the aarti.

Listen: Ganesh Aarti: Jai Ganesh Deva

A computer-voiced recitation over a soft aarti rhythm of claps, bell and manjira, checked line by line against the text. It is an aid to reading along, not a replacement for a priest or a family elder.

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What this aarti is

Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, is honoured first in every puja, so “Jai Ganesh Deva” is often the first aarti a child learns. It is short and simple: it names his parents, Parvati and Mahadev (Shiva), describes his single tusk, four arms and mouse, lists the simple offerings of paan, flowers, dry fruit and laddoos, and asks him to look after those who have nothing.

The line “Soor Shyam sharan aaye” is usually read as the signature of the poet-saint Surdas, a devotee of Krishna (Shyam), which is why the aarti is commonly linked with him; some read “Surshyam” as the name of a later poet. Either way it is a traditional text, centuries old and free for everyone.

When it is sung

At the end of any puja, before the aarti of the main deity.
Diwali night: first in the Lakshmi–Ganesh puja, then Om Jai Lakshmi Mata. See the Diwali puja vidhi.
Wednesdays and Chaturthi: Ganesha's weekday and his monthly fourth-day vrat, and every day of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Before something new: a new home, a shop opening, an exam, a journey. It also closes the Ganesh Chalisa.

How to do the aarti, step by step

You need no priest. Aarti is the closing part of any puja, but it can also be done on its own, morning or evening, in about five minutes.

Wash your hands and face and stand or sit before a picture or murti of Ganesha.
Prepare a plate (thali) with a ghee diya or a piece of camphor, a little roli and rice, a flower and a laddoo or modak and a few blades of durva grass.
Light the diya or camphor. If someone can, they ring a small bell or clap along while everyone sings.
Sing the aarti below and slowly wave the plate clockwise in front of the deity. A common household way: four times at the feet, twice at the middle, once at the face, then seven times around the whole form.
After the last verse, circle a little water around the plate and set it down.
Everyone takes the aarti: hold both palms briefly over the flame and touch them to your eyes and head.
Share the sweet as prasad.

Families sing in many tunes and some words differ from house to house. Sing it the way your family does; the feeling matters more than the exact wording.

Jai Ganesh Deva, with meaning

The first verse is the refrain, sung at the start and again after every verse.

Show In English letters Hindi meaning English meaning

Refrain

जय गणेश जय गणेश, जय गणेश देवा।
माता जाकी पार्वती, पिता महादेवा॥

Jai ganesh jai ganesh, jai ganesh deva,
mata jaki parvati, pita mahadeva.

अर्थ: जय हो गणेश देव! जिनकी माता पार्वती हैं और पिता महादेव।

Meaning: Victory to Lord Ganesha, whose mother is Parvati and whose father is Mahadev (Shiva).

Verse 1

एकदन्त दयावन्त, चार भुजाधारी।
माथे पर तिलक सोहे, मूसे की सवारी॥

Ekdant dayavant, chaar bhujadhari,
maathe par tilak sohe, moose ki savari.

अर्थ: एक दाँत वाले, दया से भरे, चार भुजाओं वाले; माथे पर तिलक शोभा देता है, और चूहा उनकी सवारी है।

Meaning: The one-tusked, full of compassion, with four arms; a tilak shines on his forehead, and he rides a mouse.

Verse 2

पान चढ़े फल चढ़े, और चढ़े मेवा।
लड्डुअन का भोग लगे, सन्त करें सेवा॥

Paan chadhe phal chadhe, aur chadhe meva,
laddu-an ka bhog lage, sant karen seva.

अर्थ: उन्हें पान, फल और मेवे चढ़ाए जाते हैं; लड्डुओं का भोग लगता है, और संत उनकी सेवा करते हैं।

Meaning: Betel leaves, fruit and dry fruit are offered to him; laddoos are his favourite food, and holy people serve him.

Verse 3

अंधन को आँख देत, कोढ़िन को काया।
बाँझन को पुत्र देत, निर्धन को माया॥

Andhan ko aankh det, kodhin ko kaya,
baanjhan ko putra det, nirdhan ko maya.

अर्थ: वे अंधों को आँखें देते हैं, कोढ़ से पीड़ितों को स्वस्थ शरीर, संतान की आस रखने वालों को संतान, और निर्धनों को धन।

Meaning: He gives sight to the blind, a healthy body to those with leprosy, a child to those longing for one, and wealth to the poor.

Verse 4

'सूर' श्याम शरण आए, सफल कीजे सेवा।
माता जाकी पार्वती, पिता महादेवा॥

'Soor' shyam sharan aaye, safal keeje seva,
mata jaki parvati, pita mahadeva.

अर्थ: सूर (कवि) कहते हैं: हे श्याम, हम आपकी शरण में आए हैं, हमारी सेवा सफल कीजिए। जिनकी माता पार्वती हैं और पिता महादेव।

Meaning: Soor (the poet) says: we have come to your shelter, Lord; make our service bear fruit. You whose mother is Parvati and whose father is Mahadev.

Verse 5 (sung in many homes)

दीनन की लाज रखो, शंभु सुतकारी।
कामना को पूर्ण करो, जाऊँ बलिहारी॥

Deenan ki laaj rakho, shambhu sutkari,
kamana ko poorn karo, jaaun balihari.

अर्थ: हे शिव के पुत्र, दीन-दुखियों की लाज रखिए; हमारी मनोकामना पूरी कीजिए, मैं आप पर न्योछावर हूँ।

Meaning: Son of Shambhu (Shiva), protect the honour of the helpless; fulfil our wishes, I offer myself to you.

Questions

Why is the Ganesh aarti sung first?

Ganesha is the lord of beginnings and the remover of obstacles, so tradition worships him before any other deity. On Diwali his aarti is followed by Om Jai Lakshmi Mata.

Is it “tilak” or “sindoor” on his forehead?

Both are sung. Most printed texts have “maathe par tilak sohe”; many families sing “maathe sindoor sohe”, since Ganesha is offered sindoor. Sing the version you grew up with.

Who wrote Jai Ganesh Deva?

The line “Soor Shyam sharan aaye” is traditionally taken as the signature of Surdas, the sixteenth-century poet-saint, but this cannot be proved; it is best called a traditional aarti.

How long does it take?

About three minutes with the refrain after every verse.

Text and sources

The Hindi text is a traditional, public-domain aarti. Every line was checked against independent published texts: Drik Panchang, Bharat Discovery, the Sanskrit Documents “Arati Sangrah”, Bhakti Bharat and Shubh Panchang. We follow the reading most of them share. Variants you may meet: “maathe sindoor sohe”, “paan chadhe phool chadhe” or “haar chadhe phool chadhe” in verse 2, “andhe ko aankh det” in verse 3, and in verse 5 “shambhu sutvari” and “jag balihari”. Verse 5 is missing from some printed texts, so we mark it as sung in many homes. The transliteration and meanings are our own.

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