A Prayer to Remove Difficulties
Summary: This is a popular Hindu prayer to Lord Ganesha by devout Hindus to remove adversity and difficulties
Pronunciation guidelines are in the footnotes. To transliterate into a native language, use the 'Translate the Page' dropdown at the bottom of this page.
Sankata-naasana Ganapathi Sthothram
narada uvacha:
pranamya sirasaadevam gauriputhram vinaayakam |
bhakthaa-vasam smare-nnityam-aayush-kaamaardha siddhaye ||
pradhamam vakrathundancha ekadantham dviteeyakam |
thritheeyam krishna pingaksham gajavktram chathurthakam ||
lambodaram panchamam cha shashtam vikatamevacha |
samptamam vighnarajancha dhuumra-varnam thadhaashtakam ||
navamam baalachandrancha dasamanthu vinaayakam |
ekaadasam ganapathim dvaadasanthu gajaananam ||
dvaadasaithaani naamaani thrisandhyam yah patennarah |
nachavighna bhayanthasya sarvasiddhi karamvaram ||
vidyadheen labhathe vidyaam dhanaadheen labhate dhanam |
puthraardhee labhate puthraan-mokshaardhee labhathe gathim ||
japedgnapathi shothram shadbhirmasaih phalam labheth |
samvathsarena siddhincha labhathe naathra samsayah ||
ashtaanaam braahmanaancha likhitvaaya ssmarpayeth |
tasya vidyaa bhvethsarva ganesasya prasaadathah ||
ithi shree naarada puraane sankata naasanam naam
ganesha dvaadasa nama sthothram sampuurnam ||
Guidelines to pronunciation: Sanskrit is essentially a language of sounds and sound vibrations. The efficacy of Sanskrit prayers depends upon the vibrations that are produced during chanting. It is difficult to transliterate Sanskrit words into English with full justification to the original sounds. In the above stated transliteration we followed a simple approach to make it easier even for those who are not familiar with English or Sanskrit. Wherever you find repeat vowels (aa, uu, ee) please stretch the vowel sound (for ex., aa as in vast or path, uu as in cool or root, ee as in eel or feel). Similarly, "ai" should be pronounced as in gait, fight, or tight. Th should be pronounced as in think or thick, but when t alone is used, it should be pronounced as in two, top or tip.