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AartiGanesha

Sukhkarta Dukhharta: Marathi Ganpati Aarti

Composed by: Samarth Ramdas (by tradition)

By custom sung on: Wednesday

Edited by the SanatanBodh editorial teamLast updated: 2 sourcesDrafted with AI, checked against sourcesReport a mistake
A Maharashtrian family singing the Ganpati aarti during Ganeshotsav, with cymbals and an aarti plate
Image: made with AI
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  1. Verse 1

    सुखकर्ता दुखहर्ता वार्ता विघ्नाची। नुरवी पुरवी प्रेम कृपा जयाची। सर्वांगी सुंदर उटी शेंदुराची। कंठी झळके माळ मुक्ताफळांची॥

    Sukhkarta dukhharta varta vighnachi. Nurvi purvi prem kripa jayachi. Sarvangi sundar uti shendurachi. Kanthi jhalke mal muktaphlanchi ||

    Ganpati brings happiness and removes sorrow; he leaves not even a trace of any obstacle, and his grace pours out love. His whole body is beautifully coated with sindoor, and a string of pearls gleams at his throat.

  2. Refrain (dhrupad)

    जय देव जय देव जय मंगलमूर्ती। दर्शनमात्रे मनकामना पुरती॥

    Jay dev jay dev jay mangalmoorti. Darshanmatre mankamna purti ||

    Victory, victory to the Lord, the embodiment of all that is auspicious. The aarti says that the mere sight of him fulfils the wishes of the heart.

  3. Verse 2

    रत्नखचित फरा तुज गौरीकुमरा। चंदनाची उटी कुंकुम केशरा। हिरेजडित मुकुट शोभतो बरा। रुणझुणती नूपुरे चरणी घागरिया॥

    Ratnakhchit phara tuj gaurikumra. Chandanachi uti kunkum keshra. Hirejdit mukut shobhto bara. Runjhunti noopure charni ghagriya ||

    O son of Gauri (Parvati), for you there is a jewel-studded ornament (phara). You are anointed with sandal paste, kumkum and saffron. A diamond-studded crown looks splendid on you, and anklets and little bells jingle at your feet.

  4. Verse 3

    लंबोदर पीतांबर फणिवरबंधना। सरळ सोंड वक्रतुंड त्रिनयना। दास रामाचा वाट पाहे सदना। संकटी पावावे निर्वाणी रक्षावे सुरवरवंदना॥

    Lambodar pitambar phanivarbandhana. Saral sond vakratund trinayna. Das ramacha vat pahe sadna. Sankati pavave nirvani rakshave survarvandana ||

    O Lambodar (the big-bellied one), you wear yellow silk with a great serpent bound around your waist; your trunk is straight, your face is curved (Vakratunda) and you have three eyes. This servant of Ram waits for you at home; O you whom the gods worship, come to my aid in trouble and protect me at the final hour.

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Meaning, sources and more prayers: sanatanbodh.in/en/prayers/sukhkarta-dukhharta/

In short

“Sukhkarta Dukhharta Varta Vighnachi” is the best-known Marathi aarti of Ganpati, attributed by tradition to Sant Samarth Ramdas (1608 to 1682). In Maharashtra it is usually the first of the aartis sung at the end of worship. It is sung in homes during Ganeshotsav, from Ganesh Chaturthi to Anant Chaturdashi, and in daily worship.

This aarti is in Marathi, and its original Marathi text is given here. Sources differ slightly in spelling, for example ‘duhkharta’, ‘vighnanchi’, ‘uti’ (short i), ‘kumkum keshara’, ‘hire jadit’, ‘phanivar bandhana’ and, in the refrain, ‘man kamana poorti’. According to Marathi Wikipedia, ‘nuravi’ is often wrongly read as ‘nurvi’. In the last verse, the words ‘das Ramacha’ (servant of Ram) are taken as Ramdas’s signature, and according to Marathi Wikipedia it is believed that the sight of the Mayureshwar Ganpati at Morgaon inspired him to compose this aarti. In Maharashtra the refrain ‘Jai dev jai dev jai Mangalmurti’ is sung after every verse; here it is given once, after the first verse.

After the aarti, most homes recite: कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम्।

Frequently asked questions

Who wrote the Sukhkarta Dukhharta aarti?

By tradition, Sant Samarth Ramdas (1608 to 1682), the Marathi saint-poet of the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The words ‘das Ramacha’ in the last verse are taken as his signature.

What language is this aarti in?

Marathi. It is also widely sung during Ganeshotsav outside Maharashtra, so the original Marathi text is given here with a Hindi meaning.

What does ‘varta vighnachi nuravi’ mean?

‘Varta’ means talk or mention, ‘vighnachi’ means of obstacles, and ‘nuravi’ means leaves nothing remaining. The sense is that Ganpati does not let even the mention of obstacles remain.

When is this aarti sung?

Morning and evening during Ganeshotsav from Ganesh Chaturthi to Anant Chaturdashi, in daily worship, and in Maharashtra usually first in the sequence of aartis at the end of any puja.

Is this different from ‘Jai Ganesh Deva’?

Yes. ‘Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh Deva’ is a Hindi aarti, while ‘Sukhkarta Dukhharta’ is a Marathi aarti linked to Samarth Ramdas.

Sources

  1. Traditional Marathi aarti text
  2. Attributed to Samarth Ramdas (by tradition)

Something wrong? Report a mistake

Text checked against: drikpanchang.com, mr.wikipedia.org, marathi.webdunia.com, amit.chakradeo.net