gangaganga-laharijagannatha-panditarajariver

Ganga Lahari (Opening Verses)

गंगालहरी in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Ganga Dussehra, Kartik Purnima, during Ganga Snan, or daily at sunrise·📜 Ganga Lahari (Piyusha Lahari), a stotra-kavya by Jagannatha Panditaraja

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Ganga Lahari ('Waves of the Ganga') is a celebrated devotional poem to the river-goddess Ganga by the 17th-century court poet Jagannatha Panditaraja. In dense, musical Sanskrit it adores Ganga as the good fortune of the earth, the essence of the Vedas and the sister of nectar, whose mere sight removes poverty and sin. These famous opening verses culminate in the poet's intimate cry of total dependence on the Mother — 'if you turn away, before whom shall I weep?' — the same surrender by which, tradition says, Ganga rose to receive him.

Origin & Story

Ganga Lahari (Piyusha Lahari), a stotra-kavya by Jagannatha Panditaraja · Jagannatha Panditaraja (Panditaraja Jagannatha) · 17th century CE

The Ganga Lahari was composed by Jagannatha Panditaraja, the great poet-laureate of his age. According to the well-loved tradition, the poet — sorrowful and rejected by orthodox society — came to the ghats of the Ganga at Varanasi and poured out his heart in these verses. With the recitation of each verse the sacred river rose by one step to meet him, and at the last verse Ganga surged up, embraced him, and bore him away to liberation — a testimony to the saving power of surrender to the Mother.

✦ As told in scripture

It is famously told that as Jagannatha Panditaraja sang the Ganga Lahari upon the steps of the river at Kashi, the Ganga rose step by step with each verse, until at the final verse she rose to his very seat and carried him into her waters, granting him moksha. Devotees cite this as proof that sincere surrender to Mother Ganga is never refused.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

Samriddham Saubhagyam Sakala-Vasudhayah Kimapi Tan Mahaishvaryam Lila-Janita-Jagatah Khanda-Parashoh Shrutinam Sarvasvam Sukritam-Atha Murtam Sumanasam Sudha-Sodaryam Te Salilam-Ashivam Nah Shamayatu

Meaning:May your water — which is the abundant good fortune of the whole earth, some indescribable supreme majesty of Shiva (who in play created the worlds), the entire essence of the Vedas, the embodied merit of the noble, and the very sister of nectar — pacify all that is inauspicious for us.

Verse 2

Daridranam Dainyam Duritam-Atha Durvasana-Hridam Drutam Durikurvan-Sakridapi Gato Drishti-Saranim Api Drag-Avidya-Druma-Dalana-Diksha-Gurur-Iha Pravahas-Te Varam Shriyam-Ayam-Aparam Dishatu Nah

Meaning:Swiftly driving away the wretchedness of the poor, the sin and evil tendencies of hearts, the moment it comes even once within the path of one's sight; and being here the very guru initiated in cutting down the tree of ignorance — may your stream of waters bestow upon us boundless prosperity.

Verse 3

Udanchan-Martanda-Sphuta-Kapata-Heramba-Janani- Kataksha-Vyakshepa-Kshana-Janita-Sankshobha-Nivahah Bhavantu Tvanganto Hara-Shirasi Ganga-Tanubhuva- starangah Prottunga Durita-Bhaya-Bhangaya Bhavatam

Meaning:May the surging, lofty waves born of Ganga's body — waves of agitation roused in an instant by the sidelong glance cast (in jealousy) by the mother of Heramba (Parvati), bright as the rising sun unmasked — leaping upon the head of Hara (Shiva), serve to break the fear of sin for you all.

Verse 4

Tavalambad-Amba Sphurad-Alaghu-Garvena Sahasa Maya Sarve-Avajna-Saranim-Atha Nitah Sura-Ganah Idanim-Audasyam Bhajasi Yadi Bhagirathi Tada Niradharo Ha Rodimi Kathaya Kesham-Iha Purah

Meaning:O Mother! Relying upon you, in sudden and no small pride, I treated all the hosts of gods with disdain. If now you turn indifferent, O Bhagirathi, then — without any support, alas, I weep — tell me, before whom shall I cry here?

Word-by-Word Meaning

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Samriddham Saubhagyam🔊The full, abundant good fortune

Sakala-Vasudhayah🔊Of the entire earth

Khanda-Parashoh🔊Of Shiva (the bearer of the axe / wielder of the broken axe)

Shrutinam Sarvasvam🔊The very essence / whole treasure of the Vedas

Sudha-Sodaryam🔊Born of the same source as nectar (sister of amrita)

Te Salilam🔊Your water

Ashivam Nah Shamayatu🔊May it pacify / remove all that is inauspicious for us

Daridranam Dainyam🔊The misery of the poor

Duritam🔊Sin, evil

Drishti-Saranim Gatah🔊Having come within the path of (one's) sight

Avidya-Druma🔊The tree of ignorance

Dalana-Diksha-Guruh🔊The guru initiated in the art of cutting it down

Pravahas-Te Varam🔊Your stream of waters

Shriyam Aparam Dishatu🔊May it bestow boundless prosperity

Heramba-Janani🔊The mother of Heramba (Ganesha), i.e. Parvati

Kataksha-Vyakshepa🔊The casting of a sidelong (jealous) glance

Hara-Shirasi🔊Upon the head of Hara (Shiva)

Ganga-Tanubhuvah Tarangah🔊The waves born of Ganga's body

Durita-Bhaya-Bhangaya🔊For the breaking of the fear of sin

Tavalambat Amba🔊Relying upon you, O Mother

Audasyam Bhajasi Yadi🔊If you become indifferent

Bhagirathi🔊O Bhagirathi (Ganga, brought down by Bhagiratha)

Niradharo Ha Rodimi🔊Without support, alas, I weep

Benefits of Chanting गंगालहरी

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Invokes Mother Ganga, whose waters are believed to wash away the gravest sins

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Cultivates total surrender (sharanagati) to the Divine Mother

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Recited for purification, peace of mind and spiritual upliftment

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Considered especially powerful when chanted on the banks of the Ganga or during Ganga Snan

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The poetry itself, rich in alliteration, is treasured as a meditation on Ganga's grace

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Traditionally associated with the granting of moksha (liberation) to the devotee

How to Chant गंगालहरी

Repetitions1times

Best TimeGanga Dussehra, Kartik Purnima, during Ganga Snan, or daily at sunrise

Recite the verses slowly, savouring the flowing Sanskrit, while seated facing the Ganga or before an image of the goddess; offering a lamp and flowers on the water enhances the mood. If reciting the full Ganga Lahari is not possible, these celebrated opening verses may be chanted as a complete devotion. Bathing in or sprinkling Ganga water while reciting, with a heart of surrender, is the traditional practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete गंगालहरी written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

The Ganga Lahari ('Waves / Stream of the Ganga') is a famous Sanskrit stotra-kavya of devotional verses in praise of the river-goddess Ganga, composed by the renowned poet Jagannatha Panditaraja in the 17th century. It is admired both as great poetry and as a heartfelt prayer of surrender to Mother Ganga.

Jagannatha Panditaraja was a celebrated 17th-century Sanskrit poet and scholar, honoured at the Mughal court. He is the author of several lyrical works; the Ganga Lahari is his most beloved devotional composition, sung to the goddess Ganga.

Tradition holds that Jagannatha, in distress, sat upon the steps of the Ganga at Kashi and sang these verses. As he recited each verse, the river is said to have risen one step higher, until at the final verse Ganga rose and lovingly took him into her embrace, granting him liberation.

No. The complete Ganga Lahari consists of many more verses (traditionally counted as around fifty-two). Presented here are its celebrated opening verses, which are themselves often recited as a complete devotional offering to Mother Ganga.