By Om Tat Sat · Hindu Seeker Library · 19 October 2026
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November, in India and in North America. The evening Lakshmi Puja begins with Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, usually with Vakratuṇḍa Mahākāya or Om Gaṃ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ, and then honours Lakshmi with Om Śrīṃ Mahālakṣmyai Namaḥ. Below are the essential mantras in Sanskrit, transliteration and meaning, with a simple order you can follow at home.
When is Diwali 2026?
- Day: Dhanteras | Date: Friday, 6 November | Observance: Dhanvantari; Yama Deepam lamp at dusk
- Day: Diwali / Lakshmi Puja | Date: Sunday, 8 November | Observance: Lakshmi–Ganesha Puja in the evening
- Day: Govardhan Puja | Date: Tuesday, 10 November | Observance: Annakut; Gujarati New Year
- Day: Bhai Dooj | Date: Wednesday, 11 November | Observance: Yama Dwitiya
Why do some calendars show 9 November? The Amavasya (new moon) tithi begins on 8 November and runs into 9 November, so 9 November appears in some searches. The main Lakshmi Puja is on the evening of 8 November, because the puja is done in Pradosh Kaal (the period after sunset) while Amavasya prevails.
Puja timing examples (local time, 8 November): New Delhi 5:54–7:50 PM; Mumbai 6:27–8:27 PM; New York 5:04–6:52 PM. Timings change by city, so check a trusted panchang for yours.
Why is Ganesha worshipped with Lakshmi on Diwali?
In Hindu worship, Ganesha is prathama-pūjya, the one honoured first before any undertaking: a wedding, a journey, a new business, a puja. As Vighnahartā he removes obstacles, and as the lord of buddhi (wisdom) he makes sure prosperity is received and used well. Lakshmi is Śrī: wealth, beauty and auspiciousness of every kind. Tradition pairs them for a simple reason: abundance without wisdom does not last. Many families also honour Saraswati, goddess of learning, and businesses open new account books (Chopda Puja) the same evening.
Ganesh mantras for Diwali puja
1. Vakratunda Mahakaya (the most widely recited Ganesh shloka)
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ । निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥
vakratuṇḍa mahākāya sūryakoṭi samaprabha · nirvighnaṃ kuru me deva sarvakāryeṣu sarvadā
"O Lord with the curved trunk and mighty body, radiant as ten million suns: make all my undertakings free of obstacles, always."
Word by word: vakra-tuṇḍa, curved trunk · mahā-kāya, great body · sūrya-koṭi, ten million suns · sama-prabha, equal in radiance · nirvighnam, free of obstacles · kuru me deva, make for me, O God · sarva-kāryeṣu, in all works · sarvadā, always.
2. Om Gam Ganapataye Namah (the seed-syllable mantra)
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः ।
oṃ gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ
"Om, (with the seed sound) Gam, salutations to Ganapati, Lord of the ganas."
Meaning: gaṃ is Ganesha's bīja (seed syllable). The Gaṇapati Atharvaśīrṣa explains how it is formed ("ga" first, "a" in the middle, the nasal sound last) and closes that verse with this very mantra. It is the mantra most people use for daily japa, traditionally 11, 21 or 108 times.
3. Ganesh Gayatri
एकदन्ताय विद्महे वक्रतुण्डाय धीमहि । तन्नो दन्तिः प्रचोदयात् ॥
ekadantāya vidmahe vakratuṇḍāya dhīmahi · tanno dantiḥ pracodayāt
"We seek to know the One with a single tusk; we meditate on the One with the curved trunk. May that tusked Lord inspire and guide us." (Gaṇapati Atharvaśīrṣa 8)
Lakshmi mantras for Diwali puja
4. Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah
ॐ श्रीं महालक्ष्म्यै नमः ।
oṃ śrīṃ mahālakṣmyai namaḥ
"Om, (with the seed sound) Shreem, I bow to the great Lakshmi."
Meaning: śrīṃ is Lakshmi's bīja. For a fuller guide to this mantra, its pronunciation and how many times to chant it, see our article Which Lakshmi Mantra Should I Chant on Diwali 2026?
5. Mahalakshmi Ashtakam, first verse
नमस्तेऽस्तु महामाये श्रीपीठे सुरपूजिते । शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्ते महालक्ष्मि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
namaste 'stu mahāmāye śrīpīṭhe surapūjite · śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-haste mahālakṣmi namo 'stu te
"Salutations to you, Great Maya, seated on the throne of Shri, worshipped by the gods. O Mahalakshmi, holding conch, discus and mace, salutations to you."
Meaning: the opening verse of the Mahālakṣmyaṣṭakam, traditionally said to have been sung by Indra. Even this one verse, recited with feeling, is a complete offering.
The lamp prayer and the Diwali prayer
6. Shubham Karoti (lighting the diya)
शुभं करोति कल्याणमारोग्यं धनसम्पदः । शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
śubhaṃ karoti kalyāṇam ārogyaṃ dhanasampadaḥ · śatrubuddhivināśāya dīpajyotir namo 'stu te
"Salutations to the light of the lamp, which brings auspiciousness, wellbeing, health and wealth, and destroys hostile thinking."
Meaning: note the last line: the "enemy" the lamp removes is śatru-buddhi, an enemy mindset. The lamp outside mirrors the light within.
7. Asato Ma Sadgamaya
असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ॥
asato mā sad gamaya · tamaso mā jyotir gamaya · mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya
"Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality." (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.3.28)
A simple Lakshmi Ganesh Puja order for home
Follow your family's tradition wherever it differs. This is a short, respectful order for anyone doing the puja for the first time.
1. Prepare. Clean the home and the puja space. Place images or murtis of Lakshmi and Ganesha side by side on a clean red or yellow cloth, arranged as your family does, with a kalash, flowers, sweets and a diya.
2. Light the lamp and recite Shubham Karoti once.
3. Ganesha first. Offer flowers and chant Vakratunda Mahakaya once, then Om Gam Ganapataye Namah 11 times.
4. Lakshmi. Offer flowers, sweets and coins or ornaments, and chant Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah 11, 21 or 108 times. Add the Ashtakam verse if you know it.
5. Aarti. Sing the Lakshmi aarti (Om Jai Lakshmi Mata) and the Ganesh aarti if your family does.
6. Silence and sankalpa. Sit quietly for one minute. Make one intention for the coming year: one habit of generosity, one practice of gratitude.
7. Light the house. Place diyas at the entrance, windows and corners. Close with Asato Ma Sadgamaya.
How many times should I chant each mantra?
- Once for shlokas like Vakratunda and the Ashtakam verse.
- 11, 21 or 108 for the short seed mantras (Om Gam Ganapataye Namah, Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah). One full mala is 108.
- Sincerity matters more than the count. Eleven attentive repetitions are better than 108 rushed ones.
Frequently asked questions
Is Diwali 2026 on 8 or 9 November in the USA? 8 November. Drik Panchang's New York listing gives the Lakshmi Puja muhurat as 5:04–6:52 PM on Sunday, 8 November.
Can I do Lakshmi Ganesh Puja without a priest? Yes. Home puja with sincere devotion is fully traditional.
What is the best Ganesh mantra for success? Vakratunda Mahakaya asks for obstacle-free undertakings; Om Gam Ganapataye Namah is the classic japa mantra. Both are traditionally chanted before new beginnings.
Can I chant if I don't know Sanskrit? Yes. Read the transliteration slowly and say the meaning once before you begin.
Should Lakshmi be worshipped for money only? Lakshmi is Śrī, abundance of every kind, including contentment, health and harmony at home.
Free: the mantras, printable. The 11-Minute Daily Mantra Practice includes Om Gam Ganapataye Namah and Om Shreem Mahalakshmyai Namah with Devanagari, transliteration and meaning, a minute-by-minute routine and a 21-day tracker to keep going after Diwali: https://payhip.com/b/R23E6
Free Ganesha ebook. Vighnaharta: Kundalini Rahasya: Ganesha, the root chakra and a safe start: https://payhip.com/b/Y2Lu0
The wealth that lasts. Santosha: The Ultimate Freedom, contentment from the Yoga Sutras and the Gita: https://payhip.com/b/Jpe4i
Make a Diwali sankalpa. The Naam Jaap 40-Day Sadhana Kit: https://payhip.com/b/vKRwy
Om Tat Sat · Hindu Seeker Library