Patriotic Songs · National Anthem

Jana Gana Mana — Full Lyrics with Meaning जन गण मन

Rabindranath Tagore 1911 National Anthem

"Jana Gana Mana" is the first of five stanzas of a Bengali hymn, "Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata", written by Rabindranath Tagore and first sung at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress on 27 December 1911. Its first stanza was adopted as India's National Anthem on 24 January 1950.

The National Anthem (first stanza)

जन-गण-मन-अधिनायक जय हे भारत-भाग्य-विधाता!
पंजाब सिन्धु गुजरात मराठा द्राविड़ उत्कल बंग
विंध्य हिमाचल यमुना गंगा उच्छल-जलधि-तरंग
तव शुभ नामे जागे, तव शुभ आशिष मागे,
गाहे तव जयगाथा।
जन-गण-मंगलदायक जय हे भारत-भाग्य-विधाता!
जय हे, जय हे, जय हे, जय जय जय जय हे॥

jana-gaṇa-mana-adhināyaka jaya he bhārata-bhāgya-vidhātā
pañjāba sindhu gujarāṭa marāṭhā drāviḍa utkala baṅga
vindhya himācala yamunā gaṅgā ucchala-jaladhi-taraṅga
tava śubha nāme jāge, tava śubha āśiṣa māge
gāhe tava jaya-gāthā
jana-gaṇa-maṅgala-dāyaka jaya he bhārata-bhāgya-vidhātā
jaya he, jaya he, jaya he, jaya jaya jaya jaya he

Victory to you, ruler of the minds of all the people, dispenser of India's destiny! Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha, the Dravida lands, Utkala and Bengal; the Vindhya and Himalaya; the Yamuna and the Ganga and the ocean's surging waves — all wake at your auspicious name, ask for your blessing and sing your glory. Victory to you, giver of good to all the people, dispenser of India's destiny! Victory, victory, victory to you.

The official anthem is this first stanza, sung in about 52 seconds. A short version of the first and last lines (about 20 seconds) is used on certain occasions.

The full song (stanzas 2–5)

अहरह तव आह्वान प्रचारित, शुनि तव उदार वाणी
हिन्दु बौद्ध शिख जैन पारसिक मुसलमान खृष्टानी
पूरब पश्चिम आसे तव सिंहासन-पाशे
प्रेमहार हय गाँथा।
जन-गण-ऐक्य-विधायक जय हे भारत-भाग्य-विधाता!
जय हे, जय हे, जय हे, जय जय जय जय हे॥

aharaha tava āhvāna pracārita, śuni tava udāra vāṇī
hindu bauddha śikha jaina pārasika musalamāna khṛṣṭānī
pūraba paścima āse tava siṃhāsana-pāśe
prema-hāra haya gā̃thā
jana-gaṇa-aikya-vidhāyaka jaya he bhārata-bhāgya-vidhātā

Day and night your call goes out; hearing your generous words, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Muslims and Christians — East and West — come to the side of your throne, and a garland of love is woven. Victory to you who bring unity to the people, dispenser of India's destiny!

पतन-अभ्युदय-वन्धुर पन्था, युग युग धावित यात्री
हे चिरसारथि, तव रथचक्रे मुखरित पथ दिनरात्रि
दारुण विप्लव-माझे तव शंखध्वनि बाजे
संकट-दुःख-त्राता।
जन-गण-पथ-परिचायक जय हे भारत-भाग्य-विधाता!
जय हे, जय हे, जय हे, जय जय जय जय हे॥

patana-abhyudaya-vandhura panthā, yuga yuga dhāvita yātrī
he cira-sārathi, tava ratha-cakre mukharita patha dina-rātri
dāruṇa viplava-mājhe tava śaṅkha-dhvani bāje
saṅkaṭa-duḥkha-trātā
jana-gaṇa-patha-paricāyaka jaya he bhārata-bhāgya-vidhātā

The road is rough with falls and rises, yet pilgrims hasten along it age after age. O eternal charioteer, your chariot wheels echo on the path day and night; in the midst of terrible upheaval your conch sounds, saving us from danger and sorrow. Victory to you who show the people their path!

घोर-तिमिर-घन निविड़ निशीथे पीड़ित मूर्च्छित देशे
जाग्रत छिल तव अविचल मंगल नतनयने अनिमेषे
दुःस्वप्ने आतंके रक्षा करिले अंके
स्नेहमयी तुमि माता।
जन-गण-दुःख-त्रायक जय हे भारत-भाग्य-विधाता!
जय हे, जय हे, जय हे, जय जय जय जय हे॥

ghora-timira-ghana niviḍa niśīthe pīḍita mūrcchita deśe
jāgrata chila tava avicala maṅgala nata-nayane animeṣe
duḥsvapne ātaṅke rakṣā karile aṅke
snehamayī tumi mātā
jana-gaṇa-duḥkha-trāyaka jaya he bhārata-bhāgya-vidhātā

In the thick darkness of the night, when the land lay suffering and senseless, your unwavering blessing kept watch with lowered, unblinking eyes. In nightmares and terror you held us safe in your lap — you are a loving mother. Victory to you who remove the people's sorrow!

रात्रि प्रभातिल, उदिल रविच्छवि पूर्व-उदय-गिरि-भाले
गाहे विहंगम, पुण्य समीरण नवजीवनरस ढाले
तव करुणारुण-रागे निद्रित भारत जागे
तव चरणे नत माथा।
जय जय जय हे, जय राजेश्वर भारत-भाग्य-विधाता!
जय हे, जय हे, जय हे, जय जय जय जय हे॥

rātri prabhātila, udila ravi-cchavi pūrva-udaya-giri-bhāle
gāhe vihaṅgama, puṇya samīraṇa navajīvana-rasa ḍhāle
tava karuṇāruṇa-rāge nidrita bhārata jāge
tava caraṇe nata māthā
jaya jaya jaya he, jaya rājeśvara bhārata-bhāgya-vidhātā

The night has ended; the sun's radiance has risen on the brow of the eastern hills. Birds sing, and a holy breeze pours the nectar of new life. In the red glow of your compassion sleeping India awakes; our heads bow at your feet. Victory to you, supreme king, dispenser of India's destiny!

History and rules

Tagore wrote the hymn in Bengali in a highly Sanskritised style, so that it could be understood across India. It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Congress. A claim, made at the time by some newspapers, that it was written in honour of King George V, who was visiting India, was firmly denied by Tagore himself, who explained that the "dispenser of India's destiny" could only be the eternal guide of the nation, never a foreign king.

The Constituent Assembly adopted the first stanza as the National Anthem on 24 January 1950. Under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, intentionally preventing the singing of the anthem or disturbing an assembly singing it is an offence. Government orders ask those present to stand to attention when it is played.

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Frequently asked questions

Who wrote Jana Gana Mana?

Rabindranath Tagore, in Bengali; it was first sung on 27 December 1911.

How long is the National Anthem?

The full version of the first stanza takes about 52 seconds to sing.

How many stanzas does Jana Gana Mana have?

Tagore's hymn has five stanzas; only the first is the National Anthem.

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Sources & copyright status

  • Rabindranath Tagore, "Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata" (1911) — public domain
  • Ministry of Home Affairs, orders relating to the National Anthem — government record
  • Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 — government record
  • Historical facts: not subject to copyright.
  • Commentary and translations on this page: original to The Hindu Book. © The Hindu Book, all rights reserved.