dāridrya dahana gaṇapati stotram

• suvarṇavarṇasundarambeautiful, with the colour of gold
• sitaikadantabandhuramhandsome with his one white tusk
• gṛhītapāśamholding the noose
• aṅkuśamand the goad
• varapradābhayapradamwho grants boons and freedom from fear
• caturbhujamfour-armed
• trilocanamthree-eyed
• bhujaṅgamopavītinamwearing a snake as his sacred thread
• praphullavārijāsanamseated on a fully open lotus
• bhajāmiI worship
• sindhurānanamthe elephant-faced one

anvaya suvarṇavarṇasundaram sitaikadantabandhuram gṛhītapāśam aṅkuśam varapradābhayapradam caturbhujam trilocanam bhujaṅgamopavītinam praphullavārijāsanam sindhurānanam [aham] bhajāmi

chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating

sindhurānanam the one with an elephant's face — Sindhura is an elephant. The verse waits until its last word to name who all these marks belong to.

varapradābhayapradam giver of boons and of fearlessness — The two hand gestures of blessing: varada, the open palm lowered, and abhaya, the palm raised.

note A meditation on Ganesha's form, from his golden colour to the lotus he sits on. The metre, alternating short and long syllables, gives the hymn its quick, drum-like beat. The printed varapradā-'bhayapradham is read varapradābhayapradam.

• kirīṭahārakuṇḍalamwith crown, necklace and earrings
• pradīptabāhubhūṣaṇamwith shining ornaments on his arms
• pracaṇḍaratnakaṅkaṇamwith bracelets of dazzling gems
• praśobhitāṅghriyaṣṭikamwhose legs are beautifully adorned
• prabhātasūryasundarāmbaradvayapradhāriṇamwearing two garments as lovely as the morning sun
• saratnahemanūpurapraśobhitāṅghripaṅkajamwhose lotus feet shine with gold anklets set with jewels

anvaya [aham] kirīṭahārakuṇḍalam pradīptabāhubhūṣaṇam pracaṇḍaratnakaṅkaṇam praśobhitāṅghriyaṣṭikam prabhātasūryasundarāmbaradvayapradhāriṇam saratnahemanūpurapraśobhitāṅghripaṅkajam [gaṇeśam bhajāmi]

chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating

prabhātasūryasundarāmbaradvaya a pair of garments lovely as the morning sun — The upper and lower cloth, both the red-gold of sunrise.

aṅghripaṅkajam lotus feet — Feet compared to a lotus, the usual way of speaking of a deity's feet.

note The eye moves down the figure, from the crown on his head to the anklets on his feet. The verse has no main verb of its own; it carries on the 'I worship' of the first verse.

• suvarṇadaṇḍamaṇḍitapracaṇḍacārucāmaramfanned with fine, splendid whisks on gold-decorated handles
• gṛhapratīrṇasundarambeautiful (the rest of this word is unclear in the text)
• yugakṣaṇapramoditamfull of joy (the exact sense is unclear)
• kavīndracittarañjakamwho delights the minds of great poets
• mahāvipattibhañjakamwho breaks the force of great disasters
• ṣaḍakṣarasvarūpiṇamwhose form is the six-syllable mantra
• bhajetone should worship
• gajendrarūpiṇamhim who has the form of the lord of elephants

anvaya suvarṇadaṇḍamaṇḍitapracaṇḍacārucāmaram gṛhapratīrṇasundaram yugakṣaṇapramoditam kavīndracittarañjakam mahāvipattibhañjakam ṣaḍakṣarasvarūpiṇam gajendrarūpiṇam [gaṇeśam] bhajet

chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating

ṣaḍakṣarasvarūpiṇam one whose form is the six-syllable mantra — Usually identified with Ganesha's six-syllable mantra, वक्रतुण्डाय हुम् (vakratuṇḍāya huṃ). The verse says the mantra and the god are the same.

cāmaram the royal whisk — A yak-tail fan waved before kings and deities as a sign of honour.

note The second line of this verse is unclear in the printed text. gṛha pratīrṇa sundaraṃ yugakṣaṇa pramoditam does not read cleanly, so its meaning here keeps only what can be said with confidence: that he is beautiful and joyful. The rest of the verse is clear.

• viriñciviṣṇuvanditamhonoured by Brahma and Vishnu
• virūpalocanastutampraised by Shiva, the three-eyed
• girīśadarśanecchayāwith a longing to see Shiva, lord of the mountain
• samarpitamto whom offerings are made
• parāśayāwith great hope
• nirantaramwithout pause
• surāsuraiḥby gods and demons
• suputravāmalocanaiḥby those who want good sons, and by women with lovely eyes
• mahāmakheṣṭamiṣṭakarmasuin great sacrifices and in every cherished rite
• bhajāmiI worship
• tundilamthe round-bellied one

anvaya viriñciviṣṇuvanditam virūpalocanastutam girīśadarśanecchayā parāśayā samarpitam surāsuraiḥ suputravāmalocanaiḥ nirantaram mahāmakheṣṭamiṣṭakarmasu [pūjitam] tundilam [aham] bhajāmi

chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating

virūpalocana the one with unusual eyes, that is, three-eyed Shiva — Virupaksha, 'of unusual eyes', is a name of Shiva.

tundilam the one with the round belly — An affectionate name for Ganesha, like Lambodara.

note Even Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva honour him, and so does every kind of worshipper. The printed text has several slips, and the word-by-word follows the usual readings: virupalocana stutiṃ as virūpalocanastutam, samārpitaṃ parāśāyā as samarpitaṃ parāśayā, and karmanu as karmasu. The second line is the least certain part of the verse.

• madaughalubdhacañcalālimañjuguñjitāravamaround whom restless bees, drawn by the flow of mada, hum sweetly
• prabuddhacittarañjakamwho delights the awakened mind
• pramodakarṇacālakamwho flaps his ears in joy
• ananyabhaktimānanamwho honours single-minded devotion
• pracaṇḍamuktidāyakamwho grants liberation with great power
• namāmiI bow to
• nityamevery day
• ādareṇawith love and respect
• vakratuṇḍanāyakamVakratunda, the leader

anvaya [aham] madaughalubdhacañcalālimañjuguñjitāravam prabuddhacittarañjakam pramodakarṇacālakam ananyabhaktimānanam pracaṇḍamuktidāyakam vakratuṇḍanāyakam nityam ādareṇa namāmi

chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating

madaugha the flow of mada — Mada is the fragrant fluid that flows from an elephant's temples. In poetry, bees are always drawn to it.

ananyabhakti devotion with no other object — Love that looks to him alone.

note A lively picture: bees buzzing around him and his great ears moving as he listens. The printed cañcalārka is read as cañcalāli, 'restless bees', which fits the humming in the same line.

• dāridryavidrāvaṇamwhich drives away poverty
• āśuquickly
• kāmadamwhich grants wishes
• stotramhymn
• paṭhetshould read
• etatthis
• ajasramconstantly
• ādarātwith devotion
• putrīblessed with children
• kalatrawith a wife
• svajaneṣuamong one's own people
• maitrīon friendly terms
• pumānthat person
• bhavetbecomes
• ekadantavaraprasādātby the blessing and grace of Ekadanta

anvaya [yaḥ] pumān āśu dāridryavidrāvaṇam kāmadam etat stotram ajasram ādarāt paṭhet [saḥ] ekadantavaraprasādāt putrī kalatra svajaneṣu maitrī bhavet

chandas Upajāti, a mix of 11- and 12-syllable pādas

dāridryavidrāvaṇam that which makes poverty run away — The hymn's own name, Daridrya Dahana, means the burning of poverty. This line says the same with a different word.

ekadanta the single-tusked one — Ganesha, named here by his tusk as the giver of the blessing.

note The closing verse, the phalashruti, says what the hymn gives: poverty driven away, a family, and harmony with one's own people. The printed paṭhèdeta and varaprāsādāt are read paṭhedetad and varaprasādāt.