gaṇapati atharvaśīrṣam

• śrīgaṇapatyatharvaśīrṣamthe Shri Ganapati Atharvashirsha
• stotramhymn

anvaya śrīgaṇapatyatharvaśīrṣam stotram

• oṃOm
• bhadramwhat is good
• karṇebhiḥwith our ears
• śṛṇuyāmamay we hear
• devāḥO gods
• bhadramwhat is good
• paśyemamay we see
• akṣabhiḥwith our eyes
• yajatrāḥO you who are worthy of worship
• sthiraiḥwith steady
• aṅgaiḥlimbs
• tuṣṭuvāṃsaḥpraising you
• tanūbhiḥwith our bodies
• vyaśemamay we live out
• devahitamset by the gods
• yatwhich
• āyuḥlife span
• svastiwell-being
• naḥto us
• indraḥIndra
• vṛddhaśravāḥof great fame
• svastiwell-being
• naḥto us
• pūṣāPushan
• viśvavedāḥwho knows all
• svastiwell-being
• naḥto us
• tārkṣyaḥTarkshya
• ariṣṭanemiḥwhose wheel-rim is never harmed
• svastiwell-being
• naḥto us
• bṛhaspatiḥBrihaspati
• dadhātumay he grant
• oṃOm
• śāntiḥpeace
• śāntiḥpeace
• śāntiḥpeace

anvaya oṃ devāḥ [vayam] karṇebhiḥ bhadram śṛṇuyāma yajatrāḥ akṣabhiḥ bhadram paśyema sthiraiḥ aṅgaiḥ tanūbhiḥ tuṣṭuvāṃsaḥ yat devahitam āyuḥ [tat] vyaśema vṛddhaśravāḥ indraḥ naḥ svasti [dadhātu] viśvavedāḥ pūṣā naḥ svasti [dadhātu] ariṣṭanemiḥ tārkṣyaḥ naḥ svasti [dadhātu] bṛhaspatiḥ naḥ svasti dadhātu oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

chandas Triṣṭubh, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas (Rigveda 1.89.8 and 1.89.6)

devahitam the life span the gods have set — The prayer asks to live the whole of it with healthy limbs, praising the gods.

ariṣṭanemiḥ whose wheel-rim is never harmed — An epithet of Tarkshya, the swift one, usually taken as Garuda. It names a protector against harm.

note The Atharvashirsha opens and closes with this peace chant from the Rigveda. It asks for good things to hear and to see, a healthy body to live a full life in, and the blessing of four gods: Indra, Pushan, Tarkshya and Brihaspati. Because the same chant comes first and last, it frames the whole Upanishad.

• hariḥHari
• oṃOm
• namaḥsalutations
• teto you
• gaṇapatayeto Ganapati
• tvamyou
• evaalone
• pratyakṣamvisibly, before our eyes
• tattvamthe truth
• asiare
• tvamyou
• evaalone
• kevalamonly
• kartāthe maker
• asiare
• tvamyou
• evaalone
• kevalamonly
• dhartāthe one who holds it up
• asiare
• tvamyou
• evaalone
• kevalamonly
• hartāthe one who takes it back
• asiare
• tvamyou
• evaalone
• sarvamall
• khalutruly
• idamthis
• brahmaBrahman
• asiare
• tvamyou
• sākṣātdirectly
• ātmāthe Self
• asiare
• nityamalways

anvaya hariḥ oṃ gaṇapataye te namaḥ tvam eva pratyakṣam tattvam asi tvam eva kevalam kartā asi tvam eva kevalam dhartā asi tvam eva kevalam hartā asi tvam eva sarvam idam khalu brahma asi tvam nityam sākṣāt ātmā asi

chandas Prose

tattvamasi you are the truth — The words also echo tat tvam asi, 'you are that', the great teaching of the Chandogya Upanishad. Here that truth stands before us as Ganapati.

kartā dhartā hartā maker, upholder, taker-back — Creating, keeping and dissolving the world are usually shared out among Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. This line gives all three to Ganapati.

note The Upanishad proper begins here. In a few short lines it names Ganapati as the whole of reality: the one who creates, keeps and ends the world, and the Self within each person.

• ṛtamwhat is right
• vacmiI speak
• satyamwhat is true
• vacmiI speak

anvaya ṛtam vacmi satyam vacmi

chandas Prose

ṛtam rightness, the order of things — Rta is the right way things hold together, in the world and in speech. Satya is the truth as it is actually spoken and lived.

note A pledge before the teaching: what follows is spoken as right and as true.

• avaprotect
• tvamyou
• māmme
• avaprotect
• vaktāramthe one who speaks
• avaprotect
• śrotāramthe one who listens
• avaprotect
• dātāramthe one who gives the teaching
• avaprotect
• dhātāramthe one who keeps it
• avaprotect
• anūcānamthe teacher who recites
• avaprotect
• śiṣyamthe student
• avaprotect
• paścāttātfrom behind
• avaprotect
• purastātfrom in front
• avaprotect
• uttarāttātfrom the north
• avaprotect
• dakṣiṇāttātfrom the south
• avaprotect
• caand
• ūrdhvāttātfrom above
• avaprotect
• adharāttātfrom below
• sarvataḥfrom every side
• māmme
• pāhiguard
• pāhiguard
• samantātall around

anvaya tvam mām ava vaktāram ava śrotāram ava dātāram ava dhātāram ava anūcānam ava śiṣyam ava paścāttāt ava purastāt ava uttarāttāt ava dakṣiṇāttāt ava ūrdhvāttāt ca ava adharāttāt ava sarvataḥ samantāt mām pāhi pāhi

chandas Prose

anūcānam the teacher who recites — Anuchana is one learned in the Veda, who passes it on by reciting it for the student to repeat.

paścāttāt purastāt behind and in front — In Vedic usage they also mean west and east, since one faces the rising sun.

note A prayer for protection that keeps widening: first the one reciting, then everyone who shares in the teaching, then every direction, above and below, until nothing is left out.

• tvamyou
• vāṅmayaḥmade of speech
• tvamyou
• cinmayaḥmade of consciousness
• tvamyou
• ānandamayaḥmade of bliss
• tvamyou
• brahmamayaḥmade of Brahman
• tvamyou
• saccidānandādvitīyaḥbeing, awareness and bliss, one without a second
• asiare
• tvamyou
• pratyakṣamvisible
• brahmaBrahman
• asiare
• tvamyou
• jñānamayaḥmade of knowledge
• vijñānamayaḥmade of understanding
• asiare

anvaya tvam vāṅmayaḥ tvam cinmayaḥ tvam ānandamayaḥ tvam brahmamayaḥ tvam saccidānandādvitīyaḥ asi tvam pratyakṣam brahma asi tvam jñānamayaḥ vijñānamayaḥ asi

chandas Prose

saccidānandādvitīyaḥ being, awareness and bliss, with no second — Sat-chit-ananda is the classic Vedanta description of Brahman, and advitiya means there is nothing apart from it.

vāṅmayaḥ made of speech — Ganesha as the god of language and letters.

note Each line says what Ganapati is made of: speech, consciousness, bliss, knowledge. The ending -maya, 'made of', repeats like a chant.

• sarvamall
• jagatworld
• idamthis
• tvattaḥfrom you
• jāyateis born
• sarvamall
• jagatworld
• idamthis
• tvattaḥthrough you
• tiṣṭhatistands
• sarvamall
• jagatworld
• idamthis
• tvayiin you
• layamdissolution
• eṣyatiwill go to
• sarvamall
• jagatworld
• idamthis
• tvayiinto you
• pratyetireturns
• tvamyou
• bhūmiḥearth
• āpaḥwater
• analaḥfire
• anilaḥair
• nabhaḥspace
• tvamyou
• catvārithe four
• vākpadānilevels of speech

anvaya idam sarvam jagat tvattaḥ jāyate idam sarvam jagat tvattaḥ tiṣṭhati idam sarvam jagat tvayi layam eṣyati idam sarvam jagat tvayi pratyeti tvam bhūmiḥ āpaḥ analaḥ anilaḥ nabhaḥ tvam catvāri vākpadāni

chandas Prose

catvāri vākpadāni the four levels of speech — Para, pashyanti, madhyama and vaikhari: speech from its silent source to the spoken word.

bhūmirāpo'nalo'nilo nabhaḥ earth, water, fire, air and space — The five elements that make up the physical world.

note The whole life of the world, from birth to dissolution and back, is placed in Ganapati. The five elements and every level of speech are his form.

• tvamyou
• guṇatrayātītaḥbeyond the three gunas
• tvamyou
• avasthātrayātītaḥbeyond the three states
• tvamyou
• dehatrayātītaḥbeyond the three bodies
• tvamyou
• kālatrayātītaḥbeyond the three times
• tvamyou
• mūlādhārasthitaḥseated in the muladhara
• asiare
• nityamalways
• tvamyou
• śaktitrayātmakaḥmade of the three powers
• tvāmon you
• yoginaḥyogis
• dhyāyantimeditate
• nityamalways
• tvamyou
• brahmāBrahma
• tvamyou
• viṣṇuḥVishnu
• tvamyou
• rudraḥRudra
• tvamyou
• indraḥIndra
• tvamyou
• agniḥAgni, fire
• tvamyou
• vāyuḥVayu, the wind
• tvamyou
• sūryaḥthe sun
• tvamyou
• candramāḥthe moon
• tvamyou
• brahmaBrahman
• bhūḥthe earth
• bhuvaḥthe middle air
• svaḥheaven
• omOm

anvaya tvam guṇatrayātītaḥ tvam avasthātrayātītaḥ tvam dehatrayātītaḥ tvam kālatrayātītaḥ tvam nityam mūlādhārasthitaḥ asi tvam śaktitrayātmakaḥ yoginaḥ tvām nityam dhyāyanti tvam brahmā tvam viṣṇuḥ tvam rudraḥ tvam indraḥ tvam agniḥ tvam vāyuḥ tvam sūryaḥ tvam candramāḥ tvam brahma bhūḥ bhuvaḥ svaḥ om

chandas Prose

guṇatraya, avasthātraya, dehatraya, kālatraya the four sets of three — The three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas), the three states (waking, dream, deep sleep), the three bodies (gross, subtle, causal) and the three times (past, present, future). He is beyond all of them.

mūlādhārasthitaḥ seated in the muladhara — The muladhara is the base chakra at the root of the spine. Yogic tradition places Ganesha there as its presiding deity.

śaktitrayātmakaḥ whose nature is the three powers — Usually explained as the powers of will, knowledge and action: iccha, jnana and kriya.

note The passage first puts Ganapati beyond every set of three that describes ordinary life. Then it places him in the body, at the base of the spine, and ends by naming him as every god and every world.

• gaṇādimthe first sound of 'gana', that is, ga
• pūrvamfirst
• uccāryahaving said
• varṇādimthe first of the letters, that is, a
• tadanantaramafter that
• anusvāraḥthe nasal sound
• parataraḥafter that
• ardhendulasitammarked with the half-moon
• tāreṇawith Om
• ṛddhammade full
• etatthis
• tavayour
• manusvarūpamform as a mantra
• gakāraḥthe sound ga
• pūrvarūpamthe first part
• akāraḥthe sound a
• madhyamarūpamthe middle part
• anusvāraḥthe nasal
• caand
• antyarūpamthe last part
• binduḥthe dot
• uttararūpamthe upper part
• nādaḥthe resonance
• sandhānamthe joining
• saṃhitāthe joining together
• sandhiḥthe union
• sāthat
• eṣāthis
• gaṇeśavidyāthe knowledge of Ganesha
• gaṇakaḥGanaka
• ṛṣiḥis the seer
• nicṛdgāyatrīNichrit Gayatri
• chandaḥis the metre
• śrīmahāgaṇapatiḥShri Mahaganapati
• devatāis the deity
• oṃOm
• gamgam
• gaṇapatayeto Ganapati
• namaḥsalutations

anvaya gaṇādim pūrvam uccārya tadanantaram varṇādim anusvāraḥ parataraḥ ardhendulasitam tāreṇa ṛddham etat tava manusvarūpam gakāraḥ pūrvarūpam akāraḥ madhyamarūpam anusvāraḥ ca antyarūpam binduḥ uttararūpam nādaḥ sandhānam saṃhitā sandhiḥ sā eṣā gaṇeśavidyā gaṇakaḥ ṛṣiḥ nicṛdgāyatrī chandaḥ śrīmahāgaṇapatiḥ devatā oṃ gam gaṇapataye namaḥ

chandas Prose. The passage itself names Nichrit Gayatri as the metre of the mantra.

gam the seed syllable of Ganesha — This passage spells out how the bija mantra gaṃ is built, sound by sound. As a seed syllable it is chanted rather than translated.

ardhendulasitam shining with the half-moon — The crescent sign, chandrabindu, written over the nasal.

tāreṇa with the tara — Tara, 'the one that carries across', is a name of Om, which is placed before the syllable.

note For many who chant it, this is the heart of the Upanishad: the mantra oṃ gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ taken apart sound by sound. First ga, then a, then the nasal with its moon-sign, all joined with Om. The last lines name the seer, the metre and the deity, as is done before any mantra is used.

• ekadantāyathe single-tusked one
• vidmahewe come to know
• vakratuṇḍāyaon the one with the curved trunk
• dhīmahiwe meditate
• tatmay that
• naḥus
• dantiḥtusked god
• pracodayātinspire

anvaya ekadantāya vidmahe vakratuṇḍāya dhīmahi tat dantiḥ naḥ pracodayāt

chandas Gāyatrī, 8 syllables in each of 3 pādas

pracodayāt may he inspire — The same closing word as the Gayatri mantra to the sun. Every deity gayatri follows that pattern: know, meditate, and ask to be moved.

note The Ganesha Gayatri, set inside the Upanishad. It is also chanted on its own as a daily japa.

• ekadantamsingle-tusked
• caturhastamfour-handed
• pāśamthe noose
• aṅkuśadhāriṇamholding the goad
• radamthe tusk
• caand
• varadamthe boon-giving gesture
• hastaiḥin his hands
• bibhrāṇambearing
• mūṣakadhvajamwith the mouse on his banner
• raktamred
• lambodarambig-bellied
• śūrpakarṇakamwith ears like winnowing fans
• raktavāsasamin red clothes
• raktagandhānuliptāṅgamhis body smeared with red sandal paste
• raktapuṣpaiḥwith red flowers
• supūjitamwell worshipped
• bhaktānukampinamkind to his devotees
• devamthe god
• jagatkāraṇamthe cause of the world
• acyutamwho never falls
• āvirbhūtamwho appeared
• caand
• sṛṣṭyādauat the start of creation
• prakṛteḥthan nature
• puruṣātthan spirit
• parambeyond
• evamin this way
• dhyāyatimeditates
• yaḥwhoever
• nityamdaily
• saḥthat person
• yogīa yogi
• yogināmamong yogis
• varaḥthe best

anvaya yaḥ ekadantam caturhastam pāśam aṅkuśadhāriṇam radam ca varadam hastaiḥ bibhrāṇam mūṣakadhvajam raktam lambodaram śūrpakarṇakam raktavāsasam raktagandhānuliptāṅgam raktapuṣpaiḥ supūjitam bhaktānukampinam jagatkāraṇam acyutam sṛṣṭyādau ca āvirbhūtam prakṛteḥ puruṣāt param devam evam nityam dhyāyati saḥ yoginām varaḥ yogī [bhavati]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each pāda, with a closing half-verse

śūrpakarṇakam with ears like winnowing fans — A winnowing fan separates grain from husk, and his ears are often read the same way: keeping what is worth hearing.

prakṛteḥ puruṣātparam beyond nature and spirit — In Sankhya, prakriti and purusha are the two principles behind everything. Ganapati is placed beyond both.

note The dhyana, the picture to hold in the mind during worship. Red is everywhere: his colour, his clothes, the sandal paste, the flowers. Then the picture opens out, and the god in red is named as the cause of the world.

• namaḥsalutations
• vrātapatayeto the lord of the hosts
• namaḥsalutations
• gaṇapatayeto the lord of the ganas
• namaḥsalutations
• pramathapatayeto the lord of the pramathas
• namaḥsalutations
• teto you
• astube
• lambodarāyato the big-bellied one
• ekadantāyato the single-tusked one
• vighnavināśineto the destroyer of obstacles
• śivasutāyato Shiva's son
• śrīvaradamūrtayeto the gracious form who grants boons
• namaḥsalutations

anvaya vrātapataye namaḥ gaṇapataye namaḥ pramathapataye namaḥ lambodarāya ekadantāya vighnavināśine śivasutāya śrīvaradamūrtaye te namaḥ astu namaḥ

chandas Prose

vrātapataye to the lord of the troops — Vrata here means a band or troop. Vratapati, Ganapati and Pramathapati all name him as leader of Shiva's companions.

pramatha the pramathas — The wild attendants of Shiva, part of the ganas that Ganapati leads.

note A string of salutations, each to a different name. The teaching ends here; what follows is the phalashruti, the account of what the text gives.

• etatthis
• atharvaśīrṣamAtharvashirsha
• yaḥwhoever
• adhītestudies
• saḥthat person
• brahmabhūyāyafor becoming one with Brahman
• kalpatebecomes fit
• saḥthat person
• sarvavighnaiḥby any obstacle
• nanot
• bādhyateis held back
• saḥthat person
• sarvataḥon every side
• sukhamin happiness
• edhategrows
• saḥthat person
• pañcamahāpāpātfrom the five great sins
• pramucyateis freed
• sāyamin the evening
• adhīyānaḥreciting
• divasakṛtamdone during the day
• pāpamwrong
• nāśayatiwipes out
• prātaḥin the morning
• adhīyānaḥreciting
• rātrikṛtamdone in the night
• pāpamwrong
• nāśayatiwipes out
• sāyamevening
• prātaḥand morning
• prayuñjānaḥpractising it
• pāpaḥone who has done wrong
• apāpaḥfree of wrong
• bhavatibecomes
• dharmārthakāmamokṣamdharma, wealth, pleasure and liberation
• caand
• vindatigains
• idamthis
• atharvaśīrṣamAtharvashirsha
• aśiṣyāyato one who is not a student
• nanot
• deyamto be given
• yaḥwhoever
• yadiif
• mohātout of confusion
• dāsyatigives it
• saḥthat person
• pāpīyānis at fault
• bhavatibecomes
• sahasrāvartanātby reciting it a thousand times
• yamwhatever
• yamwhatever
• kāmamwish
• adhīterecites it for
• tamthat
• tamthat
• anenaby this
• sādhayetcan achieve

anvaya yaḥ etat atharvaśīrṣam adhīte saḥ brahmabhūyāya kalpate saḥ sarvavighnaiḥ na bādhyate saḥ sarvataḥ sukham edhate saḥ pañcamahāpāpāt pramucyate sāyam adhīyānaḥ divasakṛtam pāpam nāśayati prātaḥ adhīyānaḥ rātrikṛtam pāpam nāśayati sāyam prātaḥ prayuñjānaḥ pāpaḥ apāpaḥ bhavati dharmārthakāmamokṣam ca vindati idam atharvaśīrṣam aśiṣyāya na deyam yaḥ yadi mohāt dāsyati saḥ pāpīyān bhavati sahasrāvartanāt yam yam kāmam adhīte tam tam anena sādhayet

chandas Prose

pañcamahāpāpāt from the five great sins — As the dharma texts list them: killing a brahmin, drinking liquor, stealing gold, violating the teacher's bed, and keeping company with those who do these.

aśiṣyāya to one who is not a student — The text is meant for someone who wants to learn it. It should not be handed to someone with no interest in it.

note The phalashruti begins, and it is very practical: recite in the evening for the day's wrongs, in the morning for the night's, and at both times to be free of them altogether. A thousand recitations are for one particular wish.

• anenawith this
• gaṇapatimGanapati
• abhiṣiñcatibathes
• saḥthat person
• vāgmīeloquent
• bhavatibecomes
• caturthyāmon Chaturthi
• anaśnanfasting
• japatichants
• saḥthat person
• vidyāvānlearned
• bhavatibecomes
• itiso says
• atharvaṇavākyamthe word of Atharvan
• brahmādyācaraṇamthe way followed by Brahma and the other gods
• vidyātone who knows
• nanot
• bibhetifears
• kadācanaever
• itiso it is said

anvaya [yaḥ] anena gaṇapatim abhiṣiñcati saḥ vāgmī bhavati [yaḥ] caturthyām anaśnan japati saḥ vidyāvān bhavati iti atharvaṇavākyam brahmādyācaraṇam vidyāt [saḥ] kadācana na bibheti iti

chandas Prose

abhiṣiñcati bathes, consecrates — Abhisheka: pouring water or milk over the image while the text is chanted. This is how the Atharvashirsha is used in many Ganesh Chaturthi pujas.

caturthyām on the fourth lunar day — Chaturthi is Ganesha's day in every fortnight, and above all Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi, Ganesh Chaturthi itself.

note Two practices: bathe the image while chanting and gain a gift for words, or chant while fasting on Chaturthi and gain learning. This is why so many families chant the Atharvashirsha on Ganesh Chaturthi morning.

• yaḥwhoever
• dūrvāṅkuraiḥwith fresh durva shoots
• yajatiworships
• saḥthat person
• vaiśravaṇopamaḥlike Kubera, lord of wealth
• bhavatibecomes
• yaḥwhoever
• lājaiḥwith puffed rice
• yajatiworships
• saḥthat person
• yaśovānfamous
• bhavatibecomes
• saḥthat person
• medhāvānintelligent
• bhavatibecomes
• yaḥwhoever
• modakasahasreṇawith a thousand modaks
• yajatiworships
• saḥthat person
• vāñchitaphalamthe result they want
• avāpnotiobtains
• yaḥwhoever
• sājyasamidbhiḥwith sticks dipped in ghee
• yajatiworships
• saḥthat person
• sarvameverything
• labhategains
• saḥthat person
• sarvameverything
• labhategains

anvaya yaḥ dūrvāṅkuraiḥ yajati saḥ vaiśravaṇopamaḥ bhavati yaḥ lājaiḥ yajati saḥ yaśovān bhavati saḥ medhāvān bhavati yaḥ modakasahasreṇa yajati saḥ vāñchitaphalam avāpnoti yaḥ sājyasamidbhiḥ yajati saḥ sarvam labhate saḥ sarvam labhate

chandas Prose

vaiśravaṇopamaḥ like Vaishravana — Vaishravana is Kubera, the god of wealth.

sājyasamidbhiḥ with sticks dipped in ghee — Samidh are the small sticks offered into the sacred fire.

note Four offerings, four results: durva grass for wealth, puffed rice for fame and intelligence, a thousand modaks for the wish in one's heart, and ghee-soaked sticks in the fire for everything. The last words are said twice for emphasis.

• aṣṭaueight
• brāhmaṇānbrahmins
• samyakproperly
• grāhayitvāhaving taught it to
• sūryavarcasvībright as the sun
• bhavatibecomes
• sūryagraheduring a solar eclipse
• mahānadyāmby a great river
• pratimāsannidhaubefore the image
• vāor
• japtvāhaving chanted
• siddhamantraḥone whose mantra is perfected
• bhavatibecomes
• mahāvighnātfrom great obstacles
• pramucyateis freed
• mahādoṣātfrom great faults
• pramucyateis freed
• mahāpāpātfrom great sins
• pramucyateis freed
• mahāpratyavāyātfrom the harm of duties left undone
• pramucyateis freed
• saḥthat person
• sarvavitall-knowing
• bhavatibecomes
• saḥthat person
• sarvavitall-knowing
• bhavatibecomes
• yaḥwhoever
• evamin this way
• vedaknows
• itiso ends
• upaniṣatthe Upanishad

anvaya samyak aṣṭau brāhmaṇān grāhayitvā sūryavarcasvī bhavati sūryagrahe mahānadyām pratimāsannidhau vā japtvā siddhamantraḥ bhavati mahāvighnāt pramucyate mahādoṣāt pramucyate mahāpāpāt pramucyate mahāpratyavāyāt pramucyate yaḥ evam veda saḥ sarvavit bhavati saḥ sarvavit bhavati iti upaniṣat

chandas Prose

grāhayitvā having made them receive it — Teaching the text to eight learned people, so that it is passed on correctly.

pratyavāyāt from pratyavaya — The fault that comes from leaving one's duties undone.

note The last promises are the largest: freedom from great obstacles, faults and sins, and complete knowledge for the one who understands. Ityupanishat, 'so ends the Upanishad', closes the teaching.

• oṃOm
• bhadramwhat is good
• karṇebhiḥwith our ears
• śṛṇuyāmamay we hear
• devāḥO gods
• bhadramwhat is good
• paśyemamay we see
• akṣabhiḥwith our eyes
• yajatrāḥO you who are worthy of worship
• sthiraiḥwith steady
• aṅgaiḥlimbs
• tuṣṭuvāṃsaḥpraising you
• tanūbhiḥwith our bodies
• vyaśemamay we live out
• devahitamset by the gods
• yatwhich
• āyuḥlife span
• svastiwell-being
• naḥto us
• indraḥIndra
• vṛddhaśravāḥof great fame
• svastiwell-being
• naḥto us
• pūṣāPushan
• viśvavedāḥwho knows all
• svastiwell-being
• naḥto us
• tārkṣyaḥTarkshya
• ariṣṭanemiḥwhose wheel-rim is never harmed
• svastiwell-being
• naḥto us
• bṛhaspatiḥBrihaspati
• dadhātumay he grant
• oṃOm
• śāntiḥpeace
• śāntiḥpeace
• śāntiḥpeace

anvaya oṃ devāḥ [vayam] karṇebhiḥ bhadram śṛṇuyāma yajatrāḥ akṣabhiḥ bhadram paśyema sthiraiḥ aṅgaiḥ tanūbhiḥ tuṣṭuvāṃsaḥ yat devahitam āyuḥ [tat] vyaśema vṛddhaśravāḥ indraḥ naḥ svasti [dadhātu] viśvavedāḥ pūṣā naḥ svasti [dadhātu] ariṣṭanemiḥ tārkṣyaḥ naḥ svasti [dadhātu] bṛhaspatiḥ naḥ svasti dadhātu oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

chandas Triṣṭubh, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas (Rigveda 1.89.8 and 1.89.6)

devahitam the life span the gods have set — The prayer asks to live the whole of it with healthy limbs, praising the gods.

ariṣṭanemiḥ whose wheel-rim is never harmed — An epithet of Tarkshya, the swift one, usually taken as Garuda. It names a protector against harm.

note The Atharvashirsha opens and closes with this peace chant from the Rigveda. It asks for good things to hear and to see, a healthy body to live a full life in, and the blessing of four gods: Indra, Pushan, Tarkshya and Brihaspati. Because the same chant comes first and last, it frames the whole Upanishad.

• itiso ends
• śrīgaṇapatyatharvaśīrṣamthe Shri Ganapati Atharvashirsha
• samāptamis complete

anvaya iti śrīgaṇapatyatharvaśīrṣam samāptam