gaṇapati gakāra aṣṭottara śatanāma stotram

• gakārarūpaḥwhose form is the letter ga
• gambījaḥwhose seed syllable is gam
• gaṇeśaḥGanesha
• gaṇavanditaḥto whom the ganas bow
• gaṇanīyaḥworth the counting
• gaṇaḥthe gana himself
• gaṇyaḥone to be counted among them
• gaṇanātītasadguṇaḥwhose good qualities are past all counting

anvaya gakārarūpaḥ gambījaḥ gaṇeśaḥ gaṇavanditaḥ gaṇanīyaḥ gaṇaḥ gaṇyaḥ gaṇanātītasadguṇaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

gambīja the seed syllable gam — The single sound from which Ganapati's mantra is built. Every one of the hundred and eight names here begins with that letter.

note The hymn is given to the Skanda Purana. Like the thousand-name hymn on the same plan, it is held together by sound as much as by sense: the names run in groups that share a word, and the groups change as the sound changes.

• gaganādikasṛdwho made the sky and all that follows it
• gaṅgāsutaḥson of Ganga
• gaṅgāsutārcitaḥworshipped by Ganga's son
• gaṅgādharaprītikaraḥwho gives joy to the bearer of Ganga
• gavīśeḍyaḥpraised by the lord of speech
• gadāpahaḥwho drives disease away

anvaya gaganādikasṛd gaṅgāsutaḥ gaṅgāsutārcitaḥ gaṅgādharaprītikaraḥ gavīśeḍyaḥ gadāpahaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

gaṅgāsuta son of Ganga — Ganga is counted a mother of Ganapati in some tellings, and her other son is Skanda; the verse names him both as her son and as the one her son worships.

• gadādharanutaḥpraised by the bearer of the mace
• gadyapadyātmakakavitvadaḥwho gives the power to make poetry in verse and in prose
• gajāsyaḥelephant-faced
• gajalakṣmīvānrich in the splendour of elephants
• gajavājirathapradaḥwho gives elephants, horses and chariots

anvaya gadādharanutaḥ gadyapadyātmakakavitvadaḥ gajāsyaḥ gajalakṣmīvān gajavājirathapradaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• gañjānirataśikṣākṛdwho sets right those sunk in drink and gambling
• gaṇitajñaḥwho knows numbers
• gaṇottamaḥbest of the ganas
• gaṇḍadānāñcitaḥgraced by the mada running down his cheeks
• gantāever on the move
• gaṇḍopalasamākṛtiḥshaped like a great rock

anvaya gañjānirataśikṣākṛd gaṇitajñaḥ gaṇottamaḥ gaṇḍadānāñcitaḥ gantā gaṇḍopalasamākṛtiḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• gaganavyāpakaḥwho fills the sky
• gamyaḥwho can be reached
• gamānādivivarjitaḥfree of all going and coming
• gaṇḍadoṣaharaḥwho takes away the fault of a bad hour
• gaṇḍabhramadbhramarakuṇḍalaḥwhose earrings are the bees circling his cheeks

anvaya gaganavyāpakaḥ gamyaḥ gamānādivivarjitaḥ gaṇḍadoṣaharaḥ gaṇḍabhramadbhramarakuṇḍalaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

gaṇḍadoṣa the fault of a bad hour — In the almanac, the ganda is an ill-starred stretch of time at the joint between two periods; a birth in it is held to need a remedy.

note The third name is printed gamānādi; the word behind it is gamāgamādi, going and coming and the rest.

• gatāgatajñaḥwho knows all coming and going
• gatidaḥwho gives the goal
• gatamṛtyuḥpast death
• gatodbhavaḥpast birth
• gandhapriyaḥwho loves scent
• gandhavāhaḥwho carries scent
• gandhasindhurabṛndagaḥwho moves among herds of elephants in rut

anvaya gatāgatajñaḥ gatidaḥ gatamṛtyuḥ gatodbhavaḥ gandhapriyaḥ gandhavāhaḥ gandhasindhurabṛndagaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• gandhādipūjitaḥworshipped with scent and the other offerings
• gavyabhoktāwho takes what comes from the cow
• gargādisannutaḥwell praised by Garga and the rest
• gariṣṭhaḥweightiest of all
• garabhidwho breaks poison
• garvaharaḥwho takes away pride
• garalibhūṣaṇaḥwhose ornament is the poison-bearing snake

anvaya gandhādipūjitaḥ gavyabhoktā gargādisannutaḥ gariṣṭhaḥ garabhid garvaharaḥ garalibhūṣaṇaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• gaviṣṭhaḥwho stands among the rays
• garjitārāvaḥwhose cry is a roar
• gabhīrahṛdayaḥdeep of heart
• gadīholding a mace
• galatkuṣṭhaharaḥwho cures a wasting leprosy
• garbhapradaḥwho gives a child in the womb
• garbhārbharakṣakaḥwho guards the child within it

anvaya gaviṣṭhaḥ garjitārāvaḥ gabhīrahṛdayaḥ gadī galatkuṣṭhaharaḥ garbhapradaḥ garbhārbharakṣakaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• garbhādhāraḥthe support of the womb
• garbhavāsiśiśujñānapradāyakaḥwho gives knowledge to the child living in the womb
• garutmattulyajavanaḥas swift as Garuda
• garuḍadhvajavanditaḥto whom the god with Garuda on his banner bows

anvaya garbhādhāraḥ garbhavāsiśiśujñānapradāyakaḥ garutmattulyajavanaḥ garuḍadhvajavanditaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

garuḍadhvaja the god with Garuda on his banner — Vishnu, whose flag carries the eagle.

• gayeḍitaḥpraised at Gaya
• gayāśrāddhaphaladaḥwho gives the fruit of the rite for the dead performed at Gaya
• caand
• gayākṛtiḥwhose form is Gaya itself
• gadādharāvatārīwho came down as Gadadhara
• caand
• gandharvanagarārcitaḥworshipped in the city of the gandharvas

anvaya gayeḍitaḥ gayāśrāddhaphaladaḥ ca gayākṛtiḥ gadādharāvatārī ca gandharvanagarārcitaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

gadādhara Gadadhara — The name of the image of Vishnu at Gaya, before which the rite for the dead is performed there.

gandharvanagara the city of the gandharvas — The city seen in the clouds that is not there at all, the stock image for anything that only seems to exist.

• gandharvagānasantuṣṭaḥpleased by the song of the gandharvas
• garuḍāgrajavanditaḥto whom Garuda's elder brother bows
• gaṇarātrasamārādhyaḥworshipped through a run of nights
• garhaṇastutisāmyadhīḥwhose mind is the same towards blame and praise

anvaya gandharvagānasantuṣṭaḥ garuḍāgrajavanditaḥ gaṇarātrasamārādhyaḥ garhaṇastutisāmyadhīḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

garuḍāgraja Garuda's elder brother — Aruna, the charioteer of the sun.

• gartābhanābhiḥwhose navel is deep as a pit
• gavyūtiḥwho is himself a measure of the land
• dīrghatuṇḍaḥlong-trunked
• gabhastimānfull of rays
• garhitācāradūraḥfar from any conduct that draws blame
• caand
• garuḍopalabhūṣitaḥadorned with emeralds

anvaya gartābhanābhiḥ gavyūtiḥ dīrghatuṇḍaḥ gabhastimān garhitācāradūraḥ ca garuḍopalabhūṣitaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

garuḍopala emerald — Literally the Garuda stone, the old name for the emerald.

gavyūti a measure of the land — A distance of two krosha, roughly four miles: as much ground as cattle range over.

• gajārivikramaḥwhose stride is the lion's
• gandhamūṣavājīwhose horse is the scented mouse
• gataśramaḥfree of weariness
• gaveṣaṇīyaḥworth searching for
• gamanaḥthe going itself
• gahanasthamunistutaḥpraised by the sages who live deep in the forest

anvaya gajārivikramaḥ gandhamūṣavājī gataśramaḥ gaveṣaṇīyaḥ gamanaḥ gahanasthamunistutaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

gajāri the lion — The enemy of elephants. The name is pointed: the elephant-faced god moves with the stride of the elephant's own foe.

• gavayacchidwho cuts down the wild ox
• gaṇḍakabhidwho splits the rhinoceros
• gahvarāpathavāraṇaḥwho blocks the path through the caves
• gajadantāyudhaḥwhose weapon is his tusk
• garjadripughnaḥwho kills the roaring foe
• gajakarṇikaḥelephant-eared

anvaya gavayacchid gaṇḍakabhid gahvarāpathavāraṇaḥ gajadantāyudhaḥ garjadripughnaḥ gajakarṇikaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• gajacarmāmayacchettāwho made an end of the demon in the elephant's hide
• gaṇādhyakṣaḥoverseer of the ganas
• gaṇārcitaḥworshipped by the ganas
• gaṇikānartanaprītaḥpleased by the dancing of the temple women
• gacchanever moving
• gandhaphalīpriyaḥwho loves the scented blossom

anvaya gajacarmāmayacchettā gaṇādhyakṣaḥ gaṇārcitaḥ gaṇikānartanaprītaḥ gacchan gandhaphalīpriyaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note The first name can be read two ways, since āmaya means both an affliction and a disease of the skin: either he ended the demon who wore the elephant's hide, or he cures the disease that thickens the skin like an elephant's.

• gandhakādirasādhīśaḥlord of sulphur and the other minerals
• gaṇakānandadāyakaḥwho gives the reckoners their joy
• garabhādijanurhartāwho lifts away birth as a donkey or some such creature
• gaṇḍakīgāhanotsukaḥeager to bathe in the Gandaki

anvaya gandhakādirasādhīśaḥ gaṇakānandadāyakaḥ garabhādijanurhartā gaṇḍakīgāhanotsukaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

gaṇḍakī the Gandaki — The river in Nepal from whose bed the shalagrama stones are taken.

• gaṇḍūṣīkṛtavārāśiḥwho took the ocean up in a single mouthful
• garimālaghimādidaḥwho gives the powers of weight and of lightness
• gavākṣavatsaudhavāsīwho dwells in a mansion with latticed windows
• garbhitaḥwho is held within
• garbhiṇīnutaḥpraised by women carrying a child

anvaya gaṇḍūṣīkṛtavārāśiḥ garimālaghimādidaḥ gavākṣavatsaudhavāsī garbhitaḥ garbhiṇīnutaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

garimā, laghimā the powers of weight and of lightness — Two of the eight powers a practised yogi is said to gain: becoming as heavy or as light as he wishes.

• gandhamādanaśailābhaḥshining like the mountain Gandhamadana
• gaṇḍabheruṇḍavikramaḥwith the strength of the two-headed bird
• gaditaḥspoken of in every mouth
• gadgadārāvasaṃstutaḥpraised in voices choking with feeling
• gahvarīpatiḥlord of the caves

anvaya gandhamādanaśailābhaḥ gaṇḍabheruṇḍavikramaḥ gaditaḥ gadgadārāvasaṃstutaḥ gahvarīpatiḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

gaṇḍabheruṇḍa the two-headed bird — The bird of fable with two heads and the strength to carry elephants; it stands on the arms of more than one southern house.

• gajeśāyato the lord of elephants
• garīyasethe weightiest of all
• gadyeḍyaḥpraised in prose
• gatabhīḥwhose fear is gone
• gaditāgamaḥwho spoke the agamas
• garhaṇīyaguṇābhāvaḥin whom nothing blameworthy is to be found
• gaṅgādikaśucipradaḥwho gives the purity of the Ganga and the other rivers

anvaya gajeśāya garīyase gadyeḍyaḥ gatabhīḥ gaditāgamaḥ garhaṇīyaguṇābhāvaḥ gaṅgādikaśucipradaḥ

chandas Irregular: the line runs long, and the first two names stand in the dative while the rest do not

note The first half of the verse slips into the dative, as though a salutation were coming, and then the list of names goes on as before. The printed line is a syllable or two over the measure.

• gaṇanātītavidyāśrībalāyuṣyādidāyakaḥwho gives learning, splendour, strength and long life past all counting
• evamso
• śrīgaṇanāthasyaof Shri Gananatha
• nāmnāmof the names
• aṣṭottarama hundred and
• śatameight

anvaya gaṇanātītavidyāśrībalāyuṣyādidāyakaḥ evam śrīgaṇanāthasya nāmnām aṣṭottaram śatam

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note Ashtottara shata is the standard way of saying a hundred and eight: a hundred with eight over.

• paṭhanātfrom reciting it
• śravaṇātfrom hearing it
• puṃsāmfor men
• śreyaḥwhat is good for them
• premapradāyakamand love, it gives
• pūjānteat the close of worship
• yaḥwhoever
• paṭhetrecites
• nityamdaily
• prītaḥpleased
• sanbeing
• tasyawith him
• vighnarāṭthe king of obstacles

anvaya paṭhanāt śravaṇāt puṃsām śreyaḥ premapradāyakam yaḥ nityam pūjānte paṭhet tasya vighnarāṭ prītaḥ san

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note In the text paṭhanāt and śravaṇāt are run together by sandhi as paṭhanācchravaṇāt, so the second word does not stand in the printed line in its own shape.

• yam yamwhatever
• kāmayatehe sets his heart on
• kāmamwish
• tam tamthat very thing
• śīghramquickly
• prayacchatihe gives
• dūrvayāwith durva grass
• abhyarcayanworshipping
• devamthe god
• ekaviṃśativāsarānfor twenty-one days

anvaya yam yam kāmam kāmayate tam tam śīghram prayacchati devam dūrvayā ekaviṃśativāsarān abhyarcayan

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

dūrvā durva grass — The coarse creeping grass offered to Ganapati, usually in bunches of three or five blades.

• ekaviṃśativāramtwenty-one times
• yaḥwhoever
• nityamdaily
• stotramthe hymn
• paṭhetrecites
• yadiif
• tasyawith him
• prasannaḥpleased
• vighneśaḥthe lord of obstacles
• sarvānall
• kāmānwishes
• prayacchatigives

anvaya yadi yaḥ nityam ekaviṃśativāram stotram paṭhet tasya prasannaḥ vighneśaḥ sarvān kāmān prayacchati

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note Twenty-one is the number that runs through the worship of Ganapati: twenty-one blades of durva, twenty-one modakas, twenty-one days.