- gaṇeśāṣṭakameight verses to Ganesha
anvaya gaṇeśāṣṭakam
śrīgaṇeśa prārthanā -
- śrīgaṇeśāyato Shri Ganesha
- namaḥsalutations
- śrīgaṇeśaprārthanāa prayer to Shri Ganesha
anvaya śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ śrīgaṇeśaprārthanā
trailokyapūjyaparamādbhutakāraṇāya vighnāntakāya sukhadāya namo namaste ||
- lambodarāyato the big-bellied one
- śivaputragaṇeśvarāyato Shiva's son, lord of the ganas
- buddhipradāyato the giver of understanding
- bhavaduḥkhavināśakāyato the one who ends the sorrow of worldly life
- trailokyapūjyaparamādbhutakāraṇāyato the wonderful first cause, worshipped in the three worlds
- vighnāntakāyato the one who ends obstacles
- sukhadāyato the giver of happiness
- namaḥsalutations
- namaḥsalutations
- teto you
anvaya lambodarāya śivaputragaṇeśvarāya buddhipradāya bhavaduḥkhavināśakāya trailokyapūjyaparamādbhutakāraṇāya vighnāntakāya sukhadāya te namaḥ namaḥ
chandas Vasantatilakā, 14 syllables in each of 4 pādas
bhavaduḥkha the sorrow of becoming — Bhava is the round of birth and death. The sorrow meant is the sorrow of being caught in it.
note An opening prayer to Ganesha, set before the eight verses proper. Every title is in the dative, 'to the one who', so the whole verse is one long salutation that reaches its verb, namaḥ, only at the very end.
- śrīsarasvatīprārthanāa prayer to Shri Saraswati
anvaya śrīsarasvatīprārthanā
vande brahmasvarūpiṇīṃ ca vimalāṃ vande jaganmātaraṃ vande duḥkha vināśinīṃ bhagavatīṃ caitanyarūpāṃ parām ||
- vandeI bow to
- śrījagadambikāmthe mother of the world
- sarasvatīmSaraswati
- vandeI bow to
- jagadvyāpinīmher who fills the world
- vandeI bow to
- pustakadhāriṇīmher who holds the book
- caand
- paramāmthe highest
- vedāntasārāṃśakāmthe very heart of Vedanta
- vandeI bow to
- brahmasvarūpiṇīmher whose nature is Brahman
- caand
- vimalāmthe spotless one
- vandeI bow to
- jaganmātaramthe mother of the world
- vandeI bow to
- duḥkhavināśinīmthe destroyer of sorrow
- bhagavatīmthe goddess
- caitanyarūpāmwhose form is pure awareness
- parāmsupreme
anvaya śrījagadambikām sarasvatīm vande jagadvyāpinīm vande pustakadhāriṇīm paramām vedāntasārāṃśakām ca vande brahmasvarūpiṇīm vimalām ca vande jaganmātaram vande duḥkhavināśinīm caitanyarūpām parām bhagavatīm vande
chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas (two pādas have one irregular syllable in this text)
vedāntasārāṃśakām the heart of Vedanta — Saraswati praised as knowledge itself, the core of the Upanishads.
pustakadhāriṇīm she who holds the book — Saraswati is shown holding a book, with the veena and a string of beads.
note A prayer to Saraswati, placed before the Ganesha verses begin. The two are often worshipped together at the start of study: Ganesha to clear the way, and Saraswati to give the learning.
- athanow begins
- śrīgaṇeśāṣṭakamthe eight verses to Shri Ganesha
anvaya atha śrīgaṇeśāṣṭakam
jaganmaṅgalaṃ viśvavandyaṃ pavitraṃ prabhuṃ siddhidaṃ taṃ gaṇeśaṃ namāmi || 1||
- ajamunborn
- nirmalampure
- nirguṇambeyond all qualities
- jñānarūpamwhose form is knowledge
- nirākārasaṃsārasāramthe formless core of the world
- pareśamthe supreme lord
- jaganmaṅgalamthe good fortune of the world
- viśvavandyamhonoured by all
- pavitramholy
- prabhumthe lord
- siddhidamthe giver of success
- tamthat
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- namāmiI bow to
anvaya ajam nirmalam nirguṇam jñānarūpam nirākārasaṃsārasāram pareśam jaganmaṅgalam viśvavandyam pavitram siddhidam prabhum tam gaṇeśam [aham] namāmi
chandas Bhujaṅgaprayāta, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas (short, long, long, four times over)
nirguṇam without attributes — Beyond the three gunas that shape everything in the world. The hymn begins with Ganesha as the formless Absolute before it speaks of his form.
siddhidam the giver of siddhi — Siddhi is success in what one sets out to do, and also the fulfilment of spiritual practice. The word comes back at the end of every verse.
note The refrain of all eight verses begins here: prabhuṃ siddhidaṃ taṃ gaṇeśaṃ namāmi, 'I bow to that Ganesha, the Lord who grants success'. The metre is Bhujangaprayata, 'the movement of a snake', with its rolling short-long-long beat.
paraṃ nityamānandakandaṃ nirīhaṃ prabhuṃ siddhidaṃ taṃ gaṇeśaṃ namāmi || 2||
- prasannamserene
- sadāalways
- brahmarūpamwhose form is Brahman
- turīyamthe fourth state, beyond waking, dream and sleep
- sadaikāśrayamthe one lasting refuge
- prāṇināmof all living beings
- ekamātramthe only one
- paramsupreme
- nityameternal
- ānandakandamthe root of bliss
- nirīhamfree of desire
- prabhumthe lord
- siddhidamthe giver of success
- tamthat
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- namāmiI bow to
anvaya sadā prasannam brahmarūpam turīyam prāṇinām sadaikāśrayam ekamātram param nityam ānandakandam nirīham siddhidam prabhum tam gaṇeśam [aham] namāmi
chandas Bhujaṅgaprayāta, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas (short, long, long, four times over)
turīyam the fourth — In Vedanta, the state of pure awareness that lies under waking, dreaming and deep sleep.
ānandakandam the root of bliss — Kanda is a bulb or root, the source a plant grows from.
note The second verse stays with Ganesha as the Absolute: calm, beyond the three states of the mind, and the one support of every living thing.
sadā maṅgalaṃ pārvatīputramekaṃ prabhuṃ siddhidaṃ taṃ gaṇeśaṃ namāmi || 3||
- gurumthe teacher
- jñānināmof the wise
- yogināmof yogis
- tattvarūpamtheir very truth
- tathāand
- prāṇināmfor all beings
- vighnanāśamthe remover of obstacles
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- sadāalways
- maṅgalamauspicious
- pārvatīputramParvati's son
- ekamthe one
- prabhumthe lord
- siddhidamthe giver of success
- tamthat
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- namāmiI bow to
anvaya jñāninām gurum yoginām tattvarūpam tathā prāṇinām vighnanāśam gaṇeśam sadā maṅgalam ekam pārvatīputram siddhidam prabhum tam gaṇeśam [aham] namāmi
chandas Bhujaṅgaprayāta, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas (short, long, long, four times over)
tattvarūpam whose form is the truth — Tattva is the real nature of things, what yogis seek to know.
note Now the Absolute takes a name and a family. The Ganesha who is the truth the yogis seek is also Parvati's son, who clears obstacles for ordinary people.
sadā dhārakaṃ jñānamūrtiṃ hyakhaṇḍaṃ prabhuṃ siddhidaṃ taṃ gaṇeśaṃ namāmi || 4||
- sadūrvādalamwith blades of durva grass
- kuṅkumamkumkum
- raktapuṣpamred flowers
- tathāand
- candanamsandalwood
- sundarambeautiful
- raktavastramred cloth
- sadāalways
- dhārakamwearing
- jñānamūrtimknowledge in bodily form
- hiindeed
- akhaṇḍamundivided
- prabhumthe lord
- siddhidamthe giver of success
- tamthat
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- namāmiI bow to
anvaya sadūrvādalam kuṅkumam raktapuṣpam tathā candanam sundaram raktavastram sadā dhārakam jñānamūrtim hi akhaṇḍam siddhidam prabhum tam gaṇeśam [aham] namāmi
chandas Bhujaṅgaprayāta, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas (short, long, long, four times over)
dūrvādalam blades of durva grass — The grass offered to Ganesha in small bunches, very often of twenty-one blades.
raktapuṣpam red flowers — Red hibiscus above all, the flower most often offered to Ganesha.
note This verse is the puja itself: durva grass, kumkum, red flowers, sandalwood and red cloth, the same things placed before the image on Ganesh Chaturthi.
susiddhaṃ munīśaṃ maheśasya putraṃ prabhuṃ siddhidaṃ taṃ gaṇeśaṃ namāmi || 5||
- susaumyamvery gentle
- nijamour own
- nirvikalpambeyond all division of thought
- vareṇyamworthy to be chosen
- sujñānamtrue knowledge
- sukhamhappiness itself
- satsvarūpamwhose nature is being
- sugamyameasy to reach
- susiddhamperfectly accomplished
- munīśamlord of sages
- maheśasyaof Shiva
- putramson
- prabhumthe lord
- siddhidamthe giver of success
- tamthat
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- namāmiI bow to
anvaya susaumyam nijam nirvikalpam vareṇyam sujñānam sukham satsvarūpam sugamyam susiddham munīśam maheśasya putram siddhidam prabhum tam gaṇeśam [aham] namāmi
chandas Bhujaṅgaprayāta, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas (short, long, long, four times over)
nijam one's own — Ganesha as close to the devotee as their own self.
sugamyam easily reached — The same god described above as beyond thought is also the easiest to approach.
note Many titles in this verse begin with su-, 'well' or 'truly': very gentle, true knowledge, easy to reach, fully accomplished. The run of su- sounds gives the verse its soft tone.
gaṇeśāśraye santi jīvāḥ samastāḥ prabhuṃ siddhidaṃ taṃ gaṇeśaṃ namāmi || 6||
- sadāalways
- dhyāyamānāḥmeditating
- gaṇeśamon Ganesha
- caand
- devāḥthe gods
- tathāand
- prārthayantaḥpraying
- caand
- vedāḥthe Vedas
- gaṇeśamto Ganesha
- gaṇeśāśrayein Ganesha's shelter
- santilive
- jīvāḥbeings
- samastāḥall
- prabhumthe lord
- siddhidamthe giver of success
- tamthat
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- namāmiI bow to
anvaya devāḥ ca sadā gaṇeśam dhyāyamānāḥ tathā vedāḥ ca gaṇeśam prārthayantaḥ samastāḥ jīvāḥ gaṇeśāśraye santi siddhidam prabhum tam gaṇeśam [aham] namāmi
chandas Bhujaṅgaprayāta, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas (short, long, long, four times over)
gaṇeśāśraye in Ganesha's shelter — Ashraya is a place of rest and support, somewhere to lean on.
note The gods meditate on him, the Vedas pray to him, and every living being rests in his shelter. The name Ganesha comes four times in this one verse.
tathā sādhakaṃ sarvakāmapradañca prabhuṃ siddhidaṃ taṃ gaṇeśaṃ namāmi || 7||
- prabhumthe lord
- dharmakāmārthamwho gives dharma, pleasure and wealth
- mokṣapradamand who gives liberation
- tamhim
- punaḥand again
- putradamgiver of children
- jñānadamgiver of knowledge
- sarvadamgiver of everything
- caand
- tathāand
- sādhakamwho brings things to completion
- sarvakāmapradamwho grants every wish
- caand
- prabhumthe lord
- siddhidamthe giver of success
- tamthat
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- namāmiI bow to
anvaya dharmakāmārtham mokṣapradam punaḥ putradam jñānadam sarvadam ca tathā sādhakam sarvakāmapradam ca prabhum tam siddhidam prabhum tam gaṇeśam [aham] namāmi
chandas Bhujaṅgaprayāta, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas (short, long, long, four times over)
dharmakāmārthamokṣa the four aims of life — Dharma, kama, artha and moksha: right living, pleasure, wealth and liberation. Here kama comes before artha, a common variation in verse.
note A list of gifts: the four aims of life, children, knowledge, and in the end everything a person could wish for.
paraṃ darśanaṃ māṃ dadātu hyananta prabhuṃ siddhidaṃ taṃ gaṇeśaṃ namāmi || 8||
- ahamI
- tvāmyou
- sadāalways
- prārthayepray to
- bhoḥO
- gaṇeśaGanesha
- prasannaḥpleased
- bhavanbeing
- sarvadāalways
- buddhināthaO lord of wisdom
- paramsupreme
- darśanama sight of you
- māmto me
- dadātumay you give
- hiindeed
- anantaO endless one
- prabhumthe lord
- siddhidamthe giver of success
- tamthat
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- namāmiI bow to
anvaya bhoḥ gaṇeśa aham tvām sadā prārthaye buddhinātha sarvadā prasannaḥ bhavan ananta mām param darśanam dadātu hi siddhidam prabhum tam gaṇeśam [aham] namāmi
chandas Bhujaṅgaprayāta, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas (short, long, long, four times over)
darśanam a true sight of him — Darshan is seeing the deity and being seen in return, the heart of Hindu worship.
note The last of the eight verses turns from praise to direct prayer, and asks for one thing: a true sight of Ganesha. The grammar of māṃ dadātu is loose, but the sense is plain.
śrīgaṇeśāṣṭakaṃ stotraṃ sukhadaṃ mokṣadaṃ bhavet || 9||
- prātaḥkālein the morning
- śuciḥclean
- bhūtvāhaving become
- yethose who
- paṭhantiread
- narāḥpeople
- sadāalways
- śrīgaṇeśāṣṭakamthis Shri Ganesha Ashtakam
- stotramhymn
- sukhadamgiving happiness
- mokṣadamgiving liberation
- bhavetbecomes
anvaya ye narāḥ prātaḥkāle śuciḥ bhūtvā sadā śrīgaṇeśāṣṭakam stotram paṭhanti [teṣām] sukhadam mokṣadam bhavet
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
śucirbhūtvā having become clean — After bathing, the usual first step before morning prayer.
note The phalashruti asks for a bath and a morning reading, and promises happiness now and liberation in the end.
- itiso ends
- gāyatrīsvarūpabrahmacāriviracitamcomposed by Brahmachari Gayatriswarupa
- śrīgaṇeśāṣṭakamthe Shri Ganesha Ashtakam
- sampūrṇamis complete
anvaya iti gāyatrīsvarūpabrahmacāriviracitam śrīgaṇeśāṣṭakam sampūrṇam