श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥
- श्रीगणेशद्वादशनामस्तोत्रम् (śrīgaṇeśadvādaśanāmastotram)the hymn of the twelve names of Shri Ganesha
- श्रीगणेशाय (śrīgaṇeśāya)to Shri Ganesha
- नमः (namaḥ)salutations
anvaya श्रीगणेशद्वादशनामस्तोत्रम् श्रीगणेशाय नमः
प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत्सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तयेः ॥ १॥
- शुक्लाम्बरधरम् (śuklāmbaradharam)dressed in white
- विष्णुम् (viṣṇum)the one who is everywhere
- शशिवर्णम् (śaśivarṇam)bright as the moon
- चतुर्भुजम् (caturbhujam)with four arms
- प्रसन्नवदनम् (prasannavadanam)with a calm, smiling face
- ध्यायेत् (dhyāyet)one should meditate on
- सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये (sarvavighnopaśāntaye)so that every obstacle is calmed
anvaya सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये शुक्लाम्बरधरम् विष्णुम् शशिवर्णम् चतुर्भुजम् प्रसन्नवदनम् [देवम्] ध्यायेत्
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
विष्णुम् all-pervading — Here it describes Ganesha as present everywhere. The same verse is also recited as a prayer to Vishnu himself.
सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये for the calming of all obstacles — Upashanti means calming or settling. The obstacles are quietened so the work can begin.
note This is the well-known Shuklambaradharam verse, said at the start of countless pujas. It is not one of the twelve names; it is placed before them as a meditation. The printed text reads विश्णुं and शान्तयेः. The usual readings are विष्णुं and शान्तये, and the word-by-word follows those.
सर्वविघ्नहरस्तस्मै गणाधिपतये नमः ॥ २॥
- अभीप्सितार्थसिद्ध्यर्थम् (abhīpsitārthasiddhyartham)to get what they wish for
- पूजितः (pūjitaḥ)is worshipped
- यः (yaḥ)who
- सुरासुरैः (surāsuraiḥ)by gods and demons alike
- सर्वविघ्नहरः (sarvavighnaharaḥ)the remover of all obstacles
- तस्मै (tasmai)to him
- गणाधिपतये (gaṇādhipataye)to the lord of the ganas
- नमः (namaḥ)salutations
anvaya यः सर्वविघ्नहरः अभीप्सितार्थसिद्ध्यर्थम् सुरासुरैः पूजितः तस्मै गणाधिपतये नमः
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
सुरासुरैः by the gods and the asuras — Naming both sides makes the point that everyone turns to him before they begin, whoever they are.
note A simple salutation that sums up why Ganesha is worshipped first: whatever someone hopes to achieve, they come to him before anything else.
प्रसन्नो भव मे नित्यं वरदातर्विनायक ॥ ३॥
- गणानाम् (gaṇānām)of the ganas
- अधिपः (adhipaḥ)lord
- चण्डः (caṇḍaḥ)fierce
- गजवक्त्रः (gajavaktraḥ)elephant-faced
- त्रिलोचनः (trilocanaḥ)three-eyed
- प्रसन्नः (prasannaḥ)pleased
- भव (bhava)be
- मे (me)with me
- नित्यम् (nityam)always
- वरदातः (varadātaḥ)O giver of boons
- विनायक (vināyaka)O Vinayaka
anvaya [हे] गणानाम् अधिपः चण्डः गजवक्त्रः त्रिलोचनः वरदातः विनायक [त्वम्] मे नित्यम् प्रसन्नः भव
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
चण्डः fierce — Fierce towards whatever stands in the way. In the same breath the verse asks him to be pleased with the one praying.
त्रिलोचनः three-eyed — A mark he shares with his father Shiva.
note The verse first describes the lord of the ganas and then speaks to him directly, asking only that he stay pleased with the one reciting.
लम्बोदरश्च विकटो विघ्ननाशो विनायकः ॥ ४॥
- सुमुखः (sumukhaḥ)Sumukha, of the lovely face
- च (ca)and
- एकदन्तः (ekadantaḥ)Ekadanta, of the single tusk
- च (ca)and
- कपिलः (kapilaḥ)Kapila, the tawny one
- गजकर्णकः (gajakarṇakaḥ)Gajakarnaka, with an elephant's ears
- लम्बोदरः (lambodaraḥ)Lambodara, the big-bellied
- च (ca)and
- विकटः (vikaṭaḥ)Vikata, of striking form
- विघ्ननाशः (vighnanāśaḥ)Vighnanasha, destroyer of obstacles
- विनायकः (vināyakaḥ)Vinayaka, the leader
anvaya सुमुखः च एकदन्तः च कपिलः गजकर्णकः लम्बोदरः च विकटः विघ्ननाशः विनायकः
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
कपिलः tawny, reddish-brown — A colour name, the shade of a tawny cow.
विकटः of a form beyond the ordinary — Vikata can mean huge, unusual or formidable. As a name of Ganesha it is said with wonder.
note The twelve names begin here: eight in this verse and four in the next. A different set of twelve names, beginning with Vakratunda, is found in the Sankata Nashana stotra of the Narada Purana.
द्वादशैतानि नामानि गणेशस्य तु यः पठेत् ॥ ५॥
- धूम्रकेतुः (dhūmraketuḥ)Dhumraketu, whose banner is smoke
- गणाध्यक्षः (gaṇādhyakṣaḥ)Ganadhyaksha, head of the ganas
- भालचन्द्रः (bhālacandraḥ)Bhalachandra, with the moon on his forehead
- गजाननः (gajānanaḥ)Gajanana, the elephant-faced
- द्वादश (dvādaśa)twelve
- एतानि (etāni)these
- नामानि (nāmāni)names
- गणेशस्य (gaṇeśasya)of Ganesha
- तु (tu)indeed
- यः (yaḥ)whoever
- पठेत् (paṭhet)reads
anvaya धूम्रकेतुः गणाध्यक्षः भालचन्द्रः गजाननः [इति] यः तु गणेशस्य एतानि द्वादश नामानि पठेत्
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
धूम्रकेतुः the one with the smoke banner — In the Ganesha Purana, Dhumraketu is the form Ganesha takes at the end of the Kali age.
भालचन्द्रः the one who wears the moon on his forehead — The crescent on his brow, as on Shiva's.
note The last four names complete the twelve, and the verse turns to the one who reads them. The sentence carries on into the next verse, which says what that reader gains.
इष्टकामं तु कामार्थी धर्मार्थी मोक्षमक्षयम् ॥ ६॥
- विद्यार्थी (vidyārthī)one who seeks learning
- लभते (labhate)gains
- विद्याम् (vidyām)learning
- धनार्थी (dhanārthī)one who wants wealth
- विपुलम् (vipulam)plenty of
- धनम् (dhanam)wealth
- इष्टकामम् (iṣṭakāmam)the wish they hold dear
- तु (tu)and
- कामार्थी (kāmārthī)one who has a wish
- धर्मार्थी (dharmārthī)one who seeks dharma
- मोक्षम् (mokṣam)liberation
- अक्षयम् (akṣayam)that never ends
anvaya विद्यार्थी विद्याम् लभते धनार्थी विपुलम् धनम् [लभते] कामार्थी तु इष्टकामम् [लभते] धर्मार्थी अक्षयम् मोक्षम् [लभते]
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
अक्षयम् undecaying, never used up — The verse uses this word only for liberation, since the other gains can all be used up.
note The verse names what different people come asking for and promises each the thing they came for, with liberation placed last as the highest. The printed धनार्थि is read धनार्थी.
सङ्ग्रामे सङ्कटे चैव विघ्नस्तस्य न जायते ॥ ७॥
- विद्यारम्भे (vidyārambhe)at the start of studies
- विवाहे (vivāhe)at a wedding
- च (ca)and
- प्रवेशे (praveśe)on entering a new home
- निर्गमे (nirgame)on setting out
- तथा (tathā)likewise
- सङ्ग्रामे (saṅgrāme)in battle
- सङ्कटे (saṅkaṭe)in a crisis
- च (ca)and
- एव (eva)even
- विघ्नः (vighnaḥ)an obstacle
- तस्य (tasya)for that person
- न (na)not
- जायते (jāyate)arises
anvaya विद्यारम्भे विवाहे च प्रवेशे निर्गमे तथा सङ्ग्रामे सङ्कटे च एव तस्य विघ्नः न जायते
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
प्रवेशे on entering — Usually taken as entering a new house, the griha pravesha.
निर्गमे on going out — Leaving home on a journey.
note These are the moments of life when Ganesha is worshipped first: a child's first lesson, a wedding, moving into a house, leaving on a journey. The verse promises that for the one who knows these names, nothing will block the way.
- इति (iti)so ends
- मुद्गलपुराणोक्तम् (mudgalapurāṇoktam)as told in the Mudgala Purana
- श्रीगणेशद्वादशनामस्तोत्रम् (śrīgaṇeśadvādaśanāmastotram)the hymn of the twelve names of Shri Ganesha
- सम्पूर्णम् (sampūrṇam)is complete
anvaya इति मुद्गलपुराणोक्तम् श्रीगणेशद्वादशनामस्तोत्रम् सम्पूर्णम्