ಶ್ರೀಗಣೇಶಾಯ ನಮಃ ॥
ಮುದಾಕರಾತ್ತಮೋದಕಂ ಸದಾವಿಮುಕ್ತಿಸಾಧಕಂ ಕಲಾಧರಾವತಂಸಕಂ ವಿಲಾಸಿಲೋಕರಕ್ಷಕಮ್ ।
ಅನಾಯಕೈಕನಾಯಕಂ ವಿನಾಶಿತೇಭದೈತ್ಯಕಂ ನತಾಶುಭಾಶುನಾಶಕಂ ನಮಾಮಿ ತಂ ವಿನಾಯಕಮ್ ॥ ೧॥
- ಶ್ರೀಗಣೇಶಪಞ್ಚರತ್ನಸ್ತೋತ್ರಮ್ (śrīgaṇeśapañcaratnastotram)the hymn of five gems to Shri Ganesha
- ಶ್ರೀಗಣೇಶಾಯ (śrīgaṇeśāya)to Shri Ganesha
- ನಮಃ (namaḥ)salutations
- ಮುದಾಕರಾತ್ತಮೋದಕಮ್ (mudākarāttamodakam)who happily holds a modak in his hand
- ಸದಾವಿಮುಕ್ತಿಸಾಧಕಮ್ (sadāvimuktisādhakam)who always leads to liberation
- ಕಲಾಧರಾವತಂಸಕಮ್ (kalādharāvataṃsakam)who wears the moon as an ornament
- ವಿಲಾಸಿಲೋಕರಕ್ಷಕಮ್ (vilāsilokarakṣakam)who protects the world that is his play
- ಅನಾಯಕೈಕನಾಯಕಮ್ (anāyakaikanāyakam)the one leader of those who have no leader
- ವಿನಾಶಿತೇಭದೈತ್ಯಕಮ್ (vināśitebhadaityakam)who destroyed the elephant demon
- ನತಾಶುಭಾಶುನಾಶಕಮ್ (natāśubhāśunāśakam)who quickly ends the misfortunes of those who bow
- ನಮಾಮಿ (namāmi)I bow to
- ತಮ್ (tam)that
- ವಿನಾಯಕಮ್ (vināyakam)Vinayaka
anvaya ಶ್ರೀಗಣೇಶಪಞ್ಚರತ್ನಸ್ತೋತ್ರಮ್ ಶ್ರೀಗಣೇಶಾಯ ನಮಃ ಮುದಾಕರಾತ್ತಮೋದಕಮ್ ಸದಾವಿಮುಕ್ತಿಸಾಧಕಮ್ ಕಲಾಧರಾವತಂಸಕಮ್ ವಿಲಾಸಿಲೋಕರಕ್ಷಕಮ್ ಅನಾಯಕೈಕನಾಯಕಮ್ ವಿನಾಶಿತೇಭದೈತ್ಯಕಮ್ ನತಾಶುಭಾಶುನಾಶಕಮ್ ತಮ್ ವಿನಾಯಕಮ್ [ಅಹಮ್] ನಮಾಮಿ
chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating
ಮೋದಕ the sweet dumpling he loves — Rice dough filled with coconut and jaggery. It is the offering most closely tied to Ganesha, and the first thing this hymn places in his hand.
ಅನಾಯಕೈಕನಾಯಕಮ್ the one leader of the leaderless — A play on Vinayaka, the word that ends the verse: vi-nayaka, the leader with no one above him, is also the leader of those who have no one.
ವಿನಾಶಿತೇಭದೈತ್ಯಕಮ್ who killed the elephant demon — Usually identified with Gajamukhasura, the elephant-headed demon Ganesha defeats with his broken tusk.
note Adi Shankaracharya's hymn opens with Ganesha as a child might picture him, happy with a sweet in his hand, and within the same verse calls him the giver of liberation. The quick, even beat of the metre makes it easy to sing, and this first verse is the part most people know by heart.
ಸುರೇಶ್ವರಂ ನಿಧೀಶ್ವರಂ ಗಜೇಶ್ವರಂ ಗಣೇಶ್ವರಂ ಮಹೇಶ್ವರಂ ತಮಾಶ್ರಯೇ ಪರಾತ್ಪರಂ ನಿರನ್ತರಮ್ ॥ ೨॥
- ನತೇತರಾತಿಭೀಕರಮ್ (natetarātibhīkaram)terrifying to those who will not bow
- ನವೋದಿತಾರ್ಕಭಾಸ್ವರಮ್ (navoditārkabhāsvaram)bright as the newly risen sun
- ನಮತ್ಸುರಾರಿನಿರ್ಜರಮ್ (namatsurārinirjaram)to whom gods and demons bow
- ನತಾಧಿಕಾಪದುದ್ಧರಮ್ (natādhikāpaduddharam)who lifts those who bow out of their worst troubles
- ಸುರೇಶ್ವರಮ್ (sureśvaram)lord of the gods
- ನಿಧೀಶ್ವರಮ್ (nidhīśvaram)lord of treasures
- ಗಜೇಶ್ವರಮ್ (gajeśvaram)lord of elephants
- ಗಣೇಶ್ವರಮ್ (gaṇeśvaram)lord of the ganas
- ಮಹೇಶ್ವರಮ್ (maheśvaram)the great lord
- ತಮ್ (tam)him
- ಆಶ್ರಯೇ (āśraye)I take refuge in
- ಪರಾತ್ಪರಮ್ (parātparam)higher than the highest
- ನಿರನ್ತರಮ್ (nirantaram)always
anvaya ನತೇತರಾತಿಭೀಕರಮ್ ನವೋದಿತಾರ್ಕಭಾಸ್ವರಮ್ ನಮತ್ಸುರಾರಿನಿರ್ಜರಮ್ ನತಾಧಿಕಾಪದುದ್ಧರಮ್ ಸುರೇಶ್ವರಮ್ ನಿಧೀಶ್ವರಮ್ ಗಜೇಶ್ವರಮ್ ಗಣೇಶ್ವರಮ್ ಮಹೇಶ್ವರಮ್ ಪರಾತ್ಪರಮ್ ತಮ್ [ಅಹಮ್] ನಿರನ್ತರಮ್ ಆಶ್ರಯೇ
chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating
ನತೇತರ those other than the ones who bow — He is fearsome only to those who refuse to bow. To those who do, the same line says, he is the one who lifts them out of trouble.
ನಿಧೀಶ್ವರಮ್ lord of treasures — Nidhi is treasure. The same title is given to Kubera, the lord of wealth.
note The second half of the verse is five titles in a row, each ending in ishvara, lord: of the gods, of treasures, of elephants, of the ganas, and the great lord. Chains of matching sounds like this run through all of Shankara's hymns.
ಕೃಪಾಕರಂ ಕ್ಷಮಾಕರಂ ಮುದಾಕರಂ ಯಶಸ್ಕರಂ ಮನಸ್ಕರಂ ನಮಸ್ಕೃತಾಂ ನಮಸ್ಕರೋಮಿ ಭಾಸ್ವರಮ್ ॥ ೩॥
- ಸಮಸ್ತಲೋಕಶಙ್ಕರಮ್ (samastalokaśaṅkaram)who brings good to all the worlds
- ನಿರಸ್ತದೈತ್ಯಕುಞ್ಜರಮ್ (nirastadaityakuñjaram)who drove off the elephant demon
- ದರೇತರೋದರಮ್ (daretarodaram)whose belly is anything but small
- ವರಮ್ (varam)the best
- ವರೇಭವಕ್ತ್ರಮ್ (varebhavaktram)with the face of a noble elephant
- ಅಕ್ಷರಮ್ (akṣaram)imperishable
- ಕೃಪಾಕರಮ್ (kṛpākaram)source of compassion
- ಕ್ಷಮಾಕರಮ್ (kṣamākaram)source of forgiveness
- ಮುದಾಕರಮ್ (mudākaram)source of joy
- ಯಶಸ್ಕರಮ್ (yaśaskaram)who gives fame
- ಮನಸ್ಕರಮ್ (manaskaram)who gives a clear mind
- ನಮಸ್ಕೃತಾಮ್ (namaskṛtām)to those who bow to him
- ನಮಸ್ಕರೋಮಿ (namaskaromi)I bow to
- ಭಾಸ್ವರಮ್ (bhāsvaram)the radiant one
anvaya ಸಮಸ್ತಲೋಕಶಙ್ಕರಮ್ ನಿರಸ್ತದೈತ್ಯಕುಞ್ಜರಮ್ ದರೇತರೋದರಮ್ ವರಮ್ ವರೇಭವಕ್ತ್ರಮ್ ಅಕ್ಷರಮ್ ನಮಸ್ಕೃತಾಮ್ ಕೃಪಾಕರಮ್ ಕ್ಷಮಾಕರಮ್ ಮುದಾಕರಮ್ ಯಶಸ್ಕರಮ್ ಮನಸ್ಕರಮ್ ಭಾಸ್ವರಮ್ [ಅಹಮ್] ನಮಸ್ಕರೋಮಿ
chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating
ದರೇತರೋದರಮ್ whose belly is other than small — Dara-itara, 'other than small', is a roundabout way of saying his belly is huge, and it keeps the rhyme of the line going.
ಆಕರ a mine, a source — Kripakaram, kshamakaram, mudakaram: a mine of mercy, of forgiveness, of joy. Each title is something he gives out.
note The second half is a run of rhyming titles, kṛpākaram, kṣamākaram, mudākaram, yaśaskaram, manaskaram, that ends on namaskaromi, 'I bow'. Each title is something Ganesha gives, and the line closes with the singer's reply: a bow.
ಪ್ರಪಞ್ಚನಾಶಭೀಷಣಂ ಧನಞ್ಜಯಾದಿಭೂಷಣಂ ಕಪೋಲದಾನವಾರಣಂ ಭಜೇ ಪುರಾಣವಾರಣಮ್ ॥ ೪॥
- ಅಕಿಞ್ಚನಾರ್ತಿಮಾರ್ಜನಮ್ (akiñcanārtimārjanam)who wipes away the pain of the poor
- ಚಿರನ್ತನೋಕ್ತಿಭಾಜನಮ್ (cirantanoktibhājanam)of whom the ancient scriptures speak
- ಪುರಾರಿಪೂರ್ವನನ್ದನಮ್ (purāripūrvanandanam)the elder son of Shiva, enemy of the three cities
- ಸುರಾರಿಗರ್ವಚರ್ವಣಮ್ (surārigarvacarvaṇam)who crushes the pride of the demons
- ಪ್ರಪಞ್ಚನಾಶಭೀಷಣಮ್ (prapañcanāśabhīṣaṇam)fearsome at the dissolution of the world
- ಧನಞ್ಜಯಾದಿಭೂಷಣಮ್ (dhanañjayādibhūṣaṇam)adorned with serpents such as Dhananjaya
- ಕಪೋಲದಾನವಾರಣಮ್ (kapoladānavāraṇam)the elephant with mada flowing on his cheeks
- ಭಜೇ (bhaje)I worship
- ಪುರಾಣವಾರಣಮ್ (purāṇavāraṇam)the ancient elephant
anvaya ಅಕಿಞ್ಚನಾರ್ತಿಮಾರ್ಜನಮ್ ಚಿರನ್ತನೋಕ್ತಿಭಾಜನಮ್ ಪುರಾರಿಪೂರ್ವನನ್ದನಮ್ ಸುರಾರಿಗರ್ವಚರ್ವಣಮ್ ಪ್ರಪಞ್ಚನಾಶಭೀಷಣಮ್ ಧನಞ್ಜಯಾದಿಭೂಷಣಮ್ ಕಪೋಲದಾನವಾರಣಮ್ ಪುರಾಣವಾರಣಮ್ [ಅಹಮ್] ಭಜೇ
chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating
ಪುರಾರಿಪೂರ್ವನನ್ದನಮ್ the first-born son of Shiva — Purari, 'enemy of the cities', is Shiva, who destroyed the three flying cities of the asuras. Purva-nandana, 'the earlier son', marks Ganesha as the elder.
ಧನಞ್ಜಯ a great serpent — Here Dhananjaya is the name of a naga, and has nothing to do with Arjuna. Like his father, Ganesha wears snakes as ornaments.
ಕಪೋಲದಾನ the flow on his cheeks — Dana is the mada fluid of an elephant in its prime. It marks him as a mighty tusker.
note The verse runs from comfort for the poor to the end of the world itself, and closes on 'the ancient elephant', a name that makes the familiar god as old as time.
ಹೃದನ್ತರೇ ನಿರನ್ತರಂ ವಸನ್ತಮೇವ ಯೋಗಿನಾಂ ತಮೇಕದನ್ತಮೇವ ತಂ ವಿಚಿನ್ತಯಾಮಿ ಸನ್ತತಮ್ ॥ ೫॥
- ನಿತಾನ್ತಕಾನ್ತದನ್ತಕಾನ್ತಿಮನ್ತಮ್ (nitāntakāntadantakāntimantam)whose tusk shines with a beauty beyond compare
- ಅನ್ತಕಾನ್ತಕಾತ್ಮಜಮ್ (antakāntakātmajam)the son of Shiva, who put an end to Death
- ಅಚಿನ್ತ್ಯರೂಪಮ್ (acintyarūpam)whose form is beyond imagining
- ಅನ್ತಹೀನಮ್ (antahīnam)without end
- ಅನ್ತರಾಯಕೃನ್ತನಮ್ (antarāyakṛntanam)who cuts through obstacles
- ಹೃದನ್ತರೇ (hṛdantare)within the heart
- ನಿರನ್ತರಮ್ (nirantaram)without a break
- ವಸನ್ತಮ್ (vasantam)dwelling
- ಏವ (eva)indeed
- ಯೋಗಿನಾಮ್ (yoginām)of the yogis
- ತಮ್ (tam)him
- ಏಕದನ್ತಮ್ (ekadantam)the single-tusked one
- ಏವ (eva)alone
- ತಮ್ (tam)him
- ವಿಚಿನ್ತಯಾಮಿ (vicintayāmi)I meditate on
- ಸನ್ತತಮ್ (santatam)constantly
anvaya ನಿತಾನ್ತಕಾನ್ತದನ್ತಕಾನ್ತಿಮನ್ತಮ್ ಅನ್ತಕಾನ್ತಕಾತ್ಮಜಮ್ ಅಚಿನ್ತ್ಯರೂಪಮ್ ಅನ್ತಹೀನಮ್ ಅನ್ತರಾಯಕೃನ್ತನಮ್ ಯೋಗಿನಾಮ್ ಹೃದನ್ತರೇ ನಿರನ್ತರಮ್ ವಸನ್ತಮ್ ಏವ ತಮ್ ಏಕದನ್ತಮ್ ಏವ ತಮ್ [ಅಹಮ್] ಸನ್ತತಮ್ ವಿಚಿನ್ತಯಾಮಿ
chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating
ಅನ್ತಕಾನ್ತಕ the ender of the ender — Antaka, 'the one who ends', is Death. Shiva is called Antakantaka because he stopped Death to save his young devotee Markandeya.
ಏಕದನ್ತಮ್ the single-tusked one — He has only one whole tusk. In one well-known telling he broke off the other and used it as a pen to write down the Mahabharata as Vyasa spoke it.
note Almost every word here carries the sound anta: kānta, danta, antaka, antahīna, antarāya, hṛdantare, nirantaram, vasantam. Shankara builds the whole verse on that one sound, moving from the shining tusk to the heart of the yogi.
ಅರೋಗತಾಮದೋಷತಾಂ ಸುಸಾಹಿತೀಂ ಸುಪುತ್ರತಾಂ ಸಮಾಹಿತಾಯುರಷ್ಟಭೂತಿಮಭ್ಯುಪೈತಿ ಸೋಽಚಿರಾತ್ ॥ ೬॥
- ಮಹಾಗಣೇಶಪಞ್ಚರತ್ನಮ್ (mahāgaṇeśapañcaratnam)these five gems for the great Ganesha
- ಆದರೇಣ (ādareṇa)with devotion
- ಯಃ (yaḥ)whoever
- ಅನ್ವಹಮ್ (anvaham)every day
- ಪ್ರಜಲ್ಪತಿ (prajalpati)recites
- ಪ್ರಭಾತಕೇ (prabhātake)in the early morning
- ಹೃದಿ (hṛdi)in the heart
- ಸ್ಮರನ್ (smaran)remembering
- ಗಣೇಶ್ವರಮ್ (gaṇeśvaram)the lord of the ganas
- ಅರೋಗತಾಮ್ (arogatām)good health
- ಅದೋಷತಾಮ್ (adoṣatām)freedom from faults
- ಸುಸಾಹಿತೀಮ್ (susāhitīm)a gift for words and learning
- ಸುಪುತ್ರತಾಮ್ (suputratām)good children
- ಸಮಾಹಿತಾಯುಃ (samāhitāyuḥ)a long and settled life
- ಅಷ್ಟಭೂತಿಮ್ (aṣṭabhūtim)the eight kinds of prosperity
- ಅಭ್ಯುಪೈತಿ (abhyupaiti)gains
- ಸಃ (saḥ)that person
- ಅಚಿರಾತ್ (acirāt)before long
anvaya ಯಃ ಗಣೇಶ್ವರಮ್ ಹೃದಿ ಸ್ಮರನ್ ಪ್ರಭಾತಕೇ ಅನ್ವಹಮ್ ಆದರೇಣ ಮಹಾಗಣೇಶಪಞ್ಚರತ್ನಮ್ ಪ್ರಜಲ್ಪತಿ ಸಃ ಅಚಿರಾತ್ ಅರೋಗತಾಮ್ ಅದೋಷತಾಮ್ ಸುಸಾಹಿತೀಮ್ ಸುಪುತ್ರತಾಮ್ ಸಮಾಹಿತಾಯುಃ ಅಷ್ಟಭೂತಿಮ್ ಅಭ್ಯುಪೈತಿ
chandas Pañcacāmara, 16 syllables in each of 4 pādas, short and long syllables alternating
ಅಷ್ಟಭೂತಿಮ್ the eightfold prosperity — Often read as the eight siddhis, powers such as becoming very small or very light at will. Some take it simply as every kind of wealth.
ಸುಸಾಹಿತೀಮ್ skill with words — Sahiti is literature, the gift of saying things well.
note The phalashruti. It asks for a morning habit: say the five verses with Ganesha in mind. What it promises is a good life in plain terms: health, a clean character, a way with words, good children and a long, steady life.
- ಇತಿ (iti)so ends
- ಶ್ರೀಶಙ್ಕರಭಗವತಃ (śrīśaṅkarabhagavataḥ)of the revered Shankara
- ಕೃತೌ (kṛtau)among the works
- ಶ್ರೀಗಣೇಶಪಞ್ಚರತ್ನಸ್ತೋತ್ರಮ್ (śrīgaṇeśapañcaratnastotram)the hymn of five gems to Shri Ganesha
- ಸಮ್ಪೂರ್ಣಮ್ (sampūrṇam)is complete
anvaya ಇತಿ ಶ್ರೀಶಙ್ಕರಭಗವತಃ ಕೃತೌ ಶ್ರೀಗಣೇಶಪಞ್ಚರತ್ನಸ್ತೋತ್ರಮ್ ಸಮ್ಪೂರ್ಣಮ್