oṃ sumukhāya namaḥ
oṃ ekadantāya namaḥ
oṃ kapilāya namaḥ
oṃ gajakarṇakāya namaḥ
oṃ lambodarāya namaḥ
oṃ vikaṭāya namaḥ
oṃ vighnarājāya namaḥ
oṃ gaṇādhipāya namaḥ
oṃ dhūmraketave namaḥ
oṃ gaṇādhyakṣāya namaḥ
oṃ phālacandrāya namaḥ
oṃ gajānanāya namaḥ
oṃ vakratuṇḍāya namaḥ
oṃ śūrpakarṇāya namaḥ
oṃ herambāya namaḥ
oṃ skandapūrvajāya namaḥ
- śrīvighneśvaraṣoḍaśanāmāvaliḥthe sixteen names of Shri Vighneshvara
- oṃOm
- sumukhāyato the lovely-faced one
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- ekadantāyato the single-tusked one
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- kapilāyato the tawny one
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- gajakarṇakāyato the one with an elephant's ears
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- lambodarāyato the big-bellied one
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- vikaṭāyato the one of striking form
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- vighnarājāyato the king of obstacles
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- gaṇādhipāyato the lord of the ganas
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- dhūmraketaveto the one whose banner is smoke
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- gaṇādhyakṣāyato the head of the ganas
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- phālacandrāyato the one with the moon on his forehead
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- gajānanāyato the elephant-faced one
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- vakratuṇḍāyato the one with the curved trunk
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- śūrpakarṇāyato the one with ears like winnowing fans
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- herambāyato Heramba
- namaḥsalutations
- oṃOm
- skandapūrvajāyato the elder brother of Skanda
- namaḥsalutations
anvaya śrīvighneśvaraṣoḍaśanāmāvaliḥ oṃ sumukhāya namaḥ oṃ ekadantāya namaḥ oṃ kapilāya namaḥ oṃ gajakarṇakāya namaḥ oṃ lambodarāya namaḥ oṃ vikaṭāya namaḥ oṃ vighnarājāya namaḥ oṃ gaṇādhipāya namaḥ oṃ dhūmraketave namaḥ oṃ gaṇādhyakṣāya namaḥ oṃ phālacandrāya namaḥ oṃ gajānanāya namaḥ oṃ vakratuṇḍāya namaḥ oṃ śūrpakarṇāya namaḥ oṃ herambāya namaḥ oṃ skandapūrvajāya namaḥ
chandas Prose (a list of names)
herambāya to Heramba — A name used especially for the five-headed Ganesha who rides a lion, the protector of the weak.
dhūmraketave to the one whose banner is smoke — In the Ganesha Purana, Dhumraketu is the form Ganesha takes at the end of the Kali age.
note Most of these names are also in the familiar list of twelve. Vakratunda, Shurpakarna, Heramba and Skandapurvaja bring the count to sixteen. The names are said one at a time in puja, with a flower or a blade of durva for each.
- śrīvighneśvaraṣoḍaśanāmastotramthe hymn of the sixteen names of Shri Vighneshvara
anvaya śrīvighneśvaraṣoḍaśanāmastotram
lambodaraśca vikaṭo vighnarājo gaṇādhipaḥ || 1 ||
- sumukhaḥSumukha, of the lovely face
- caand
- ekadantaḥEkadanta, of the single tusk
- caand
- kapilaḥKapila, the tawny one
- gajakarṇakaḥGajakarnaka, with an elephant's ears
- lambodaraḥLambodara, the big-bellied
- caand
- vikaṭaḥVikata, of striking form
- vighnarājaḥVighnaraja, king of obstacles
- gaṇādhipaḥGanadhipa, lord of the ganas
anvaya sumukhaḥ ca ekadantaḥ ca kapilaḥ gajakarṇakaḥ lambodaraḥ ca vikaṭaḥ vighnarājaḥ gaṇādhipaḥ
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note The same sixteen names, now set in verse.
vakratuṇḍa-śśūrpakarṇo heramba-sskandapūrvajaḥ || 2 ||
- dhūmraketuḥDhumraketu, whose banner is smoke
- gaṇādhyakṣaḥGanadhyaksha, head of the ganas
- phālacandraḥPhalachandra, with the moon on his forehead
- gajānanaḥGajanana, the elephant-faced
- vakratuṇḍaḥVakratunda, of the curved trunk
- śūrpakarṇaḥShurpakarna, with ears like winnowing fans
- herambaḥHeramba
- skandapūrvajaḥSkandapurvaja, Skanda's elder brother
anvaya dhūmraketuḥ gaṇādhyakṣaḥ phālacandraḥ gajānanaḥ vakratuṇḍaḥ śūrpakarṇaḥ herambaḥ skandapūrvajaḥ
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
vidyārambhe vivāhe ca praveśe nirgame tathā |
saṅgrāme sarva kāryeṣu vighnastasya na jāyate || 3 ||
- ṣoḍaśasixteen
- etānithese
- nāmāninames
- yaḥwhoever
- paṭhetreads
- śṛṇuyāthears
- apieven
- vidyārambheat the start of studies
- vivāheat a wedding
- caand
- praveśeon entering a new home
- nirgameon setting out
- tathālikewise
- saṅgrāmein battle
- sarvakāryeṣuin all work
- vighnaḥan obstacle
- tasyafor that person
- nanot
- jāyatearises
anvaya yaḥ etāni ṣoḍaśa nāmāni paṭhet śṛṇuyāt api tasya vidyārambhe vivāhe ca praveśe nirgame tathā saṅgrāme sarvakāryeṣu vighnaḥ na jāyate
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 6 pādas
note The same promise closes the Dwadasa Nama stotra. Here even hearing the names is enough.