gaṇeśa vajra pañjara stotram

• trinetramthree-eyed
• gajāsyamelephant-faced
• caturbāhudhāramfour-armed
• paraśvādiśastraiḥwith the axe and other weapons
• yutamholding
• bhālacandramwith the moon on his forehead
• narākāradehamwhose body is shaped like a man's
• sadāalways
• yogaśāntamat peace in yoga
• gaṇeśamGanesha
• bhajeI worship
• sarvavandyamhonoured by all
• pareśamthe supreme lord

anvaya trinetram gajāsyam caturbāhudhāram paraśvādiśastraiḥ yutam bhālacandram narākāradeham sadā yogaśāntam sarvavandyam pareśam gaṇeśam [aham] bhaje

chandas Bhujaṅgaprayāta, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas (short, long, long, four times over)

note The dhyana. Its words 'always at peace in yoga' set the tone for this kavacha, which guards the states of the mind as much as the body.

• bindurūpaḥin the form of the bindu
• vakratuṇḍaḥVakratunda
• rakṣatumay protect
• memy
• hṛdiin the heart
• sthitaḥdwelling
• dehānbodies
• caturvidhānof four kinds
• tattvānthe principles
• tattvādhāraḥthe support of the principles
• sanātanaḥeternal

anvaya hṛdi sthitaḥ bindurūpaḥ tattvādhāraḥ sanātanaḥ vakratuṇḍaḥ me caturvidhān dehān tattvān rakṣatu

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

bindurūpaḥ in the form of the bindu — The bindu is the point from which all form unfolds.

caturvidhān dehān the four kinds of body — The bodies of Ganapatya teaching, from the physical to the most subtle.

note The protectors in this and the next six verses are the eight forms of Ganesha told in the Mudgala Purana: Vakratunda, Ekadanta, Mahodara, Gajanana, Lambodara, Vikata, Vighnaraja and Dhumravarna. Each one guards a different level of the self.

• dehamohayutamcaught in the confusion of the body
• hiindeed
• ekadantaḥEkadanta
• so'ham'That am I'
• svarūpadhṛkwho holds his true form
• dehinamthe embodied one
• māmme
• viśeṣeṇaabove all
• rakṣatumay protect
• bhramanāśakaḥthe destroyer of delusion

anvaya so'ham svarūpadhṛk bhramanāśakaḥ ekadantaḥ hi dehamohayutam dehinam mām viśeṣeṇa rakṣatu

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

so'ham 'That am I' — So'ham: the recognition that one's own self and the absolute are the same.

• mahodaraḥMahodara
• tathālikewise
• devaḥthe god
• nānābodhānmy many kinds of knowing
• pratāpavānmighty
• sadāalways
• rakṣatumay protect
• memy
• bodhānandasaṃsthaḥrooted in the bliss of knowing
• hiindeed
• aharniśamday and night

anvaya tathā bodhānandasaṃsthaḥ pratāpavān mahodaraḥ devaḥ me nānābodhān sadā aharniśam hi rakṣatu

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

• sāṅkhyānthe principles that make me
• rakṣatumay protect
• sāṅkhyeśaḥthe lord of Sankhya
• gajānanaḥGajanana
• susiddhidaḥgiver of true success
• asatyeṣuamong what is unreal
• sthitamdwelling
• māmme
• saḥhe
• lambodaraḥLambodara
• caand
• rakṣatumay protect

anvaya susiddhidaḥ sāṅkhyeśaḥ gajānanaḥ sāṅkhyān rakṣatu saḥ lambodaraḥ ca asatyeṣu sthitam mām rakṣatu

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

sāṅkhyeśaḥ lord of Sankhya — Sankhya is the school that counts out the principles of which the world and the person are made.

• satsuamong what is real
• sthitamdwelling
• sumohenastill held by delusion
• vikaṭaḥVikata
• māmme
• parātparaḥhigher than the highest
• rakṣatumay protect
• bhaktavātsalyātout of love for his devotees
• sadāalways
• ekāmṛtadhārakaḥbearer of the one nectar

anvaya parātparaḥ sadā ekāmṛtadhārakaḥ vikaṭaḥ bhaktavātsalyāt sumohena satsu sthitam mām rakṣatu

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

• ānandeṣuin states of bliss
• sthitamdwelling
• nityamalways
• māmme
• rakṣatumay protect
• samātmakaḥeven in nature
• vighnarājaḥVighnaraja
• mahāvighnaiḥwith great obstacles
• nānākhelakaraḥwho plays in many ways
• prabhuḥthe lord

anvaya mahāvighnaiḥ nānākhelakaraḥ samātmakaḥ prabhuḥ vighnarājaḥ ānandeṣu nityam sthitam mām rakṣatu

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

• avyakteṣuin the unmanifest
• sthitamdwelling
• nityamalways
• dhūmravarṇaḥDhumravarna
• svarūpadhṛkholding his true form
• māmme
• rakṣatumay protect
• sukhākāraḥwhose form is happiness
• sahajaḥnatural
• sarvapūjitaḥworshipped by all

anvaya svarūpadhṛk sukhākāraḥ sahajaḥ sarvapūjitaḥ dhūmravarṇaḥ avyakteṣu nityam sthitam mām rakṣatu

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

note Dhumravarna is the last of the eight Mudgala forms. The next three verses go further, to Ganesha as the Self and as yoga.

• svasaṃvedyeṣuin what is known only from within
• saṃsthamdwelling
• māmme
• gaṇeśaḥGanesha
• svasvarūpadhṛkholding his own true form
• rakṣatumay protect
• yogabhāvenain the state of yoga
• saṃsthitaḥestablished
• bhavanāyakaḥlord of existence

anvaya svasvarūpadhṛk yogabhāvena saṃsthitaḥ bhavanāyakaḥ gaṇeśaḥ svasaṃvedyeṣu saṃstham mām rakṣatu

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

• ayogeṣuin states apart from union
• sthitamdwelling
• nityamalways
• māmme
• rakṣatumay protect
• gaṇeśvaraḥGaneshvara
• nivṛttirūpadhṛkwho takes the form of withdrawal
• sākṣātdirectly
• asamādhisukhein the joy beyond samadhi
• rataḥdelighting

anvaya nivṛttirūpadhṛk sākṣāt asamādhisukhe rataḥ gaṇeśvaraḥ ayogeṣu nityam sthitam mām rakṣatu

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

• yogaśāntidharaḥwho holds the peace of yoga
• māmme
• tuand
• rakṣatumay protect
• yogasaṃsthitamestablished in yoga
• gaṇādhīśaḥGanadhisha
• prasannātmāserene
• siddhibuddhisamanvitaḥtogether with Siddhi and Buddhi

anvaya yogaśāntidharaḥ prasannātmā siddhibuddhisamanvitaḥ gaṇādhīśaḥ tu yogasaṃsthitam mām rakṣatu

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

note In Ganapatya teaching, the highest yoga is a peace that lies beyond both union and separation. This part of the kavacha ends with Ganesha as that peace.

• puraḥin front
• māmme
• gajakarṇaḥGajakarna
• caand
• rakṣatumay protect
• vighnahārakaḥremover of obstacles
• vāhnyāmin the southeast
• yāmyāmin the south
• caand
• nairṛtyāmin the southwest
• cintāmaṇiḥChintamani
• varapradaḥgiver of boons

anvaya vighnahārakaḥ gajakarṇaḥ ca puraḥ mām rakṣatu varapradaḥ cintāmaṇiḥ vāhnyām yāmyām ca nairṛtyām [rakṣatu]

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

note From here the protection turns to the directions.

• rakṣatumay protect
• paścimein the west
• ḍhuṇḍhiḥDhundhi
• herambaḥHeramba
• vāyudikin the northwest
• sthitamstanding
• vināyakaḥVinayaka
• caand
• uttarein the north
• tuand
• pramodaḥPramoda
• caand
• īśadikin the northeast
• sthitamstanding

anvaya paścime ḍhuṇḍhiḥ rakṣatu vāyudik sthitam herambaḥ [rakṣatu] uttare tu vināyakaḥ ca īśadik sthitam pramodaḥ ca [rakṣatu]

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

ḍhuṇḍhiḥ Dhundhi — Dhundhi Vinayaka is the Ganesha of Kashi.

• ūrdhvamabove
• siddhipatiḥthe lord of Siddhi
• pātumay protect
• buddhīśaḥthe lord of Buddhi
• adhaḥbelow
• sthitamstanding
• sadāalways
• sarvāṅgeṣuin every limb
• mayūreśaḥMayuresha
• pātumay protect
• māmme
• bhaktilālasaḥwho longs for devotion

anvaya siddhipatiḥ ūrdhvam pātu buddhīśaḥ adhaḥ sadā sthitam [pātu] bhaktilālasaḥ mayūreśaḥ sarvāṅgeṣu mām pātu

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

mayūreśaḥ Mayuresha — Ganesha who rides the peacock, worshipped at Morgaon, the first of the Ashtavinayaka temples.

• yatrawherever
• tatrathere
• sthitamI may be
• māmme
• tuand
• sadāalways
• rakṣatumay protect
• yogapaḥthe lord of yoga
• paraśupāśasaṃyuktaḥholding the axe and the noose
• varadābhayadhārakaḥshowing the gestures of boon and fearlessness

anvaya paraśupāśasaṃyuktaḥ varadābhayadhārakaḥ yogapaḥ yatra tatra sthitam mām tu sadā rakṣatu

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

note The printed puraśu is read paraśu, 'axe'.

• idamthis
• gaṇapateḥby Ganapati
• proktamspoken
• vajrapañjarakamthe diamond cage
• paramsupreme
• dhārayasvakeep it
• mahādevaO Mahadeva
• vijayīvictorious
• tvamyou
• bhaviṣyasiwill be

anvaya mahādeva idam gaṇapateḥ proktam param vajrapañjarakam dhārayasva tvam vijayī bhaviṣyasi

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

vajrapañjarakam the diamond cage — Vajra is both diamond and thunderbolt: a protection that cannot be broken.

note Ganesha is speaking to Shiva. The protection was given to Shiva himself, as the last verse makes clear.

• yaḥwhoever
• idamthis
• pañjaramcage
• dhṛtvāhaving kept
• yatrawherever
• kutraanywhere
• sthitaḥpresent
• bhavetmay be
• nanot
• tasyafor that person
• jāyatearises
• kvaanywhere
• apiat all
• bhayamfear
• nānāsvabhāvajamof any kind

anvaya yaḥ idam pañjaram dhṛtvā yatra kutra sthitaḥ bhavet tasya kva api nānāsvabhāvajam bhayam na jāyate

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

note The phalashruti begins.

• yaḥwhoever
• paṭhetreads
• pañjaramthe cage
• nityamevery day
• saḥthat person
• īpsitamwhat is wished for
• avāpnuyātgains
• vajrasāratanuḥwith a body as hard as diamond
• bhūtvāhaving become
• caretmoves
• sarvatraeverywhere
• mānavaḥperson

anvaya yaḥ mānavaḥ nityam pañjaram paṭhet saḥ īpsitam avāpnuyāt vajrasāratanuḥ bhūtvā sarvatra caret

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

• trikālamat the three times of day
• yaḥwhoever
• paṭhetreads
• nityamevery day
• saḥthat person
• gaṇeśaḥGanesha
• ivalike
• aparaḥa second
• nirvighnaḥfree of obstacles
• sarvakāryeṣuin all work
• brahmabhūtaḥone with Brahman
• bhavetbecomes
• naraḥperson

anvaya yaḥ nityam trikālam paṭhet saḥ aparaḥ gaṇeśaḥ iva [bhavati] naraḥ sarvakāryeṣu nirvighnaḥ brahmabhūtaḥ bhavet

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

• yaḥwhoever
• śṛṇotihears
• gaṇeśasyaof Ganesha
• pañjaramcage
• vajrasañjñakamcalled the Vajra
• ārogyādisamāyuktaḥblessed with health and more
• bhavatebecomes
• gaṇapapriyaḥdear to Ganesha

anvaya yaḥ gaṇeśasya vajrasañjñakam pañjaram śṛṇoti [saḥ] ārogyādisamāyuktaḥ gaṇapapriyaḥ bhavate

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

• dhanamwealth
• dhānyamgrain
• paśūncattle
• vidyāmlearning
• āyuṣyamlong life
• putrapautrakamsons and grandsons
• sarvasampatsamāyuktamfull of every kind of wealth
• aiśvaryamlordship
• paṭhanātby reading
• labhetone gains

anvaya paṭhanāt dhanam dhānyam paśūn vidyām āyuṣyam putrapautrakam sarvasampatsamāyuktam aiśvaryam labhet

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

• nano
• bhayamfear
• tasyafor that person
• vajrātfrom the thunderbolt
• tuand
• cakrātfrom the discus
• śūlātfrom the trident
• bhavetarises
• kadāever
• śaṅkarādeḥfrom Shankara and the others
• mahādevaO Mahadeva
• paṭhanātby reading
• asyaof this
• nityaśaḥevery day

anvaya mahādeva asya nityaśaḥ paṭhanāt tasya vajrāt cakrāt śūlāt tu śaṅkarādeḥ kadā bhayam na bhavet

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

vajra cakra śūla thunderbolt, discus, trident — The weapons of Indra, Vishnu and Shiva: no divine weapon can harm this person.

• yamwhatever
• yamwhatever
• cintayatethinks of
• martyaḥa person
• tamthat
• tamthat
• prāpnotigains
• śāśvatamfor good
• paṭhanātby reading
• asyaof this
• vighneśapañjarasyacage of Vighnesha
• nirantaramwithout a break

anvaya asya vighneśapañjarasya nirantaram paṭhanāt martyaḥ yam yam cintayate tam tam śāśvatam prāpnoti

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

• lakṣāvṛttibhiḥby a hundred thousand recitations
• evamin this way
• saḥhe
• siddhapañjarakaḥone who has mastered the cage
• bhavetbecomes
• stambhayetcould stop
• apieven
• sūryamthe sun
• tuand
• brahmāṇḍamthe universe
• vaśamunder his sway
• ānayetcould bring

anvaya evam lakṣāvṛttibhiḥ saḥ siddhapañjarakaḥ bhavet sūryam api stambhayet tu brahmāṇḍam vaśam ānayet

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

• evamso
• uktvāhaving spoken
• gaṇeśānaḥGanesha
• antardadhevanished
• munisattamaO best of sages
• śivaḥShiva
• devādibhiḥwith the gods and others
• yuktaḥtogether
• harṣitaḥdelighted
• sambabhūvabecame
• haindeed

anvaya munisattama evam uktvā gaṇeśānaḥ antardadhe devādibhiḥ yuktaḥ śivaḥ harṣitaḥ sambabhūva ha

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

note The narrator speaks to a sage, and the scene closes: Ganesha has given Shiva this protection, and disappears.