- herambastotramthe Heramba Stotra
anvaya herambastotram
chandas Prose, the title
heramba Heramba — An old name of Ganesha, taken to mean the one who protects the weak. The whole hymn is a woman calling on that name while a demon closes in.
note Gauri is speaking, and she does not flatter. Half the hymn is a list of the things she suspects he is doing instead of coming.
- gaurīGauri
- uvācasaid
anvaya gaurī uvāca
chandas Prose, a speaker's line
-nna māṃ ca jānāsi parāvamarṣām |
gaṇeśa rakṣasva na ceccharīraṃ
tyājāmi sadyastvayi bhaktiyuktā || 1 ||
- gajānanaO elephant-faced one
- jñānavihārinyou who walk about in knowledge
- kimdo you
- nanot
- māmme
- caand
- jānāsiknow
- parāvamarṣāmwho am humiliated by another
- gaṇeśaO Ganesha
- rakṣasvasave
- naif not
- cetthen
- śarīramthis body
- tyajāmiI shall give up
- sadyaḥat once
- tvayito you
- bhaktiyuktādevoted
anvaya gajānana jñānavihārin kim mām ca parāvamarṣām na jānāsi gaṇeśa rakṣasva na cet tvayi bhaktiyuktā [aham] sadyaḥ śarīram tyajāmi
chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note jñānavihārakāninna is run together in the printing; it is read jñānavihārin kiṃ na. tyājāmi is printed for tyajāmi, and ceccharīraṃ joins cet with śarīram.
lambodara premavivardhanācyuta |
vighnasya hartā'surasaṅghahartā
māṃ rakṣa daityāttvayi bhaktiyuktām || 2 ||
- vighneśaO Vighnesha
- herambaO Heramba
- mahodaraO great-bellied
- priyaO dear one
- lambodaraO hanging-bellied
- premavivardhanaO you who make love grow
- acyutaO you who never slip
- vighnasyaof obstacles
- hartāthe taker-away
- asurasaṅghahartāthe destroyer of the demon host
- māmme
- rakṣasave
- daityātfrom the demon
- tvayito you
- bhaktiyuktāmdevoted
anvaya vighneśa heramba mahodara priya lambodara premavivardhana acyuta vighnasya hartā asurasaṅghahartā tvayi bhaktiyuktām mām daityāt rakṣa
chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
-yukto'si kiṃ vā niśi nidrito'si |
kiṃ lakṣalābhārthavicārayuktaḥ
kiṃ māṃ ca vismṛtya susaṃsthito'si || 3 ||
- kimis it that
- siddhibuddhiprasareṇaby the spreading of Siddhi and Buddhi
- mohayuktaḥcarried away
- asiyou are
- kimor is it
- vāor
- niśiat night
- nidritaḥasleep
- asiyou are
- kimor is it
- lakṣalābhārthavicārayuktaḥbusy working out gains by the lakh
- kimor is it
- māmme
- caand
- vismṛtyahaving forgotten
- susaṃsthitaḥcomfortably settled
- asiyou are
anvaya kim siddhibuddhiprasareṇa mohayuktaḥ asi kim vā niśi nidritaḥ asi kim lakṣalābhārthavicārayuktaḥ [asi] kim mām ca vismṛtya susaṃsthitaḥ asi
chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note Four guesses in four lines, each one sharper than the last. This tone is the reason the hymn is remembered.
nānopacāraiśca suyantrito'si |
kiṃ modakārthe gaṇapādbhṛto'si
nānāvihāreṣu ca vakratuṇḍa || 4 ||
- kimis it
- bhaktasaṅgenaby the company of your devotees
- caand
- devadevaO god of gods
- nānopacāraiḥby their many services
- caand
- suyantritaḥtied up
- asiyou are
- kimis it
- modakārthefor the sake of modaks
- gaṇapātfrom the lord of the ganas
- bhṛtaḥheld
- asiyou are
- nānāvihāreṣuin your many games
- caand
- vakratuṇḍaO curving-trunked one
anvaya devadeva kim bhaktasaṅgena ca nānopacāraiḥ ca suyantritaḥ asi vakratuṇḍa kim modakārthe gaṇapāt nānāvihāreṣu ca bhṛtaḥ asi
chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
dāsīṃ ca vismṛtya mahānubhāva |
ānantyalīlāsu ca lālaso'si
kiṃ bhaktarakṣārthasusaṅkaṭasthaḥ || 5 ||
- svānandabhogeṣuin the pleasures of Svananda
- parihṛtaḥtaken up
- asiyou are
- dāsīmyour servant
- caand
- vismṛtyahaving forgotten
- mahānubhāvaO great one
- ānantyalīlāsuin play that never ends
- caand
- lālasaḥgreedy
- asiyou are
- kimor is it
- bhaktarakṣārthasusaṅkaṭasthaḥcaught in a tight corner guarding a devotee
anvaya mahānubhāva dāsīm ca vismṛtya svānandabhogeṣu parihṛtaḥ asi ānantyalīlāsu ca lālasaḥ asi kim bhaktarakṣārthasusaṅkaṭasthaḥ
chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
svānanda Svananda — One's own bliss, and the name of Ganapati's own world. She names it as a place he might be enjoying himself while she waits.
-maraistathā vāsurapaiḥ smṛto'si |
tadarthanānāvidhisamyuto'si
visṛjya māṃ dāsīmananyabhāvām || 6 ||
- ahoah
- gaṇeśaO Ganesha
- amṛtapānadakṣāmaraiḥby the gods who are quick at drinking nectar
- tathāand
- vāsurapaiḥby the lords of the demons
- smṛtaḥcalled upon
- asiyou are
- tadarthafor their sake
- nānāvidhisamyutaḥbusy with all the rites
- asiyou are
- visṛjyahaving let go of
- māmme
- dāsīmyour servant
- ananyabhāvāmwho thinks of nothing else
anvaya aho gaṇeśa amṛtapānadakṣāmaraiḥ tathā vāsurapaiḥ smṛtaḥ asi tadartha nānāvidhisamyutaḥ asi ananyabhāvām dāsīm mām visṛjya
chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
sarvatra citteṣu ca saṃsthitastvam |
prabho vilambena vināyako'si
brahmeśa kiṃ deva namo namaste || 7 ||
- rakṣasvasave
- māmme
- dīnatamāmthe most helpless of all
- pareśaO highest lord
- sarvatraeverywhere
- citteṣuin minds
- caand
- saṃsthitaḥseated
- tvamyou
- prabhoO lord
- vilambenaby delay
- vināyakaḥVinayaka, the leader
- asiyou are
- brahmeśaO lord of Brahman
- kimwhat is this
- devaO god
- namo namastesalutation, salutation to you
anvaya pareśa dīnatamām mām rakṣasva tvam sarvatra citteṣu ca saṃsthitaḥ prabho vilambena vināyakaḥ asi brahmeśa deva kim namo namaste
chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
vināyakaḥ the leader — The line turns the name over: vi-nayaka is the one who leads, and also, read the other way, the one with no leading in him at all. She means both.
vede tvabhāvān nahi cenmahātman |
āgatya hatvā'ditijaṃ sureśa
māṃ rakṣa dāsīṃ hṛdi pādaniṣṭhām || 8 ||
- bhaktābhimānīthe one who takes his devotees' part
- itiso
- caand
- nāmathe name
- mukhyamthe chief
- vedein the Veda
- tubut
- abhāvātfor want of it
- nanot
- hiindeed
- cetif
- mahātmanO great one
- āgatyahaving come
- hatvāhaving killed
- ditijamthe son of Diti
- sureśaO lord of the gods
- māmme
- rakṣasave
- dāsīmyour servant
- hṛdiin the heart
- pādaniṣṭhāmfixed on your feet
anvaya vede bhaktābhimānī iti ca mukhyam nāma mahātman cet abhāvāt na hi tu sureśa āgatya ditijam hatvā hṛdi pādaniṣṭhām dāsīm mām rakṣa
chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note aditijaṃ is printed for ditijaṃ. Diti's sons are the demons; Aditi's are the gods, and it is a demon that is meant here.
kathaṃ na buddhīśa samāgato'si |
sucintyadeva prajahāmi dehaṃ
yaśaḥ kariṣye viparītamevam || 9 ||
- ahoah
- nanot
- dūramfar
- tavafrom you
- kiñcitanything
- evaat all
- kathamwhy
- nanot
- buddhīśaO lord of wit
- samāgataḥcome
- asiyou have
- sucintyadevaO god worth every thought
- prajahāmiI shall give up
- dehamthis body
- yaśaḥyour good name
- kariṣyeI shall make
- viparītamthe opposite
- evamin this way
anvaya aho tava kiñcit eva dūram na buddhīśa katham na samāgataḥ asi sucintyadeva deham prajahāmi evam yaśaḥ viparītam kariṣye
chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note The threat is aimed at his reputation: if his devotee dies waiting, the name of protector is undone.
kṣaṇe kṣaṇe tvahaṃ dāsī rakṣitavyā viśeṣataḥ || 10 ||
- rakṣa rakṣasave me, save me
- dayāsindhoO sea of kindness
- aparādhānthe faults
- memy
- kṣamasvaforgive
- caand
- kṣaṇe kṣaṇemoment by moment
- tuand
- ahamI
- dāsīyour servant
- rakṣitavyāmust be kept safe
- viśeṣataḥabove all
anvaya dayāsindho rakṣa rakṣa me aparādhān ca kṣamasva kṣaṇe kṣaṇe tu aham dāsī viśeṣataḥ rakṣitavyā
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note The metre changes here, and the telling of the story begins.
babhūva gaṇapānāṃ vai śrutvā hāhāravaṃ vidheḥ || 11 ||
- stuvatyāmwhile she was praising
- evastill
- pārvatyāmParvati
- śaṅkaraḥShankara
- bodhasamyutaḥcome awake
- babhūvabecame
- gaṇapānāmof the ganas
- vaiindeed
- śrutvāhaving heard
- hāhāravamthe cry of dismay
- vidheḥof Brahma
anvaya pārvatyām stuvatyām eva gaṇapānām vidheḥ vai hāhāravam śrutvā śaṅkaraḥ bodhasamyutaḥ babhūva
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
kṣaṇena daityarājaṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā ḍamaruṇā hanat || 12 ||
- gaṇeśamGanesha
- manasāin his mind
- smṛtvāhaving called to mind
- vṛṣārūḍhaḥriding his bull
- samāyayauhe came
- kṣaṇenain a moment
- daityarājamthe demon king
- tamthat
- dṛṣṭvāhaving seen
- ḍamaruṇāwith his drum
- hanathe struck
anvaya gaṇeśam manasā smṛtvā vṛṣārūḍhaḥ samāyayau kṣaṇena tam daityarājam dṛṣṭvā ḍamaruṇā hanat
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note Even Shiva calls his son to mind before he sets out.
śivasya śūlikādīni śastrāṇi kuṇṭhitāni vai || 13 ||
- tataḥthen
- saḥhe
- apitoo
- śivamShiva
- vīkṣyahaving seen
- āliṅgitumto take hold of him
- dhāvitaḥrunning
- abhavathe was
- śivasyaof Shiva
- śūlikādīnithe trident and the rest
- śastrāṇithe weapons
- kuṇṭhitāniwent blunt
- vaiindeed
anvaya tataḥ saḥ api śivam vīkṣya āliṅgitum dhāvitaḥ abhavat śivasya śūlikādīni śastrāṇi vai kuṇṭhitāni
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
kuṇṭhitāni went blunt — Kuntha is a blade gone dull. The word runs through the Ganapatya books wherever power fails for want of his worship.
sasmāra gaṇapaṃ so'pi nirvighnārthaṃ prajāpate || 14 ||
- tamthat
- dṛṣṭvāhaving seen
- paramāścaryamgreat wonder
- bhayabhītaḥafraid
- maheśvaraḥMaheshvara
- sasmāracalled to mind
- gaṇapamGanapati
- saḥhe
- apitoo
- nirvighnārthamso that the way might be cleared
- prajāpateO Prajapati
anvaya prajāpate tam paramāścaryam dṛṣṭvā maheśvaraḥ bhayabhītaḥ saḥ api nirvighnārtham gaṇapam sasmāra
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note The point of the story: the weapons work again only once the son is remembered.