mahā gaṇapati mūla mantrāḥ (pāda mālā stotram)

• oṃOm
• hrīṃhrim, the seed syllable of Maya, the Goddess's power
• śrīṃshrim, the seed syllable of Lakshmi
• klīṃklim, the seed syllable of desire
• glauṃglaum, the seed syllable of the earth
• gaṃgam, Ganapati's own seed syllable
• gaṇapatayeto Ganapati
• varaO excellent one
• varadaO giver of boons
• sarvajanamall people
• memy
• vaśamunder sway
• ānayabring
• svāhāsvaha

anvaya oṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ klīṃ glauṃ gaṃ gaṇapataye vara varada sarvajanam me vaśam ānaya svāhā

chandas Prose, the root mantra

mūlamantra the root mantra — The main mantra of Mahaganapati. The hymn that follows takes it word by word, one verse for each of its fourteen words.

svāhā svaha — The word said as an offering is given into the fire. A mantra that ends in svaha is itself an offering.

note The verses take shrim before hrim, the order this mantra usually has. The printed mantra here swaps the two.

• athanow
• stotramthe hymn
• omOm
• itithe sound
• etatthis
• ajasyaof the unborn Brahma
• kaṇṭhavivaramthe throat
• bhitvābreaking through
• bahiḥout
• nirgatamcame
• hiand
• omOm
• itiwith
• evaalone
• samastakarmaevery rite
• ṛṣibhiḥby sages
• prārabhyateis begun
• mānuṣaiḥand by ordinary people
• omOm
• itithe word
• evaonly
• sadāalways
• japantirepeat
• yatayaḥrenunciants
• svātmaikaniṣṭhāḥwho rest in the self alone
• paramas the highest
• hiindeed
• oṅkārākṛtivaktramwhose face has the shape of Om
• induniṭilamwhose forehead bears the moon
• vighneśvaramVighneshvara
• bhāvayeI meditate on

anvaya atha stotram om iti etat ajasya kaṇṭhavivaram bhitvā bahiḥ nirgatam hi ṛṣibhiḥ mānuṣaiḥ samastakarma om iti eva prārabhyate svātmaikaniṣṭhāḥ yatayaḥ sadā om iti eva param japanti hi oṅkārākṛtivaktram induniṭilam vighneśvaram bhāvaye

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

oṅkārākṛti the shape of Om — The written sign ॐ is often seen as an elephant's head and trunk, so Ganapati is called Om given a form.

note An old verse says Om and the word atha burst from Brahma's throat at the beginning, which is why both are auspicious. This hymn happens to open with both. svātama is printed for svātma and bhavāye for bhāvaye.

• śrīmbījamthe seed syllable shrim
• śramaduḥkhajanmamaraṇavyādhyādhibhīnāśakamwhich destroys weariness, sorrow, birth and death, sickness, pain and fear
• mṛtyukrodhanaśāntibinduvilasadvarṇākṛtiśrīpradamwhose letters, named Mrityu, Krodhana, Shanti and Bindu, give wealth
• svāntaḥsvātmaśarasyafor the arrow of one's own self within
• lakṣyamthe target
• ajarasvātmāvabodhapradamwhich gives knowledge of the self that never ages
• śrīśrīnāyakasevitebhavadanapremāspadamdear to the elephant-faced one, whom Shri and Shri's lord serve
• bhāvayeI meditate on

anvaya śramaduḥkhajanmamaraṇavyādhyādhibhīnāśakam mṛtyukrodhanaśāntibinduvilasadvarṇākṛtiśrīpradam svāntaḥsvātmaśarasya lakṣyam ajarasvātmāvabodhapradam śrīśrīnāyakasevitebhavadanapremāspadam śrīmbījam bhāvaye

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

bīja seed syllable — A one-syllable mantra that holds a god's power the way a seed holds a tree. The mantra books name each of its letters by a code word, and the verse gives those names.

śara, lakṣya arrow and target — The Mundaka Upanishad pictures Om as the bow, the self as the arrow, and Brahman as the target. Here the seed syllable is the target.

note The last line is printed with a space inside one compound: sevite bhavadana is sevita + ibhavadana, served, the elephant-faced one.

• hrīmbījamthe seed syllable hrim
• hṛdayatrikoṇavilasanmadhyāsanasthamwhich sits in the middle of the triangle that shines in the heart
• sadāalways
• caand
• ākāśānalavāmalocananiśānāthārdhavarṇātmakammade of the letters called sky, fire, left eye and half moon
• māyākāryajagatprakāśakamwhich lights up the world that maya makes
• umārūpamwhose form is Uma
• svaśaktipradamwhich gives one's own power
• māyātītapadapradamwhich gives the state beyond maya
• hṛdiin my heart
• bhajeI worship
• lokeśvarārādhitamworshipped by the lords of the worlds

anvaya sadā hṛdayatrikoṇavilasanmadhyāsanastham ākāśānalavāmalocananiśānāthārdhavarṇātmakam ca māyākāryajagatprakāśakam umārūpam svaśaktipradam māyātītapadapradam lokeśvarārādhitam hrīmbījam hṛdi bhaje

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

ākāśa, anala, vāmalocana, niśānāthārdha sky, fire, left eye and half moon — Code names for the parts of the syllable: sky is ha, fire is ra, the left eye is the long i, and the half moon is the nasal sign. Together they spell hrim.

• klīmbījamthe seed syllable klim
• kalidhātuvatas its root kal says
• kalayatāmwhen they hold it in mind
• sarveṣṭadamwhich gives all they wish for
• dehināmto embodied beings
• dhātṛkṣmāyutaśāntibinduvilasadvarṇātmakamwhose letters are called Dhatri and Kshma, with Shanti and Bindu
• kāmadamwhich grants desires
• śrīkṛṣṇapriyamdear to Shri Krishna
• indirāsutamanaḥprītyekahetumthe one delight of Kama, Lakshmi's son
• paramthe highest
• hṛtpadmein the lotus of my heart
• kalayeI hold
• sadāalways
• kaliharamwhich takes away the troubles of the Kali age
• kālāriputrapriyamdear to the son of Shiva, the enemy of death

anvaya kalidhātuvat kalayatām dehinām sarveṣṭadam dhātṛkṣmāyutaśāntibinduvilasadvarṇātmakam kāmadam śrīkṛṣṇapriyam indirāsutamanaḥprītyekahetum param kaliharam kālāriputrapriyam klīmbījam sadā hṛtpadme kalaye

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

indirāsuta Kama, Lakshmi's son — Indira is Lakshmi, and Kama, the god of love, is called her son. Klim is known as the seed syllable of desire.

note The verse plays on sound: klim, kal, kalayatam, kalaye and kali all ring together.

• glaumbījamthe seed syllable glaum
• guṇarūpanirguṇaparabrahmādiśakteḥof the first power of the highest Brahman, beyond qualities yet taking form in them
• mahāhaṅkārākṛtidaṇḍinīpriyamdear to Dandini, whose form is the great sense of I
• ajaśrīnātharudreṣṭadamwhich gives Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra what they wish
• sarvākarṣiṇidevarājabhuvanārṇendvātmakamwhose letters are named Sarvakarshini, Devaraja, Bhuvana and Indu
• śrīkaramwhich brings wealth
• cittein my mind
• vighnanivāraṇāyato ward off obstacles
• girijajātapriyamdear to the son of Girija
• bhāvayeI meditate on

anvaya vighnanivāraṇāya guṇarūpanirguṇaparabrahmādiśakteḥ mahāhaṅkārākṛtidaṇḍinīpriyam ajaśrīnātharudreṣṭadam sarvākarṣiṇidevarājabhuvanārṇendvātmakam śrīkaram girijajātapriyam glaumbījam citte bhāvaye

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

daṇḍinī Dandini — The staff-bearer, a name of Varahi, who commands the armies of the Goddess Lalita. Glaum is her seed syllable too.

note girijajāta is printed for girijājāta, son of Girija; the metre needs the long vowel.

• gaṅgāsutamthe son of Ganga
• gandhamukhopacārapriyamwho loves offerings of sandal paste and the rest
• khagārohaṇabhāgineyamthe nephew of Vishnu who rides the bird
• gaṅgāsutādyamthe elder of Ganga's sons
• varagandhatattvamūlāmbujasthamwho sits in the root lotus, whose element is earth, the element of smell
• hṛdiin my heart
• bhāvayemeditate on
• ahamI

anvaya gandhamukhopacārapriyam khagārohaṇabhāgineyam gaṅgāsutādyam varagandhatattvamūlāmbujastham gaṅgāsutam aham hṛdi bhāvaye

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

gaṅgāsuta the son of Ganga — Both of Shiva's sons are at times called sons of Ganga. Skanda is the better known, so Ganapati is named here as the elder of the two.

khagārohaṇabhāgineya the nephew of Vishnu — Vishnu rides Garuda, the bird. In southern tradition Vishnu is Parvati's brother, which makes Ganapati his nephew.

note This is the verse for gam, heard in its first word, gaṅgā. In yoga each lotus holds an element, and the root lotus holds earth, whose quality is smell.

• gaṇapatayeto Ganapati
• varaguṇanidhayerich in fine virtues
• suragaṇapatayelord of the hosts of gods
• natajanatatayewho is there for all who bow to him
• maṇigaṇabhūṣitacaraṇayugāśritamalaharaṇeat washing away the stains of those who come to your feet, bright with jewels
• caṇaO skilled one
• teto you
• namaḥsalutation

anvaya varaguṇanidhaye suragaṇapataye natajanatataye gaṇapataye [namaḥ] maṇigaṇabhūṣitacaraṇayugāśritamalaharaṇe caṇa te namaḥ

chandas Moric: a sung metre counted in beats

note The verse for the word ganapataye, which it opens with.

• varābhayethe signs of boon and safety
• modakama sweet
• ekadantamhis own single tusk
• karāmbujātaiḥin his lotus hands
• satatamalways
• dharantamwho holds
• varāṅgacandramwho has the moon on his head
• parabhaktisāndraiḥfull of the highest devotion
• janaiḥby people
• bhajantamworshipped
• kalayeI hold
• sadāalways
• antaḥwithin me

anvaya karāmbujātaiḥ varābhaye modakam ekadantam satatam dharantam varāṅgacandram parabhaktisāndraiḥ janaiḥ bhajantam sadā antaḥ kalaye

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note The verse for vara. bhajantam, worshipping, stands where the sense needs worshipped.

• varadaO giver of boons
• natajanānāmto those who bow
• santatamalways
• vakratuṇḍaO Vakratunda
• svaramayanijagātraO you whose own body is made of sound
• svātmabodhaikahetoO you who alone make it possible to know the self
• karalasadamṛtāmbhopūrṇapatrādyaO first of all, in whose hand shines a cup full of nectar
• mahyamto me
• garagalasutaO son of the poison-throated god
• śīghramquickly
• dehigive
• madbodhaman awakening
• īḍyamworth praising

anvaya santatam natajanānām varada vakratuṇḍa svaramayanijagātra svātmabodhaikaheto karalasadamṛtāmbhopūrṇapatrādya garagalasuta mahyam īḍyam madbodham śīghram dehi

chandas Mālinī, 15 syllables in each of 4 pādas

garagala the poison-throated god — Shiva, who drank the poison that rose when the ocean was churned and held it in his throat.

note The verse for varada, the word it opens with.

• sarvajanamall people
• paripālayaprotect
• śarvajaO son of Shiva
• parvasudhākaragarvaharaO you who broke the pride of the moon on the festival night
• parvatanāthasutāsutaO son of the mountain king's daughter
• pālayaprotect
• kharvamany smaller
• mādo not
• kurumake
• dīnampoor soul
• imamthis

anvaya śarvaja parvasudhākaragarvahara sarvajanam paripālaya parvatanāthasutāsuta pālaya imam dīnam kharvam mā kuru

chandas Moric: a sung metre counted in beats

sudhākaragarvahara who broke the pride of the moon — The moon laughed at Ganesha, and Ganesha cursed him. That is why people avoid looking at the moon on the night of Ganesha Chaturthi.

note The verse for sarvajanam, all people. Its lines chime on the sound -rva-: sarva, sharva, parva, garva, parvata, kharva.

• medo'sthimāṃsarudhirāntramayeof marrow, bone, flesh, blood and entrails
• śarīrein this body
• medinyabagnimarudambaralāsyamānewhere earth, water, fire, wind and sky dance
• memy
• dāruṇamterrible
• madamukhāghamwrongs, with pride at their head
• umājaO son of Uma
• hṛtvātake away
• medhāhvayāsanavareon the fine seat called understanding
• vasalive
• dantivaktraO elephant-faced one

anvaya umāja dantivaktra me dāruṇam madamukhāgham hṛtvā medo'sthimāṃsarudhirāntramaye medinyabagnimarudambaralāsyamāne śarīre medhāhvayāsanavare vasa

chandas Vasantatilakā, 14 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note The verse for me, and every one of its four lines opens with that sound.

• vaśamunder your control
• kurubring
• tvamyou
• śivajātaO son of Shiva
• māmme
• teyour
• vaśīkṛtāśeṣasamastalokaO you who hold every world entire under your control
• vasārṇasaṃśobhitamūlapadmalasacchriyāby Shri, shining in the root lotus that glows with the letters va to sa
• āliṅgitavāraṇāsyaO elephant-faced one, embraced

anvaya vaśīkṛtāśeṣasamastaloka śivajāta tvam mām te vaśam kuru vasārṇasaṃśobhitamūlapadmalasacchriyā āliṅgitavāraṇāsya

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

mūlapadma the root lotus — The lotus at the base of the spine has four petals, marked with the letters va, śa, ṣa and sa. Ganapati is seated there.

note The verse for vasham. The mantra's word control is turned here into a prayer to be taken under his own control. 'liṅta is printed for 'liṅgita, embraced; the metre needs the missing syllable.

• ānayabring
• āśuquickly
• padavārijāntikamnear your lotus feet
• māmme
• nayādiguṇavarjitamthough I lack good sense and every other virtue
• tavayour
• hānihīnapadajāmṛtasyathe nectar of your feet, which never runs out
• teyour
• pānayogyamfit to drink
• ibhavaktraO elephant-faced one
• māmme
• kurumake

anvaya ibhavaktra nayādiguṇavarjitam mām āśu tava padavārijāntikam ānaya te hānihīnapadajāmṛtasya pānayogyam mām kuru

chandas Rathoddhatā, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note The verse for anaya, bring, and the sound of that word echoes through its lines: anaya, nayadi, panayogya.

• svāhāsvarūpeṇain the form of svaha
• virājaseshine
• tvamyou
• sudhāśanānāmthe gods
• priyakarmaṇiin the rites love
• īḍyamworthy of praise
• svadhāsvarūpeṇain the form of svadha
• tuand
• pitryakarmaṇiin the rites for the ancestors
• umāsutaO son of Uma
• ijyāmayaviśvamūrteO you whose form is the whole world, made of worship

anvaya umāsuta ijyāmayaviśvamūrte īḍyam tvam sudhāśanānām priyakarmaṇi svāhāsvarūpeṇa pitryakarmaṇi tu svadhāsvarūpeṇa virājase

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

svāhā, svadhā svaha and svadha — Svaha is said as an offering is given to the gods, svadha as it is given to the ancestors.

note The verse for svaha, the mantra's last word.

• aṣṭāviṃśativarṇapatralasitamwhose leaves are the twenty-eight letters
• hāramthis garland
• gaṇeśapriyamdear to Ganesha
• kaṣṭāniṣṭaharamwhich takes away hardship and harm
• caturdaśapadaiḥthe fourteen words
• puṣpaiḥwhose flowers are
• manohārakamwhich charms the mind
• tuṣṭyādipradasadguruttamapadāmbhojeat the feet of the best true teacher, giver of contentment and all else
• cidānandadamwhich gives the joy of awareness
• śiṣṭeṣṭaḥwhom the good hold dear
• ahamI
• anantasūtrahṛdayābaddhamstrung on the endless thread of the heart
• subhaktyāwith deep devotion
• arpayeoffer

anvaya śiṣṭeṣṭaḥ aham aṣṭāviṃśativarṇapatralasitam caturdaśapadaiḥ puṣpaiḥ manohārakam kaṣṭāniṣṭaharam cidānandadam anantasūtrahṛdayābaddham gaṇeśapriyam hāram tuṣṭyādipradasadguruttamapadāmbhoje subhaktyā arpaye

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

padamālā garland of words — The hymn's name. Each of the mantra's fourteen words became a verse, and the verses are strung together like flowers on a thread.