ଷଡକ୍ଷରଂ କୃପାସିନ୍ଧୁଂ ନମାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ॥ 1 ॥
- ସ୍ମରାମି (smarāmi)I call to mind
- ଦେଵଦେଵେଶମ୍ (devadeveśam)the lord of the lords of the gods
- ଵକ୍ରତୁଣ୍ଡମ୍ (vakratuṇḍam)the one with the curving trunk
- ମହାବଲମ୍ (mahābalam)great in strength
- ଷଡକ୍ଷରମ୍ (ṣaḍakṣaram)the one of six syllables
- କୃପାସିନ୍ଧୁମ୍ (kṛpāsindhum)a sea of kindness
- ନମାମି (namāmi)I bow
- ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ (ṛṇamuktaye)to be free of debt
anvaya ଦେଵଦେଵେଶମ୍ ଵକ୍ରତୁଣ୍ଡମ୍ ମହାବଲମ୍ ଷଡକ୍ଷରମ୍ କୃପାସିନ୍ଧୁମ୍ ସ୍ମରାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ନମାମି
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
ଷଡକ୍ଷରମ୍ the one of six syllables — The six-syllable Ganapati mantra is वक्रतुण्डाय हुं, which is why the verse names the curving trunk in the line before.
ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ to be free of debt — Rina is what is owed, money first of all, but also the debts a person is born with, to the sages, the gods and the ancestors. The same word ends every verse of this hymn.
note The hymn is recited by people carrying debt. Eight of its nine verses end with the same half-line, ନମାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ.
ଏକମେଵାଦ୍ଵିତୀଯଂ ଚ ନମାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ॥ 2 ॥
- ଏକାକ୍ଷରମ୍ (ekākṣaram)the single syllable
- ହି (hi)indeed
- ଏକଦନ୍ତମ୍ (ekadantam)the one with a single tusk
- ଏକମ୍ (ekam)the one
- ବ୍ରହ୍ମ (brahma)Brahman
- ସନାତନମ୍ (sanātanam)that has always been
- ଏକମ୍ (ekam)one
- ଏଵ (eva)only
- ଅଦ୍ଵିତୀଯମ୍ (advitīyam)with no second
- ଚ (ca)and
- ନମାମି (namāmi)I bow
- ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ (ṛṇamuktaye)to be free of debt
anvaya ଏକାକ୍ଷରମ୍ ହି ଏକଦନ୍ତମ୍ ଏକମ୍ ସନାତନମ୍ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ଏକମ୍ ଏଵ ଚ ଅଦ୍ଵିତୀଯମ୍ ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ନମାମି
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
ଏକମେଵାଦ୍ଵିତୀଯମ୍ one only and with no second — The words come from the Chandogya Upanishad, where they describe what was there before anything else. The hymn hands them to Ganesha.
ଏକାକ୍ଷରମ୍ the single syllable — The syllable is गं, and the play is deliberate: one syllable, one tusk, one reality.
ମହାଵିଘ୍ନହରଂ ଶମ୍ଭୋଃ ନମାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ॥ 3 ॥
- ମହାଗଣପତିମ୍ (mahāgaṇapatim)the great Ganapati
- ଦେଵମ୍ (devam)the god
- ମହାସତ୍ତ୍ଵମ୍ (mahāsattvam)of great courage
- ମହାବଲମ୍ (mahābalam)of great strength
- ମହାଵିଘ୍ନହରମ୍ (mahāvighnaharam)who takes away the big obstacle
- ଶମ୍ଭୋଃ (śambhoḥ)of Shambhu
- ନମାମି (namāmi)I bow
- ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ (ṛṇamuktaye)to be free of debt
anvaya ମହାସତ୍ତ୍ଵମ୍ ମହାବଲମ୍ ଶମ୍ଭୋଃ ମହାଵିଘ୍ନହରମ୍ ଦେଵମ୍ ମହାଗଣପତିମ୍ ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ନମାମି
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
ଶମ୍ଭୋଃ of Shambhu — Shambhu is Shiva. The story behind the line is the burning of the three cities, when Shiva set out without saluting Ganesha and his chariot broke down.
note ଶମ୍ଭୋଃ can also be taken with ଦେଵମ୍, making the line read 'the god who is Shambhu's son'.
କୃଷ୍ଣସର୍ପୋପଵୀତଂ ଚ ନମାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ॥ 4 ॥
- କୃଷ୍ଣାମ୍ବରମ୍ (kṛṣṇāmbaram)dressed in black
- କୃଷ୍ଣଵର୍ଣମ୍ (kṛṣṇavarṇam)dark of body
- କୃଷ୍ଣଗନ୍ଧାନୁଲେପନମ୍ (kṛṣṇagandhānulepanam)smeared with dark scented paste
- କୃଷ୍ଣସର୍ପୋପଵୀତମ୍ (kṛṣṇasarpopavītam)wearing a black snake as his sacred thread
- ଚ (ca)and
- ନମାମି (namāmi)I bow
- ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ (ṛṇamuktaye)to be free of debt
anvaya କୃଷ୍ଣାମ୍ବରମ୍ କୃଷ୍ଣଵର୍ଣମ୍ କୃଷ୍ଣଗନ୍ଧାନୁଲେପନମ୍ କୃଷ୍ଣସର୍ପୋପଵୀତମ୍ ଚ ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ନମାମି
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note Four verses in a row change only the colour: black here, then red, then yellow, then the grey of smoke. The reciter holds each picture in turn.
ରକ୍ତପୁଷ୍ପପ୍ରିଯଂ ଦେଵଂ ନମାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ॥ 5 ॥
- ରକ୍ତାମ୍ବରମ୍ (raktāmbaram)dressed in red
- ରକ୍ତଵର୍ଣମ୍ (raktavarṇam)red of body
- ରକ୍ତଗନ୍ଧାନୁଲେପନମ୍ (raktagandhānulepanam)smeared with red scented paste
- ରକ୍ତପୁଷ୍ପପ୍ରିଯମ୍ (raktapuṣpapriyam)who loves red flowers
- ଦେଵମ୍ (devam)the god
- ନମାମି (namāmi)I bow
- ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ (ṛṇamuktaye)to be free of debt
anvaya ରକ୍ତାମ୍ବରମ୍ ରକ୍ତଵର୍ଣମ୍ ରକ୍ତଗନ୍ଧାନୁଲେପନମ୍ ରକ୍ତପୁଷ୍ପପ୍ରିଯମ୍ ଦେଵମ୍ ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ନମାମି
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
ରକ୍ତପୁଷ୍ପ red flowers — Red hibiscus above all, the flower given to Ganesha as it is to his mother.
ପୀତପୁଷ୍ପପ୍ରିଯଂ ଦେଵଂ ନମାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ॥ 6 ॥
- ପୀତାମ୍ବରମ୍ (pītāmbaram)dressed in yellow
- ପୀତଵର୍ଣମ୍ (pītavarṇam)yellow of body
- ପୀତଗନ୍ଧାନୁଲେପନମ୍ (pītagandhānulepanam)smeared with yellow scented paste
- ପୀତପୁଷ୍ପପ୍ରିଯମ୍ (pītapuṣpapriyam)who loves yellow flowers
- ଦେଵମ୍ (devam)the god
- ନମାମି (namāmi)I bow
- ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ (ṛṇamuktaye)to be free of debt
anvaya ପୀତାମ୍ବରମ୍ ପୀତଵର୍ଣମ୍ ପୀତଗନ୍ଧାନୁଲେପନମ୍ ପୀତପୁଷ୍ପପ୍ରିଯମ୍ ଦେଵମ୍ ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ନମାମି
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
ହୋମଧୂମପ୍ରିଯଂ ଦେଵଂ ନମାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ॥ 7 ॥
- ଧୂମ୍ରାମ୍ବରମ୍ (dhūmrāmbaram)dressed in smoke-grey
- ଧୂମ୍ରଵର୍ଣମ୍ (dhūmravarṇam)grey of body
- ଧୂମ୍ରଗନ୍ଧାନୁଲେପନମ୍ (dhūmragandhānulepanam)smeared with grey scented paste
- ହୋମଧୂମପ୍ରିଯମ୍ (homadhūmapriyam)who loves the smoke of the offering fire
- ଦେଵମ୍ (devam)the god
- ନମାମି (namāmi)I bow
- ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ (ṛṇamuktaye)to be free of debt
anvaya ଧୂମ୍ରାମ୍ବରମ୍ ଧୂମ୍ରଵର୍ଣମ୍ ଧୂମ୍ରଗନ୍ଧାନୁଲେପନମ୍ ହୋମଧୂମପ୍ରିଯମ୍ ଦେଵମ୍ ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ନମାମି
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
ହୋମଧୂମ the smoke of the offering fire — Homa is the offering poured into fire. The colour of this verse is the colour of that smoke, which is why the fourth line changes from flowers to smoke.
ଚାମରାଲଙ୍କୃତଂ ଦେଵଂ ନମାମି ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ॥ 8 ॥
- ଫାଲନେତ୍ରମ୍ (phālanetram)with an eye in the forehead
- ଫାଲଚନ୍ଦ୍ରମ୍ (phālacandram)with the moon on the forehead
- ପାଶାଙ୍କୁଶଧରମ୍ (pāśāṅkuśadharam)holding the noose and the goad
- ଵିଭୁମ୍ (vibhum)present everywhere
- ଚାମରାଲଙ୍କୃତମ୍ (cāmarālaṅkṛtam)set off by the whisk
- ଦେଵମ୍ (devam)the god
- ନମାମି (namāmi)I bow
- ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ (ṛṇamuktaye)to be free of debt
anvaya ଫାଲନେତ୍ରମ୍ ଫାଲଚନ୍ଦ୍ରମ୍ ପାଶାଙ୍କୁଶଧରମ୍ ଵିଭୁମ୍ ଚାମରାଲଙ୍କୃତମ୍ ଦେଵମ୍ ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଯେ ନମାମି
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
ପାଶାଙ୍କୁଶ the noose and the goad — Two of the four things Ganapati holds. The noose draws the devotee in; the goad, the tool a mahout uses, turns the mind where it should go.
ଚାମର the whisk — A yak-tail fan waved beside a king or an image, a mark of service rather than an ornament.
note ଫାଲ is a spelling of ଭାଲ, the forehead.
ଷଣ୍ମାସାଭ୍ଯନ୍ତରେଣୈଵ ଋଣମୁକ୍ତୋ ଭଵିଷ୍ଯତି ॥ 9 ॥
- ଇଦମ୍ (idam)this
- ତୁ (tu)and
- ଋଣହରମ୍ (ṛṇaharam)debt-clearing
- ସ୍ତୋତ୍ରମ୍ (stotram)hymn
- ସନ୍ଧ୍ଯାଯାମ୍ (sandhyāyām)at the turn of day and night
- ଯଃ (yaḥ)whoever
- ପଠେତ୍ (paṭhet)recites
- ନରଃ (naraḥ)a man
- ଷଣ୍ମାସାଭ୍ଯନ୍ତରେଣ (ṣaṇmāsābhyantareṇa)within six months
- ଏଵ (eva)itself
- ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଃ (ṛṇamuktaḥ)free of debt
- ଭଵିଷ୍ଯତି (bhaviṣyati)will be
anvaya ଯଃ ନରଃ ଇଦମ୍ ତୁ ଋଣହରମ୍ ସ୍ତୋତ୍ରମ୍ ସନ୍ଧ୍ଯାଯାମ୍ ପଠେତ୍ [ସଃ] ଷଣ୍ମାସାଭ୍ଯନ୍ତରେଣ ଏଵ ଋଣମୁକ୍ତଃ ଭଵିଷ୍ଯତି
chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas
ସନ୍ଧ୍ଯାଯାମ୍ at the turn of day and night — Sandhya is the joint between day and night, dawn or dusk, the hour kept for prayer.
note The closing verse gives the time and the term: at sandhya, for six months.