śrī gaṇapati stotram

• jetumto conquer
• yaḥwho
• tripuramthe three cities
• hareṇaby Hara
• hariṇāby Hari
• vyājātby a trick
• balimBali
• badhnatābinding
• sraṣṭumto make
• vāribhavodbhavenaby the one born from the water-born lotus
• bhuvanamthe world
• śeṣeṇaby Shesha
• dhartumto hold up
• dharamthe earth
• pārvatyāby Parvati
• mahiṣāsurapramathanein crushing Mahishasura
• siddhādhipaiḥby the lords of the siddhas
• siddhayefor success
• dhyātaḥwas thought of
• pañcaśareṇaby the god of the five arrows
• viśvajitayeto win the world
• pāyātmay he watch over
• saḥthat
• nāgānanaḥelephant-faced one

anvaya yaḥ tripuram jetum hareṇa vyājāt balim badhnatā hariṇā bhuvanam sraṣṭum vāribhavodbhavena dharam dhartum śeṣeṇa mahiṣāsurapramathane pārvatyā siddhaye siddhādhipaiḥ viśvajitaye pañcaśareṇa dhyātaḥ saḥ nāgānanaḥ [naḥ] pāyāt

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

pañcaśara the god of the five arrows — Kama, whose five arrows are flowers. Even desire, setting out to conquer, thinks of Ganesha first.

vāribhavodbhava the one born from the water-born lotus — Brahma, who sits in the lotus that grew out of the water. The long name is a riddle the reader is meant to solve.

note This page gathers verses from several older hymns. The first shows every great deed of the gods beginning with a thought of Ganesha. straṣṭuṃ is printed for sraṣṭuṃ, and dharam is taken as dharā, the earth.

• vighnadhvāntanivāraṇaikataraṇiḥthe one sun that drives off the darkness of obstacles
• vighnāṭavīhavyavāṭthe fire for the forest of obstacles
• vighnavyālakulābhimānagaruḍaḥGaruda to the proud brood of snakes that obstacles are
• vighnebhapañcānanaḥthe lion to the elephant of obstacles
• vighnottuṅgagiriprabhedanapaviḥthe thunderbolt that splits the tall mountain of obstacles
• vighnāmbudheḥof the ocean of obstacles
• vāḍavaḥthe fire under the sea
• vighnāghaudhaghanapracaṇḍapavanaḥthe fierce wind to the heaped clouds of obstacles and wrongs
• vighneśvaraḥVighneshvara
• pātumay he watch over
• naḥus

anvaya vighnadhvāntanivāraṇaikataraṇiḥ vighnāṭavīhavyavāṭ vighnavyālakulābhimānagaruḍaḥ vighnebhapañcānanaḥ vighnottuṅgagiriprabhedanapaviḥ vighnāmbudheḥ vāḍavaḥ vighnāghaudhaghanapracaṇḍapavanaḥ vighneśvaraḥ naḥ pātu

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

vāḍava the fire under the sea — The mare-faced fire that lives in the ocean and drinks its water. Only it could empty a sea.

pañcānana the lion — Literally wide-mouthed, a poet's word for the lion, the one animal an elephant fears.

note Seven pictures in one verse. Each makes obstacles into something, and makes him into the one thing that thing cannot survive.

• kharvamshort
• sthūlatanumstout
• gajendravadanamwith the face of the lordliest elephant
• lambodarambig-bellied
• sundaramhandsome
• prasyandanmadagandhalubdhamadhupavyālolagaṇḍasthalamwhose cheeks are crowded with bees drawn by his streaming must
• dantāghātavidāritārirudhiraiḥwith the blood of enemies torn open by his tusk
• sindūraśobhākaramred as sindura
• vandeI bow to
• śailasutāsutamthe son of the mountain's daughter
• gaṇapatimGanapati
• siddhipradamwho gives success
• kāmadamwho gives whatever is wished for

anvaya kharvam sthūlatanum gajendravadanam lambodaram sundaram prasyandanmadagandhalubdhamadhupavyālolagaṇḍasthalam dantāghātavidāritārirudhiraiḥ sindūraśobhākaram siddhipradam kāmadam śailasutāsutam gaṇapatim vande

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note The verse explains the red of his image two ways: sindura, and the fighting. Neither is softened.

• gajānanāyato the elephant-faced
• mahaselight
• pratyūhatimiracchidethat cuts through the darkness of obstacles
• apārakaruṇāpūrataraṅgitadṛśewhose eyes ripple with a flood of kindness that has no far shore
• namaḥsalutation

anvaya pratyūhatimiracchide apārakaruṇāpūrataraṅgitadṛśe gajānanāya mahase namaḥ

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

pratyūha an obstacle — Pratyuha is what pushes back against a thing, one of the older words for an obstacle.

• agajānanapadmārkamthe sun to the lotus of the mountain-daughter's face
• gajānanamthe elephant-faced one
• aharniśamday and night
• anekadamwho gives so much
• tamhim
• bhaktānāmto those who love him
• ekadantamthe one with a single tusk
• upāsmahewe worship

anvaya agajānanapadmārkam bhaktānām anekadam ekadantam tam gajānanam aharniśam upāsmahe

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

anekadam ekadantam who gives much, the one-tusked — The pun holds the verse together: aneka-dam, giver of many things, and eka-dantam, of one tusk. One tusk, many gifts.

agajā the mountain's daughter — Aga is a mountain, so agaja is Parvati. Her face is a lotus, and the sight of her son opens it as sunrise opens a lotus.

note This is the verse sung on its own as Agajanana Padmarkam.

• śvetāṅgamwhite of limb
• śvetavastramwhite-robed
• sitakusumagaṇaiḥwith heaps of white flowers
• pūjitamworshipped
• śvetagandhaiḥwith white scents
• kṣīrābdhauin the ocean of milk
• ratnadīpaiḥamong jewelled lamps
• suranaratilakamthe ornament of gods and men
• ratnasiṃhāsanasthamseated on a jewelled lion-throne
• dorbhiḥin his arms
• pāśāṅkuśābjābhayavaramanasamholding noose, goad and lotus, and the signs of safety and of the boon
• candramaulimwith the moon on his head
• trinetramthree-eyed
• dhyāyetlet a man meditate on
• śāntyarthamfor peace
• īśamthe lord
• gaṇapatimGanapati
• amalamstainless
• śrīsametamwith Shri beside him
• prasannamgracious

anvaya śāntyartham śvetāṅgam śvetavastram sitakusumagaṇaiḥ śvetagandhaiḥ pūjitam kṣīrābdhau ratnadīpaiḥ suranaratilakam ratnasiṃhāsanastham dorbhiḥ pāśāṅkuśābjābhayavaramanasam candramaulim trinetram amalam śrīsametam prasannam īśam gaṇapatim dhyāyet

chandas Sragdharā, 21 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note The white form is the one pictured for peace, as the red forms are for gaining something. The ending manasaṃ in the list of things held is unclear in this printing.

• āvāhayeI call to come
• tamhim
• gaṇarājadevamthe god who is king of the ganas
• raktotpalābhāsamshining like a red lotus
• aśeṣavandyamto whom everyone bows
• vighnāntakamthe ender of obstacles
• vighnaharamthe taker-away of obstacles
• gaṇeśamGanesha
• bhajāmiI worship
• raudramthe fierce one
• sahitamtogether
• caand
• siddhyāwith Siddhi

anvaya raktotpalābhāsam aśeṣavandyam vighnāntakam vighnaharam tam gaṇarājadevam gaṇeśam āvāhaye siddhyā ca sahitam raudram bhajāmi

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

āvāhaye I call to come — Avahana is the first step of worship: asking the god to be present in the image or the pot before anything is offered.

• yamwhom
• brahmaBrahman
• vedāntavidaḥthose who know Vedanta
• vadanticall
• paramthe highest
• pradhānamPradhana
• puruṣamthe Purusha
• tathāand
• anyeothers
• viśvodgateḥof the world's rising
• kāraṇamthe cause
• īśvaramIshvara
• vāor
• tasmaito him
• namaḥsalutation
• vighnavināśanāyato the destroyer of obstacles

anvaya yam vedāntavidaḥ brahma vadanti tathā anye param pradhānam puruṣam viśvodgateḥ kāraṇam īśvaram vā [vadanti] tasmai vighnavināśanāya namaḥ

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

pradhāna Pradhana — The Samkhya name for nature before it unfolds. The verse lists what each school calls the first cause and says each of them is naming him.

• vighneśaO lord of obstacles
• vīryāṇideeds
• vicitrakāṇiwonderful
• vandījanaiḥby the bards
• māgadhakaiḥby the singers of praise
• smṛtānirecalled
• śrutvāhaving heard
• samuttiṣṭharise
• gajānanaO Gajanana
• tvamyou
• brāhmein the hour before dawn
• jaganmaṅgalakamthe world good
• kuruṣvado

anvaya vighneśa gajānana tvam vandījanaiḥ māgadhakaiḥ smṛtāni vicitrakāṇi vīryāṇi śrutvā brāhme samuttiṣṭha jaganmaṅgalakam kuruṣva

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

brāhme in the hour before dawn — The brahma muhurta, the last stretch of night. A king was woken then by bards singing his deeds, and this verse wakes the god the same way.

• gaṇeśaO Ganesha
• herambaO Heramba
• gajānanaO elephant-faced
• itiso
• mahodaraO great-bellied
• svānubhavaprakāśinO you who show what you know of yourself
• variṣṭhaO best one
• siddhipriyaO lover of success
• buddhināthaO lord of wit
• vadantaḥsaying
• evamso
• tyajatalet go
• prabhītīḥyour fears

anvaya gaṇeśa heramba gajānana iti mahodara svānubhavaprakāśin variṣṭha siddhipriya buddhinātha evam vadantaḥ prabhītīḥ tyajata

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note The same names appear in Yama's order in the Mudgala Purana, where his messengers are told to leave alone anyone who says them. Here the last words are turned toward the one saying them: let your own fears go.

• anekavighnāntakaO ender of many obstacles
• vakratuṇḍaO Vakratunda
• svasañjñavāsinO you who live in your own name
• caand
• caturbhujaO four-armed
• itiso
• kavīśaO lord of poets
• devāntakanāśakārinO destroyer of Devantaka
• vadantaḥsaying
• evamso
• tyajatalet go
• prabhītīḥyour fears

anvaya anekavighnāntaka vakratuṇḍa svasañjñavāsin ca caturbhuja iti kavīśa devāntakanāśakārin evam vadantaḥ prabhītīḥ tyajata

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• anantacidrūpamayammade of awareness without end
• gaṇeśamGanesha
• hiindeed
• abhedabhedādivihīnamuntouched by division or the lack of it
• ādyamthe first
• hṛdiin the heart
• prakāśasyaof the light
• dharamwho holds
• svadhīsthamwho stays in one's own understanding
• tamthat
• ekadantamone-tusked god
• śaraṇamfor shelter
• vrajāmaḥwe go

anvaya anantacidrūpamayam hi abhedabhedādivihīnam ādyam hṛdi prakāśasya dharam svadhīstham tam ekadantam gaṇeśam śaraṇam vrajāmaḥ

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note Five verses from here share the refrain tamekadantaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajāmaḥ, and come from the Ekadanta hymn of the Mudgala Purana.

• viśvādibhūtamwho was there before the world began
• hṛdiin the hearts
• yogināmof yogis
• vaiindeed
• pratyakṣarūpeṇaplain to see
• vibhāntamshining
• ekamalone
• sadāalways
• nirālambasamādhigamyamreached by the samadhi that leans on nothing
• tamthat
• ekadantamone-tusked god
• śaraṇamfor shelter
• vrajāmaḥwe go

anvaya viśvādibhūtam yoginām hṛdi vai pratyakṣarūpeṇa ekam vibhāntam sadā nirālambasamādhigamyam tam ekadantam śaraṇam vrajāmaḥ

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

nirālamba leaning on nothing — A samadhi with no support, no image or word or breath to rest on. The verse says only that kind reaches him.

• yadīyavīryeṇaby whose strength
• samarthabhūtābecame able to act
• māyāmaya
• tayāby her
• saṃracitamwas built
• caand
• viśvamthe world
• nāgātmakamthat has the elephant's nature
• hiindeed
• ātmatayāas the self
• pratītamtaken
• tamthat
• ekadantamone-tusked god
• śaraṇamfor shelter
• vrajāmaḥwe go

anvaya yadīyavīryeṇa māyā samarthabhūtā tayā ca nāgātmakam ātmatayā pratītam viśvam hi saṃracitam tam ekadantam śaraṇam vrajāmaḥ

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note Naga means both an elephant and what does not move, and the verse leans on both senses; copies read this line in different ways.

• sarvāntareinside everything
• saṃsthitamstanding
• ekamthe one
• gūḍhamhidden
• yadājñayāat whose command
• sarvamall
• idamthis
• vibhātishines
• anantarūpamwhose forms are endless
• hṛdiin the heart
• bodhakamwho wakes
• vaiindeed
• tamthat
• ekadantamone-tusked god
• śaraṇamfor shelter
• vrajāmaḥwe go

anvaya sarvāntare saṃsthitam ekam gūḍham yadājñayā idam sarvam vibhāti anantarūpam hṛdi vai bodhakam tam ekadantam śaraṇam vrajāmaḥ

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note ekamūḍhaṃ is printed for ekagūḍhaṃ, the one hidden.

• yamwhom
• yoginaḥyogis
• yogabalenaby the strength of yoga
• sādhyamwithin reach
• kurvantibring
• tamhim
• kaḥwho
• stavanenawith a hymn
• nauticould praise
• ataḥso
• praṇāmenafor a bow
• susiddhidaḥgiving good success
• astumay he be
• tamthat
• ekadantamone-tusked god
• śaraṇamfor shelter
• vrajāmaḥwe go

anvaya yoginaḥ yam yogabalena sādhyam kurvanti tam kaḥ stavanena nauti ataḥ praṇāmena susiddhidaḥ astu tam ekadantam śaraṇam vrajāmaḥ

chandas Upajāti, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• devendramaulimandāramakarandakaṇāruṇāḥred with nectar from the mandara flowers in Indra's crown
• vighnānour obstacles
• harantumay they carry away
• herambacaraṇāmbujareṇavaḥthe dust of Heramba's lotus feet

anvaya devendramaulimandāramakarandakaṇāruṇāḥ herambacaraṇāmbujareṇavaḥ vighnān harantu

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

note Indra bows so low that the flowers in his crown touch Heramba's feet, and the dust there turns red with their nectar.

• ekadantamthe one-tusked
• mahākāyamhuge of body
• lambodaragajānanamwith the hanging belly and the elephant face
• vighnanāśakaramwho destroys obstacles
• devamthe god
• herambamHeramba
• praṇamāmiI bow to
• ahamI

anvaya ekadantam mahākāyam lambodaragajānanam vighnanāśakaram devam herambam aham praṇamāmi

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

• yatwhatever
• akṣarasyllable
• padaword
• bhraṣṭamhas slipped
• mātrāhīnamshort of its measure
• caand
• yatwhatever
• bhavetmay have been
• tatthat
• sarvamall
• kṣamyatāmbe forgiven
• devaO god
• prasīdabe pleased
• parameśvaraO highest lord

anvaya yat akṣara pada bhraṣṭam yat ca mātrāhīnam bhavet deva tat sarvam kṣamyatām parameśvara prasīda

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

mātrā measure — The length of a vowel, counted in beats. A syllable said too short is a real fault in recitation, and this is the verse said at the end to cover it.