- śrīgaṇeśasūktamthe Ganesha Sukta
- ṛgvedīyafrom the Rig Veda
anvaya śrīgaṇeśasūktam ṛgvedīya
chandas Prose, the title
sūkta Sukta — A Vedic hymn. This one is gathered from three places in the Rig Veda and recited as a hymn to Ganesha.
- āhere
- tunow
- naḥfor us
- indraO Indra
- kṣumantamrich in food
- citrambright
- grābhama handful
- samup
- gṛbhāyagather
- mahāhastīyou of the great hand
- dakṣiṇenawith your right hand
anvaya indra mahāhastī naḥ dakṣiṇena kṣumantam citram grābham tu ā sam gṛbhāya
chandas Gāyatrī, 3 pādas of 8 syllables
indra Indra — The first nine verses are Rig Veda 8.81, a hymn to Indra asking for plenty. Recited as a Ganesha sukta, the same prayer is offered to Ganapati.
note Printed citra grābha. The Rig Veda reads citraṃ grābhaṃ, a bright handful, and the meaning follows that.
- vidmawe know
- hifor
- tvāyou
- tuvikūrmimmighty in deeds
- tuvideṣṇamgenerous in giving
- tuvīmaghamrich in gifts
- tuvimātramgreat
- avobhiḥin the help you give
anvaya tvā tuvikūrmim tuvideṣṇam tuvīmagham avobhiḥ tuvimātram hi vidma
chandas Gāyatrī, 3 pādas of 8 syllables
note Printed vidyā and tuvikūrmi. The Rig Veda has vidma, we know, and tuvikūrmim.
- nahinot
- tvāyou
- śūraO hero
- devāḥgods
- nanor
- martāsaḥmortals
- ditsantamwhen you mean to give
- bhīmamfearsome
- nalike a
- gāmbull
- vārayantecan hold back
anvaya śūra ditsantam tvā devāḥ nahi na martāsaḥ bhīmam gām na vārayante
chandas Gāyatrī, 3 pādas of 8 syllables
na like — In the Veda न after a word often means like, as in भीमं न गाम्, like a fearsome bull. The same word also means not, as it does earlier in this line.
- āhere
- itacome
- uthen
- nunow
- indramIndra
- stavāmalet us praise
- īśānamruler
- vasvaḥof wealth
- svarājamwho rules by his own right
- nanot
- rādhasāin his giving
- mardhiṣatmay he fail
- naḥus
anvaya ā ita u nu vasvaḥ īśānam svarājam indram stavāma rādhasā naḥ na mardhiṣat
chandas Gāyatrī, 3 pādas of 8 syllables
note Printed madhiṣannaḥ. The Rig Veda reads mardhiṣannaḥ, may he not fail us.
- praforth
- stoṣatlet him praise
- upaclose
- gāsiṣatlet him sing
- śravatlet him hear
- sāmathe Saman
- gīyamānamas it is sung
- abhiin answer
- rādhasāwith his gifts
- juguratlet him greet it
anvaya [stotā] pra stoṣat upa gāsiṣat [indraḥ] gīyamānam sāma śravat rādhasā abhi jugurat
chandas Gāyatrī, 3 pādas of 8 syllables
sāma the Saman — A verse set to a chant. The Sama Veda is made of such chants.
note Printed cchuvat. The Rig Veda reads cchravat, let him hear.
- āhere
- naḥto us
- bharabring
- dakṣiṇenawith your right hand
- abhitoward us
- savyenawith your left
- praout
- mṛśareach
- indraO Indra
- mādo not
- naḥus
- vasoḥfrom wealth
- niḥout
- bhākshut
anvaya indra dakṣiṇena naḥ ā bhara savyena abhi pra mṛśa naḥ vasoḥ mā niḥ bhāk
chandas Gāyatrī, 3 pādas of 8 syllables
note Printed nā and sabyena. The Rig Veda has no and savyena, with the left.
- upaup
- kramasvastep
- āhere
- bharabring
- dhṛṣatāboldly
- dhṛṣṇoO bold one
- janānāmof men
- adāśūṣṭarasyaof the stingiest
- vedaḥthe riches
anvaya dhṛṣṇo upa kramasva janānām adāśūṣṭarasya vedaḥ dhṛṣatā ā bhara
chandas Gāyatrī, 3 pādas of 8 syllables
note Wealth held back by those who never give is to be brought out and shared.
- indraO Indra
- yaḥwhatever
- uindeed
- nunow
- teyou have
- astithere is
- vājaḥprize
- viprebhiḥby inspired poets
- sanitvaḥto be won
- asmābhiḥtogether with us
- suwell
- tamit
- sanuhiwin
anvaya indra te yaḥ u nu viprebhiḥ sanitvaḥ vājaḥ asti tam asmābhiḥ su sanuhi
chandas Gāyatrī, 3 pādas of 8 syllables
note viprebhi is printed for viprebhiḥ.
- sadyojuvaḥquick to come
- teyour
- vājāḥprizes
- asmabhyamfor us
- viśvaścandrāḥbright for everyone
- vaśaiḥwith longing
- caand
- makṣūat once
- jaranteare greeted
anvaya te sadyojuvaḥ viśvaścandrāḥ vājāḥ asmabhyam [santi] vaśaiḥ ca makṣū jarante
chandas Gāyatrī, 3 pādas of 8 syllables
note Printed viśvaśvandrāḥ, vaśaiśva and maśṣū. The Rig Veda reads viśvaścandrāḥ, vaśaiśca and makṣū.
jyeṣṭha rājaṃ brahmaṇāṃ brahmaṇaspata ā naḥ śrṛṇvannūtibhiḥ sīda sādanam || 10 ||
- oṃOm
- gaṇānāmamong the ganas
- tvāyou
- gaṇapatimlord of the ganas
- havāmahewe call on
- kavimpoet
- kavīnāmof poets
- upamaśravastamammost famous of all
- jyeṣṭharājameldest king
- brahmaṇāmof prayers
- brahmaṇaḥof prayer
- pateO lord
- āhere
- naḥus
- śṛṇvanhearing
- ūtibhiḥwith your help
- sīdasit
- sādanamin your seat
anvaya oṃ brahmaṇaḥ pate gaṇānām gaṇapatim kavīnām kavim upamaśravastamam brahmaṇām jyeṣṭharājam tvā havāmahe naḥ śṛṇvan ūtibhiḥ sādanam ā sīda
chandas Jagatī, 12 syllables in each of 4 pādas
gaṇapati lord of the ganas — Rig Veda 2.23.1. The verse calls Brahmanaspati, lord of prayer, the lord of the ganas, the companies of singers. Ganapati's worshippers hear his own name in it, and it opens Ganesha worship everywhere.
brahmaṇaspati lord of prayer — Lord of brahman, the power in the sacred word. The Vedic god of prayer.
note Printed kavinām and śrṛṇvan. The Rig Veda has kavīnām and śṛṇvan.
na ṛte tvatkriyate kiṃ canāre mahāmarkaṃ maghavañcitramarca || 11 ||
- nidown
- suwell
- sīdasit
- gaṇapateO lord of the ganas
- gaṇeṣuamong the ganas
- tvāmyou
- āhuḥthey call
- vipratamamthe most inspired
- kavīnāmof poets
- nanot
- ṛtewithout
- tvatyou
- kriyateis done
- kimany
- canathing at all
- āreeven far away
- mahāmgreat
- arkamsong
- maghavanO bountiful one
- citrambright
- arcasing
anvaya gaṇapate gaṇeṣu su ni sīda tvām kavīnām vipratamam āhuḥ tvat ṛte āre kim cana na kriyate maghavan mahām citram arkam arca
chandas Triṣṭubh, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
na ṛte tvat nothing without you — Rig Veda 10.112.9, addressed to Indra. Its words, nothing is done without you, fit the custom of calling on Ganapati before any work begins.
note vipraṃtamaṃ is printed for vipratamaṃ.
raṇaṃ kṛdhi raṇakṛtsatyaśuṣmābhakte cidā bhajā rāye asmān || 12 ||
- abhikhyālook on
- naḥus
- maghavanO bountiful one
- nādhamānānwho are in need
- sakheO friend
- bodhitake notice
- vasupateO lord of wealth
- sakhīnāmof your friends
- raṇamjoy
- kṛdhibring
- raṇakṛtO maker of joy
- satyaśuṣmaO you whose strength is true
- abhaktewhere no share was given
- citeven
- āhere
- bhajagive a share
- rāyeof wealth
- asmānus
anvaya maghavan nādhamānān naḥ abhikhyā sakhe vasupate sakhīnām bodhi raṇakṛt satyaśuṣma raṇam kṛdhi abhakte cit asmān rāye ā bhaja
chandas Triṣṭubh, 11 syllables in each of 4 pādas
note Rig Veda 10.112.10, the verse after the last. The sukta ends as it began, asking for a share of plenty.