mahā gaṇapati sahasranāma stotram

• lokānugrahatatparaO one solely intent on giving grace upon the worlds!
• gaṇeśaḥlord Gaṇeśa
• tamto him (i.e. Lord Śiva)
• śivadamgranting auspiciousness / conferring welfare
• nāmnāmof names
• sahasramthe thousandfold collection
• kathamhow / in what manner
• upadiṣṭavāntaught / imparted
• tatthat [thousand-name hymn]
• mamato me
• ācakṣvanarrate / relate!

anvaya lokānugrahatatpara gaṇeśaḥ tam śivadam nāmnām sahasram katham upadiṣṭavān tat mama ācakṣva

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The Maha Ganapati Sahasranama comes from the Upasana Khanda of the Ganesha Purana. It opens as a conversation: a sage asks, and Brahma tells how Ganesha himself came to teach these names.

• pūrvamformerly / in ancient times
• devaḥthe divine lord
• purārātiḥthe enemy of the three cities (Lord Shiva)
• puratrayajayodyamein the undertaking to conquer the three demon cities
• gaṇeśasyaof Lord Ganesha
• anarcanātdue to the lack of worship
• vighnākulaḥdistressed by obstacles
• jātaḥbecame
• kilaindeed / as tradition relates

anvaya pūrvam devaḥ purārātiḥ puratrayajayodyame gaṇeśasya anarcanāt vighnākulaḥ jātaḥ kila

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

purārātiḥ the enemy of the cities — Shiva, who destroyed the three flying cities of the asuras with a single arrow.

note This is the story behind the hymn. Even Shiva found his way blocked when he began without honouring Ganesha. It is the classic illustration of why Ganesha is worshipped before anything else.

• saḥhe (Lord Śiva)
• manasāin [his] mind / mentally
• vinirdhāryahaving reflected / having deliberated
• vighnakāraṇamthe cause of the obstacle
• dadṛśesaw / realized
• yathāvidhiaccording to the prescribed rules
• bhaktyāwith devotion
• mahāgaṇapatimunto Mahāgaṇapati
• samabhyarcyahaving fully worshipped

anvaya saḥ manasā vinirdhārya vighnakāraṇam dadṛśe yathāvidhi bhaktyā mahāgaṇapatim samabhyarcya

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The sentence runs on into the next two verses.

• vighnapraśamanopāyamthe means for quelling obstacles
• apariśramameffortless / involving no hardship
• apṛcchatasked for / inquired about
• śambhoḥof Śambhu (Śiva)
• pūjayāby the worship
• santuṣṭaḥpleased / satisfied
• mahāgaṇapatiḥlord Mahāgaṇapati
• svayamhimself

anvaya [saḥ] apariśramam vighnapraśamanopāyam apṛcchat śambhoḥ pūjayā santuṣṭaḥ mahāgaṇapatiḥ svayam

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• tataḥthereafter / thereupon
• svayampersonally / himself
• tasmaito him (Lord Śiva)
• sarvavighnapraśamanampacifying all obstacles
• sarvakāmaphalapradamgiving the fruits of all desires
• idamthis
• nāmnāmof names
• sahasramthousand
• abravītspoke / recited

anvaya tataḥ svayam tasmai sarvavighnapraśamanam sarvakāmaphalapradam idam nāmnām sahasram abravīt

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note So the names that follow are Ganesha's own answer to Shiva's question.

• asyaof this
• śrīmahāgaṇapatisahasranāmastotramālāmantrasyagarland-mantra of the thousand-name hymn of Sri Mahaganapati
• gaṇeśaḥlord Ganesha (the sage)
• ṛṣiḥrevealing Seer
• mahāgaṇapatiḥmahaganapati
• devatāpresiding Deity
• nānāvidhānivarious, manifold
• chandāṃsimetres
• humthe seed sound 'Hum'
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• bījamthe seed component
• tuṅgamthe syllable 'Tungam'
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• śaktiḥthe dynamic power component
• svāhāśaktiḥthe power 'Svaha'
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• kīlakamthe locking pin or key
• sakalavighnavināśanadvārāthrough the destruction of all obstacles
• śrīmahāgaṇapatiprasādasiddhyarthefor the purpose of attaining the grace of Sri Mahaganapati
• japein meditative recitation
• viniyogaḥritual allocation or application

anvaya asya śrīmahāgaṇapatisahasranāmastotramālāmantrasya [kṛte] gaṇeśaḥ ṛṣiḥ [asti] mahāgaṇapatiḥ devatā [asti] nānāvidhāni chandāṃsi [santi] hum iti bījam [asti] tuṅgam iti śaktiḥ [asti] svāhāśaktiḥ iti kīlakam [asti] sakalavighnavināśanadvārā śrīmahāgaṇapatiprasādasiddhyarthe jape viniyogaḥ [bhavati]

bījam śaktiḥ kīlakam seed, power and pin — The three keys named before a mantra is used. Syllables like hum are chanted as they are and not translated.

note The viniyoga, said before starting. It names the seer, the deity and the metre, and states what the recitation is for.

• athanow (auspicious introductory marker)
• karanyāsaḥthe ritual placement on the hands
• gaṇeśvaraḥlord of the attendant troupes
• gaṇakrīḍaḥhe who sports among the troupes
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• aṅguṣṭhābhyāmto the two thumbs
• namaḥsalutation
• kumāraguruḥpreceptor of Skanda Kumāra
• īśānaḥthe Supreme Master
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• tarjanībhyāmto the two index fingers
• namaḥsalutation
• brahmāṇḍakumbhaḥhe whose frontal temples resemble cosmic vessels
• cidvyomathe expanse of pure consciousness
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• madhyamābhyāmto the two middle fingers
• namaḥsalutation
• raktaḥhe who is red-complexioned
• raktāmbaradharaḥwearer of red garments
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• anāmikābhyāmto the two ring fingers
• namaḥsalutation
• sarvasadgurusaṃsevyaḥworshipped by all true spiritual teachers
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• kaniṣṭhikābhyāmto the two little fingers
• namaḥsalutation
• luptavighnaḥhe by whom obstacles are dissolved
• svabhaktānāmof His own devotees
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• karatalakarapṛṣṭhābhyāmto the palms and backs of the hands
• namaḥsalutation

anvaya atha karanyāsaḥ [kriyate] gaṇeśvaraḥ gaṇakrīḍaḥ iti aṅguṣṭhābhyām namaḥ kumāraguruḥ īśānaḥ iti tarjanībhyām namaḥ brahmāṇḍakumbhaḥ cidvyoma iti madhyamābhyām namaḥ raktaḥ raktāmbaradharaḥ iti anāmikābhyām namaḥ sarvasadgurusaṃsevyaḥ iti kaniṣṭhikābhyām namaḥ luptavighnaḥ svabhaktānām iti karatalakarapṛṣṭhābhyām namaḥ

nyāsaḥ placing — Nyasa is placing the deity's names on parts of the body before recitation, so that the body itself is made ready for the prayer.

note The names used here are taken from the hymn itself; each of them appears again among the thousand names that follow.

• athanow / here begins
• aṅganyāsaḥthe ritual placement of mantras/syllables upon body limbs
• chandaḥvedic metre / Sacred verse
• chandodbhavaḥthe origin or source of all metres
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• hṛdayāyaunto the heart
• namaḥsalutation / salutation
• niṣkalaḥpartless / undivided
• nirmalaḥstainless / free from impurity
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• śiraseunto the head
• svāhāritual offering exclamation
• sṛṣṭisthitilayakrīḍaḥhe whose sport is creation, preservation, and dissolution
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• śikhāyaiunto the crown tuft
• vaṣaṭritual exclamation of consecration
• jñānamknowledge
• vijñānamdiscriminating wisdom / spiritual realization
• ānandaḥbliss
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• kavacāyaunto the protective armor
• hummantric seed syllable hum
• aṣṭāṅgayogaphalabhṛthe who bears or grants the fruits of eightfold yoga
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• netratrayāyaunto the three eyes
• vauṣaṭritual exclamation
• anantaśaktisahitaḥaccompanied by infinite power
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• astrāyaunto the weapon
• phaṭprotective/striking ritual syllable phat
• bhūḥthe earth
• bhuvaḥthe middle air
• svaḥheaven
• omOm
• itiso (marks the end of the words quoted)
• digbandhaḥthe ritual binding/enclosure of directions

anvaya atha aṅganyāsaḥ [kriyate] chandaḥ chandodbhavaḥ iti [mantreṇa] hṛdayāya namaḥ niṣkalaḥ nirmalaḥ iti [mantreṇa] śirase svāhā sṛṣṭisthitilayakrīḍaḥ iti [mantreṇa] śikhāyai vaṣaṭ jñānam vijñānam ānandaḥ iti [mantreṇa] kavacāya hum aṣṭāṅgayogaphalabhṛt iti [mantreṇa] netratrayāya vauṣaṭ anantaśaktisahitaḥ iti [mantreṇa] astrāya phaṭ bhūḥ bhuvaḥ svaḥ om iti [mantreṇa] digbandhaḥ [bhavati]

digbandhaḥ binding of the directions — Closing off every direction around the one who recites, so that nothing disturbs the practice.

note The six-limbed placing that follows the hands. Namah, svaha, vashat, hum, vaushat and phat are ritual calls that go with each limb; they are chanted and not translated.

• athanow / Here begins
• dhyānamthe meditation / visualization
• gajavadanamthe elephant-faced Lord
• acintyamhim who is beyond human comprehension
• tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭramhim who possesses sharp tusks
• trinetramhim who has three eyes
• bṛhadudaramhim who has a large belly
• aśeṣamhim who is complete / all-pervading
• bhūtirājamthe King of prosperity and divine glory
• purāṇamthe Primeval / Ancient One
• amaravarasupūjyamhim who is well-worshipped by the best among immortals
• raktavarṇamhim who is red in hue
• sureśamthe Lord of gods
• paśupatisutamthe son of Paśupati (Śiva)
• īśamthe Sovereign Master
• vighnarājamthe King over obstacles
• namāmiI bow / salute

anvaya atha dhyānam [aham] gajavadanam acintyam tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭram trinetram bṛhadudaram aśeṣam bhūtirājam purāṇam amaravarasupūjyam raktavarṇam sureśam paśupatisutam īśam vighnarājam namāmi

chandas Mālinī, 15 syllables in each of 4 pādas, each line opening with six short syllables

bhūtirājam king of prosperity — Bhuti is wealth and well-being, and it is also the sacred ash. Both fit a son of Shiva.

paśupatisutam son of Pashupati — Pashupati, lord of all creatures, is Shiva.

note The dhyana, the picture of Ganesha to hold in the mind before the names begin.

• śrīgaṇapatiḥlord Ganapati
• uvācaspoke / said
• oṃOm
• gaṇeśvaraḥlord of the celestial attendants (Ganas)
• gaṇakrīḍaḥhe who sports with the Ganas
• gaṇanāthaḥprotector/Master of the Ganas
• gaṇādhipaḥsovereign of the Ganas
• ekadantaḥsingle-tusked
• vakratuṇḍaḥcurved-trunked
• gajavaktraḥelephant-faced
• mahodaraḥlarge-bellied

anvaya śrīgaṇapatiḥ uvāca oṃ gaṇeśvaraḥ gaṇakrīḍaḥ gaṇanāthaḥ gaṇādhipaḥ ekadantaḥ vakratuṇḍaḥ gajavaktraḥ mahodaraḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

gaṇakrīḍaḥ who plays with the ganas — Krida is play. Among Shiva's wild attendants he is at home, as their leader and their playmate.

note Ganapati now begins to speak his own names. The first eight turn on two ideas: he leads the ganas, and he has the body of an elephant.

• lambodaraḥhe who has a large or prominent belly
• dhūmravarṇaḥhe whose complexion is smoke-grey
• vikaṭaḥhe who is grand, unusual, or formidable in form
• vighnanāśanaḥhe who destroys all obstacles
• sumukhaḥhe who has a pleasant and auspicious face
• durmukhaḥhe who has a terrifying face towards obstacle-creators and wickedness
• buddhaḥhe who is enlightened, wise, and full of divine intellect
• vighnarājaḥhe who is the sovereign king ruling over obstacles
• gajānanaḥhe who possesses the face of an elephant

anvaya lambodaraḥ dhūmravarṇaḥ vikaṭaḥ vighnanāśanaḥ sumukhaḥ durmukhaḥ buddhaḥ vighnarājaḥ gajānanaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

sumukho durmukho lovely-faced and fearsome-faced — The two names sit side by side on purpose: the face that is gentle to a devotee is terrible to whatever stands in the way.

• bhīmaḥthe formidable or awesome one
• pramodaḥthe very form of joy
• āmodaḥpervasive fragrance or delight
• surānandaḥthe delight of the gods
• madotkaṭaḥexuberant with divine intoxication or rut-fluid
• herambaḥheramba, protector of the weak
• śambaraḥsambara, granter of peace or dispeller of illusion
• śambhuḥthe source of auspiciousness
• lambakarṇaḥthe large-eared one
• mahābalaḥpossessing great strength

anvaya bhīmaḥ pramodaḥ āmodaḥ surānandaḥ madotkaṭaḥ herambaḥ śambaraḥ śambhuḥ lambakarṇaḥ mahābalaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

herambaḥ Heramba — A name used especially for the five-headed Ganesha who rides a lion, the protector of the weak.

śambhuḥ Shambhu, the source of good — Usually a name of Shiva. Many of the father's names are given to the son in this hymn.

• nandanaḥthe delighter or joyful son
• lampaṭaḥhe who is fondly attached to his devotees and offerings
• bhīmaḥthe formidable or awe-inspiring one
• meghanādaḥhe whose roar is thunderous like a cloud
• gaṇañjayaḥthe conqueror of enemy hosts
• vināyakaḥthe supreme leader who removes obstacles
• virūpākṣaḥhe who possesses diverse or three eyes
• vīraḥthe heroic and valiant one
• śūravarapradaḥthe granter of excellent boons to heroes

anvaya nandanaḥ lampaṭaḥ bhīmaḥ meghanādaḥ gaṇañjayaḥ vināyakaḥ virūpākṣaḥ vīraḥ śūravarapradaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

lampaṭaḥ eager, fond — In everyday Sanskrit the word means greedy. Said of Ganesha it is read kindly: he is eager for his devotees and for the sweets they bring.

• mahāgaṇapatiḥthe Great Lord of divine hosts
• buddhipriyaḥhe to whom intellect/wisdom is dear (or who is beloved of Buddhi)
• kṣipraprasādanaḥhe who is quickly pleased or propitiated
• rudrapriyaḥhe who is dear to Rudra (Śiva)
• gaṇādhyakṣaḥthe supreme commander of the celestial troops
• umāputraḥthe son of Goddess Umā (Pārvatī)
• aghanāśanaḥthe destroyer of sins and afflictions

anvaya [saḥ] mahāgaṇapatiḥ buddhipriyaḥ kṣipraprasādanaḥ rudrapriyaḥ gaṇādhyakṣaḥ umāputraḥ aghanāśanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kṣipraprasādanaḥ quickly pleased — One reason Ganesha is so widely loved: he does not ask for long penance before he answers.

buddhipriyaḥ who loves wisdom — It can also mean 'beloved of Buddhi', one of his consorts, together with Siddhi.

• kumāraguruḥthe preceptor of Kumāra (Skanda)
• īśānaputraḥthe son of Īśāna (Lord Śiva)
• mūṣakavāhanaḥwhose mount is the mouse
• siddhipriyaḥfond of success/accomplishment (or dear to Siddhi)
• siddhipatiḥthe lord/master of accomplishment
• siddhaḥthe perfected/accomplished one
• siddhivināyakaḥthe remover of obstacles who gives accomplishment

anvaya kumāraguruḥ īśānaputraḥ mūṣakavāhanaḥ siddhipriyaḥ siddhipatiḥ siddhaḥ siddhivināyakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kumāraguruḥ teacher of Kumara — Kumara is Skanda, his brother. The name makes Ganesha his guide.

siddhivināyakaḥ the leader who grants success — The name of the famous Ganesha temple at Prabhadevi in Mumbai, and of the Ashtavinayaka shrine at Siddhatek.

• avighnaḥhe who is free from obstacles
• tumburuḥtumburu (melodious as the celestial musician Tumburu)
• siṃhavāhanaḥhe whose vehicle is a lion
• mohinīpriyaḥhe who is dear to Mohini
• kaṭaṅkaṭaḥkatankata (the shielded or armor-clad protector)
• rājaputraḥthe royal prince
• śākalaḥassociated with the Shakala Vedic tradition or diverse manifestations
• sammitaḥwell-measured or defined
• amitaḥwithout measure

anvaya avighnaḥ tumburuḥ siṃhavāhanaḥ mohinīpriyaḥ kaṭaṅkaṭaḥ rājaputraḥ śākalaḥ sammitaḥ amitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

siṃhavāhanaḥ who rides a lion — The mouse is his usual mount, but some forms, like Heramba Ganapati, ride a lion.

sammitomitaḥ measured and measureless — Two names joined: he can be seen in a form with limits, and yet he has no limit.

note Some names here, such as Katankata and Shakala, are old and obscure, and their meaning is not settled.

• kūṣmāṇḍasāmasambhūtiḥthe origin of the Kushmanda-sama hymns
• durjayaḥinvincible, difficult to conquer
• dhūrjayaḥconqueror of burdens or foremost adversaries
• jayaḥvictory personified
• bhūpatiḥlord of the earth
• bhuvanapatiḥlord of the universe
• bhūtānāmof all created beings and elements
• patiḥlord
• avyayaḥimperishable, changeless

anvaya [saḥ] kūṣmāṇḍasāmasambhūtiḥ durjayaḥ dhūrjayaḥ jayaḥ bhūpatiḥ bhuvanapatiḥ bhūtānām patiḥ avyayaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kūṣmāṇḍasāmasambhūtiḥ the source of the Kushmanda chants — The Kushmanda verses are Vedic purification chants. The compound can also mean he was born of them.

• viśvakartācreator of the universe
• viśvamukhaḥfacing all directions / having the cosmos as His face
• viśvarūpaḥhaving the cosmos as His form
• nidhiḥhome / treasure storehouse
• guṇaḥvirtue / very form of auspicious attributes
• kaviḥseer / inspired sage
• kavīnāmof seers / of poets
• ṛṣabhaḥchief / foremost
• brahmaṇyaḥbeneficent to sacred knowledge and devotees
• brahmavitpriyaḥdear to the knowers of Brahman

anvaya viśvakartā viśvamukhaḥ viśvarūpaḥ nidhiḥ guṇaḥ kaviḥ kavīnām ṛṣabhaḥ brahmaṇyaḥ brahmavitpriyaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kaviḥ kavīnāmṛṣabhaḥ the poet, the best of poets — An echo of the Rigveda's own hymn to Ganapati, which calls him kaviṃ kavīnām, 'the poet among poets'.

• jyeṣṭharājaḥthe supreme king / king of the foremost
• nidhipatiḥthe lord of treasures
• nidhipriyapatipriyaḥbeloved of the lord (Shiva) of the lover of treasures (Kubera)
• hiraṇmayapurāntaḥsthaḥdwelling within the golden citadel
• sūryamaṇḍalamadhyagaḥresiding in the center of the solar orb

anvaya jyeṣṭharājaḥ nidhipatiḥ nidhipriyapatipriyaḥ hiraṇmayapurāntaḥsthaḥ sūryamaṇḍalamadhyagaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

jyeṣṭharājaḥ the eldest king — Another echo of the Rigveda hymn, which calls Ganapati jyeṣṭharājaṃ brahmaṇām, 'eldest king of prayers'.

• karāhatidhvastasindhusalilaḥhe by whom the ocean waters were agitated and scattered by the stroke of his trunk
• pūṣadantabhitthe breaker of the teeth of Pūṣan
• umāṅkakelikutukīhe who delights in playing on the lap of Parvatī (Umā)
• muktidaḥthe giver of liberation
• kulapāvanaḥthe purifier of the family or lineage

anvaya karāhatidhvastasindhusalilaḥ pūṣadantabhit umāṅkakelikutukī muktidaḥ kulapāvanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

pūṣadantabhit the one who broke Pushan's teeth — At Daksha's sacrifice, Shiva's forces knocked out the teeth of the god Pushan. The deed is given here to Ganesha, who throughout the hymn is treated as one with Shiva.

umāṅkakelikutukī who loves playing in Uma's lap — A tender picture, set right beside a scene of great power.

• kirīṭīwearing a diadem or crown
• kuṇḍalīwearing earrings
• hārīwearing a necklace
• vanamālīgarlanded with forest flowers
• manomayaḥconsisting of mind or pervading the mind
• vaimukhyahatadaityaśrīḥwho destroyed the glory of demons merely by turning His face away
• pādāhatijitakṣitiḥwho conquered the earth with the strike of His feet

anvaya [saḥ] kirīṭī kuṇḍalī hārī vanamālī manomayaḥ vaimukhyahatadaityaśrīḥ pādāhatijitakṣitiḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

vaimukhyahatadaityaśrīḥ who destroyed the demons' fortune by turning away — He did not need to fight them. His turning away was enough.

• sadyojātaḥnewly/immediately manifest
• svarṇamuñjamekhalīwearing a girdle of golden Muñja grass
• durnimittahṛtdestroyer of ill omens
• duḥsvapnahṛtremover of bad dreams
• prasahanaḥsubduer or overcomer of obstacles
• guṇīendowed with all virtuous qualities
• nādapratiṣṭhitaḥestablished in the syllable Om

anvaya sadyojātaḥ svarṇamuñjamekhalī durnimittahṛt duḥsvapnahṛt prasahanaḥ guṇī nādapratiṣṭhitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

svarṇamuñjamekhalī wearing a golden belt of munja grass — A munja grass belt is worn by a boy at his sacred thread ceremony. It pictures Ganesha as a young student.

sadyojātaḥ born at once — Also the name of one of the five faces of Shiva.

• surūpaḥhaving a beautiful form
• sarvanetrādhivāsaḥthe home of all eyes (drawing everyone's sight)
• vīrāsanāśrayaḥseated in the hero posture
• pītāmbaraḥclothed in yellow garments
• khaṇḍaradaḥhaving a broken tusk
• khaṇḍavaiśākhasaṃsthitaḥestablished in the Khaṇḍavaiśākha stance

anvaya surūpaḥ sarvanetrādhivāsaḥ vīrāsanāśrayaḥ pītāmbaraḥ khaṇḍaradaḥ khaṇḍavaiśākhasaṃsthitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

vīrāsanāśrayaḥ seated in virasana — The hero's posture, one of the classic ways of sitting in yoga and in images of the gods.

khaṇḍavaiśākhasaṃsthitaḥ standing in the khandavaishakha stance — Vaishakha is a stance with the feet set apart, used by archers and dancers. The exact form meant here is not certain.

• citrāṅgaḥhaving variegated or adorned limbs
• śyāmadaśanaḥhaving dark or bluish-black teeth
• bhālacandraḥbearing the crescent moon upon his forehead
• havirbhujaḥconsumer of sacrificial offerings (fire/sacrificer)
• yogādhipaḥlord of yoga
• tārakasthaḥdwelling in the saving Tāraka mantra or eye pupil
• puruṣaḥthe Supreme Cosmic Person
• gajakarṇakaḥhaving ears like those of an elephant

anvaya citrāṅgaḥ śyāmadaśanaḥ bhālacandraḥ havirbhujaḥ yogādhipaḥ tārakasthaḥ puruṣaḥ gajakarṇakaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

tārakasthaḥ dwelling in the taraka — Taraka can mean the mantra that carries one across, the pupil of the eye, or the stars. The text does not say which.

• gaṇādhirājaḥthe supreme sovereign of the divine attendants
• vijayaḥvictory personified / the victorious one
• sthiraḥthe firm or immovable one
• gajapatidhvajīone whose banner bears the lord of elephants
• devadevaḥthe God of gods / supreme divinity
• smaraḥdesire personified / the remembered one
• prāṇadīpakaḥthe illuminator of the vital life-force
• vāyukīlakaḥthe anchor-pin or wedge of the vital air

anvaya gaṇādhirājaḥ vijayaḥ sthiraḥ gajapatidhvajī devadevaḥ smaraḥ prāṇadīpakaḥ vāyukīlakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

smaraḥ the remembered one — Smara also means Kama, the god of love. Either reading fits.

vāyukīlakaḥ the peg of the breath — In yoga he is what holds the breath steady. In the world, he is what keeps the wind in its place.

• vipaścitthe wise or learned one
• varadaḥgranter of boons
• nādaḥthe syllable Om or resonance
• nādabhinnamahācalaḥhe who split the great mountain with sound
• varāharadanaḥhaving a boar-like tusk
• mṛtyuñjayaḥconqueror of death
• vyāghrājināmbaraḥclad in a tiger skin as garment

anvaya vipaścit varadaḥ nādaḥ nādabhinnamahācalaḥ varāharadanaḥ mṛtyuñjayaḥ vyāghrājināmbaraḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

mṛtyuñjayaḥ conqueror of death — A name usually given to Shiva, shared here with his son.

nādabhinnamahācalaḥ who split the great mountain with sound — The hymn does not tell the story behind this name. It is often read as the mountain of ignorance broken by sacred sound.

• icchāśaktibhavaḥborn of the power of divine desire/will
• devatrātāprotector of the gods
• daityavimardanaḥcrusher/destroyer of the demons (Daityas)
• śambhuvaktrodbhavaḥborn from the mouth of Śambhu (Śiva)
• śambhukopahādestroyer/appeaser of Śambhu's anger
• śambhuhāsyabhūḥoriginated from the laughter of Śambhu

anvaya [saḥ] icchāśaktibhavaḥ devatrātā daityavimardanaḥ śambhuvaktrodbhavaḥ śambhukopahā śambhuhāsyabhūḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

śambhuhāsyabhūḥ born of Shiva's laughter — The Puranas tell Ganesha's birth in different ways. In some he comes from Shiva's face or laughter; in the best-known, from Parvati. This hymn keeps all the stories.

• śambhutejāḥpossessing the radiant splendour of Śambhu (Śiva) or born of his power
• śivāśokahārīthe dispeller of sorrow of Śivā (Pārvatī)
• gaurīsukhāvahaḥthe bringer of delight to Gaurī
• umāṅgamalajaḥborn from the unguent paste of Umā's limbs
• gaurītejobhūḥmanifested from the radiant effulgence of Gaurī
• svardhunībhavaḥborn from or originating at the celestial river (Gaṅgā)

anvaya śambhutejāḥ śivāśokahārī gaurīsukhāvahaḥ umāṅgamalajaḥ gaurītejobhūḥ svardhunībhavaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

umāṅgamalajaḥ born of the paste from Uma's body — The famous telling: Parvati shaped a boy from the turmeric paste she rubbed off while bathing, and gave him life.

svardhunībhavaḥ born of the heavenly river — Svardhuni is the Ganga of heaven. In one telling the figure Parvati made came to life in the Ganga's waters.

• yajñakāyaḥhe whose body is the sacrifice
• mahānādaḥhe whose cosmic sound/resonance is great
• girivarṣmāhe whose body is vast like a mountain
• śubhānanaḥhe who has an auspicious face
• sarvātmāhe who is the inner soul of all beings
• sarvadevātmāhe who is the inner self of all deities
• brahmamūrdhāwhose head is Brahma
• kakupśrutiḥhe whose ears are the cardinal directions

anvaya [saḥ] yajñakāyaḥ mahānādaḥ girivarṣmā śubhānanaḥ sarvātmā sarvadevātmā brahmamūrdhā kakupśrutiḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kakupśrutiḥ whose ears are the directions — Kakubh is a quarter of the sky.

note From here the hymn describes Ganesha as the universe in a body: each part of him is a part of the world. The picture runs for several verses, from head to foot.

• brahmāṇḍakumbhaḥhe whose elephant-head frontal globes are the cosmic sphere
• cidvyomabhālaḥhe whose forehead is the expanse of pure consciousness
• satyaśiroruhaḥwhose hair is the world of truth
• jagajjanmalayonmeṣanimeṣaḥhe whose opening and closing of eyes are the creation and dissolution of the universe
• agnyarkasomadṛkhe whose eyes are Fire, the Sun, and the Moon

anvaya brahmāṇḍakumbhaḥ cidvyomabhālaḥ satyaśiroruhaḥ jagajjanmalayonmeṣanimeṣaḥ agnyarkasomadṛk

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

brahmāṇḍakumbhaḥ whose temples are the cosmic egg — Kumbha is the domed swelling on an elephant's forehead.

jagajjanmalayonmeṣanimeṣaḥ whose blink is the world's birth and end — When he opens his eyes the world begins, and when he closes them it ends.

• girīndraikaradaḥwhose single tusk is the king of mountains (Himālaya)
• dharmādharmoṣṭhaḥwhose upper and lower lips are righteousness and unrighteousness
• sāmabṛṃhitaḥwhose trumpeting is the Sama Veda
• graharkṣadaśanaḥwhose teeth are the planets and stars
• vāṇījihvaḥwhose tongue is Goddess Vāṇī (Sarasvatī)
• vāsavanāsikaḥwhose nose is Vāsava (Indra)

anvaya [saḥ] girīndraikaradaḥ dharmādharmoṣṭhaḥ sāmabṛṃhitaḥ graharkṣadaśanaḥ vāṇījihvaḥ vāsavanāsikaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

sāmabṛṃhitaḥ whose trumpet call is the Sama Veda — Bṛṃhita is the trumpeting of an elephant. The sung Veda is his call.

• bhrūmadhyasaṃsthitakaraḥone whose trunk rests positioned between his eyebrows
• brahmavidyāmadodakaḥone whose rutting fluid is the supreme knowledge of Brahman
• kulācalāṃsaḥone whose shoulders are the principal mountain ranges
• somārkaghaṇṭaḥone whose bells are the moon and the sun
• rudraśirodharaḥone whose neck is Lord Rudra

anvaya [saḥ] bhrūmadhyasaṃsthitakaraḥ brahmavidyāmadodakaḥ kulācalāṃsaḥ somārkaghaṇṭaḥ rudraśirodharaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

brahmavidyāmadodakaḥ whose mada is the knowledge of Brahman — The rich flow of a mighty elephant becomes, in this picture, the highest knowledge pouring from him.

somārkaghaṇṭaḥ whose bells are the moon and sun — An elephant in procession wears a bell on either side.

• nadīnadabhujaḥhe whose arms are the rivers and streams
• sarpāṅgulīkaḥhe whose fingers are serpents
• tārakānakhaḥhe whose fingernails are the stars
• vyomanābhiḥhe whose navel is space (the sky)
• śrīhṛdayaḥhe whose chest is Śrī (auspicious splendour)
• merupṛṣṭhaḥhe whose back is Mount Meru
• arṇavodaraḥhe whose abdomen is the ocean

anvaya [saḥ] nadīnadabhujaḥ sarpāṅgulīkaḥ tārakānakhaḥ vyomanābhiḥ śrīhṛdayaḥ merupṛṣṭhaḥ arṇavodaraḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• kukṣisthayakṣagandharvarakṣaḥkinnaramānuṣaḥhe in whose belly dwell the Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Rākṣasas, Kinnaras, and humans
• pṛthvīkaṭiḥhe whose waist/hips are the earth
• sṛṣṭiliṅgaḥhe whose generative mark or symbol is creation itself
• śailoruḥhe whose thighs are the mountains
• dasrajānukaḥhe whose knees are the twin Dasras (Aśvinīkumāras)

anvaya [saḥ] kukṣisthayakṣagandharvarakṣaḥkinnaramānuṣaḥ pṛthvīkaṭiḥ sṛṣṭiliṅgaḥ śailoruḥ dasrajānukaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

dasrajānukaḥ whose knees are the Dasras — The Dasras are the twin Ashvins, the healers of the gods.

• pātālajaṅghaḥhaving the netherworld (Pātāla) as lower legs
• munipāthaving the sages as feet
• kālāṅguṣṭhaḥhaving Time/Death (Kāla) as big toe
• trayītanuḥhaving the threefold Veda (Trayī) as body
• jyotirmaṇḍalalāṅgūlaḥhaving the celestial sphere of stars as tail
• hṛdayālānaniścalaḥfirmly tethered to the post of the heart

anvaya pātālajaṅghaḥ munipāt kālāṅguṣṭhaḥ trayītanuḥ jyotirmaṇḍalalāṅgūlaḥ hṛdayālānaniścalaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

hṛdayālānaniścalaḥ held still at the tethering post of the heart — Alana is the post an elephant is tied to. The vast god of the last few verses is held fast in the devotee's heart.

note This verse ends the picture of the cosmic body and turns it around: the god who holds every world stands still inside the heart.

• hṛtpadmakarṇikāśālīshining or abiding in the pericarp of the heart-lotus
• viyatkelisarovaraḥone whose play-lake is space itself
• sadbhaktadhyānanigaḍaḥone who is bound by the fetter of meditation of noble devotees
• pūjāvārinivāritaḥone who is pacified or contained by the water offered in worship

anvaya [saḥ] hṛtpadmakarṇikāśālī viyatkelisarovaraḥ sadbhaktadhyānanigaḍaḥ pūjāvārinivāritaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

sadbhaktadhyānanigaḍaḥ chained by his devotees' meditation — Nigada is the leg-chain of an elephant. Only the meditation of those who love him can hold him.

• pratāpīmajestic, radiant with valor
• kāśyapaḥdescendant of Kaśyapa
• mantāthe thinker, counselor, or wise thinker
• gaṇakaḥthe astrologer or reckoner of numbers
• viṣṭapīpossessor or ruler of the worlds
• balīmighty, full of strength
• yaśasvīglorious, famous
• dhārmikaḥrighteous, upholder of Dharma
• jetāconqueror, victorious one
• prathamaḥthe first, primary, or foremost
• pramatheśvaraḥlord of the Pramatha attendants

anvaya pratāpī kāśyapaḥ mantā gaṇakaḥ viṣṭapī balī yaśasvī dhārmikaḥ jetā prathamaḥ pramatheśvaraḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kāśyapaḥ son of Kashyapa — In the Ganesha Purana, in the first age of the world Ganesha is born as Mahotkata Vinayaka, the son of the sage Kashyapa and Aditi.

• cintāmaṇiḥthe wish-fulfilling gem
• dvīpapatiḥthe lord of the island
• kalpadrumavanālayaḥwhose home is in the forest of wish-fulfilling trees
• ratnamaṇḍapamadhyasthaḥresiding in the center of the jeweled pavilion
• ratnasiṃhāsanāśrayaḥseated upon the jeweled throne

anvaya cintāmaṇiḥ dvīpapatiḥ kalpadrumavanālayaḥ ratnamaṇḍapamadhyasthaḥ ratnasiṃhāsanāśrayaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

cintāmaṇiḥ the wish-granting gem — Chintamani is also the name of Ganesha at Theur, one of the Ashtavinayaka temples.

note This verse and the next few describe Ganesha's own world as tantric worship pictures it: a jewelled island in an ocean, with his throne at the centre, surrounded by his shaktis.

• tīvrāśiroddhṛtapadaḥhe whose foot is supported on the head of Tīvrā
• jvālinīmaulilālitaḥhe who is fondled by the diadem of Jvālinī
• nandānanditapīṭhaśrīḥhe the glory of whose seat is delighted by Nandā
• bhogadaḥgiver of worldly enjoyments
• bhūṣitāsanaḥhe whose seat/throne is adorned

anvaya tīvrāśiroddhṛtapadaḥ jvālinīmaulilālitaḥ nandānanditapīṭhaśrīḥ bhogadaḥ bhūṣitāsanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

bhogadaḥ giver of enjoyment — Also the name of the fourth shakti of his throne, Bhogada, tucked into the list.

note Tivra, Jvalini, Nanda and the names in the next two verses are the nine shaktis of Ganesha's throne, called on in his puja.

• sakāmadāyinīpīṭhaḥhe whose throne is the Śakti Sakāmadāyinī (the fulfiller of desires)
• sphuradugrāsanāśrayaḥseated on the shining seat of Ugra
• tejovatīśiroratnamthe crest-jewel upon the head of the Śakti Tejovatī
• satyānityāvataṃsitaḥhe who is decorated by the Śaktis Satyā and Nityā (as ear-ornaments)

anvaya sakāmadāyinīpīṭhaḥ sphuradugrāsanāśrayaḥ tejovatīśiroratnam satyānityāvataṃsitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

satyānityāvataṃsitaḥ adorned by Satya and Nitya — Avatamsa is an ear ornament. Satya is one of the nine throne shaktis.

• savighnanāśinīpīṭhaḥhe whose pedestal includes [the ninth Śakti named] Vighnanāśinī
• sarvaśaktyambujālayaḥwhose home is the lotus comprising all the divine Śaktis
• lipipadmāsanādhāraḥwho is the foundation of the lotus-seat inscribed with letters [mātṛkās]
• vahnidhāmatrayālayaḥwho dwells in the three lights of fire, sun and moon

anvaya [saḥ] savighnanāśinīpīṭhaḥ sarvaśaktyambujālayaḥ lipipadmāsanādhāraḥ vahnidhāmatrayālayaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

lipipadmāsanādhāraḥ resting on the lotus of letters — In mantra worship the letters of the alphabet are pictured as the petals of a lotus seat.

note Vighnanashini, 'the destroyer of obstacles', is the ninth and last of the shaktis of his throne.

• unnataprapadaḥhe whose forefeet are elevated or prominent
• gūḍhagulphaḥhe whose ankles are hidden or well-concealed
• saṃvṛtapārṣṇikaḥhe whose heels are covered and well-rounded
• pīnajaṅghaḥhe whose calves are plump and sturdy
• śliṣṭajānuḥhe whose knees are close-set and well-jointed
• sthūloruḥhe whose thighs are massive and stout
• pronnamatkaṭiḥhe whose waist and hips are elevated

anvaya unnataprapadaḥ gūḍhagulphaḥ saṃvṛtapārṣṇikaḥ pīnajaṅghaḥ śliṣṭajānuḥ sthūloruḥ pronnamatkaṭiḥ [saḥ]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note Now the hymn describes his image the way a sculptor would, from the feet upward, in the traditional language of the marks of a perfect body.

• nimnanābhiḥhe who has a deep navel
• sthūlakukṣiḥhe who has a stout abdomen
• pīnavakṣāḥhe who has a broad chest
• bṛhadbhujaḥhe who has mighty arms
• pīnaskandhaḥhe who has sturdy shoulders
• kambukaṇṭhaḥhe who has a conch-like neck
• lamboṣṭhaḥhe who has a prominent lip
• lambanāsikaḥhe who has a long trunk

anvaya nimnanābhiḥ sthūlakukṣiḥ pīnavakṣāḥ bṛhadbhujaḥ pīnaskandhaḥ kambukaṇṭhaḥ lamboṣṭhaḥ lambanāsikaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kambukaṇṭhaḥ with a neck like a conch — A neck with three soft folds, like the spiral of a conch shell, counted as a mark of beauty.

• bhagnavāmaradaḥhe who has a broken left tusk
• tuṅgasavyadantaḥwhose other tusk stands tall
• mahāhanuḥhe who possesses a large jaw
• hrasvanetratrayaḥhe who has three small eyes
• śūrpakarṇaḥhe whose ears are like winnowing fans
• nibiḍamastakaḥhe who has a dense, compact head

anvaya bhagnavāmaradaḥ tuṅgasavyadantaḥ mahāhanuḥ hrasvanetratrayaḥ śūrpakarṇaḥ nibiḍamastakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

tuṅgasavyadantaḥ whose other tusk is tall — Savya usually means left, which would repeat the vama of the broken tusk. Here it has to mean the other, unbroken one.

• stabakākārakumbhāgraḥhe whose forehead peak is shaped like a cluster/bunch of blossoms
• ratnamauliḥhe who wears a jeweled crown
• niraṅkuśaḥunrestrained, completely free from any goad or external control
• sarpahārakaṭīsūtraḥhe whose necklace and waist-girdle are serpents
• sarpayajñopavītavānhe who possesses a serpent as his sacred thread

anvaya [saḥ] stabakākārakumbhāgraḥ ratnamauliḥ niraṅkuśaḥ sarpahārakaṭīsūtraḥ sarpayajñopavītavān [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

niraṅkuśaḥ free of the goad — An elephant is steered with a goad. Ganesha holds the goad himself, and no one can use one on him.

• sarpakoṭīrakaṭakaḥhe whose crown and bracelets are serpents
• sarpagraiveyakāṅgadaḥhe whose necklace and armlets are serpents
• sarpakakṣodarābandhaḥhe whose flank-girdle and belly-band are serpents
• sarparājottaracchadaḥhe whose upper mantle is the king of serpents

anvaya [saḥ] sarpakoṭīrakaṭakaḥ sarpagraiveyakāṅgadaḥ sarpakakṣodarābandhaḥ sarparājottaracchadaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• raktaḥred / red-complexioned
• raktāmbaradharaḥwearing red garments
• raktamālāvibhūṣaṇaḥadorned with garlands of red flowers
• raktekṣanaḥhaving red eyes
• raktakaraḥhaving red hands
• raktatālvoṣṭhapallavaḥhaving a red palate, red lips, and tender leaf-like extremities

anvaya [saḥ] raktaḥ raktāmbaradharaḥ raktamālāvibhūṣaṇaḥ raktekṣanaḥ raktakaraḥ raktatālvoṣṭhapallavaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note This verse and the next picture two forms of Ganesha for meditation, the red one and the white one. The printed raktekṣano is read raktekṣaṇo.

• śvetaḥwhite in complexion
• śvetāmbaradharaḥwearing white garments
• śvetamālāvibhūṣaṇaḥadorned with white garlands as ornaments
• śvetātapatraruciraḥsplendid with a white umbrella
• śvetacāmaravījitaḥfanned with white fly-whisks

anvaya [saḥ] śvetaḥ śvetāmbaradharaḥ śvetamālāvibhūṣaṇaḥ śvetātapatraruciraḥ śvetacāmaravījitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

śvetātapatraruciraḥ bright under a white parasol — The white umbrella and the whisks are honours given to a king.

• sarvāvayavasampūrṇaḥcomplete in all limbs and bodily parts
• sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitaḥcharacterized or endowed with all auspicious marks
• sarvābharaṇaśobhāḍhyaḥabundant in the splendour of all ornaments
• sarvaśobhāsamanvitaḥfully possessed of all grace and beauty

anvaya sarvāvayavasampūrṇaḥ sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitaḥ sarvābharaṇaśobhāḍhyaḥ sarvaśobhāsamanvitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalyaḥthe auspiciousness of all auspicious things
• sarvakāraṇakāraṇamthe ultimate cause of all causes
• sarvadevavaraḥthe most excellent among all divine beings
• śārṅgīthe wielder of the Śārṅga bow
• bījapūrīthe possessor of the citron fruit
• gadādharaḥthe wielder of the mace

anvaya [saḥ] sarvamaṅgalamāṅgalyaḥ sarvakāraṇakāraṇam sarvadevavaraḥ śārṅgī bījapūrī gadādharaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note From here the hymn lists what he holds in his many hands. The citron, mace, sugarcane bow, trident, discus, lotus, noose, blue lily, rice sheaf, broken tusk and the jewel pot in his trunk are the things held by the ten-armed Maha Ganapati.

• śubhāṅgaḥhaving auspicious limbs
• lokasāraṅgaḥthe heart of the worlds (the exact sense is uncertain)
• sutantuḥhaving an auspicious thread (lineage or cosmic web)
• tantuvardhanaḥthe expander of the thread of creation and lineage
• kirīṭīadorned with a crown
• kuṇḍalīadorned with earrings
• hārīadorned with a necklace
• vanamālīwearing a garland of forest blossoms
• śubhāṅgadaḥwearing auspicious armlets

anvaya śubhāṅgaḥ lokasāraṅgaḥ sutantuḥ tantuvardhanaḥ kirīṭī kuṇḍalī hārī vanamālī śubhāṅgadaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

tantuvardhanaḥ who makes the thread grow — Tantu is a thread, and also a family line that runs on from parent to child.

• ikṣucāpadharaḥholder of the sugarcane bow
• śūlīwielder of the trident
• cakrapāṇiḥholding a discus in His hand
• sarojabhṛtbearer of a lotus flower
• pāśīwielder of the noose
• dhṛtotpalaḥholding a blue lily
• śālimañjarībhṛtbearer of a sheaf of paddy rice
• svadantabhṛtbearer of His own tusk

anvaya [saḥ] ikṣucāpadharaḥ śūlī cakrapāṇiḥ sarojabhṛt pāśī dhṛtotpalaḥ śālimañjarībhṛt svadantabhṛt [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ikṣucāpadharaḥ holding the sugarcane bow — The sugarcane bow is sweet and bends without breaking. It is also carried by Kama and by Lalita.

svadantabhṛt holding his own tusk — The broken tusk, which he carries in one hand.

• kalpavallīdharaḥbearer of the wish-fulfilling creeper
• viśvābhayadaikakaraḥhaving a single hand that grants fearlessness to the whole universe
• vaśīself-controlled, master of all
• akṣamālādharaḥholder of a rosary of rudrākṣa beads
• jñānamudrāvānpossessing or displaying the hand-gesture of wisdom
• mudgarāyudhaḥhaving the mace as his weapon

anvaya [saḥ] kalpavallīdharaḥ viśvābhayadaikakaraḥ vaśī akṣamālādharaḥ jñānamudrāvān mudgarāyudhaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (8 syllables × 4 pādas)

jñānamudrāvān showing the gesture of knowledge — Jnana mudra: the tip of the index finger touches the thumb, the gesture of a teacher.

• pūrṇapātrīone holding a full vessel
• kambudharaḥholder of a conch shell
• vidhṛtāṅkuśamūlakaḥone who holds a goad and a radish
• karasthāmraphalaḥone who has a mango fruit in his hand
• cūtakalikābhṛtbearer of a mango blossom bud
• kuṭhāravānwielder of an axe

anvaya [saḥ] pūrṇapātrī kambudharaḥ vidhṛtāṅkuśamūlakaḥ karasthāmraphalaḥ cūtakalikābhṛt kuṭhāravān [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (8 syllables × 4 pādas)

mūlakaḥ a radish — Some images of Ganesha hold a radish, a humble food beside the weapons.

• puṣkarasthasvarṇaghaṭīpūrṇaratnābhivarṣakaḥthe showerer of gems filled in the golden pot held at the tip of the trunk
• bhāratīsundarīnāthaḥthe lord of Bhāratī (Sarasvatī) and Sundarī (Lakṣmī or Gaurī)
• vināyakaratipriyaḥhe who delights in the joy of Vināyaka

anvaya [saḥ] puṣkarasthasvarṇaghaṭīpūrṇaratnābhivarṣakaḥ bhāratīsundarīnāthaḥ vināyakaratipriyaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

puṣkarasthasvarṇaghaṭī the golden pot at the tip of his trunk — In the image of Maha Ganapati, the trunk holds a pot of jewels, poured out for his devotees.

• mahālakṣmīpriyatamaḥmost beloved of Mahālakṣmī
• siddhalakṣmīmanoramaḥpleasing to the mind of Siddhalakṣmī
• ramārameśapūrvāṅgaḥhaving Ramā and Rameśa on His front or eastern side
• dakṣiṇomāmaheśvaraḥhaving Umā and Maheśvara on His right or southern side

anvaya [saḥ] mahālakṣmīpriyatamaḥ siddhalakṣmīmanoramaḥ ramārameśapūrvāṅgaḥ dakṣiṇomāmaheśvaraḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note This verse and the next place Ganesha at the centre of his yantra, with a divine couple at each of the four quarters, as in the worship of Maha Ganapati.

• mahīvarāhavāmāṅgaḥhe who has Mahī (Earth) and Varāha on His left side
• ratikandarpapaścimaḥhe who has Rati and Kandarpa (Kāmadeva) situated to His west
• āmodamodajananaḥthe progenitor of Āmoda and Moda
• sapramodapramodanaḥthe one who gladdens Pramoda together with his companion

anvaya mahīvarāhavāmāṅgaḥ ratikandarpapaścimaḥ āmodamodajananaḥ sapramodapramodanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

āmodamodajananaḥ father of Amoda and Moda — Amoda, Moda and Pramoda, all words for joy, are attendants in Ganesha's circle.

• saṃvardhitamahāvṛddhiḥhe who has greatly augmented immense prosperity and growth
• ṛddhisiddhipravardhanaḥhe who causes the expansion and flourishing of prosperity (Ṛddhi) and attainment (Siddhi)
• dantasaumukhyasumukhaḥhe who is fair-faced (Sumukha) on account of the gracious beauty of his tusk
• kāntikandalitāśrayaḥhe whose physical form or presence is an home sprouting with radiant light

anvaya [saḥ] saṃvardhitamahāvṛddhiḥ ṛddhisiddhipravardhanaḥ dantasaumukhyasumukhaḥ kāntikandalitāśrayaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ṛddhisiddhipravardhanaḥ who makes Riddhi and Siddhi grow — Prosperity and success, pictured as his two consorts.

• madanāvatīby Madanāvatī (a divine Śakti)
• āśritāṅghriḥhe whose feet are taken refuge in
• kṛtavaimukhyadurmukhaḥstern-faced towards those who turn away or show aversion
• vighnasampatabundance or accumulation of obstacles
• lavaḥcutter, reaper, or diminisher
• padmaḥlotus-like Lord, or associated with the Padma treasure
• sarvonnatamadadravaḥwhose mada flows highest of all

anvaya madanāvatī āśritāṅghriḥ kṛtavaimukhyadurmukhaḥ vighnasampat lavaḥ padmaḥ sarvonnatamadadravaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

vighnasampallavaḥ the cutter of a wealth of obstacles — Lava is a reaper. The obstacles pile up like a harvest, and he cuts them down.

• vighnakṛtcreator of obstacles (to the unrighteous)
• nimnacaraṇaḥhaving short or low-set feet
• drāviṇīśaktisatkṛtaḥrevered by the power Drāviṇī
• tīvrāprasannanayanaḥhaving eyes intensely stern or displeased
• jvālinīpālitaikadṛkwhose singular glance is guarded by Jvālinī

anvaya vighnakṛt nimnacaraṇaḥ drāviṇīśaktisatkṛtaḥ tīvrāprasannanayanaḥ jvālinīpālitaikadṛk [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

vighnakṛt maker of obstacles — The god who removes obstacles can also place them, and the tradition says he does so in the path of wrongdoing.

note The shaktis named in these verses, such as Madanavati and Dravini, belong to the circle of powers around Ganesha in tantric worship.

• mohinīmohanaḥthe deluder of Mohinī
• bhogadāyinīkāntimaṇḍanaḥhe whose ornament is the brilliance of the Śakti Bhogadāyinī
• kāminīkāntavaktraśrīḥhe who possesses the splendour of the lovely face of Kāminī
• adhiṣṭhitavasundharaḥhe who presides over the earth

anvaya [saḥ] mohinīmohanaḥ bhogadāyinīkāntimaṇḍanaḥ kāminīkāntavaktraśrīḥ adhiṣṭhitavasundharaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• vasudhārāmadonnādaḥhe who roars exultantly with the intoxication of the stream of abundance
• mahāśaṅkhanidhipriyaḥhe to whom the great Śaṅkha treasure is dear
• namadvasumatīmālīhe who is garlanded by the prostrating Earth
• mahāpadmanidhiḥhe who is the great Padma treasure
• prabhuḥthe sovereign Lord

anvaya vasudhārāmadonnādaḥ mahāśaṅkhanidhipriyaḥ namadvasumatīmālī mahāpadmanidhiḥ prabhuḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

mahāśaṅkhanidhiḥ mahāpadmanidhiḥ the Shankha and Padma treasures — Two of the nine treasures of Kubera, often shown as attendants at the sides of Ganesha and Lakshmi.

• sarvasadgurusaṃsevyaḥworthy of being thoroughly served by all noble spiritual masters
• śociṣkeśahṛdāśrayaḥhaving His home in the heart of Agni (the flame-haired god)
• īśānamūrdhāhaving Īśāna (Śiva) as His head
• devendraśikhaḥhaving Devendra (Indra) as His crest or topknot
• pavananandanaḥthe delighter of Pavana (Vāyu / the Wind god)

anvaya sarvasadgurusaṃsevyaḥ śociṣkeśahṛdāśrayaḥ īśānamūrdhā devendraśikhaḥ pavananandanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (8 syllables × 4 pādas)

śociṣkeśaḥ the flame-haired — Shochishkesha is an old Vedic name of Agni, the fire.

• pratyugranayanaḥhe who has extremely fierce or intense eyes
• divyaḥthe shining one
• divyāstraśataparvadhṛkhe who holds hundreds of sections or joints of divine weapons
• airāvatādisarvāśāvāraṇaḥhe who is surrounded by or commands the elephants of all directions, headed by Airāvata
• vāraṇapriyaḥhe who is fond of elephants (or to whom elephants are dear)

anvaya pratyugranayanaḥ divyaḥ divyāstraśataparvadhṛk airāvatādisarvāśāvāraṇaḥ vāraṇapriyaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

airāvatādisarvāśāvāraṇaḥ whose elephants are those of every quarter — Airavata, Indra's white elephant, is the first of the eight elephants that hold up the eight directions.

• vajrādyastraparīvāraḥwho is surrounded by weapons such as the thunderbolt (Vajra)
• gaṇacaṇḍasamāśrayaḥwho is the ultimate refuge of Gaṇacaṇḍa (a prominent attendant)
• jayājayaparikaraḥwho has the Shaktis named Jayā and Ajayā as His retinue
• vijayāvijayāvahaḥwho brings or manifests Vijayā and Avijayā

anvaya [saḥ] vajrādyastraparīvāraḥ gaṇacaṇḍasamāśrayaḥ jayājayaparikaraḥ vijayāvijayāvahaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• ajayārcitapādābjaḥhe whose lotus-feet are worshipped by Ajayā (Pārvatī or Māyā)
• nityānandavanasthitaḥhe who resides in the forest of eternal bliss
• vilāsinīkṛtollāsaḥhe whose delight is aroused by the playful Goddess
• śauṇḍīhe who is full of spirit, pride, or divine intoxication
• saundaryamaṇḍitaḥhe who is adorned with beauty

anvaya ajayārcitapādābjaḥ nityānandavanasthitaḥ vilāsinīkṛtollāsaḥ śauṇḍī saundaryamaṇḍitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• anantānantasukhadaḥthe giver of infinite and endless happiness
• sumaṅgalasumaṅgalaḥthe most auspicious among all auspicious things
• jñānāśrayaḥthe locus or refuge of knowledge
• kriyādhāraḥthe foundation or support of action
• icchāśaktiniṣevitaḥserved by the power of will

anvaya [saḥ] anantānantasukhadaḥ sumaṅgalasumaṅgalaḥ jñānāśrayaḥ kriyādhāraḥ icchāśaktiniṣevitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note Knowledge, action and will are the three powers of the Upanishad's shakti-traya, named one by one.

• subhagāsaṃśritapadaḥhe whose feet are resorted to by auspicious women
• lalitālalitāśrayaḥhe who is the charming refuge of beautiful women
• kāminīpālanaḥhe who is the protector of loving women
• kāmakāminīkelilālitaḥhe who is delighted by the playful sports of Kāmadeva's loving wives

anvaya subhagāsaṃśritapadaḥ lalitālalitāśrayaḥ kāminīpālanaḥ kāmakāminīkelilālitaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas (with irregular syllable distribution of 6 and 10 in the second half)

• sarasvatyāśrayaḥthe refuge of Sarasvati (the goddess of learning)
• gaurīnandanaḥthe son of Gauri
• śrīniketanaḥthe home of Sri (Lakshmi or prosperity)
• guruguptapadaḥhe whose state or feet are protected and secretly revealed by the Guru
• vācāsiddhaḥhe who is perfected in speech (whose words are always realized)
• vāgīśvarīpatiḥthe Lord of Vagishvari (the goddess of speech)

anvaya sarasvatyāśrayaḥ gaurīnandanaḥ śrīniketanaḥ guruguptapadaḥ vācāsiddhaḥ vāgīśvarīpatiḥ [asti]

chandas Anustubh, 8 syllables x 4 padas

vācāsiddhaḥ whose words come true — A vachasiddha is one whose every word is fulfilled.

• nalinīkāmukaḥthe lover of the lotus-pond (or the Shakti Nalini)
• vāmārāmaḥhe who delights in Vāmā (the Shakti of creation)
• jyeṣṭhāmanoramaḥhe who is pleasing to Jyeṣṭhā (the Shakti of sustenance)
• raudrīmudritapādābjaḥhe whose lotus feet are marked or worshipped by Raudrī (the Shakti of dissolution)
• humbījaḥhe whose seed-syllable is 'hum'
• tuṅgaśaktikaḥhe who possesses supreme power (or holds a lofty spear)

anvaya nalinīkāmukaḥ vāmārāmaḥ jyeṣṭhāmanoramaḥ raudrīmudritapādābjaḥ humbījaḥ tuṅgaśaktikaḥ [ca]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note Vama, Jyeshtha and Raudri are the powers of creating, keeping and dissolving. Hum and tunga are the seed and power named in the viniyoga at the start of the hymn.

• viśvādijananatrāṇaḥprotector of the generation of the universe and its beginning
• svāhāśaktiḥone who has Svāhā as his power
• sakīlakaḥpossessing the kīlaka
• amṛtābdhikṛtāvāsaḥone who has his home in the ocean of nectar
• madaghūrṇitalocanaḥone whose eyes are rolling with intoxication

anvaya [saḥ] viśvādijananatrāṇaḥ svāhāśaktiḥ sakīlakaḥ amṛtābdhikṛtāvāsaḥ [ca] madaghūrṇitalocanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The keys named in the viniyoga, hum, tunga and svaha-shakti, turn up here as names of Ganesha himself.

• ucchiṣṭaḥthe Leftover (the transcendent reality beyond ritual purity and impurity)
• ucchiṣṭagaṇakaḥthe reckoner of the leftover (or leader of those who transcend ritual boundaries)
• gaṇeśaḥthe Lord of the divine hosts
• gaṇanāyakaḥthe leader of the divine hosts
• sārvakālikasaṃsiddhiḥthe eternal and all-time perfection
• nityasevyaḥhe who is to be constantly served or worshipped
• digambaraḥthe sky-clad one (naked, representing infinite space as His garment)

anvaya ucchiṣṭaḥ ucchiṣṭagaṇakaḥ gaṇeśaḥ gaṇanāyakaḥ sārvakālikasaṃsiddhiḥ nityasevyaḥ digambaraḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ucchiṣṭaḥ Ucchishta, what remains — Ucchishta means what is left over. Ucchishta Ganapati is a tantric form of Ganesha, worshipped with rules of its own.

digambaraḥ clothed in the directions — Naked, with the sky for his clothing, a name shared with Shiva.

• anapāyaḥhe who is without decay or destruction
• anantadṛṣṭiḥhe whose vision or gaze is infinite
• aprameyaḥhe who is immeasurable or incomprehensible
• ajarāmaraḥhe who is free from old age and death
• anāvilaḥhe who is untroubled, clear, and pure
• apratihatiḥhe who is unobstructed or irresistible
• acyutaḥhe who is infallible or never falls from His true state
• amṛtamhe who is nectar or immortality itself
• akṣaraḥhe who is imperishable or changeless

anvaya anapāyaḥ anantadṛṣṭiḥ aprameyaḥ ajarāmaraḥ anāvilaḥ apratihatiḥ acyutaḥ amṛtam akṣaraḥ [vartate]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note A run of names beginning with a-, 'not': the hymn describes him by what he is not. From here the names begin to follow the order of the alphabet, letter by letter.

• apratarkyaḥinconceivable, beyond logical reasoning
• akṣayaḥimperishable, undecaying
• ajayyaḥinvincible, unconquerable
• anādhāraḥwithout any external support, self-sustained
• anāmayaḥfree from disease or affliction
• amalaḥstainless, pure
• ameyasiddhiḥhe of immeasurable accomplishments or spiritual powers
• advaitamnon-duality, the one without a second
• aghoraḥnon-terrifying, gentle, benign
• agnisamānanaḥhe whose face is like fire, having a brilliant countenance

anvaya apratarkyaḥ akṣayaḥ ajayyaḥ anādhāraḥ anāmayaḥ amalaḥ ameyasiddhiḥ advaitam aghoraḥ agnisamānanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

aghoraḥ not fearsome — Aghora, 'the one who is not terrible', is also a name of Shiva and one of his five faces.

advaitam non-duality — The word is neuter, naming a truth rather than a person: he is that oneness itself.

• anākāraḥhe who is formless or devoid of physical shape
• abdhibhūmyagnibalaghnaḥthe destroyer of the strength of the ocean, earth, and fire (the elemental forces)
• avyaktalakṣaṇaḥhe whose characteristics or attributes are unmanifest
• ādhārapīṭhamthe foundational pedestal of all existence
• ādhāraḥthe ultimate support or substratum
• ādhārādheyavarjitaḥhe who is free from the dualistic distinction of the container and the contained

anvaya anākāraḥ abdhibhūmyagnibalaghnaḥ avyaktalakṣaṇaḥ ādhārapīṭham ādhāraḥ ādhārādheyavarjitaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• ākhuketanaḥhe whose banner or emblem is the mouse
• āśāpūrakaḥhe who fulfills all desires (or fills all directions)
• ākhumahārathaḥhe whose great chariot is the mouse
• ikṣusāgaramadhyasthaḥhe who resides in the middle of the ocean of sugarcane juice
• ikṣubhakṣaṇalālasaḥhe who is intensely fond of eating sugarcane

anvaya ākhuketanaḥ āśāpūrakaḥ ākhumahārathaḥ ikṣusāgaramadhyasthaḥ ikṣubhakṣaṇalālasaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ikṣusāgaramadhyasthaḥ living in the ocean of sugarcane juice — In Puranic geography the world is ringed by seven oceans, one of them of sugarcane juice. Ganesha's jewelled island is placed in it.

• ikṣucāpātirekaśrīḥwhose beauty is greater than the sugarcane bow
• ikṣucāpaniṣevitaḥhe who is associated with or holds the sugarcane bow (or is served by it)
• indragopasamānaśrīḥhe whose brilliant red complexion is like the indragopa insect (the scarlet velvet mite)
• indranīlasamadyutiḥhe whose dark blue lustre is like a sapphire

anvaya ikṣucāpātirekaśrīḥ ikṣucāpaniṣevitaḥ indragopasamānaśrīḥ indranīlasamadyutiḥ [saḥ] [vartate]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

indragopa the indragopa — A bright red velvet mite that appears on the ground with the first rains.

• indīvaradalaśyāmaḥhe who is dark-complexioned like the petal of a blue lotus
• indumaṇḍalamaṇḍitaḥhe who is adorned by the disc of the moon
• idhmapriyaḥhe who is fond of sacrificial fuel
• iḍābhāgaḥhe whose share is the sacrificial food or the earth
• iḍāvānhe who possesses speech, nourishment, or the earth
• indirāpriyaḥhe who is dear to Indira (Goddess Lakshmi)

anvaya indīvaradalaśyāmaḥ indumaṇḍalamaṇḍitaḥ idhmapriyaḥ iḍābhāgaḥ iḍāvān indirāpriyaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• ikṣvākuvighnavidhvaṃsīthe destroyer of the obstacles of King Ikshvaku (or the Ikshvaku dynasty)
• itikartavyatepsitaḥhe who is sought after as the ultimate duty (or through the performance of prescribed duties)
• īśānamauliḥhe who is the crown of Shiva (or has Shiva on His crown)
• īśānaḥthe supreme ruler or Lord
• īśānapriyaḥhe who is dear to Shiva (or to whom Shiva is dear)
• ītihāthe destroyer of natural calamities (such as drought, flood, pests, etc.)

anvaya ikṣvākuvighnavidhvaṃsī itikartavyatepsitaḥ īśānamauliḥ īśānaḥ īśānapriyaḥ ītihā [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ītihā destroyer of the itis — The itis are the calamities that ruin a harvest: drought, flood, locusts and the like.

• īṣaṇātrayakalpāntaḥhe who is the dissolution of the three types of worldly desires
• īhāmātravivarjitaḥhe who is completely free from even the slightest personal effort or desire
• upendraḥhe who is Upendra (Lord Vishnu)
• uḍubhṛnmauliḥhe who wears the moon (the bearer of stars) on His crown
• uḍunāthakarapriyaḥhe who is fond of the cool rays of the moon (the lord of stars)

anvaya īṣaṇātrayakalpāntaḥ īhāmātravivarjitaḥ upendraḥ uḍubhṛnmauliḥ uḍunāthakarapriyaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

īṣaṇātraya the three cravings — The three eshanas: the craving for wealth, for children, and for the world's good opinion.

• unnatānanaḥhe who has an elevated or lofty face
• uttuṅgaḥhe who is lofty or exalted
• udāraḥhe who is generous or noble
• tridaśāgraṇīḥthe leader of the thirty gods
• ūrjasvānhe who is mighty or powerful
• ūṣmalamadaḥhe whose elephantine rut is warm
• ūhāpohadurāsadaḥhe who is difficult to reach through reasoning and counter-reasoning

anvaya unnatānanaḥ uttuṅgaḥ udāraḥ tridaśāgraṇīḥ ūrjasvān ūṣmalamadaḥ ūhāpohadurāsadaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ūhāpohadurāsadaḥ beyond argument for and against — Uhapoha is reasoning back and forth. It does not get one to him.

• ṛgyajuḥsāmanayanaḥhe whose three eyes are the Rig, Yajur, and Sama Vedas
• ṛddhisiddhisamarpakaḥthe giver of prosperity and spiritual or material accomplishments
• ṛjucittaikasulabhaḥhe who is solely and easily attainable by those with straightforward minds
• ṛṇatrayavimocanaḥthe liberator from the three-fold debts to gods, sages, and ancestors

anvaya ṛgyajuḥsāmanayanaḥ ṛddhisiddhisamarpakaḥ ṛjucittaikasulabhaḥ ṛṇatrayavimocanaḥ

chandas Anustubh, 8 syllables x 4 padas

ṛṇatrayavimocanaḥ freeing from the three debts — The debts every person is born with: to the gods, to the sages, and to the ancestors.

• svabhaktānāmof His own devotees
• luptavighnaḥhe who has dissolved obstacles
• suradviṣāmof the enemies of the gods
• luptaśaktiḥhe who has dissolved the power
• vimukhārcānāmof those who are averse to worship
• luptaśrīḥhe who has dissolved the prosperity
• lūtāvisphoṭanāśanaḥhe who is the destroyer of spider-poison and eruptive boils

anvaya svabhaktānām luptavighnaḥ suradviṣām luptaśaktiḥ vimukhārcānām luptaśrīḥ lūtāvisphoṭanāśanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The vowel ḷ is almost never used, so the hymn fills its place in the alphabet with names beginning lupta, 'vanished'.

• ekārapīṭhamadhyasthaḥhe who is seated in the center of the pedestal of the letter 'e'
• ekapādakṛtāsanaḥhe who has established His posture on a single foot
• ejitākhiladaityaśrīḥhe by whom the prosperity of all the demons has been shaken
• edhitākhilasaṃśrayaḥhe by whom all those who take refuge are nourished

anvaya ekārapīṭhamadhyasthaḥ ekapādakṛtāsanaḥ ejitākhiladaityaśrīḥ edhitākhilasaṃśrayaḥ [vartate]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ekārapīṭha the seat of the letter e — In mantra practice the letter e is pictured as a triangle, the shape at the centre of a yantra.

• aiśvaryanidhiḥa treasure of lordship
• aiśvaryamsovereignty and lordship itself
• aihikāmuṣmikapradaḥthe giver of both earthly and heavenly benefits
• airammadasamonmeṣaḥhe whose flash of brilliance or awakening is like lightning
• airāvatasamānanaḥhe whose face is like that of Airāvata (the celestial elephant)

anvaya aiśvaryanidhiḥ aiśvaryam aihikāmuṣmikapradaḥ airammadasamonmeṣaḥ airāvatasamānanaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• oṅkāravācyaḥhe who is expressed or signified by Om
• oṅkāraḥOm itself
• ojasvānhe who is full of vital energy, splendour, and strength
• oṣadhīpatiḥthe lord of medicinal herbs (the Moon)
• audāryanidhiḥthe treasure-house of generosity and magnanimity
• auddhatyadhairyaḥhe who possesses both haughtiness (towards adversaries) and fortitude
• aunnatyaniḥsamaḥhe who is unequalled in height, elevation, or sublimity

anvaya oṅkāravācyaḥ oṅkāraḥ ojasvān oṣadhīpatiḥ audāryanidhiḥ auddhatyadhairyaḥ aunnatyaniḥsamaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

oṣadhīpatiḥ lord of the healing plants — Oshadhipati is usually a name of the moon, which is said to nourish plants.

• suranāgānāmof the divine elephants
• aṅkuśaḥthe goad
• aṅkuśākārasaṃsthitaḥestablished in the form of a goad
• samastavisargāntapadeṣuin all words ending with a visarga
• aḥthe letter 'aḥ'
• parikīrtitaḥis proclaimed

anvaya suranāgānām aṅkuśaḥ aṅkuśākārasaṃsthitaḥ samastavisargāntapadeṣu aḥ parikīrtitaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The hymn reaches aṃ and aḥ, the last of the vowel sounds, and makes names of them: the curved goad, and the visarga that closes a word.

• kamaṇḍaludharaḥhe who holds a water-pot
• kalpaḥthe competent one, or the cosmic cycle
• kapardīhe who has matted hair (like Shiva)
• kalabhānanaḥhe who has the face of a young elephant
• karmasākṣīthe witness of all actions
• karmakartāthe performer of actions
• karmākarmaphalapradaḥthe giver of the fruits of both action and inaction

anvaya [saḥ] kamaṇḍaludharaḥ kalpaḥ kapardī kalabhānanaḥ karmasākṣī karmakartā karmākarmaphalapradaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The consonants begin here with ka, and each verse from now on stays with one letter.

• kadambagolakākāraḥhe whose form is round like a Kadamba flower-globe
• kūṣmāṇḍagaṇanāyakaḥthe leader of the host of Kushmanda spirits
• kāruṇyadehaḥhe whose body is compassion itself
• kapilaḥthe tawny-coloured one
• kathakaḥthe narrator or storyteller
• kaṭisūtrabhṛthe who wears a waist-girdle

anvaya kadambagolakākāraḥ kūṣmāṇḍagaṇanāyakaḥ kāruṇyadehaḥ kapilaḥ kathakaḥ kaṭisūtrabhṛt [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kathakaḥ the storyteller — Perhaps a nod to Ganesha as the scribe of the Mahabharata, though the name itself only says 'narrator'.

• kharvaḥshort in stature
• khaḍgapriyaḥhe who is fond of the sword
• khaḍgaḥthe sword itself
• khāntāntaḥsthaḥdwelling within the innermost recess of space
• khanirmalaḥpure and spotless like the sky
• khalvāṭaśṛṅganilayaḥhe whose home is on bare mountain peaks
• khaṭvāṅgīthe bearer of the skull-topped staff
• khadurāsadaḥdifficult to be approached by the senses

anvaya [saḥ] kharvaḥ khaḍgapriyaḥ khaḍgaḥ khāntāntaḥsthaḥ khanirmalaḥ khalvāṭaśṛṅganilayaḥ khaṭvāṅgī khadurāsadaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

khaṭvāṅgī carrying the khatvanga — A staff topped with a skull, carried by Shiva and by some ascetics.

• guṇāḍhyaḥrich in virtues and excellent qualities
• gahanaḥdeep, mysterious, and unfathomable
• gadyaḥhe who is praised in prose, or who is of the form of prose
• gadyapadyasudhārṇavaḥan ocean of the nectar of prose and poetry
• gadyagānapriyaḥhe who is fond of prose compositions and singing
• garjaḥhe who roars majestically like an elephant or thunder
• gītagīrvāṇapūrvajaḥthe first-born or elder brother of the gods who are praised in song

anvaya guṇāḍhyaḥ gahanaḥ gadyaḥ gadyapadyasudhārṇavaḥ gadyagānapriyaḥ garjaḥ gītagīrvāṇapūrvajaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• guhyācārarataḥengrossed in secret rituals
• guhyaḥsecret or mysterious
• guhyāgamanirūpitaḥrevealed by esoteric scriptures
• guhāśayaḥdwelling in the cave of the heart
• guḍābdhisthaḥresiding in the ocean of molasses
• gurugamyaḥattainable through a spiritual preceptor
• guruḥthe spiritual preceptor
• guruḥthe teacher of teachers

anvaya guhyācārarataḥ guhyaḥ guhyāgamanirūpitaḥ guhāśayaḥ guḍābdhisthaḥ gurugamyaḥ guruḥ guruḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

guhāśayaḥ lying in the cave — The cave is the heart, where the Upanishads say the Self is hidden.

• ghaṇṭāghargharikāmālīhe who wears a garland of bells and small tinkling bells
• ghaṭakumbhaḥhe whose temples are like large water-pots
• ghaṭodaraḥwhose belly is round like a water pot
• ṅakāravācyaḥhe who is denoted by the syllable 'ṅa'
• ṅākāraḥhe whose form is the letter 'ṅa'
• ṅakārākāraśuṇḍabhṛthe who bears a trunk shaped like the letter 'ṅa'

anvaya ghaṇṭāghargharikāmālī ghaṭakumbhaḥ ghaṭodaraḥ ṅakāravācyaḥ ṅākāraḥ ṅakārākāraśuṇḍabhṛt [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ṅakārākāraśuṇḍabhṛt with a trunk shaped like ṅa — The Devanagari letter ङ curls much like an elephant's trunk.

• caṇḍaḥthe fierce or impetuous one
• caṇḍeśvaraḥthe Lord of the fierce
• caṇḍīthe wrathful one
• caṇḍeśaḥthe Lord of the fierce
• caṇḍavikramaḥhe of fierce and powerful valour
• carācarapitāthe father of all moving and unmoving beings
• cintāmaṇiḥthe wish-fulfilling gem
• carvaṇalālasaḥhe who is eagerly fond of chewing

anvaya [saḥ] caṇḍaḥ caṇḍeśvaraḥ caṇḍī caṇḍeśaḥ caṇḍavikramaḥ carācarapitā cintāmaṇiḥ carvaṇalālasaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

carvaṇalālasaḥ who loves chewing — A fond name for a god who loves modaks and sugarcane.

• chandaḥthe sacred Vedic metre
• chandodbhavaḥhe from whom the Vedas originate
• chandaḥfree will or desire
• durlakṣyaḥdifficult to be perceived or comprehended
• chandavigrahaḥhe whose physical form is the Vedas
• jagadyoniḥthe source of the universe
• jagatsākṣīthe witness of the universe
• jagadīśaḥthe Lord of the universe
• jaganmayaḥhe who is immanent in the universe

anvaya chandaḥ chandodbhavaḥ chandaḥ durlakṣyaḥ chandavigrahaḥ jagadyoniḥ jagatsākṣī jagadīśaḥ jaganmayaḥ [virājate]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

chandaḥ metre, will — The word comes twice, and is usually read two ways: first as the metres of the Veda, then as free will.

• japyaḥhe who is to be contemplated or muttered silently
• japaparaḥhe who is devoted to or absorbed in the repetition of prayers
• jāpyaḥhe who is the object of chanting, the mantra itself
• jihvāsiṃhāsanaprabhuḥthe Lord of the throne of the tongue, ruling over speech
• sravadgaṇḍollasaddhānajhaṅkāribhramarākulaḥcrowded by bees humming at the mada flowing from his temples

anvaya japyaḥ japaparaḥ jāpyaḥ jihvāsiṃhāsanaprabhuḥ sravadgaṇḍollasaddhānajhaṅkāribhramarākulaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• ṭaṅkārasphārasaṃrāvaḥhe whose loud clamour is like a clanging sound
• ṭaṅkāramaṇinūpuraḥhe whose jeweled anklets make a clanging sound
• ṭhadvayīpallavāntasthasarvamantreṣuin all mantras that have the double-ṭha ending situated at their close
• siddhidaḥthe giver of success

anvaya ṭaṅkārasphārasaṃrāvaḥ ṭaṅkāramaṇinūpuraḥ ṭhadvayīpallavāntasthasarvamantreṣu siddhidaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ṭhadvayī the double ṭha — In mantra code, 'two ṭhas' stands for svāhā, the word that closes many mantras.

• ḍiṇḍimuṇḍaḥwhose head is shaped like a small drum
• ḍākinīśaḥthe Lord of the Dākinīs (female semi-divine spirits)
• ḍāmaraḥthe formidable or chaotic one (associated with the retinue of Shiva)
• ḍiṇḍimapriyaḥhe who is fond of the diṇḍima drum
• ḍhakkāninādamuditaḥhe who is delighted by the sound of the dhakkā drum
• ḍhauṅkaḥhe who is approached or sought after (or the crow-like/formidable one)
• ḍhuṇḍhivināyakaḥthe Vināyaka named Dhuṇḍhi (the famous deity of Varanasi)

anvaya [saḥ] ḍiṇḍimuṇḍaḥ ḍākinīśaḥ ḍāmaraḥ ḍiṇḍimapriyaḥ ḍhakkāninādamuditaḥ ḍhauṅkaḥ ḍhuṇḍhivināyakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ḍhuṇḍhivināyakaḥ Dhundhi Vinayaka — The Ganesha of Kashi, whose shrine beside the Vishwanath temple pilgrims visit first.

• tattvānāmof the cosmic principles or elements
• prakṛtiḥthe primordial source or material cause
• tattvamthe ultimate reality or truth
• tattvampadanirūpitaḥpointed to by the words 'that' and 'you'
• tārakāntarasaṃsthānaḥhe whose home is within the saving mantra (Pranava) or amidst the stars
• tārakaḥthe deliverer or savior
• tārakāntakaḥthe destroyer of the demon Tāraka

anvaya tattvānām prakṛtiḥ tattvam tattvampadanirūpitaḥ tārakāntarasaṃsthānaḥ tārakaḥ tārakāntakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

tattvampadanirūpitaḥ described by the words tat and tvam — Tat tvam asi, 'you are that', the teaching of the Chandogya Upanishad.

tārakāntakaḥ slayer of Taraka — Taraka was the demon killed by Skanda. Here the victory is given to his brother.

• sthāṇuḥthe immovable one (or Lord Śiva)
• sthāṇupriyaḥhe who is dear to Sthāṇu (Śiva), or to whom Sthāṇu is dear
• sthātāthe creator, sustainer, or establisher
• sthāvaramthe immobile or stationary creation
• jaṅgamamthe mobile or moving creation
• jagatthe universe
• dakṣayajñapramathanaḥthe destroyer of Dakṣa's sacrifice
• dātāthe giver or giver
• dānamthe act of giving, charity, or the gift itself
• damaḥself-control or sensory restraint
• dayācompassion or mercy

anvaya sthāṇuḥ sthāṇupriyaḥ sthātā sthāvaram jaṅgamam jagat dakṣayajñapramathanaḥ dātā dānam damaḥ dayā [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

sthāṇuḥ the unmoving one — Sthanu, 'the pillar', is a name of Shiva sitting in deep meditation.

• dayāvāncompassionate, possessing mercy
• divyavibhavaḥhe who possesses divine or celestial glory and power
• daṇḍabhṛtthe wielder of the staff of justice or punishment
• daṇḍanāyakaḥthe leader of the army, or the dispenser of justice
• dantaprabhinnābhramālaḥhe whose tusk pierces the array of clouds due to His immense height
• daityavāraṇadāraṇaḥthe destroyer of the elephants of the demons

anvaya dayāvān divyavibhavaḥ daṇḍabhṛt daṇḍanāyakaḥ dantaprabhinnābhramālaḥ daityavāraṇadāraṇaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• daṃṣṭrālagnadvīpaghaṭaḥon whose tusk is attached the globe of the earth with its islands
• devārthanṛgajākṛtiḥwho assumed the form of a man and an elephant for the sake of the gods
• dhanamwealth itself
• dhanapateḥof Kubera (the lord of wealth)
• bandhuḥthe friend or kinsman
• dhanadaḥthe giver of wealth
• dharaṇīdharaḥthe supporter of the Earth

anvaya [saḥ] daṃṣṭrālagnadvīpaghaṭaḥ devārthanṛgajākṛtiḥ dhanam dhanapateḥ bandhuḥ dhanadaḥ dharaṇīdharaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

devārthanṛgajākṛtiḥ who took the form of man and elephant for the gods — The hymn treats his half-human, half-elephant body as a form he chose for the gods' sake.

• dhyānaikaprakaṭaḥhe who is revealed solely through meditation
• dhyeyaḥthe object of meditation
• dhyānammeditation itself
• dhyānaparāyaṇaḥhe who is deeply absorbed in meditation
• dhvaniprakṛticītkāraḥhe whose trumpeting is the primordial source of all sound
• brahmāṇḍāvalimekhalaḥhe who has the rows of universes as His girdle

anvaya [saḥ] dhyānaikaprakaṭaḥ dhyeyaḥ dhyānam dhyānaparāyaṇaḥ dhvaniprakṛticītkāraḥ brahmāṇḍāvalimekhalaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• nandyaḥhe who is delightful or fit to be rejoiced
• nandipriyaḥhe who is dear to Nandin (or who loves joy)
• nādaḥhe who is the syllable Om
• nādamadhyapratiṣṭhitaḥhe who is established in the midst of the syllable Om
• niṣkalaḥhe who is without parts or divisions
• nirmalaḥhe who is free from impurity or blemish
• nityaḥhe who is eternal and changeless
• nityānityaḥhe who is both the eternal and the transient
• nirāmayaḥhe who is free from disease or affliction

anvaya nandyaḥ nandipriyaḥ nādaḥ nādamadhyapratiṣṭhitaḥ niṣkalaḥ nirmalaḥ nityaḥ nityānityaḥ nirāmayaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• paramsupreme
• vyomaether
• paramsupreme
• dhāmahome
• paramātmāthe Supreme Self
• paramsupreme
• padamstate

anvaya param vyoma param dhāma paramātmā param padam [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (half-verse), 8 syllables × 2 pādas

note Only half a verse: four names, each built on para, 'highest'.

• parātparaḥhe who is higher than the highest
• paśupatiḥthe Lord of all bound souls
• paśupāśavimocanaḥthe liberator from the fetters of individual existence
• pūrṇānandaḥhe whose bliss is complete and infinite
• parānandaḥhe who is supreme bliss
• purāṇapuruṣottamaḥthe ancient supreme Person

anvaya parātparaḥ paśupatiḥ paśupāśavimocanaḥ pūrṇānandaḥ parānandaḥ purāṇapuruṣottamaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

paśupāśavimocanaḥ freeing the bound creature from its rope — In Shaiva teaching, pashu is the soul, pasha the bonds that hold it, and Pati the Lord who sets it free.

• padmaprasannavadanaḥhe whose face is as bright and serene as a fully blossomed lotus
• praṇatājñānanāśanaḥhe who destroys the spiritual ignorance of those who bow down to Him
• pramāṇapratyayātītaḥhe who transcends all standard means of valid proof and cognitive apprehensions
• praṇatārtinivāraṇaḥhe who removes the suffering and distress of those who bow down to Him

anvaya padmaprasannavadanaḥ praṇatājñānanāśanaḥ pramāṇapratyayātītaḥ praṇatārtinivāraṇaḥ [mahāgaṇapatiḥ] [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• phaṇihastaḥhe who holds a serpent in His hand (or has a serpent-like trunk)
• phaṇipatiḥthe Lord of serpents
• phūtkāraḥthe hissing sound (or He who manifests as the syllable Om)
• phaṇitapriyaḥhe who is fond of sweet words (or molasses)
• bāṇārcitāṅghriyugalaḥhe whose pair of feet is worshipped by the demon Bāṇa
• bālakelikutūhalīhe who is eager for childhood play
• brahmathe Supreme Brahman
• brahmārcitapadaḥhe whose feet are worshipped by Brahmā
• brahmacārīhe who is a celibate student (or established in Brahman)
• bṛhaspatiḥthe Lord of speech/wisdom (Bṛhaspati)

anvaya phaṇihastaḥ phaṇipatiḥ phūtkāraḥ phaṇitapriyaḥ bāṇārcitāṅghriyugalaḥ bālakelikutūhalī brahma brahmārcitapadaḥ brahmacārī bṛhaspatiḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 6 pādas

bāṇārcitāṅghriyugalaḥ whose feet Bana worshipped — Banasura, the thousand-armed demon king, was a great devotee of Shiva.

• bṛhattamaḥthe greatest, most expansive
• brahmaparaḥdevoted to Brahman or the Vedas
• brahmaṇyaḥbeneficent to spiritual seekers and Brahmanas
• brahmavitpriyaḥbeloved of the knowers of Brahman
• bṛhannādāgryacītkāraḥhe whose foremost trumpeting is a mighty sound
• brahmāṇḍāvalimekhalaḥhe who has the rows of universes as His girdle

anvaya [saḥ] bṛhattamaḥ brahmaparaḥ brahmaṇyaḥ brahmavitpriyaḥ bṛhannādāgryacītkāraḥ brahmāṇḍāvalimekhalaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note Some names repeat from earlier verses. A sahasranama often repeats a name on the way to its count of a thousand.

• bhrūkṣepadattalakṣmīkaḥhe who gives prosperity by a mere movement of His eyebrows
• bhargaḥthe effulgent destroyer of sins
• bhadraḥthe auspicious one
• bhayāpahaḥthe dispeller of fear
• bhagavānthe Lord possessing divine opulences
• bhaktisulabhaḥhe who is easily attained through devotion
• bhūtidaḥthe giver of prosperity
• bhūtibhūṣaṇaḥhe whose ornament is sacred ash

anvaya [saḥ] bhrūkṣepadattalakṣmīkaḥ bhargaḥ bhadraḥ bhayāpahaḥ bhagavān bhaktisulabhaḥ bhūtidaḥ bhūtibhūṣaṇaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

bhūtido bhūtibhūṣaṇaḥ giver of wealth, adorned with ash — Bhuti means both wealth and the sacred ash Shiva wears. The two names side by side play on both.

• bhavyaḥauspicious and beautiful
• bhūtālayaḥthe home of all beings
• bhogadātāthe giver of enjoyments
• bhrūmadhyagocaraḥperceptible in the space between the eyebrows
• mantraḥthe sacred mantra
• mantrapatiḥthe Lord of mantras
• mantrīthe counselor or possessor of mantras
• madamattaḥintoxicated with divine ecstasy or elephantine rut
• manaḥmind
• mayaḥconsisting of or pervaded by

anvaya bhavyaḥ bhūtālayaḥ bhogadātā bhrūmadhyagocaraḥ mantraḥ mantrapatiḥ mantrī madamattaḥ manaḥ mayaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

bhrūmadhyagocaraḥ seen between the eyebrows — The point between the brows, where attention is held in meditation.

• mekhalāhīśvaraḥthe Lord of the serpent-girdle
• mandagatiḥhe whose gait is slow and majestic
• mandanibhekṣaṇaḥhe whose eyes are gentle and soft-looking
• mahābalaḥhe who possesses immense strength
• mahāvīryaḥhe who possesses great valour
• mahāprāṇaḥhe who is the great life-force
• mahāmanāḥhe who is broad-minded or magnanimous

anvaya mekhalāhīśvaraḥ mandagatiḥ mandanibhekṣaṇaḥ mahābalaḥ mahāvīryaḥ mahāprāṇaḥ mahāmanāḥ [vartate]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

mandagatiḥ slow-moving — The unhurried walk of a great elephant.

• yajñaḥthe sacrifice itself
• yajñapatiḥthe Lord of sacrifice
• yajñagoptāthe protector of sacrifice
• yajñaphalapradaḥthe giver of the fruits of sacrifice
• yaśaskaraḥthe giver of fame and glory
• yogagamyaḥattainable through yoga and spiritual discipline
• yājñikaḥthe performer of sacrifices
• yājakapriyaḥhe to whom the performing priests are dear

anvaya yajñaḥ yajñapatiḥ yajñagoptā yajñaphalapradaḥ yaśaskaraḥ yogagamyaḥ yājñikaḥ yājakapriyaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• rasaḥtaste, the joy in things
• rasapriyaḥhe who is fond of taste or sweet juices
• rasyaḥhe who is worthy of being tasted or relished
• rañjakaḥhe who delights or pleases
• rāvaṇārcitaḥhe who was worshipped by Ravana
• rājyarakṣākaraḥhe who secures and protects kingdoms
• ratnagarbhaḥhe who contains precious gems within
• rājyasukhapradaḥhe who gives the happiness of sovereignty

anvaya rasaḥ rasapriyaḥ rasyaḥ rañjakaḥ rāvaṇārcitaḥ rājyarakṣākaraḥ ratnagarbhaḥ rājyasukhapradaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

rāvaṇārcitaḥ worshipped by Ravana — Ravana was a famous devotee of Shiva.

• lakṣaḥthe target or the measure of lakhs
• lakṣapatiḥthe lord of lakhs or infinite wealth
• lakṣyaḥthe ultimate goal of concentration
• layasthaḥabiding in dissolution or absorption
• laḍḍukapriyaḥhe who is fond of sweetmeat balls
• lāsapriyaḥhe who is fond of dance or play
• lāsyaparaḥdevoted to the gentle Lasya dance
• lābhakṛtthe giver of gain and prosperity
• lokaviśrutaḥrenowned throughout the worlds

anvaya lakṣaḥ lakṣapatiḥ lakṣyaḥ layasthaḥ laḍḍukapriyaḥ lāsapriyaḥ lāsyaparaḥ lābhakṛt lokaviśrutaḥ [asti]

chandas Anustubh, 8 syllables x 4 padas

laḍḍukapriyaḥ fond of laddus — Laddus and modaks are the sweets most often offered to Ganesha.

• vareṇyaḥmost excellent or pre-eminent
• vahnivadanaḥhaving fire as His mouth
• vandyaḥadorable or fit to be praised
• vedāntagocaraḥaccessible or known through Vedanta
• vikartāthe creator or transformer of the universe
• viśvataścakṣuḥall-seeing or having eyes on all sides
• vidhātāthe supreme ordainer or dispenser of destiny
• viśvatomukhaḥfacing all directions or having faces on all sides

anvaya vareṇyaḥ vahnivadanaḥ vandyaḥ vedāntagocaraḥ vikartā viśvataścakṣuḥ vidhātā viśvatomukhaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• vāmadevaḥvamadeva (the pleasing deity, or non-different from Lord Shiva)
• viśvanetāthe leader and guide of the universe
• vajrivajranivāraṇaḥthe neutralizer of the thunderbolt of Indra (the wielder of the Vajra)
• vivasvadbandhanaḥthe restrainer or binder of the Sun (Vivasvat)
• viśvādhāraḥthe support of the universe
• viśveśvaraḥthe Lord of the universe
• vibhuḥthe all-pervading, omnipresent Lord

anvaya vāmadevaḥ viśvanetā vajrivajranivāraṇaḥ vivasvadbandhanaḥ viśvādhāraḥ viśveśvaraḥ vibhuḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

vāmadevaḥ Vamadeva — The name of one of the five faces of Shiva.

• śabdabrahmathe Brahman in the form of the syllable Om
• śamaprāpyaḥattainable through mental peace and tranquility
• śambhuśaktigaṇeśvaraḥthe Lord of the hosts of Shambhu (Shiva) and Shakti (Parvati)
• śāstāthe cosmic ruler, teacher, or chastiser
• śikhāgranilayaḥhe whose home is at the peak of the crest (or the Sahasrara chakra)
• śaraṇyaḥthe ultimate refuge worthy of being sought
• śambareśvaraḥthe Lord of Shambara (the demon, or meaning water/illusion)

anvaya śabdabrahma śamaprāpyaḥ śambhuśaktigaṇeśvaraḥ śāstā śikhāgranilayaḥ śaraṇyaḥ śambareśvaraḥ [asi]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

śabdabrahma Brahman as sound — The teaching that the absolute is present in sound, and above all in the Veda and in mantra.

• ṣaḍṛtukusumasragvīhe who wears a garland of flowers from all six seasons
• ṣaḍādhāraḥhe who is the support of the six chakras (subtle energy centers)
• ṣaḍakṣaraḥhe whose mantra consists of six syllables
• saṃsāravaidyaḥhe who is the physician of transmigratory worldly existence
• sarvajñaḥhe who is all-knowing
• sarvabheṣajabheṣajamhe who is the ultimate remedy of all remedies

anvaya [saḥ] ṣaḍṛtukusumasragvī ṣaḍādhāraḥ ṣaḍakṣaraḥ saṃsāravaidyaḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvabheṣajabheṣajam [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

saṃsāravaidyaḥ physician of worldly life — The round of birth and death is pictured as an illness, and he is the one who cures it.

• sṛṣṭisthitilayakrīḍaḥhe whose play is the creation, preservation, and dissolution of the universe
• surakuñjarabhedakaḥhe who split or humbled the divine elephant Airāvata
• sindūritamahākumbhaḥhe whose large elephantine temples are smeared with red vermilion
• sadasadbhaktidāyakaḥhe who gives devotion upon both the good and the bad

anvaya sṛṣṭisthitilayakrīḍaḥ surakuñjarabhedakaḥ sindūritamahākumbhaḥ sadasadbhaktidāyakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

sindūritamahākumbhaḥ whose temples are red with sindoor — Sindoor is smeared on Ganesha's image, above all in Maharashtra.

• sākṣīthe witness (the silent observer of all)
• samudramathanaḥthe churner of the ocean (or He who facilitated the churning)
• svayaṃvedyaḥknowable only by Himself
• svadakṣiṇaḥgenerous to His own devotees
• svatantraḥindependent
• satyasaṅkalpaḥhe whose resolves are always realized
• sāmagānarataḥdelighted in the singing of the Sāma Veda
• sukhīblissful

anvaya sākṣī samudramathanaḥ svayaṃvedyaḥ svadakṣiṇaḥ svatantraḥ satyasaṅkalpaḥ sāmagānarataḥ sukhī [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

satyasaṅkalpaḥ whose resolve comes true — An Upanishadic description of the Self: what it wills, happens.

• haṃsaḥthe supreme swan (representing the pure soul or vital breath)
• hastipiśācīśaḥthe Lord of Hastipishachi (an esoteric Gāṇapatya deity)
• havanamthe act of offering oblations in the sacrificial fire
• havyakavyabhukthe consumer of offerings made to the gods and ancestors
• havyamthe sacrificial offering intended for the gods
• hutapriyaḥhe who is fond of fire-offerings
• hṛṣṭaḥthe joyful or delighted one
• hṛllekhāmantramadhyagaḥhe who resides in the center of the Hṛllekhā mantra (the seed-syllable Hrīṃ)

anvaya haṃsaḥ hastipiśācīśaḥ havanam havyakavyabhuk havyam hutapriyaḥ hṛṣṭaḥ hṛllekhāmantramadhyagaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

haṃsaḥ the swan — The swan stands for the soul, and for the breath, which is said to sound ham-sa.

hṛllekhā the syllable hrīṃ — Hrillekha is a name for the seed syllable hrīṃ.

• kṣetrādhipaḥthe lord of the field (representing sacred spaces, the body, or the cosmos)
• kṣamābhartāthe supporter of the Earth, or the sustainer of forgiveness
• kṣamākṣamaparāyaṇaḥthe ultimate resort of both forgiveness and wrath (or capability)
• kṣiprakṣemakaraḥthe swift giver of welfare, peace, and security
• kṣemānandaḥwhose joy is the well-being of others
• kṣoṇīsuradrumaḥthe wish-fulfilling tree for the gods of the earth (the brahmins or wise sages)

anvaya kṣetrādhipaḥ kṣamābhartā kṣamākṣamaparāyaṇaḥ kṣiprakṣemakaraḥ kṣemānandaḥ kṣoṇīsuradrumaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kṣoṇīsuradrumaḥ wish-tree of the earth's gods — The 'gods of the earth' are the brahmins, the keepers of learning.

note With kṣa, the last letter, the run through the alphabet is complete.

• dharmapradaḥthe giver of righteousness
• arthadaḥthe giver of wealth
• kāmadātāthe granter of desires
• saubhāgyavardhanaḥthe increaser of good fortune
• vidyāpradaḥthe giver of knowledge
• vibhavadaḥthe giver of prosperity
• bhuktimuktiphalapradaḥthe giver of the fruits of both worldly enjoyment and liberation

anvaya [saḥ] dharmapradaḥ arthadaḥ kāmadātā saubhāgyavardhanaḥ vidyāpradaḥ vibhavadaḥ bhuktimuktiphalapradaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note After the alphabet, the names turn to what Ganesha gives to those who worship him.

• ābhirūpyakaraḥthe giver of beauty, elegance, and suitability of form
• vīraśrīpradaḥthe giver of the glory and prosperity of heroes
• vijayapradaḥthe giver of victory
• sarvavaśyakaraḥthe creator of universal attraction or subjection, making all favorable
• garbhadoṣahāthe destroyer of defects or afflictions of the womb
• putrapautradaḥthe giver of sons and grandsons

anvaya [saḥ] ābhirūpyakaraḥ vīraśrīpradaḥ vijayapradaḥ sarvavaśyakaraḥ garbhadoṣahā putrapautradaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• medhādaḥgiver of intellect or wisdom
• kīrtidaḥgiver of fame or glory
• śokahārīdispeller of grief or sorrow
• daurbhāgyanāśanaḥdestroyer of ill-fortune or bad luck
• prativādimukhastambhaḥsilencer of the mouths of opponents or disputants
• ruṣṭacittaprasādanaḥpacifier of the minds of those who are angry

anvaya medhādaḥ kīrtidaḥ śokahārī daurbhāgyanāśanaḥ prativādimukhastambhaḥ ruṣṭacittaprasādanaḥ [vartate]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• parābhicāraśamanaḥthe pacifier of the malevolent magic of adversaries
• duḥkhahāthe destroyer of suffering
• bandhamokṣadaḥthe giver of liberation from bondage
• lavaḥthe time unit Lava
• truṭiḥthe time unit Truṭi
• kalāthe time unit Kalā
• kāṣṭhāthe time unit Kāṣṭhā
• nimeṣaḥthe time unit Nimeṣa (blink of an eye)
• tatparakṣaṇaḥthe time units Tatpara and Kṣaṇa (or He who is the supreme moment)

anvaya parābhicāraśamanaḥ duḥkhahā bandhamokṣadaḥ lavaḥ truṭiḥ kalā kāṣṭhā nimeṣaḥ tatparakṣaṇaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The hymn now names Ganesha as time itself, from its tiniest divisions up to the ages of the world.

• ghaṭīthe ghaṭī (a unit of 24 minutes)
• muhūrtaḥthe muhūrta (a unit of 48 minutes)
• praharaḥthe prahara (a watch of three hours)
• divāthe day
• naktamthe night
• aharniśamday and night
• pakṣaḥthe fortnight
• māsartvayanābdayugamthe aggregate of month, season, solstice, year, and epoch
• kalpaḥthe cosmic age
• mahālayaḥthe great dissolution (or supreme home)

anvaya [tvam] ghaṭī muhūrtaḥ praharaḥ divā naktam aharniśam pakṣaḥ māsartvayanābdayugam kalpaḥ mahālayaḥ [asi]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ghaṭī muhūrtaḥ ghati and muhurta — A ghati is twenty-four minutes, and a muhurta is forty-eight.

• rāśiḥthe zodiac sign
• tārāthe star or asterism
• tithiḥthe lunar day
• yogaḥthe astrological combination
• vāraḥthe solar weekday
• karaṇamthe half of a lunar day
• aṃśakamthe divisional degree or Navāṃśa
• lagnamthe ascendant or rising sign
• horāthe astrological hour
• kālacakramthe wheel of time
• meruḥmount Meru, the cosmic axis
• saptarṣayaḥthe Seven Sages constellation
• dhruvaḥthe Pole Star

anvaya rāśiḥ tārā tithiḥ yogaḥ vāraḥ karaṇam aṃśakam lagnam horā kālacakram meruḥ saptarṣayaḥ dhruvaḥ [asi]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note These are the working parts of the Hindu calendar and horoscope, each one named as Ganesha.

• rāhuḥrahu (the ascending node of the Moon)
• mandaḥsaturn (the slow-moving planet)
• kaviḥvenus (the poet or seer among planets)
• jīvaḥjupiter (the life-giver or preceptor)
• budhaḥmercury (the intelligent planet)
• bhaumaḥmars (the son of Earth)
• śaśīthe Moon
• raviḥthe Sun
• kālaḥtime (or cosmic destiny)
• sṛṣṭiḥcreation
• sthitiḥpreservation
• viśvamthe Universe
• sthāvaramthe immobile
• jaṅgamamthe mobile
• jagatthe world

anvaya rāhuḥ mandaḥ kaviḥ jīvaḥ budhaḥ bhaumaḥ śaśī raviḥ kālaḥ sṛṣṭiḥ sthitiḥ viśvam sthāvaram jaṅgamam jagat [asi]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

mandaḥ kavirjīvaḥ Saturn, Venus, Jupiter — Old names of the planets: Manda, 'the slow one', is Saturn, Kavi is Venus, and Jiva is Jupiter.

• bhūḥearth (the element earth)
• āpaḥwater (the element water)
• agniḥfire (the element fire)
• marutwind / Air (the element air)
• vyomaspace / Ether (the element space)
• ahaṅkṛtiḥego / I-ness (the cosmic ego-sense)
• prakṛtiḥprimordial Nature (the material cause of the universe)
• pumāncosmic Spirit / Purusha (the conscious principle)
• brahmāBrahma (the creator deity)
• viṣṇuḥVishnu (the preserver deity)
• śivaḥShiva (the auspicious deity)
• rudraḥRudra (the deity of dissolution)
• īśaḥisha (the Lord / Ishvara)
• śaktiḥshakti (the divine energy)
• sadāśivaḥsadashiva (the eternal auspicious Lord)

anvaya bhūḥ āpaḥ agniḥ marut vyoma ahaṅkṛtiḥ prakṛtiḥ pumān brahmā viṣṇuḥ śivaḥ rudraḥ īśaḥ śaktiḥ sadāśivaḥ [tvameva] [asi]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The first line runs through the principles that make up the world in Sankhya thought, and the second through the gods who rule it.

• tridaśāḥthe thirty-three gods
• pitaraḥthe ancestral manes
• siddhāḥthe perfected beings
• yakṣāḥthe nature spirits
• rakṣāṃsithe demons
• kinnarāḥthe celestial musicians
• siddhavidyādharāḥthe perfected Vidyadharas
• bhūtāḥthe spirits or elemental beings
• manuṣyāḥhuman beings
• paśavaḥbeasts or animals
• khagāḥbirds

anvaya tridaśāḥ pitaraḥ siddhāḥ yakṣāḥ rakṣāṃsi kinnarāḥ siddhavidyādharāḥ bhūtāḥ manuṣyāḥ paśavaḥ khagāḥ [tvam] [asi]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note Every kind of being, from the gods down to the birds, is named as Ganesha.

• samudrāḥthe oceans
• saritaḥthe rivers
• śailāḥthe mountains
• bhūtamthe past (or that which has been)
• bhavyamthe future (or that which is to be)
• bhavodbhavaḥthe source of existence (or the present / born of Shiva)
• sāṅkhyamthe Sāṅkhya philosophy
• pātañjalamthe Pātañjala system (Yoga of Patanjali)
• yogamthe system of Yoga
• purāṇānithe Purāṇas (ancient lore)
• śrutiḥthe Śruti (Vedas / revealed scripture)
• smṛtiḥthe Smṛti (remembered tradition / codes of law)

anvaya samudrāḥ saritaḥ śailāḥ bhūtam bhavyam bhavodbhavaḥ sāṅkhyam pātañjalam yogam purāṇāni śrutiḥ smṛtiḥ [ca] [tvam] [asi]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• vedāṅgānithe auxiliary limbs of the Vedas (six in number: Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Chandas, Nirukta, Jyotiṣa, and Kalpa)
• sadācāraḥrighteous conduct (the traditional behavior of virtuous people)
• mīmāṃsāthe philosophical system of Mimamsa (inquiry into Vedic ritual and philosophy)
• nyāyavistaraḥthe detailed system of Nyaya (logic and epistemology)
• āyurvedaḥthe science of life (traditional Indian medicine)
• dhanurvedaḥthe science of archery (military science and warfare)
• gāndharvamthe art of the Gandharvas (music and dance)
• kāvyanāṭakampoetry and drama

anvaya vedāṅgāni sadācāraḥ mīmāṃsā nyāyavistaraḥ āyurvedaḥ dhanurvedaḥ gāndharvam kāvyanāṭakam [tvam] [asi]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

vedāṅgāni the limbs of the Veda — The six supporting sciences: phonetics, ritual, grammar, etymology, metre and astronomy.

• vaikhānasamthe Vaikhānasa tradition (an ancient Vaishnava Agama)
• bhāgavatamthe Bhāgavata tradition (devotional Vaishnavism)
• mānuṣamthe human system or code of Manu
• pāñcarātrakamthe Pāñcarātra system (a major Vaishnava Agama)
• śaivamthe Śaiva tradition
• pāśupatamthe Pāśupata system (an ancient Śaiva sect)
• kālāmukhamthe Kālamukha sect (an ascetic Śaiva order)
• bhairavaśāsanamthe doctrine or rule of Bhairava (the Bhairava Tantra)

anvaya vaikhānasam bhāgavatam mānuṣam pāñcarātrakam śaivam pāśupatam kālāmukham bhairavaśāsanam [ca] [tvam] [asi]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The hymn names the great schools of worship, Vaishnava, Shaiva and tantric, and calls every one of them Ganesha.

• śāktamthe Shakta system
• vaināyakamthe Vainayaka system
• sauramthe Saura system
• jainamthe Jaina system
• ārhatasaṃhitāthe compendium of the Arhats
• satthe existent reality
• asatthe non-existent
• vyaktamthe manifest
• avyaktamthe unmanifest
• sacetanamthe conscious
• acetanamthe unconscious

anvaya śāktam vaināyakam sauram jainam ārhatasaṃhitā sat asat vyaktam avyaktam sacetanam acetanam [asti]

chandas Anustubh, 8 syllables x 4 padas

note Even the Jain teaching is included. The verse ends by folding every pair of opposites into him.

• bandhaḥbondage
• mokṣaḥliberation
• sukhamhappiness
• bhogaḥenjoyment
• yogaḥunion
• satyamtruth
• aṇuḥthe atom
• mahānthe great
• svastiauspiciousness
• humphaṭthe mantra Hum-Phat
• svadhāthe offering mantra Svadha
• svāhāthe offering mantra Svaha
• śrauṣaṭthe sacrificial exclamation Shrausat
• vauṣaṭthe sacrificial exclamation Vausat
• vaṣaṭthe sacrificial exclamation Vasat
• namaḥthe salutation Namah
• jñānamknowledge
• vijñānamwisdom
• ānandaḥbliss
• bodhaḥawakening
• saṃvitpure consciousness
• samaḥthe equal
• asamaḥthe peerless
• ekaḥthe One
• ekākṣarādhāraḥthe support of the single syllable
• ekākṣaraparāyaṇaḥhe who is devoted to the single syllable

anvaya bandhaḥ mokṣaḥ sukham bhogaḥ yogaḥ satyam aṇuḥ mahān svasti humphaṭ svadhā svāhā śrauṣaṭ vauṣaṭ vaṣaṭ namaḥ jñānam vijñānam ānandaḥ bodhaḥ saṃvit samaḥ asamaḥ ekaḥ ekākṣarādhāraḥ ekākṣaraparāyaṇaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas (two verses)

svasti humphaṭ svadhā svāhā the ritual calls — The calls used in fire rituals and mantras. They are sounds with ritual uses and are chanted as they are.

ekākṣara the one syllable — Om, or Ganesha's own seed syllable gaṃ.

note Two verses are printed here as one block.

• ekāgradhīḥhe whose intellect is single-pointed
• ekavīraḥthe sole hero
• ekaḥthe One (non-dual absolute)
• anekasvarūpadhṛkhe who assumes manifold forms
• dvirūpaḥhe who has two forms
• dvibhujaḥhe who has two arms
• dvyakṣaḥhe who has two eyes
• dviradaḥhe who has two tusks (the elephant-faced Lord)
• dvīparakṣakaḥthe protector of the islands or continents

anvaya ekāgradhīḥ ekavīraḥ ekaḥ anekasvarūpadhṛk dvirūpaḥ dvibhujaḥ dvyakṣaḥ dviradaḥ dvīparakṣakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The names now count upward: one, two, three and onward, with each number giving a set of names.

• dvaimāturaḥhe who has two mothers (Pārvatī and Mālinī)
• dvivadanaḥhe who has two faces
• dvandvahīnaḥhe who is free from dualities (such as pleasure and pain)
• dvayātigaḥhe who transcends duality
• tridhāmāhe who has three homes or states of consciousness
• trikaraḥhe who has three hands or rays
• tretāthe triad (representing the Tretā Yuga or the three sacred fires)
• trivargaphaladāyakaḥhe who gives the fruits of the three goals of life (Dharma, Artha, and Kāma)

anvaya dvaimāturaḥ dvivadanaḥ dvandvahīnaḥ dvayātigaḥ tridhāmā trikaraḥ tretā trivargaphaladāyakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

dvaimāturaḥ the one with two mothers — An old name of Ganesha, listed in the Amarakosha. Different stories name his two mothers differently.

trivarga the three aims — Dharma, artha and kama: right living, wealth and pleasure.

• triguṇātmāwhose nature is the three gunas
• trilokādiḥthe origin of the three worlds
• triśaktīśaḥthe Lord of the three powers (will, knowledge, and action)
• trilocanaḥthe three-eyed one
• caturvidhavacovṛttiparivṛttipravartakaḥthe instigator of the evolution and manifestation of the fourfold modes of speech

anvaya triguṇātmā trilokādiḥ triśaktīśaḥ trilocanaḥ caturvidhavacovṛttiparivṛttipravartakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• caturbāhuḥhe who has four arms
• caturdantaḥhe who has four tusks
• caturātmāhe who has a fourfold nature or soul
• caturbhujaḥhe who has four arms
• caturvidhopāyamayaḥhe who embodies the four expedients of statecraft
• caturvarṇāśramāśrayaḥhe who is the refuge of the four classes and stages of life
• caturthīpūjanaprītaḥhe who is pleased by worship on the fourth lunar day
• caturthītithisambhavaḥhe whose manifestation is associated with the fourth lunar day
• pañcākṣarātmāwho is the five-syllable mantra
• pañcātmāhe who is fivefold in nature
• pañcāsyaḥhe who has five faces
• pañcakṛttamaḥthe supreme performer of the five cosmic acts

anvaya [saḥ] caturbāhuḥ caturdantaḥ caturātmā caturbhujaḥ caturvidhopāyamayaḥ caturvarṇāśramāśrayaḥ caturthīpūjanaprītaḥ caturthītithisambhavaḥ pañcākṣarātmā pañcātmā pañcāsyaḥ pañcakṛttamaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas (two verses)

caturthītithisambhavaḥ born on the fourth lunar day — The reason Chaturthi is his day, and why Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of the bright half of Bhadrapada.

caturvidhopāyamayaḥ made of the four means — The four ways of dealing with others in old Indian statecraft: persuasion, gifts, division and force.

pañcakṛttamaḥ best at the five acts — The five acts of the Lord: creating, keeping, dissolving, veiling and giving grace.

note Two verses are printed here as one block.

• pañcādhāraḥhe who has five supports (the five cosmic elements or states of consciousness)
• pañcavarṇaḥhe who has five colours (representing cosmic diversity or five aspects)
• pañcākṣaraparāyaṇaḥhe who is devoted to or is the supreme goal of the five-syllabled mantra
• pañcatālaḥhe who has five rhythms (of cosmic time) or is measured by five spans
• pañcakaraḥhe who has five hands (four arms and the trunk acting as the fifth)
• pañcapraṇavamātṛkaḥhe whose source or letters consist of the five pranavas

anvaya pañcādhāraḥ pañcavarṇaḥ pañcākṣaraparāyaṇaḥ pañcatālaḥ pañcakaraḥ pañcapraṇavamātṛkaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

pañcakaraḥ five-handed — Four arms, and the trunk, which he uses as a fifth hand.

• pañcabrahmamayasphūrtiḥhe whose manifestation consists of the five Brahmas (Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpuruṣa, and Īśāna)
• pañcāvaraṇavāritaḥhe who is surrounded by five concentric protective enclosures
• pañcabhakṣapriyaḥhe who is fond of the five types of edible offerings (bhakṣya, bhojya, lehya, coṣya, peya)
• pañcabāṇaḥhe who holds the five flower-arrows
• pañcaśikhātmakaḥwho has five crests

anvaya pañcabrahmamayasphūrtiḥ pañcāvaraṇavāritaḥ pañcabhakṣapriyaḥ pañcabāṇaḥ pañcaśikhātmakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

pañcabrahma the five Brahmas — The five faces of Shiva: Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusha and Ishana.

pañcabāṇaḥ holding five arrows — The five flower arrows of Kama.

• ṣaṭkoṇapīṭhaḥhe whose seat is the six-angled yantra
• ṣaṭcakradhāmāhe whose home is the six cakras of the subtle body
• ṣaḍgranthibhedakaḥhe who pierces the six knots of spiritual ignorance
• ṣaḍaṅgadhvāntavidhvaṃsīhe who destroys the darkness of ignorance regarding the six limbs of Vedic learning
• ṣaḍaṅgulamahāhradaḥhe who is the great lake of divine nectar measured by six fingers

anvaya [saḥ] ṣaṭkoṇapīṭhaḥ ṣaṭcakradhāmā ṣaḍgranthibhedakaḥ ṣaḍaṅgadhvāntavidhvaṃsī ṣaḍaṅgulamahāhradaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

note The last name, the lake six fingers wide, belongs to yogic teaching and its exact sense is not settled.

• ṣaṇmukhaḥhe who has six faces
• ṣaṇmukhabhrātāthe brother of the six-faced Lord Kartikeya
• ṣaṭśaktiparivāritaḥhe who is surrounded by the six Shaktis
• ṣaḍvairivargavidhvaṃsīthe destroyer of the group of six internal enemies
• ṣaḍūrmibhayabhañjanaḥthe dispeller of the fear of the six waves of existence

anvaya ṣaṇmukhaḥ ṣaṇmukhabhrātā ṣaṭśaktiparivāritaḥ ṣaḍvairivargavidhvaṃsī ṣaḍūrmibhayabhañjanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ṣaḍvairivarga the six inner enemies — Desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride and envy.

ṣaḍūrmi the six waves — Hunger and thirst, grief and confusion, old age and death, which toss every living being.

• ṣaṭtarkadūraḥhe who is far beyond the six systems of philosophical logic
• ṣaṭkarmāhe who is characterized by the sixfold duties or cosmic actions
• ṣaḍguṇaḥhe who possesses the six divine attributes or political expedients
• ṣaḍrasāśrayaḥhe who is the locus or refuge of the six tastes or aesthetic sentiments
• saptapātālacaraṇaḥhe whose feet are the seven underworlds
• saptadvīporumaṇḍalaḥwhose thighs are the seven continents

anvaya ṣaṭtarkadūraḥ ṣaṭkarmā ṣaḍguṇaḥ ṣaḍrasāśrayaḥ saptapātālacaraṇaḥ saptadvīporumaṇḍalaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ṣaḍrasa the six tastes — Sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent.

• saptasvarlokamukuṭaḥhe whose crown is the seven heavenly worlds
• saptasaptivarapradaḥhe who gives boons upon the Sun-god
• saptāṅgarājyasukhadaḥhe who grants the prosperity of a seven-limbed kingdom
• saptarṣigaṇavanditaḥhe who is saluted by the host of the seven celestial sages

anvaya saptasvarlokamukuṭaḥ saptasaptivarapradaḥ saptāṅgarājyasukhadaḥ saptarṣigaṇavanditaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

saptasaptiḥ the one with seven horses — A name of the sun.

saptāṅgarājya a kingdom of seven limbs — King, minister, land, fort, treasure, army and ally.

• saptacchandonidhiḥthe treasure-house of the seven Vedic metres
• saptahotraḥhe who has seven sacrificial priests
• saptasvarāśrayaḥthe refuge of the seven musical notes
• saptābdhikelikāsāraḥhe for whom the seven oceans are play-ponds
• saptamātṛniṣevitaḥhe who is served by the seven divine mothers

anvaya [saḥ] saptacchandonidhiḥ saptahotraḥ saptasvarāśrayaḥ saptābdhikelikāsāraḥ saptamātṛniṣevitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• saptacchandaḥhe who is embodied as the seven Vedic metres
• modamadaḥhe who is exhilarated with joy
• saptacchandaḥhe who is associated with the seven Vedic metres
• makhaprabhuḥthe Lord of sacrifices
• aṣṭamūrtiḥhe who has eight cosmic forms
• dhyeyamūrtiḥhe whose form is the object of meditation
• aṣṭaprakṛtikāraṇamthe cause of the eightfold primordial nature

anvaya saptacchandaḥ modamadaḥ saptacchandaḥ makhaprabhuḥ aṣṭamūrtiḥ dhyeyamūrtiḥ aṣṭaprakṛtikāraṇam [vartate]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

aṣṭamūrtiḥ of eight forms — Earth, water, fire, air, space, sun, moon and the one who performs the sacrifice: the eight forms of Shiva.

• aṣṭāṅgayogaphalabhṛtthe bearer (or giver) of the fruit of the eight-limbed yoga
• aṣṭapatrāmbujāsanaḥhe whose seat is an eight-petalled lotus
• aṣṭaśaktisamānaśrīḥhe whose splendour is equal to the eight Shaktis
• aṣṭaiśvaryapravardhanaḥhe who increases the eightfold lordships

anvaya [saḥ] aṣṭāṅgayogaphalabhṛt aṣṭapatrāmbujāsanaḥ aṣṭaśaktisamānaśrīḥ aṣṭaiśvaryapravardhanaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

aṣṭāṅgayoga the eight-limbed yoga — Patanjali's eight limbs: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

• aṣṭapīṭhopapīṭhaśrīḥhe who possesses the glory of the eight primary and secondary sacred seats
• aṣṭamātṛsamāvṛtaḥhe who is surrounded by the eight mother-goddesses
• aṣṭabhairavasevyaḥhe who is served by the eight Bhairavas
• aṣṭavasuvandyaḥhe who is praised by the eight Vasus
• aṣṭamūrtibhṛthe who bears eight cosmic forms

anvaya aṣṭapīṭhopapīṭhaśrīḥ aṣṭamātṛsamāvṛtaḥ aṣṭabhairavasevyaḥ aṣṭavasuvandyaḥ aṣṭamūrtibhṛt [vartate]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• aṣṭacakrasphuranmūrtiḥhe whose form shines within the eight chakras (psychic centers)
• aṣṭadravyahaviḥpriyaḥhe who is fond of oblations made of eight specific substances
• aṣṭaśrīḥhe who possesses the eightfold prosperity
• aṣṭasāmaśrīḥhe who possesses the glory of the eight Saman chants
• aṣṭaiśvaryapradāyakaḥhe who gives the eightfold divine powers
• navanāgāsanādhyāsīhe who sits upon a seat composed of nine great serpents
• navanidhyanuśāsitaḥhe who is obeyed by the nine treasures

anvaya aṣṭacakrasphuranmūrtiḥ aṣṭadravyahaviḥpriyaḥ aṣṭaśrīḥ aṣṭasāmaśrīḥ aṣṭaiśvaryapradāyakaḥ navanāgāsanādhyāsī navanidhyanuśāsitaḥ [vartate]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 6 pādas (three-line verse)

aṣṭadravya the eight substances — A set of eight offerings made in Ganesha's fire worship. The exact list differs between traditions.

• navadvārapurāvṛttaḥabiding in the city of nine gates (the physical body)
• navadvāraniketanaḥhe whose dwelling is the nine-gated city
• navanāthamahānāthaḥthe supreme Lord of the nine Nathas (great masters)
• navanāgavibhūṣitaḥadorned with nine serpents

anvaya [saḥ] navadvārapurāvṛttaḥ navadvāraniketanaḥ navanāthamahānāthaḥ navanāgavibhūṣitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

navadvārapura the city of nine gates — The body, with its nine openings, as the Bhagavad Gita also calls it.

• navanārāyaṇaḥthe collective group of nine Narayanas
• tulyaḥequal to
• navadurgāniṣevitaḥserved and adored by the nine forms of Goddess Durga
• navaratnavicitrāṅgaḥhe whose body is beautifully adorned with the nine precious gems
• navaśaktiśiroddhṛtaḥborne on the heads of the nine Shaktis (cosmic energies)

anvaya navanārāyaṇaḥ tulyaḥ navadurgāniṣevitaḥ navaratnavicitrāṅgaḥ navaśaktiśiroddhṛtaḥ [saḥ] [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• daśātmakaḥhe whose nature is tenfold (or who has ten forms)
• daśabhujaḥhe who has ten arms
• daśadikpativanditaḥhe who is saluted by the guardians of the ten directions
• daśādhyāyaḥhe who is the subject of ten chapters
• daśaprāṇaḥhe who possesses the ten vital breaths
• daśendriyaniyāmakaḥhe who is the controller of the ten senses

anvaya daśātmakaḥ daśabhujaḥ daśadikpativanditaḥ daśādhyāyaḥ daśaprāṇaḥ daśendriyaniyāmakaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

daśabhujaḥ ten-armed — Maha Ganapati is pictured with ten arms.

• daśākṣaramahāmantraḥhe who is the great ten-syllable mantra
• daśāśāvyāpivigrahaḥhe whose physical form pervades the ten directions
• ekādaśamahārudraiḥby the eleven great Rudras
• stutaḥpraised
• caand
• ekādaśākṣaraḥhe who is of eleven syllables

anvaya daśākṣaramahāmantraḥ daśāśāvyāpivigrahaḥ ekādaśamahārudraiḥ stutaḥ ca ekādaśākṣaraḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• dvādaśadvidaśāṣṭādidordaṇḍāstraniketanaḥhe who is the repository of weapons in His twelve, twenty, eight, etc. staff-like arms
• trayodaśabhidābhinnaḥhe who is distinguished by thirteen divisions (or undivided despite thirteen divisions)
• viśvedevādhidaivatamthe supreme presiding deity of the Viśvedevas

anvaya dvādaśadvidaśāṣṭādidordaṇḍāstraniketanaḥ trayodaśabhidābhinnaḥ viśvedevādhidaivatam [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• caturdaśendravaradaḥthe giver of boons upon the fourteen Indras
• caturdaśamanuprabhuḥthe Lord of the fourteen Manus
• caturdaśādyavidyāḍhyaḥhe who is rich in the fourteen primary branches of knowledge
• caturdaśajagatpatiḥthe Lord of the fourteen worlds

anvaya [saḥ] caturdaśendravaradaḥ caturdaśamanuprabhuḥ caturdaśādyavidyāḍhyaḥ caturdaśajagatpatiḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

caturdaśamanu the fourteen Manus — Each age of the world has its own Manu and its own Indra, fourteen of each in a kalpa.

• sāmapañcadaśaḥhe who is the fifteen-fold Sāma chant (the Pañcadaśa-stoma of Sāmaveda)
• pañcadaśīśītāṃśunirmalaḥpure as the full moon
• tithipañcadaśākāraḥhe whose form is the fifteenth tithi (Pūrṇimā, representing completeness)
• tithyāby the tithi (specifically the fifteenth tithi, or the lunar day)
• pañcadaśārcitaḥworshipped by fifteen (modes of worship/upacāras, or by the fifteen other tithis/digits)

anvaya sāmapañcadaśaḥ pañcadaśīśītāṃśunirmalaḥ tithipañcadaśākāraḥ tithyā pañcadaśārcitaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• ṣoḍaśādhāranilayaḥwhose home is the sixteen yogic supports
• ṣoḍaśasvaramātṛkaḥwhose forms are the sixteen vocalic sounds of the Sanskrit alphabet
• ṣoḍaśāntapadāvāsaḥwhose dwelling is the state beyond the sixteenth level
• ṣoḍaśendukalātmakaḥwhose essential nature consists of the sixteen digits of the moon

anvaya [saḥ] ṣoḍaśādhāranilayaḥ ṣoḍaśasvaramātṛkaḥ ṣoḍaśāntapadāvāsaḥ ṣoḍaśendukalātmakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• kalāsaptadaśīthe seventeenth digit of the moon (representing supreme nectar)
• saptadaśasaptadaśākṣaraḥhe who is the seventeen-syllabled mantra in seventeen forms
• aṣṭādaśadvīpapatiḥthe lord of the eighteen islands
• aṣṭādaśapurāṇakṛtthe creator of the eighteen Purāṇas

anvaya [saḥ] kalāsaptadaśī saptadaśasaptadaśākṣaraḥ aṣṭādaśadvīpapatiḥ aṣṭādaśapurāṇakṛt [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

kalāsaptadaśī the seventeenth kala — The moon has sixteen phases. The seventeenth is the undying one beyond them all.

• aṣṭādaśauṣadhīsṛṣṭiḥthe creator of the eighteen types of medicinal herbs
• aṣṭādaśavidhiḥthe very form of the eighteen-fold ritual rules
• smṛtaḥis remembered or declared
• aṣṭādaśalipivyaṣṭisamaṣṭijñānakovidaḥskilled in both the individual and collective knowledge of the eighteen scripts

anvaya [saḥ] aṣṭādaśauṣadhīsṛṣṭiḥ aṣṭādaśavidhiḥ smṛtaḥ [tathā] aṣṭādaśalipivyaṣṭisamaṣṭijñānakovidaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

• aṣṭādaśānnasampattiḥhe who is the source of abundance of the eighteen kinds of food or grains
• aṣṭādaśavijātikṛthe who is the creator of the eighteen classes or guilds of beings
• ekaviṃśaḥthe twenty-first
• pumānthe Supreme Spirit or Primordial Male
• ekaviṃśatyaṅgulipallavaḥhe whose twenty-one fingers and toes are like tender sprouts

anvaya aṣṭādaśānnasampattiḥ aṣṭādaśavijātikṛt ekaviṃśaḥ pumān ekaviṃśatyaṅgulipallavaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ekaviṃśatyaṅgulipallavaḥ with twenty-one digits soft as young leaves — Ten fingers, ten toes, and the trunk as the twenty-first. The number twenty-one runs all through Ganesha's worship, as in the twenty-one blades of durva.

• caturviṃśatitattvātmāwho is the twenty-four principles
• pañcaviṃśākhyapūruṣaḥthe Supreme Spirit (Puruṣa) known as the twenty-fifth principle
• saptaviṃśatitāreśaḥthe Lord of the twenty-seven stars
• saptaviṃśatiyogakṛtthe creator of the twenty-seven astrological yogas

anvaya caturviṃśatitattvātmā pañcaviṃśākhyapūruṣaḥ saptaviṃśatitāreśaḥ saptaviṃśatiyogakṛt [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

pañcaviṃśākhyapūruṣaḥ the Person called the twenty-fifth — In Sankhya the world is made of twenty-four principles, and purusha, pure spirit, is counted as the twenty-fifth.

• dvātriṃśadbhairavādhīśaḥthe lord of the thirty-two Bhairavas
• catustriṃśanmahāhradaḥhe who has thirty-four great lakes
• ṣaṭtriṃśattattvasambhūtiḥthe source of the thirty-six cosmic principles
• aṣṭatriṃśatkalātmakaḥwho is made of the thirty-eight kalas

anvaya dvātriṃśadbhairavādhīśaḥ catustriṃśanmahāhradaḥ ṣaṭtriṃśattattvasambhūtiḥ aṣṭatriṃśatkalātmakaḥ [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

ṣaṭtriṃśattattva the thirty-six principles — The Shaiva count of the principles of reality, from Shiva down to earth.

• pañcāśadviṣṇuśaktīśaḥthe lord of the fifty Shaktis of Vishnu
• pañcāśanmātṛkālayaḥthe home of the fifty Matrikas (mother-letters of the alphabet)
• dvipañcāśadvapuḥśreṇīhe who has fifty-two series of forms (or letters as His body)
• triṣaṣṭyakṣarasaṃśrayaḥthe refuge of the sixty-three letters of the alphabet
• pañcāśadakṣaraśreṇīhe who has the fifty letters as His series (of limbs)
• pañcāśadrudravigrahaḥhe whose body is composed of the fifty Rudras

anvaya pañcāśadviṣṇuśaktīśaḥ pañcāśanmātṛkālayaḥ dvipañcāśadvapuḥśreṇī triṣaṣṭyakṣarasaṃśrayaḥ pañcāśadakṣaraśreṇī pañcāśadrudravigrahaḥ [saḥ] [asti]

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 6 pādas

pañcāśanmātṛkā the fifty mother letters — The fifty letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, worshipped as goddesses in mantra practice.

• catuḥṣaṣṭimahāsiddhiyoginīvṛndavanditaḥhe who is saluted by the host of sixty-four great Siddha-Yoginis
• namadekonapañcāśanmarudvarganirargalaḥhe who is unobstructed and before whom the bowing group of forty-nine Maruts prostrate

anvaya [saḥ] catuḥṣaṣṭimahāsiddhiyoginīvṛndavanditaḥ namadekonapañcāśanmarudvarganirargalaḥ [asti]

chandas Anustubh, 8 syllables x 4 padas

ekonapañcāśanmarut the forty-nine Maruts — The gods of the storm winds, counted as forty-nine.

• catuḥṣaṣṭyarthanirṇetāthe determiner of the meanings of the sixty-four systems of knowledge
• catuḥṣaṣṭikalānidhiḥthe treasure-house of the sixty-four arts
• aṣṭaṣaṣṭimahātīrthakṣetrabhairavavanditaḥworshipped by the Bhairavas of the sixty-eight great pilgrimage waters and sacred fields

anvaya catuḥṣaṣṭyarthanirṇetā catuḥṣaṣṭikalānidhiḥ aṣṭaṣaṣṭimahātīrthakṣetrabhairavavanditaḥ

chandas Anuṣṭubh, 8 syllables × 4 pādas

catuḥṣaṣṭikalā the sixty-four arts — The classical list of arts and skills, from music and painting to cooking and verse.

• caturnavatimantrātmāwho is the ninety-four mantras
• ṣaṇṇavatyadhikaprabhuḥthe Lord who exceeds ninety-six (tattvas/principles)
• śatānandaḥhe who possesses hundredfold bliss
• śatadhṛtiḥhe who has hundredfold steadfastness (or who is the cosmic sustainer)
• śatapatrāyatekṣaṇaḥhe whose large eyes are like a lotus

anvaya caturnavatimantrātmā ṣaṇṇavatyadhikaprabhuḥ śatānandaḥ śatadhṛtiḥ śatapatrāyatekṣaṇaḥ

chandas Anustubh, 8 syllables x 4 padas