Sunday, August 23, 2009

meditate upon ganesh - गणनायकाय गणदेवताय गणाध्यक्षाय धीमहि ।



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॥ श्री गजानन प्रसन्न ॥

गणनायकाय गणदेवताय गणाध्यक्षाय धीमहि ।
गुणशरीराय गुणमण्डिताय गुणेशानाय धीमहि ।
गुणातीताय गुणाधीशाय गुणप्रविष्टाय धीमहि ।
एकदंताय वक्रतुण्डाय गौरीतनयाय धीमहि ।
गजेशानाय भालचन्द्राय श्रीगणेशाय धीमहि ॥

गानचतुराय गानप्राणाय गानान्तरात्मने ।
गानोत्सुकाय गानमत्ताय गानोत्सुकमनसे ।
गुरुपूजिताय गुरुदेवताय गुरुकुलस्थायिने ।
गुरुविक्रमाय गुह्यप्रवराय गुरवे गुणगुरवे ।
गुरुदैत्यगलच्छेत्रे गुरुधर्मसदाराध्याय ।
गुरुपुत्रपरित्रात्रे गुरुपाखण्डखण्डकाय ।
गीतसाराय गीततत्त्वाय गीतगोत्राय धीमहि ।
गूढगुल्फाय गन्धमत्ताय गोजयप्रदाय धीमहि ।
गुणातीताय गुणाधीशाय गुणप्रविष्टाय धीमहि ।
एकदंताय वक्रतुण्डाय गौरीतनयाय धीमहि ।
गजेशानाय भालचन्द्राय श्रीगणेशाय धीमहि ॥

ग्रन्थगीताय ग्रन्थगेयाय ग्रन्थान्तरात्मने ।
गीतलीनाय गीताश्रयाय गीतवाद्यपटवे ।
गेयचरिताय गायकवराय गन्धर्वप्रियकृते ।
गायकाधीनविग्रहाय गङ्गाजलप्रणयवते ।
गौरीस्तनन्धयाय गौरीहृदयनन्दनाय ।
गौरभानुसुताय गौरीगणेश्वराय ।
गौरीप्रणयाय गौरीप्रवणाय गौरभावाय धीमहि ।
गोसहस्राय गोवर्धनाय गोपगोपाय धीमहि ।
गुणातीताय गुणाधीशाय गुणप्रविष्टाय धीमहि ।
एकदंताय वक्रतुण्डाय गौरीतनयाय धीमहि ।
गजेशानाय भालचन्द्राय श्रीगणेशाय धीमहि ॥




|| shrI gajAnana prasanna ||

gaNa-nAyakAya gaNa-devatAya gaNA_dhyakShAya dhImahi |
guNa-sharIrAya guNa-maNDitAya guNe_shAnAya dhImahi |
guNA_tItAya guNA_dhIshAya guNa-praviShTAya dhImahi |
ek-dantAya vakra-tuNDAya gaurI-tanayAya dhImahi |
gaje_shAnAya bhAla-chandrAya shrI-gaNeshAya dhImahi ||

gAna-chaturAya gAna-prANAya gAnAnta_rAtmane |
gAnotsukAya gAnamattAya gAnotsuka_manase |
guru-pUjitAya guru-devatAya guru-kula-sthAyine |
guru-vikramAya guhya-pravarAya gurave guNa-gurave |
guru-daityagalachchhetre guru-dharma-sadA_rAdhyAya |
guru-putra-paritrAtre guru-pAkhaNDa-khaNDakAya |
gIta-sArAya gIta-tattvAya gIta-gotrAya dhImahi |
gUDh-gulphAya gandha-mattAya go-jaya-pradAya dhImahi |
guNA_tItAya guNA_dhIshAya guNa-praviShTAya dhImahi |
ek-dantAya vakra-tuNDAya gaurI-tanayAya dhImahi |
gaje_shAnAya bhAla-chandrAya shrI-gaNeshAya dhImahi ||

granth-gItAya granth-geyAya granthAntarAtmane |
gIta-lInAya gItAshrayAya gIta-vAdya-paTave |
geya-charitAya gAyaka-varAya gandharva-priya-kRite |
gAyakAdhIna-vigrahAya gaGgA-jala-praNayavate |
gaurI-stanandhayAya gaurI-hRidaya-nandanAya |
gaura-bhAnu-sutAya gaurI-gaNeshvarAya |
gauri-praNayAya gauri-pravaNAya gaura-bhAvAya dhImahi |
go-sahasrAya go-vardhanAya gopa-gopAya dhImahi |
guNA_tItAya guNA_dhIshAya guNa-praviShTAya dhImahi |
ek-dantAya vakra-tuNDAya gaurI-tanayAya dhImahi |
gaje_shAnAya bhAla-chandrAya shrI-gaNeshAya dhImahi ||


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Ganesh Stotram - praNamya shirasA devam.





गणेश gaNesha enjoys the adoration of all hindus' no matter what personal god (इष्ट-देव iShTa-deva) they choose.

  • Please search the internet for some wonderful art images of the iconography of गणेश and videos on youtube or other video sites.
  • Don't say 'idol of गणेश ', say 'statue of गणेश '.
  • Just like most 'gods' which are anthropomorphic representations of the aspects of nature, creation, universe, our feelings, qualities, गणेश also has rich visual imagery.
  • It is the most down to earth, dear to all, easily represented (just a lump of clay or a beetle-nut is enough) deity.
  • Lord of art, learning, crafts - गणेश has inspired artists simply in the art of depicting गणेश itself, resulting in perhaps the god with most types of depiction.

  • Detailed commentary will be much deeper and lengthier, so I am only providing approximate word-by-word translations. Some liberties have been taken to not do literal translation.
  • ^1, ^2 etc. are notes at bottom.
  • These translations are from स्मृति 'smRiti' and not श्रुति 'shruti' meaning not learnt from a teacher, so I might have chosen a less appropriate meaning, where words with multiple meanings are used.
  • e.g. गुरु guru also means heavy, main, most important, apart from teacher.
  • Pardon any mistakes, please do let me know.

[Please consider supporting this effort. Purchase the books from Practical Sanskrit. ]

It is surprising that one, the words to this are available only in context of "that महादेवन mahAdevan song from Hindi movie विरुद्ध Viruddha".
Second, a few sites that give the words, have major errors, (search for 'gananayakaya" on the net) breaking words where they should not, very ambiguous and incorrect transliteration.

It is important to know the correct words, for it enhances the essence of devotion, and brings about further change of heart, than just mumbling on a nice melody/music.

I could not find any good rendering of just the words, what to say of meaning. Hope this post, fills that void.





Meaning

गणनायकाय गणदेवताय गणाध्यक्षाय धीमहि ।
गुणशरीराय गुणमण्डिताय गुणेशानाय धीमहि ।
गुणातीताय गुणाधीशाय गुणप्रविष्टाय धीमहि ।
एकदंताय वक्रतुण्डाय गौरीतनयाय धीमहि ।
गजेशानाय भालचन्द्राय श्रीगणेशाय धीमहि ॥

For the one who is - (common to all the adjectives/names of gaNesha) -

- gaNa-nAyaka = leader of the गण gaNa (^1), gaNa-devatA = divine god of the people, gaNa-adhyakSha = representative of the people, dhImahi = meditate (^0).

- guNa-sharIra = embodiment of गुण guNa (^2), guNa-maNDita = one adorned with गुण guNa, guNa-IshAna = lord of the गुण guNa, meditate.

- guNa-atIta = beyond गुण guNa, guNa-adhi-Isha = controller of गुण guNa, guNa-praviShTa = pervading the गुण guNa (or one in which guNa is pervading, full of all guNa), meditate.

- eka-danta = having one tusk, vakra-tuNDa = having curved trunk, gaurI-tanaya = son of गौरी gaurI (पार्वती pArvatI), meditate.

- gaja-IshAna = lord of the elephants, bhAla-chandra = with moon on forehead, shrI-gaNesha = श्री shrI गणेश gaNesha, meditate.

That is,
Meditate, for the leader of the people, meditate for the divine god of people, meditate for the embodiment of guNa ... etc.




गानचतुराय गानप्राणाय गानान्तरात्मने ।
गानोत्सुकाय गानमत्ताय गानोत्सुकमनसे ।
गुरुपूजिताय गुरुदेवताय गुरुकुलस्थायिने ।
गुरुविक्रमाय गुह्यप्रवराय गुरवे गुणगुरवे ।
गुरुदैत्यगलच्छेत्रे गुरुधर्मसदाराध्याय ।
गुरुपुत्रपरित्रात्रे गुरुपाखण्डखण्डकाय ।
गीतसाराय गीततत्त्वाय गीतगोत्राय धीमहि ।
गूढगुल्फाय गन्धमत्ताय गोजयप्रदाय धीमहि ।
गुणातीताय गुणाधीशाय गुणप्रविष्टाय धीमहि ।
एकदंताय वक्रतुण्डाय गौरीतनयाय धीमहि ।
गजेशानाय भालचन्द्राय श्रीगणेशाय धीमहि ॥

For the one who is -
- gAna-chatura = clever at music (and singing), gAna-prANa = life of music, gAna-antaH-Atman = inner soul of music .

- gAna-utsuka = eager for music, gAna-matta = intoxicated in music, gAna-utsuka-manas = eager-minded for music .

- guru-pUjita = main (guru)(^3) among those who are worshiped, =guru-devatA = main god, guru-kula-sthAyI = main resident of the family.

- guru-vikrama = most brave, guhya-pravara = main among mysteries (to liberation?), guru = knowledgeable, guna-guru = elder or worthier by virtue of his guNa (guNa-guru) .

- guru-daitya-galan-kShetre = the main in the area of killing demons, guru-dharma-sadA-ArAdhya = main goal of dharma.
[one liner translations are so much injustice to sanskrit]

- guru-putra-paritAtRi = main protector of children (son), guru-pAkhaNa-khaNDaka = main destroyer of hypocrisy.

- gIta-sAra = gist of song/music, gIta-tattva = essence of song/music, gIta-gotra = enricher of music, meditate .

- gUDha-gulpha = one with deep ankles, gandha-matta = intoxicated with fragrance, go-jaya-prada = giver of victory over senses (go-jaya), meditate.

- guNa-atIta = beyond guNa, guNa-adhi-Isha = controller of guNa, guNa-praviShTa = pervading the  guNa, meditate.

- eka-danta = having one tusk, vakra-tuNDa = having curved trunk, gaurI-tanaya = son of gaurI (pArvatI), meditate.

- gaja-IshAna = lord of the elephants, bhAla-chandra = with moon on forehead, shrI-gaNesha = shrI  gaNesha, meditate.




ग्रन्थगीताय ग्रन्थगेयाय ग्रन्थान्तरात्मने ।
गीतलीनाय गीताश्रयाय गीतवाद्यपटवे ।
गेयचरिताय गायकवराय गन्धर्वप्रियकृते ।
गायकाधीनविग्रहाय गङ्गाजलप्रणयवते ।
गौरीस्तनन्धयाय गौरीहृदयनन्दनाय ।
गौरभानुसुताय गौरीगणेश्वराय ।
गौरीप्रणयाय गौरीप्रवणाय गौरभावाय धीमहि ।
गोसहस्राय गोवर्धनाय गोपगोपाय धीमहि ।
गुणातीताय गुणाधीशाय गुणप्रविष्टाय धीमहि ।
एकदंताय वक्रतुण्डाय गौरीतनयाय धीमहि ।
गजेशानाय भालचन्द्राय श्रीगणेशाय धीमहि ॥

For the one who is -
- grantha-gIta = sung of (praised) in the scriptures, grantha-geya = worthy of being sung of in the scriptures, grantha-antaH-Atman = the soul of the scriptures.

- gIta-lIna = immersed in music, gIta-Ashraya = patronage/refuge/saviour of music, gIta=vAdya-paTu = expert in singing and playing music.

- geya-charita = whose personality/praises are sung, gAyaka-vara = worthy/ideal of singers, gandharva-priya-kRit = benefactor (priya-kRit) of the musicians (gandharva).
- expander of the dominance of musicians(?), one who loves water of gangA (wrongly written as ganges).

- gaurI-stanandhaya = breastfed by gaurI, gaurI-hRidaya-nadana = bringer of joy to the heart of gaurI (or the child of gaurI's wish(heart)(^4)

- gaura-bhAnu-suta = brilliant (bhAnu) son of pArvatI, gaurI-gaNa-Ishvara = lord in the form of gaurI-gaNesha.

- gaurI-praNaya = dear to gaurI, gaurI-pravaNa = leaning towards gaurI (young gaNesha in her lap, or one who leads to shakti), gaura-bhAva = the essence of gaurI (bhAva), meditate.

- go-sahasra = [like, equal to] thousand/all senses/cows/veda, go-vardhana = enhancer of senses/cows/earth, gopa-gopa = protector of protectors, meditate. [go has multiple meanings]

- guNa-atIta = beyond guNa, guNa-adhi-Isha = controller of guNa, guNa-praviShTa = pervading the  guNa, meditate.

- eka-danta = having one tusk, vakra-tuNDa = having curved trunk, gaurI-tanaya = son of gaurI (pArvatI), meditate.

- gaja-IshAna = lord of the elephants, bhAla-chandra = with moon on forehead, shrI-gaNesha = shrI  gaNesha, meditate.



^0 dhImahi - meditate, focus the intellect on it, ponder on it
^1 gaNa = people, groups of people. gaNarAjya = democracy, people-rule.
^2 guNa = qualities, the three guNa (sattva, rajas, tamas), characteristic
^3 guru - teacher, but also, main, important, chief, heavy (with virtue)
^4 gaurI = pArvatI, shakti, umA, aparNA, gaurI, ... pArvatI created gaNesha out of her desire, using clay and then breathed life in it.

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62 comments:

  1. I love this>> im thinking of getting a tattoo of this...jamie fla

    ReplyDelete
  2. jamie,
    glad you liked it so much, but do you want the entire piece (20+ lines) tattooed? that might be too much :)

    if you need specific lines in hi resolution, please send email to practicalsanskrit -at- gmail -dot- com

    ReplyDelete
  3. thank you for the blog and meaning , if you permit i wish to popularize it . The music is nice (as in film 'viruddh'), and thanks for meanings that you gave.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks. This is a great initiative. Chants are a great way to learn and appreciate Sanskrit. What would be good is a transliteration, followed by translation of major chants, as well as their deeper meanings.

    ReplyDelete
  5. thanks for letting me understand the essence of the sloka i usually heard.also thanks for the successful of popularizing an age old tradition

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  6. this is a nice composition, thanks for providing with "Anuwad"
    Can you please tell : who has wrote the lyrics or else from which Sanskrit text (Narayana upnishad or Ganapati upnishad , puran etc.)it has been taken??

    ReplyDelete
  7. go-sahsarAya:
    go refers to the Vedas in this context... can also mean senses and cows. so meditate on the One who created (or wrote) the 1000 Vedas.

    ReplyDelete
  8. who is writter of this BEST Song

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  9. soothing music coldnot understand d meanings when heard 4 d 1st time still it brought somuch peace as if god has himself channelised this wonderful Ganeshay dhimahi towards me In every form he is there 4 us shows his divine presense
    Tejinder
    Noida

    ReplyDelete
  10. The song is very touching, soothing and greatest devotion song I came across.
    Editor,
    You are right. I was desperately looking for the right lyrics - I was able to find several sites that have the lyrics in English, but words are either wrong or broken at wrong places. I am very glad to find the right ones here. I am guessing that one site had these lyrics and all other sites copied from there. Having read Hindi and Sanskrit in my earlier classes this site is like a boon to refresh.

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  11. This is really amazing....Thank you for the meaning of entire song!!

    GOD BLESS!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I was searching the meaning of this wonderful song, since days. and finally thru GRACE of GOD reached here. Thanks for the meaning of song. GOD bless.

    ReplyDelete
  13. i was in the search for the meaning of this song ......i m very thankful to u...may god shower his blessings on u

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi,
    I have a doubt, Kindly clarify. In bilvashtaka, there is a line "Aghora paapa samhaaram". I used to think Aghora is the opposite of Ghora. Can you please elaborate on this??

    ReplyDelete
  15. Regarding the 'aghora' with prefix 'a-', please see the post http://blog.practicalsanskrit.com/2010/02/meet-alphabet-letter.html which mentions the various meanings of the prefix 'a-'.

    ghora = extreme, terrible, frightful etc.

    the way the word is broken via samAsa is where the difference in meaning lies.

    1. a-ghora = not terrible, opposite of terrible, or one that has nothing comparable to terrible.

    2. a-ghora = one that has nothing [else] comparable in terribleness, that is without a like in terribleness, unmatched in terribleness.

    That is, that which has nothing more terrible than itself.

    For example the word dvitIya = second.

    But a-dvitIya = not second (which can mean third or 20th also) but means -
    one that *has* no second.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wonderful work, Sashi.
    Though I admit I came across this tune thru a bollywoodized dance performance I had to sit thru yesterday, and then got aquainted with some viruddh(?) .. finally I am glad I found the original composition and your blog.

    Your translations are great - helped me get over a couple of places I would otherwise not have gotten. Might I suggest "guru-daitya-gala" to also possibly mean as killer of "big deamons" ?

    Will go thru the rest of your site as well. Thanks again,
    - Anup

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sapna.....India.

    Wonderful work for all ganesh lovers...god bless you for spreading this knowledge

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great Shashi...thanks for the correct meaning & lyrics..sujatha srini

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you very much for educating and enlightening us!

    ReplyDelete
  20. hi, it was a very good effort on your part to put this devotional song on the net with video as well as text in sanskrit & english and also its meaning. keep it up ....

    ReplyDelete
  21. thanks alot ur effort of riting d lyrics in hindi and gving d meaning was really helpul 4 me thanks 1ce again

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  22. Om Gan Ganapataye Namah.
    Thanks for lot for providing this.
    I am using your information to teach this to kids here in United kingdom.
    Dhanyavad.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thanks a lot for your efforts. Appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thank you so much......this really help

    ReplyDelete
  25. i was searching for my mom... thanks a lot.. :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. I was struggling to understand the meaning of slokas.. Thanks a lot :)
    It is indeed very helpful!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I bow my head to you from the deep of my heart for providing correct transliteration and also meaning . I was really looking lot of sites on internet for correct one. May Lord Ganesh bless u for ever ..

    ReplyDelete
  28. how do I download this soothig bhajan? I hear it almost 3 times in a day.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thank you very much !
    Can you pls translate this in hindi as well .
    May Lord Ganesh always have his 'kripadrishti ' on you .

    ReplyDelete
  30. Thanks, Shashi. I learnt this stotram but the translation helps a lot!

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  31. Thanks a lot Shashi for this great work. You are truely blessed by Lord

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  32. i am pravin bantegreat workplace after good day

    ReplyDelete
  33. i am pravin bantegreat workplace after good day

    ReplyDelete
  34. I want the detailed meaning plz tel me how to get it ,, i lov it god bless

    ReplyDelete
  35. its so nice to give this extra information to all



    thank you
    very much............. :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. it is so nice to give this very important information to all of us


    Thank you
    very much ............. :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hi

    God bless you!! Love the site!!! Thank you so so very much!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Hello

    GOD bless you! Thank you so much!! In love with your site..

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thank u soo much...for d translation

    ReplyDelete
  40. A commendable job indeed! Anyone who loves Ganesha cannot resist himself/herself shower blessings on you.
    Mahendra Nahak, Berhampur (Ganjam), Odisha.

    ReplyDelete
  41. A commendable job indeed. All those who love Ganesha will shower blessings on you Shashikant Joshi for this awesome post.
    Mahendra Nahak, Berhampur (Ganjam), Odisha.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I like so much of this song, It is a very wonderfull singing by Shankar Mahadevan..

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  43. beautifully sung like pious chanting I always take me to deep meditation

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  44. beautifully sung always take me to deep meditation

    ReplyDelete
  45. I really needed the translation for a long time..thnx to u I got it here
    Paramita
    Assam

    ReplyDelete
  46. Hello,

    What is the correct word. GAM OR GAN??

    Please prove where the informations is coming from.

    I see both words on different youtube video's and websites.

    So, it seems that some people are chanting the WRONG beej mantra.

    Again, please clarify.

    Namaste

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is difficult to understand using English alphabet why the change is happening.
      Because of the following 'ga' of 'gaNesha', the trailing 'M' of gaM becomes/sounds like the nasal of the 'ka-varga'. The trailing nasal of a word changes to the nasal of the following consonant's group.

      If there is enough gap between gaM and gaNapataye then it will be like half 'm', but the 'm' sounds trails into gaNesha, there is no sharp gap between the two.

      गं गणपतये नमः
      ==>
      गङ् गणपतये नमः
      ==>
      गङ्गणपतये नमः

      Delete
  47. Excellent , just what I was looking for . I hope you are a member of Samskrita group on email . Contribution of you will be useful there . By the way I am to deliver a full lecture on Creativity in Language Learning today and I came across this page . May God bless you .

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  48. If you listen to Shankar Mahadevan's Gana Nayakaya song carefully
    He made some mistakes guys.....
    Gana* Pranaya, Gana* Mattaya, Geeta vadhya pathave*(he didn't stress at patthave, Gandharva priy krupe* correct is krite.
    Please listen to the song and find out.
    Thank you
    MVS

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  49. Another mistake by Shankar Mahadevan .....Go sahastraya* which is wrong.
    Correct is sahasraya

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  50. Thank you for the authentic transliteration of this transforming song. And you are spot on! One liner English meanings are a gross injustice to the deep and multi-layered meanings of Sanskrit words.

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