Ganesh Pancharatnam: Meaning

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1. Verse 1

   मुदा करात्तमोदकं सदा विमुक्तिसाधकं कलाधरावतंसकं विलासिलोकरक्षकम् । अनायकैकनायकं विनाशितेभदैत्यकं नताशुभाशुनाशकं नमामि तं विनायकम् ॥

   mudā karāttamodakaṃ sadā vimuktisādhakaṃ kalādharāvataṃsakaṃ vilāsilokarakṣakam । anāyakaikanāyakaṃ vināśitebhadaityakaṃ natāśubhāśunāśakaṃ namāmi taṃ vināyakam ॥

   मोदकम्	modakam	the modak sweet
   कलाधरावतंसकम्	kalādharāvataṃsakam	wearing the crescent moon as an ornament
   अनायकैकनायकम्	anāyakaikanāyakam	the one leader of those without a leader
   विनायकम्	vināyakam	Vinayaka, remover of obstacles

   मैं उन विनायक को नमन करता हूँ जो प्रसन्नता से हाथ में मोदक लिए हैं, सदा मुक्ति के साधक हैं, चंद्रमा को आभूषण की तरह धारण करते हैं और संसार में रमने वालों की रक्षा करते हैं; जिनका कोई नायक नहीं उनके एकमात्र नायक, गजासुर का नाश करने वाले, और प्रणाम करने वालों का अशुभ शीघ्र मिटाने वाले हैं।

   I bow to Vinayaka, who joyfully holds a modak in his hand, who always brings about liberation, who wears the crescent moon as an ornament and protects those who delight in the world; the one leader of those who have no leader, who destroyed the elephant-demon, and who swiftly destroys the misfortune of those who bow to him.

   Ganesh joyfully holds a modak, his favourite sweet; he wears the crescent moon (Kaladhara, "bearer of the digit") as an ornament; he is the one leader of those who have no leader; and he destroyed an elephant-demon. The verse ends with the name Vinayaka, the remover of obstacles.

2. Verse 2

   नतेतरातिभीकरं नवोदितार्कभास्वरं नमत्सुरारिनिर्जरं नताधिकापदुद्धरम् । सुरेश्वरं निधीश्वरं गजेश्वरं गणेश्वरं महेश्वरं तमाश्रये परात्परं निरन्तरम् ॥

   natetarātibhīkaraṃ navoditārkabhāsvaraṃ namatsurārinirjaraṃ natādhikāpaduddharam । sureśvaraṃ nidhīśvaraṃ gajeśvaraṃ gaṇeśvaraṃ maheśvaraṃ tamāśraye parātparaṃ nirantaram ॥

   नवोदितार्कभास्वरम्	navoditārkabhāsvaram	radiant as the rising sun
   निधीश्वरम्	nidhīśvaram	lord of treasures
   गणेश्वरम्	gaṇeśvaram	lord of the ganas
   परात्परम्	parātparam	higher than the highest

   मैं सदा उनकी शरण लेता हूँ जो न झुकने वालों के लिए अति भयंकर, नए उगे सूर्य के समान तेजस्वी, देवताओं और असुरों दोनों द्वारा नमस्कृत, और भक्तों को बड़ी विपत्ति से उबारने वाले हैं: सुरेश्वर, निधीश्वर, गजेश्वर, गणेश्वर, महेश्वर, परात्पर।

   I take refuge always in him who is fearsome to those who do not bow, radiant as the newly risen sun, bowed to by gods and their foes alike, who rescues his devotees from great calamity: lord of the gods, lord of treasures, lord of elephants, lord of the ganas, great lord, higher than the highest.

   He is fearsome to the proud who will not bow, radiant as the rising sun, and bowed to by gods and their enemies alike. Then a chain of rhyming titles: lord of the gods, of treasures, of elephants, of the ganas (Shiva's attendants, from whom the name Ganesha comes), the great lord.

3. Verse 3

   समस्तलोकशंकरं निरस्तदैत्यकुञ्जरं दरेतरोदरं वरं वरेभवक्त्रमक्षरम् । कृपाकरं क्षमाकरं मुदाकरं यशस्करं मनस्करं नमस्कृतां नमस्करोमि भास्वरम् ॥

   samastalokaśaṃkaraṃ nirastadaityakuñjaraṃ daretarodaraṃ varaṃ varebhavaktramakṣaram । kṛpākaraṃ kṣamākaraṃ mudākaraṃ yaśaskaraṃ manaskaraṃ namaskṛtāṃ namaskaromi bhāsvaram ॥

   समस्तलोकशंकरम्	samastalokaśaṃkaram	bringing good to all the worlds
   दरेतरोदरम्	daretarodaram	with a large belly
   वरेभवक्त्रम्	varebhavaktram	with a noble elephant face
   कृपाकरम्	kṛpākaram	maker of compassion

   मैं उन तेजस्वी को नमस्कार करता हूँ जो सब लोकों का कल्याण करते हैं, गजासुर को परास्त करने वाले, बड़े उदर वाले, श्रेष्ठ, उत्तम हाथी के मुख वाले, अक्षर; कृपा, क्षमा, आनंद और यश के भंडार, और नमन करने वालों को सद्बुद्धि देने वाले।

   I bow to the radiant one who brings good to all the worlds, who drove off the elephant-demon, whose belly is large, the excellent and imperishable one with a noble elephant face; the source of compassion, patience, joy and fame, who gives understanding to those who bow to him.

   He brings good (shankara) to all the worlds, has a large belly (he is Lambodara), and a noble elephant face. The second line is a play on the ending -kara, "maker": maker of compassion, patience, joy and fame, and of understanding for those who bow.

4. Verse 4

   अकिंचनार्तिमार्जनं चिरन्तनोक्तिभाजनं पुरारिपूर्वनन्दनं सुरारिगर्वचर्वणम् । प्रपञ्चनाशभीषणं धनंजयादिभूषणम् कपोलदानवारणं भजे पुराणवारणम् ॥

   akiṃcanārtimārjanaṃ cirantanoktibhājanaṃ purāripūrvanandanaṃ surārigarvacarvaṇam । prapañcanāśabhīṣaṇaṃ dhanaṃjayādibhūṣaṇam kapoladānavāraṇaṃ bhaje purāṇavāraṇam ॥

   अकिंचनार्तिमार्जनम्	akiṃcanārtimārjanam	who wipes away the distress of the poor
   पुरारिपूर्वनन्दनम्	purāripūrvanandanam	first son of Shiva
   सुरारिगर्वचर्वणम्	surārigarvacarvaṇam	who grinds the pride of the gods' foes
   पुराणवारणम्	purāṇavāraṇam	the ancient elephant

   मैं उन पुराने गजराज को भजता हूँ जो दीनों की पीड़ा पोंछ देते हैं, जिनका वर्णन प्राचीन वचनों में है, जो त्रिपुरारि शिव के ज्येष्ठ पुत्र हैं, असुरों के घमंड को चूर करने वाले; प्रलय में भयंकर, धनंजय आदि नागों से विभूषित, गालों से मद बहाने वाले गज।

   I worship the ancient elephant, who wipes away the distress of the poor, of whom the ancient sayings speak, the first son of Shiva, who grinds down the pride of the gods' foes; terrible at the world's dissolution, adorned with serpents such as Dhananjaya, an elephant with ichor flowing from his cheeks.

   He wipes away the distress of the poor, is spoken of in ancient sayings, and is the first son of Shiva (Purari, the enemy of the three cities). He is adorned with serpents such as Dhananjaya, and is the "ancient elephant", with ichor on his cheeks as on a great elephant.

5. Verse 5

   नितान्तकान्तदन्तकान्तिमन्तकान्तकात्मजं अचिन्त्यरूपमन्तहीनमन्तरायकृन्तनम् । हृदन्तरे निरन्तरं वसन्तमेव योगिनां तमेकदन्तमेव तं विचिन्तयामि सन्ततम् ॥

   nitāntakāntadantakāntimantakāntakātmajaṃ acintyarūpamantahīnamantarāyakṛntanam । hṛdantare nirantaraṃ vasantameva yogināṃ tamekadantameva taṃ vicintayāmi santatam ॥

   अन्तकान्तकात्मजम्	antakāntakātmajam	son of the destroyer of Death
   अचिन्त्यरूपम्	acintyarūpam	whose form is beyond thought
   अन्तरायकृन्तनम्	antarāyakṛntanam	who cuts away obstacles
   एकदन्तम्	ekadantam	the one-tusked

   मैं सदा उन्हीं एकदंत का ध्यान करता हूँ, जो काल का अंत करने वाले शिव के पुत्र हैं, जिनके दाँत की कांति अत्यंत सुंदर है; जिनका रूप अचिंत्य और अनंत है, जो विघ्नों को काट देते हैं और सदा योगियों के हृदय में बसते हैं।

   I meditate always on him alone, the one-tusked son of Shiva, destroyer of Death, whose tusk shines with lovely radiance; whose form is beyond thought and without end, who cuts through every obstacle and dwells forever in the hearts of yogis.

   The verse turns to meditation. Ganesh is the one-tusked (Ekadanta) son of Shiva, who is Antakantaka, the destroyer of Death. His form is beyond thought and without end; he cuts away obstacles (antaraya) and dwells always in the hearts of yogis. The poet meditates on him alone.

6. Verse 6

   महागणेशपञ्चरत्नमादरेण योऽन्वहं प्रजल्पति प्रभातके हृदि स्मरन् गणेश्वरम् । अरोगतामदोषतां सुसाहितीं सुपुत्रतां समाहितायुरष्टभूतिमभ्युपैति सोऽचिरात् ॥

   mahāgaṇeśapañcaratnamādareṇa yo'nvahaṃ prajalpati prabhātake hṛdi smaran gaṇeśvaram । arogatāmadoṣatāṃ susāhitīṃ suputratāṃ samāhitāyuraṣṭabhūtimabhyupaiti so'cirāt ॥

   पञ्चरत्नम्	pañcaratnam	the five jewels
   प्रभातके	prabhātake	at dawn
   अरोगताम्	arogatām	health
   अष्टभूतिम्	aṣṭabhūtim	the eight powers

   जो प्रतिदिन प्रातः हृदय में गणेश्वर का स्मरण करते हुए आदरपूर्वक महागणेश के इन पाँच रत्नों का पाठ करता है, वह शीघ्र ही आरोग्य, निर्दोषता, उत्तम विद्या, उत्तम संतान, लंबी स्थिर आयु और आठों सिद्धियाँ पाता है।

   Whoever recites these five jewels of Mahaganesh with reverence every day at dawn, remembering Ganeshvara in the heart, soon gains health, freedom from faults, good learning, good children, a long and steady life, and the eight powers.

   The phalashruti: whoever recites the five jewels every morning, remembering Ganesh in the heart, soon gains health, freedom from faults, good learning, good children, long life and the eight siddhis, the eight powers often associated with Ganesh.