Sanskrit Mantras With Meaning — Part 2: Ganesh Atharvasheersham

This is Part 2 of the Sanskrit Mantras With Meaning series. Read the introduction and full list in Part 1.

History

Ganesh Atharvasheersham, also known as the Ganapati Atharvashirsha or Ganapati Upanishad, is a minor Upanishad devoted entirely to Lord Ganapati. Unlike the older Upanishads such as the Chandogya or Brihadaranyaka, this text belongs to a later layer of Vedic literature associated with the rise of the Ganapatya tradition — a school within Hinduism that worships Lord Ganesha not just as the remover of obstacles, but as the Supreme Brahman itself.

The text does not tell a story in the way the Ramayana or Mahabharata do. It is closer to a philosophical declaration: a series of statements identifying Lord Ganapati with ultimate reality, followed by a section on the mantra's inner structure, and closing with a phalashruti — a statement of the benefits of reciting it.

Benefits, As Stated in the Text

The Atharvashirsha itself lists specific benefits for those who study and recite it with sincerity. According to the text: the reciter becomes fit to realise Brahman, is not permanently troubled by obstacles, finds happiness increasing wherever he is, and is freed from the five great sins. Reciting it in the evening is said to destroy the sins of the day; reciting it in the morning, the sins of the night. Reciting it both morning and evening is said to make even a sinful person sinless, and to grant dharma, artha, kama, and moksha — the four aims of life.

The Mantra, Pankti by Pankti

Opening Invocation

वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ । निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥ ॐ गं गणपतये नमः

O Lord with the curved trunk, of massive form, radiant as a crore suns — make all my undertakings free of obstacles, always. Om, salutations to Ganapati, the syllable Gam.

Shanti Mantra

ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः । भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः । स्थिरैः अंगैः तुष्टुवांसः तनूभिः व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः ॥ ॐ स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः, स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः । स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः स्वस्तिनो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om, O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious. May we see with our eyes what is auspicious and adorable. May we be prayerful, with steadiness in body and mind, offering our lifespan for the service of God. May Indra of great glory, Pushan the nourisher, Tarkshya the protector, and Brihaspati the guru grant us well-being. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Verse 1

ॐ नमस्ते गणपतये ॥१॥

Om, salutations to you, O Ganapati.

Verse 2

त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं तत्त्वमसि । त्वमेव केवलं कर्ताऽसि । त्वमेव केवलं धर्ताऽसि । त्वमेव केवलं हर्ताऽसि । त्वमेव सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्मासि । त्वं साक्षादात्माऽसि नित्यम् ॥२॥

You indeed are the visible Tattvam, the conscious essence underlying everything. You alone are the Creator, the Sustainer, the Destroyer. You indeed are all this, the universe itself — you are Brahman. You are the visible Atman, the eternal reality.

Verse 3

ऋतं वच्मि । सत्यं वच्मि ॥३॥

I declare the Ritam, the divine law. I declare the Satyam, the absolute reality.

Verse 4

अव त्वं माम् । अव वक्तारम् । अव श्रोतारम् । अव दातारम् । अव धातारम् । अवानूचानमव शिष्यम् । अव पुरस्तात् । अव दक्षिणात्तात् । अव पश्चात्तात् । अवोत्तरात्तात् । अव चोर्ध्वात्तात् । अवाधरात्तात् । सर्वतो मां पाहि पाहि समन्तात् ॥४॥

Protect me. Protect the speaker, the listener, the giver, the sustainer, the teacher, the disciple. Protect this truth from the east, the south, the west, the north, from above, from below. Protect me from all sides.

Verse 5

त्वं वाङ्मयस्त्वं चिन्मयः । त्वमानन्दमयस्त्वं ब्रह्ममयः । त्वं सच्चिदानन्दाऽद्वितीयोऽसि । त्वं प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्मासि । त्वं ज्ञानमयो विज्ञानमयोऽसि ॥५॥

You are of the nature of speech, and of consciousness. You are of the nature of bliss, and of Brahman. You are Sat-Chit-Ananda — existence, consciousness, bliss — and the One without a second. You are the visible Brahman. You are knowledge, and the vision of that knowledge.

Verse 6

सर्वं जगदिदं त्वत्तो जायते । सर्वं जगदिदं त्वत्तस्तिष्ठति । सर्वं जगदिदं त्वयि लयमेष्यति । सर्वं जगदिदं त्वयि प्रत्येति । त्वं भूमिरापोऽनलोऽनिलो नभः । त्वं चत्वारि वाक्पदानि । त्वं गुणत्रयातीतः । त्वं अवस्थात्रयातीतः । त्वं देहत्रयातीतः । त्वं कालत्रयातीतः । त्वं मूलाधारस्थितोऽसि नित्यम् । त्वं शक्तित्रयात्मकः । त्वां योगिनो ध्यायन्ति नित्यम् । त्वं ब्रह्मा त्वं विष्णुस्त्वं रुद्रस्त्वमिन्द्रस्त्वमग्निस्त्वं वायुस्त्वं सूर्यस्त्वं चन्द्रमास्त्वं ब्रह्म भूर्भुवस्सुवरोम् ॥६॥

This entire universe is born from you, exists in you, dissolves into you, and returns to you. You are earth, water, fire, air, and space. You are the four kinds of speech. You are beyond the three gunas, the three states of consciousness, the three bodies, the three times. You dwell eternally in the Muladhara. You are the three shaktis. Yogis meditate on you always. You are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Indra, Agni, Vayu, Surya, Chandra — you are Brahman itself, pervading the three worlds, you are Om.

Verse 7

गणादिं पूर्वमुच्चार्य वर्णादिं तदनन्तरम् । अनुस्वारः परतरः । अर्धेन्दुलसितम् । तारेण ऋद्धम् । एतत्तव मनुस्वरूपम् ॥७॥

Pronounce first the sound of Gana, then the first vowel following it, then the anuswara, made to shine with the crescent, augmented with the sacred syllable Om. This is your mantra form.

Verse 8

गकारः पूर्वरूपम् । अकारो मध्यरूपम् । अनुस्वारश्चान्त्यरूपम् । बिन्दुरुत्तररूपम् । नादस्संधानम् । संहिता संधिः ॥८॥

Ga is the first form, A the middle form, the anuswara the last form, the bindu the form above, joined with nada — this is the union of all these forms.

Verse 9

सैषा गणेशविद्या । गणक ऋषिः । निचृद्गायत्रीच्छन्दः । गणपतिर्देवता । ॐ गं गणपतये नमः ॥९॥

This is the Ganesha Vidya. Ganaka is the Rishi who realised it. The metre is Nichrid-Gayatri. Ganapati is the deity. Om, Gam, salutations to Ganapati.

Verse 10 — The Ganapati Gayatri

एकदन्ताय विद्महे वक्रतुण्डाय धीमहि । तन्नो दन्तिः प्रचोदयात् ॥१०॥

Let our mind turn to the one with the single tusk, and meditate on the one with the curved trunk. May that tusked one awaken us.

Verse 11

एकदन्तं चतुर्हस्तं पाशमङ्कुशधारिणम् । रदं च वरदं हस्तैर्बिभ्राणं मूषकध्वजम् ॥ रक्तं लम्बोदरं शूर्पकर्णकं रक्तवाससम् । रक्तगन्धानुलिप्ताङ्गं रक्तपुष्पैस्सुपूजितम् ॥ भक्तानुकम्पिनं देवं जगत्कारणमच्युतम् । आविर्भूतं च सृष्ट्यादौ प्रकृतेः पुरुषात्परम् । एवं ध्यायति यो नित्यं स योगी योगिनां वरः ॥११॥

The one with a single tusk, four hands, holding the noose and goad, with a third hand showing the tusk and a fourth showing the gesture of boon-giving, his flag bearing the mouse — reddish in colour, large-bellied, with fan-like ears, wearing red garments, anointed with red fragrant paste, worshipped with red flowers, whose heart throbs with compassion for devotees, the cause of the world, imperishable, manifested at the beginning of creation, beyond both nature and consciousness — whoever meditates on him thus, daily, is the best among yogis.

Verse 12

नमो व्रातपतये । नमो गणपतये । नमः प्रमथपतये । नमस्तेऽस्तु लम्बोदरायैकदन्ताय विघ्ननाशिने शिवसुताय वरदमूर्तये नमः ॥१२॥

Salutations to the Lord of all beings. Salutations to the Lord of the Ganas. Salutations to the Lord of the Pramathas. Salutations to you, the large-bellied, single-tusked remover of obstacles, son of Shiva, embodiment of boon-giving.

Verse 13 — Phalashruti (Part 1)

एतदथर्वशीर्षं योऽधीते स ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते । स सर्वविघ्नैर्न बाध्यते । स सर्वतः सुखमेधते । स पञ्चमहापापात्प्रमुच्यते । सायमधीयानो दिवसकृतं पापं नाशयति । प्रातरधीयानो रात्रिकृतं पापं नाशयति । सायं प्रातः प्रयुञ्जानो अपापो भवति । सर्वत्राधीयानोऽपविघ्नो भवति । धर्मार्थकाममोक्षं च विन्दति ॥१३॥

He who studies this Atharvashirsha becomes fit to realise Brahman. He is not permanently troubled by any obstacle. Happiness increases for him everywhere. He is freed from the five great sins. Studying it in the evening destroys the sins of the day; studying it in the morning destroys the sins of the night. Studying it both morning and evening makes a person sinless. Studying it in every situation removes obstacles, and grants dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.

Verse 14

इदमथर्वशीर्षमशिष्याय न देयम् । यो यदि मोहाद्दास्यति स पापीयान् भवति । सहस्रावर्तनाद्यं यं काममधीते तं तमनेन साधयेत् ॥१४॥

This Atharvashirsha is not to be given to the undeserving. Whoever gives it out of confusion to such a person becomes a sinner. By reciting it a thousand times, whatever desire is contemplated is fulfilled.

Verse 15

अनेन गणपतिमभिषिञ्चति स वाग्मी भवति । चतुर्थ्यामनश्नन् जपति स विद्यावान् भवति । इत्यथर्वणवाक्यम् । ब्रह्माद्यावरणं विद्यान्न बिभेति कदाचनेति ॥१५॥

He who anoints Ganapati with this becomes a fluent speaker. He who fasts on Chaturthi and recites it becomes filled with knowledge. This is the word of the Atharvana Rishi. He who knows the covering of Brahman does not fear at any time.

Verse 16

यो दूर्वांकुरैर्यजति स वैश्रवणोपमो भवति । यो लाजैर्यजति स यशोवान्भवति स मेधावान्भवति । यो मोदकसहस्रेण यजति स वांछितफलमवाप्नोति । यस्साज्यसमिद्भिर्यजति स सर्वं लभते स सर्वं लभते ॥१६॥

He who worships with fresh durva grass becomes prosperous like Kubera. He who worships with parched rice becomes glorious and wise. He who worships with a thousand modakas obtains his desired fruit. He who worships with ghee-soaked twigs obtains everything — everything.

Verse 17 — Closing

अष्टौ ब्राह्मणान् सम्यग्ग्राहयित्वा सूर्यवर्चस्वी भवति । सूर्यग्रहे महानद्यां प्रतिमासन्निधौ वा जप्त्वा सिद्धमन्त्रो भवति । महाविघ्नात्प्रमुच्यते । महादोषात्प्रमुच्यते । महापापात्प्रमुच्यते । स सर्वविद्भवति स सर्वविद्भवति । य एवं वेद । इत्युपनिषत् ॥१७॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

He who teaches this properly to eight Brahmins attains the splendour of the sun. He who recites it during a solar eclipse, by a great river, or before the image of Ganapati, attains a perfected mantra. He is freed from great obstacles, great faults, great sins. He becomes all-knowing — all-knowing. Thus ends the Upanishad. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Sources: Sanskrit text and translation from greenmesg.org. Recording: YouTube — Challakere Brothers. I have not translated any part of this text myself; all meanings are drawn from the cited source.

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https://youtu.be/m2dPpGzywnQ?si=UKJjPVeCG6hMjJrp

Om Namah Shivaya