Ganapati Atharvashirsha: Devanagari Text, Meaning and How It Is Recited

ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः ।
भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः ॥
स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवांसस्तनूभिः ।
व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः ॥

Om bhadram karnebhih shrinuyama devah
Bhadram pashyemakshabhiryajatrah
Sthirairangaistushtuvamsastanubhih
Vyashema devahitam yadayuh

MeaningMay we hear what is good with our ears, O gods, and see what is good with our eyes, O worshipful ones. With steady limbs and bodies, praising, may we live the span of life that is set for the gods.

ॐ स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः ।
स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ॥
स्वस्तिनस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः ।
स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥

Om svasti na indro vriddhashravah
Svasti nah pusha vishvavedah
Svastinastarkshyo arishtanemih
Svasti no brihaspatirdadhatu

MeaningMay Indra of growing fame bring us well-being, and Pusha, who knows all things. May Tarkshya of the unharmed wheel bring us well-being, and may Brihaspati grant us well-being.

ॐ तन्मामवतु तद् वक्तारमवतु अवतु माम् अवतु वक्तारम् ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om tanmamavatu tad vaktaramavatu avatu mam avatu vaktaram
Om shantih shantih shantih

MeaningMay that protect me and protect the speaker, may it protect me and protect the speaker. Om, peace, peace, peace.

Section 1: salutation

हरिः ॐ नमस्ते गणपतये ।
त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं तत्त्वमसि ॥
त्वमेव केवलं कर्ताऽसि ।
त्वमेव केवलं धर्ताऽसि ॥
त्वमेव केवलं हर्ताऽसि ।
त्वमेव सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्मासि ॥
त्वं साक्षादात्माऽसि नित्यम् ॥

Harih om namaste ganapataye
Tvameva pratyaksham tattvamasi
Tvameva kevalam karta'si
Tvameva kevalam dharta'si
Tvameva kevalam harta'si
Tvameva sarvam khalvidam brahmasi
Tvam sakshadatma'si nityam

MeaningHari Om. Salutation to Ganapati. You alone are the visible truth, the one meant by the words "that you are". You alone are the maker, the sustainer and the withdrawer of all things. You are indeed all this, Brahman, and the Self always.

Section 2: truth

ऋतं वच्मि (वदिष्यामि) ॥
सत्यं वच्मि (वदिष्यामि) ॥

Ritam vachmi (vadishyami)
Satyam vachmi (vadishyami)

MeaningI speak what is right. I speak what is true.

Section 3: protection

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

Ava tvam mam
Ava vaktaram
Ava shrotaram
Ava dataram
Ava dhataram
Avanuchanamava shishyam
Ava pashchattat
Ava purastat
Avottarattat
Ava dakshinattat
Ava chordhvattat
Avadharattat
Sarvato mam pahi pahi samantat

MeaningProtect me, protect the speaker, the listener, the giver, the upholder, the learned teacher and the student. Protect from behind, from the front, from the north, from the south, from above and from below. Protect me on every side, entirely.

Section 4: the nature of Ganapati

त्वं वाङ्ग्मयस्त्वं चिन्मयः ।
त्वमानन्दमयस्त्वं ब्रह्ममयः ॥
त्वं सच्चिदानन्दाद्वितीयोऽसि ।
त्वं प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्मासि ॥
त्वं ज्ञानमयो विज्ञानमयोऽसि ॥

Tvam vangmayastvam chinmayah
Tvamanandamayastvam brahmamayah
Tvam sachchidanandadvitiyo'si
Tvam pratyaksham brahmasi
Tvam jnanamayo vijnanamayo'si

MeaningYou are made of speech, of consciousness, of bliss and of Brahman. You are being, awareness and bliss without a second. You are Brahman visible before us, made of knowledge and of discernment.

Section 5: the source of the world

सर्वं जगदिदं त्वत्तो जायते ।
सर्वं जगदिदं त्वत्तस्तिष्ठति ॥
सर्वं जगदिदं त्वयि लयमेष्यति ।
सर्वं जगदिदं त्वयि प्रत्येति ॥
त्वं भूमिरापोऽनलोऽनिलो नभः ॥
त्वं चत्वारि वाक्पदानि ॥

Sarvam jagadidam tvatto jayate
Sarvam jagadidam tvattastishthati
Sarvam jagadidam tvayi layameshyati
Sarvam jagadidam tvayi pratyeti
Tvam bhumirapo'nalo'nilo nabhah
Tvam chatvari vakpadani

MeaningThis whole world is born from you, stands in you, dissolves into you and returns to you. You are earth, water, fire, air and space. You are the four levels of speech.

Section 6: beyond the three

त्वं गुणत्रयातीतः । त्वमवस्थात्रयातीतः ।
त्वं देहत्रयातीतः ॥
त्वं कालत्रयातीतः ।
त्वं मूलाधारः स्थिथोऽसि नित्यम् ॥
त्वं शक्तित्रयात्मकः ।
त्वां योगिनो ध्यायन्ति नित्यम् ॥
त्वं ब्रह्मा त्वं विष्णुस्त्वं रुद्रस्त्वमिन्द्रस्त्वमग्निस्त्वं वायुस्त्वं सूर्यस्त्वं चन्द्रमास्त्वं ब्रह्मभूर्भुवःस्वरोम् ॥

Tvam gunatrayatitah, tvamavasthatrayatitah
Tvam dehatrayatitah
Tvam kalatrayatitah
Tvam muladharah sthitho'si nityam
Tvam shaktitrayatmakah
Tvam yogino dhyayanti nityam
Tvam brahma tvam vishnustvam rudrastvamindrastvamagnistvam vayustvam suryastvam chandramastvam brahmabhurbhuvahsvarom

MeaningYou are beyond the three qualities, the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep, the three bodies and the three times. You abide always at the root centre of the body. You are of the three-fold power, and yogis meditate on you always. You are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Indra, Agni, Vayu, Surya and Chandra, and you are Brahman, the three worlds and Om.

Section 7: the Ganesha mantra

गणादिं पूर्वमुच्चार्य वर्णादींस्तदनन्तरम् ।
अनुस्वारः परतरः ॥
अर्धेन्दुलसितम् ।
तारेण ऋद्धम् ॥
एतत्तव मनुस्वरूपम् ।
गकारः पूर्वरूपम् ॥
अकारो मध्यमरूपम् ।
अनुस्वारश्चान्त्यरूपम् ॥
बिन्दुरुत्तररूपम् ।
नादः सन्धानम् ॥
संहितासन्धिः ।
सैषा गणेशविद्या ॥
गणक ऋषिः ।
निचृद्गायत्रीच्छन्दः ॥
गणपतिर्देवता ॥
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः ॥

Ganadim purvamuchcharya varnadimstadanantaram
Anusvarah paratarah
Ardhendulasitam
Tarena riddham
Etattava manusvarupam
Gakarah purvarupam
Akaro madhyamarupam
Anusvarashchantyarupam
Binduruttararupam
Nadah sandhanam
Samhitasandhih
Saisha ganeshavidya
Ganaka rishih
Nichridgayatrichchhandah
Ganapatirdevata
Om gam ganapataye namah

MeaningSay first the initial letter of the word Ganapati (ga), then the first letter of the alphabet (a), and after them the nasal dot, shining with the half moon and enriched by Om. This is the form of your mantra: the letter ga is its first form, a is the middle, the nasal sound is the last, the bindu is the later form and the sound (nada) is the joining. This is the knowledge of Ganesha. The sage is Ganaka, the metre is Nichrit Gayatri and the deity is Ganapati. Om Gam Ganapataye Namah.

Section 8: the Ganesha Gayatri

एकदन्ताय विद्महे वक्रतुण्डाय धीमहि ।
तन्नो दन्तिः प्रचोदयात् ॥

Ekadantaya vidmahe vakratundaya dhimahi
Tanno dantih prachodayat

MeaningWe know the one-tusked one, and we meditate on the one with the curved trunk. May the tusked one inspire us.

Section 9: the form for meditation

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

Ekadantam chaturhastam pashamankushadharinam
Radam cha varadam hastairbibhranam mushakadhvajam
Raktam lambodaram shurpakarnakam raktavasasam
Raktagandhanuliptangam raktapushpaih supujitam
Bhaktanukampinam devam jagatkaranamachyutam
Avirbhutam cha srishtyadau prakriteh purushatparam
Evam dhyayati yo nityam sa yogi yoginam varah

MeaningThe one-tusked, four-handed one, holding a noose and a goad, bearing a tusk and a boon-giving hand, with a mouse on his banner. He is red, big-bellied, with ears like winnowing baskets, wearing red clothes, his limbs smeared with red scented paste and well worshipped with red flowers. He is the god who is kind to his devotees, the cause of the world, the unfallen, appearing at the start of creation, beyond Prakriti and Purusha. The one who meditates on him in this way every day is a yogi, the best among yogis.

Section 10: the eight-name salutation

नमो व्रातपतये नमो गणपतये नमः प्रमथपतये
नमस्तेऽस्तु लम्बोदरायैकदन्ताय विघ्ननाशिने शिवसुताय
श्रीवरदमूर्तये नमो नमः ॥

Namo vratapataye namo ganapataye namah pramathapataye
Namaste'stu lambodarayaikadantaya vighnanashine shivasutaya
Shrivaradamurtaye namo namah

MeaningSalutation to Vratapati, the lord of the hosts, salutation to Ganapati, salutation to Pramathapati, the lord of the attendants. Salutation to you, big bellied, one tusked, remover of obstacles, son of Shiva, and to Shri Varadamurti, the giver of boons. Salutations again and again.

Section 11: benefits (phalashruti)

एतदथर्वशीर्षं योऽधीते ।
स ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥
स सर्वतः सुखमेधते ।
स सर्व विघ्नैर्नबाध्यते ॥
स पञ्चमहापापात्प्रमुच्यते ।
सायमधीयानो दिवसकृतं पापं नाशयति ॥
प्रातरधीयानो रात्रिकृतं पापं नाशयति ।
सायम्प्रातः प्रयुञ्जानो अपापो भवति ॥
सर्वत्राधीयानोऽपविघ्नो भवति ।
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षं च विन्दति ॥
इदमथर्वशीर्षमशिष्याय न देयम् ।
यो यदि मोहाद्दास्यति स पापीयान् भवति ॥
सहस्रावर्तनाद्यं यं काममधीते तं तमनेन साधयेत् ॥

Etadatharvashirsham yo'dhite
Sa brahmabhuyaya kalpate
Sa sarvatah sukhamedhate
Sa sarva vighnairnabadhyate
Sa panchamahapapatpramuchyate
Sayamadhiyano divasakritam papam nashayati
Prataradhiyano ratrikritam papam nashayati
Sayampratah prayunjano apapo bhavati
Sarvatradhiyano'pavighno bhavati
Dharmarthakamamoksham cha vindati
Idamatharvashirshamashishyaya na deyam
Yo yadi mohaddasyati sa papiyan bhavati
Sahasravartanadyam yam kamamadhite tam tamanena sadhayet

MeaningThe text says that whoever studies this atharvashirsha becomes fit for Brahman, prospers happily on every side and is not hindered by obstacles. It says that he is freed from the five great sins, that no obstacle hinders him anywhere, that reading in the evening removes the day's faults and reading in the morning removes the night's, and that one who reads both is without fault. It says he gains dharma, wealth, desire and liberation, and it adds that the text must not be given to one who is not a student, and that by a thousand repetitions one may accomplish a chosen aim. These are the text's own claims.

Section 12: benefits continued

अनेन गणपतिमभिषिञ्चति स वाग्मी भवति ॥
चतुर्थ्यामनश्नन् जपति स विद्यावान् भवति ।
स यशोवान् भवति ।
इत्यथर्वणवाक्यम् ॥
ब्रह्माद्याचरणं विद्यात् न बिभेति कदाचनेति ॥

Anena ganapatimabhishinchati sa vagmi bhavati
Chaturthyamanashnan japati sa vidyavan bhavati
Sa yashovan bhavati
Ityatharvanavakyam
Brahmadyacharanam vidyat na bibheti kadachaneti

MeaningThe text says that when this is used to anoint Ganapati, one becomes eloquent, and that one who recites it while fasting on the fourth day of the lunar fortnight becomes learned and renowned. It calls this the word of the Atharvan seers, and says that one who knows the practice beginning with Brahma never fears.

Section 13: benefits of worship

यो दूर्वाङ्कुरैर्यजति स वैश्रवणोपमो भवति ।
यो लाजैर्यजति स यशोवान् भवति ॥
स मेधावान् भवति ।
यो मोदकसहस्रेण यजति ॥
स वाञ्छितफलमवाप्नोति ।
यः साज्यसमिद्भिर्यजति ॥
स सर्वं लभते स सर्वं लभते ॥

Yo durvankurairyajati sa vaishravanopamo bhavati
Yo lajairyajati sa yashovan bhavati
Sa medhavan bhavati
Yo modakasahasrena yajati
Sa vanchhitaphalamavapnoti
Yah sajyasamidbhiryajati
Sa sarvam labhate sa sarvam labhate

MeaningThe text says that one who worships with durva grass shoots becomes like Kubera, and one who worships with parched grain becomes renowned and intelligent. It says that one who worships with a thousand modaka sweets obtains the desired fruit, and that one who worships with fuel sticks soaked in ghee obtains everything, repeating the last words for emphasis.

Section 14: closing benefits

अष्टौ ब्राह्मणान् सम्यग्ग्राहयित्वा सूर्यवर्चस्वी भवति ।
सूर्यग्रहे महानद्यां प्रतिमासन्निधौ वा जप्त्वा सिद्धमन्त्रो भवति ॥
महाविघ्नात्प्रमुच्यते ।
महादोषात्प्रमुच्यते ॥
महापापात् प्रमुच्यते ।
स सर्वविद्भवति स सर्वविद्भवति ॥
य एवं वेद इत्युपनिषत् ॥

Ashtau brahmanan samyaggrahayitva suryavarchasvi bhavati
Suryagrahe mahanadyam pratimasannidhau va japtva siddhamantro bhavati
Mahavighnatpramuchyate
Mahadoshatpramuchyate
Mahapapat pramuchyate
Sa sarvavidbhavati sa sarvavidbhavati
Ya evam veda ityupanishat

MeaningThe text says that when one has eight brahmins properly receive the teaching, one becomes radiant like the sun. It says that reciting during a solar eclipse in a great river, or near an image, makes the mantra accomplished, frees one from great obstacle, great fault and great sin, and makes one all knowing. The closing words say that one who knows this in this way gains these results, and mark the end of the Upanishad. These are the text's own claims.

ॐ सहनाववतु ।
सहनौभुनक्तु ॥
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः ।
भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः ॥
स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवांसस्तनूभिः ।
व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः ॥
ॐ स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः ।
स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ॥
स्वस्तिनस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः ।
स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om sahanavavatu
Sahanaubhunaktu
Saha viryam karavavahai
Tejasvinavadhitamastu ma vidvishavahai
Om bhadram karnebhih shrinuyama devah
Bhadram pashyemakshabhiryajatrah
Sthirairangaistushtuvamsastanubhih
Vyashema devahitam yadayuh
Om svasti na indro vriddhashravah
Svasti nah pusha vishvavedah
Svastinastarkshyo arishtanemih
Svasti no brihaspatirdadhatu
Om shantih shantih shantih

MeaningThe closing verses repeat the peace prayers. May teacher and student be protected together and nourished together, may we work with strength, may what we study shine and may we not quarrel. Then come the prayer to hear what is good and see what is good, the prayer for the well being of Indra, Pusha, Tarkshya and Brihaspati, and the triple peace.