Ganesha Sthavam

Ganesha Sthavam
[From Ganesa Puranam]
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

[I could not find in the web this complete stotra, though I found several references to the first three stanzas of this great prayer addressed to Ganesa. In many places it is mentioned that the first three stanzas are to be recited during the pooja on Sankata Hara Chathuthi. Some people call it Ganesa sthavam and yet others as Ganesa Stotram. In the Malayam stotra book called "Bruhath stotra rathnakaram" published by R. S. Vadhyar and sons, Kalpathi, Palghat, it is referred to as Ganesa Bhujanga stotram. But since it is not in bhujanga meter and the real Ganesa Bhujangam written by Adhi Sankara is different, I presume the title is wrong. In some references authorship of Adhi Sankara is ascribed to the first three stanzas but reference to his complete works shows that it is not composed by Adhi Sankara.]

1. Ajam nirvikalpam nirakaramekam,
Nirathanga madvaitha mananda poornam,
Param nirgunam nirvisesham nireeham,
Param brahma roopam Ganesam Bhajama.

I sing about that supreme Brahman form of Ganesa,
Who was not born, who is beyond imagination,
Who is one and formless, who is without worries,
Who is full of the bliss of the second less state,
And who is divine, property less, specialty less and self less.

2. Gunathheethamadhyam Chidananda roopam,
Chidabhasakam sarvagam Jnanagamyam,
Munidhyeya makasa roopam paresam,
Param brahma roopam Ganesam Bhajama.

I sing about that supreme Brahmam form of Ganesa,
Who is primeval, beyond properties and has the form of divine joy,
Who has divine light, is every where and nears those who are wise,
And who is meditated by sages, has the form of ether and is the divine lord.

3. Jagat Karanam Karana jnana roopam,
Suradhim, sukhadim yugadhim Ganesam,
Jagat vyapinam, viswa vandhyam suresam,
Param brahma roopam Ganesam Bhajama.

I sing about that supreme Brahmam form of Ganesa,
Who is the cause of the world and the cause of the form of divine knowledge,
Who is first among devas, who is the foremost among pleasures and is Ganesa who was first in time,
And who is spread all over universe and the lord of devas worshiped by the world.

4. Raja yogatho Brahma roopam sruthignam,
Sada karyasaktham Hrudhaachinthya roopam,
Jagat karanam sarva vidhya nidhaanam,
Param brahma roopam Ganesam Bhajama.

I sing about that supreme Brahmam form of Ganesa,
Who is seen as Brahma through Raja Yoga and is an expert in Vedas,
Who is forever busy and has a form beyond the thought of the mind,
And who is the cause of the world and final goal of all knowledge.

5. Sada sathwa yogam, mudhaa kreedamanam,
Suraareen harantham, jagat palayantham,
Anekavatharam nijajnana haram,
Sada Vishnu roopam, Ganesam Namama.

I always worship the Vishnu form of Ganesa,
Who is always merged with Sathwa qualities and plays with joy,
Who defeats the enemies of devas and looks after the world,
And who has taken several incarnations and wears true wisdom as garland.

6. Thapo yoginaam Rudra roopam, trinethram,
Jagad udharakam tharapam, jnana hethum,
Aneka aagamai swam janam bodhayantham,
Sada sarva roopam, ganesam namama.

I always worship the Siva form of Ganesa,
Who appears as Rudra before meditating sages and has three eyes,
Who uplifts the world as helmsman and is the cause of wisdom,
And who teaches several religious books to his people.

7. Thamasthoma haram, jana jnana haaram,
Thrayee veda saram para brahma param,
Muni jnana karam, vidhoore vikaram,
Sada Brahma roopam, Ganesam namama.

I always salute the Brahma form of Ganesa,
Who defeats darkness and bad ones and is the garland of wisdom to the people,
Who is the essence of three Vedas and is beyond divine Brahmam,
Ad who gives divine wisdom to sages and changes us from a distance.

8. Nijai roshadi tharpayantham kuroughai,
Suroghaan kalaabhi sudhaa sraavineebhi,
Dinesamsu santhapaharam dwijesam,
Sasanka swaroopam Ganesam Namama.

I salute the moon form of Ganesa,
Who truly gave up his position to write the story of Kurus,
Who drips nectar to the devas through his crescents,
And who is the antidote to suffering caused by sun and is the God of the twice born.

9. Prakasa swaroopam, nabho vayu roopam,
Vikaradhi hethum, kalaakala bhootham,
Aneka kriya aneka sakthi swaroopam,
Sada shakthi roopam Ganesam namama.

I always salute the Goddess form of Ganesa,
Which is a dazzling form, which is the form of wind and sky,
Who is the reason of the minutest problems of the past,
And who is the form of several actions and several powers.

10. Pradhana swaroopam, mahath thathwa roopam,
Dharaa vari roopam, digeesadhi roopam,
Asath sath swaroopam, jagat hethu bhootham,
Sada Viswa roopam, Ganesam Bhajama.

I always salute that universal form of Ganesa,
Which is the major form, which is the form of great reality,
Which is the form which carries, which is the form of god of directions,
And which is the form which is real as well as unreal and is the cause of the world.

11. Thwadheeye mana sthapaye dangri padme,
Jano vigna sanganna peedaam labhetha,
Lasad soorya bimbe visale sthithoyam,
Janodwandha baadhaam kadham vaa labetha.

Those people who sanctify you in the lotus of their mind.
Would get rid of the groups of problems due to road blocks,
And who else would remove the problems of all people,
Sitting broadly on the shining form of the Sun.

12. Vayam bramithaa sarvadhaa jnana yogath,
Alabdhwaa thwangrim bahoon varsha poogaan,
Idhaneem avaptham thavaiva prasadath,
Prapannani maan pahi viswambharadhyaa.

We, who have been confused always by the path of wisdom,
Not getting your feet and shower of blessings,
Have now reached, due to your grace,
The position of gods like the Fire God.

13. Idham ya padeth prartha uthaya dheemaan,
Trisandhyam sadaa bhakthi yuktho vishudha,
Sa puthraan sriyam sarva kaamaan labhetha,
Para Brahma roopo bhaved antha kaale.

That good one who reads it after getting up in the morning,
And read it with devotion at dawn, noon and dusk with purity,
Would get sons, wealth and all his desires,
And in the end assume the form of divine Brahman.