Pratha Smarana Ganesha Stotram

Pratha Smarana Ganesha Stotram
[Morning Prayer to Lord Ganesha]
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

[Normally a Hindu prays to God as soon as he gets up. These prayers are necessarily short and should make his mind dissolve in devotion to the God. Here is a morning prayer addressed to Lord Ganesha.]

Pratha smarami gana nadha manadha bandhum,
Sindhoora poora parishobhitha ganda yugmam,
Udhanda vigna pargandana chanda danda,
Makhandaladhi sura nayaka vrunda vandhyam. 1

In the morning I think of Ganesa who is the friend of the orphans,
Who has two cheeks which shine in the fully applied sindhoora,
Who is famous for cutting off, starting problems by his punishment,
And who is saluted by devas along with their leader Indra.

Prathar namami chaturanana vandhyamana,
Michanukoolam akhilam cha varam dadanam,
Tham thundilam dwirasanaadhipa yagna soothram,
Puthram vilasa chathuram shivayo Shivaaya. 2

In the morning I salute him who is worshipped by four headed Brahma,
Who gives boons to his devotees as per their desire and wish,
Who has a pot belly, who wears sacred thread out of snakes,
And who is the son of the playful Parvathi and Lord Shiva.

Prathar bhajamyabhayadham khalu bhaktha soka,
Davaanalam gana vibhum varakunjarasyam,
Ajnana kanana vinasana havya vaha,
Muthsaaha vardhanamaham, suthameeswarasya. 3

I sing about him, who grants protection to his devotees,
Who is the forest fire to the sorrow of his devotees,
Who is the Lord of Ganas, who has face like elephant,
Who is the fire which destroys the fire of ignorance,
Who enthuses us with confidence and is the son of Lord Shiva.

Sloka thrayamidham punyam sada samrajya dayakam,
Prathruthaya sathatham ya padeth prayatha puman, 4

These three stanzas are holy and grant a kingdom,
To him who reads it with devotion, as soon as he gets up.