Slokas for Ganesha

Gayatri refers to a special three-line Vedic meter used in mantras for invoking and focusing consciousness on the Deity. The three gayatris below are intoned during pujas and yajnas. They may also be recited as powerful japa -- repeated again and again, while gently regulating the breath according to systematic rhythms given by one's guru to establish a deep inner connection with Lord Ganesha.

Aum ekadantaya vidmahe
vakratundaya dhimahi
tanno dantih prachodayat

We devote our thought to the one-tusked Lord.
We meditate upon Him who has a curved trunk.
May the tusked One guide us on the right path.

Ganapati Upanishad

Aum tatpurushaya vidmahe
vakratundaya dhimahi
tanno dantih prachodayat

We devote our thought to that supreme person.
We meditate upon Him who has a curved trunk.
May the tusked One guide us on the right path.

Narayana Upanishad

Aum tat karataya vidmahe
hasti mukhaya dhimahi
tanno dantih prachodayat

We devote our thoughts to the mysterious Lord.
We meditate on His elephant face.
May the tusked One guide us on the right path.

Maitrayani Samhita 2.6-9

A Special Collection of Ganesha Mantras

Ganesha mantras are siddhi mantras . Each mantra contains certain specific powers of Lord Ganesha. When chanted with the proper pranayama (rhythmic breathing) and sincere devotion, they will yield good results. In general, Ganesha mantras will ward off all evil and bless the devotee with abundance, prudence and success. Evil spirits dare not enter the home or the mind of the devotee where Ganesha mantras are recited. Those so mystically inclined and knowledgeable of the seven chakras below the muladhara use these powerful incantantions under the direction of the guru to close off these regions of the mind one by one and free consciousness from deep depression, confusion, jealousy, rage, lingering anger and fear. Some such mantras are given below for the spiritual benefit of the readers.

One more point to remember is that one should bathe or wash the limbs before sitting for repetition of the mantra. Also, one should do three or more pranayama before beginning the mantra. The minimum repetition of the mantra should be one full mala, or 108 times. When this is done at a fixed hour and place regularly for 48 days, it becomes an upasana, which means intense meditation, that will yield siddhis, or spiritual powers. Another warning to bear in mind is that one should use those powers only for healing the sick and other such selfless actions for the benefit of mankind. These powers should not be misused. Misuse of power may bring the curse of the asuras.

Aum gam ganapataye namah

This is a mantra from Ganapati Upanishad. One may always use it before beginning a journey, a new course in school, new career or job, or before entering into any new contract or business so that impediments are removed and your endeavor may be crowned with success.

Aum shri ganeshaya namah

This mantra is usually taught to children for their good education. It increases their memory power, and they become successful in their examinations. Of course, people of any age may use this mantra when taking courses in a school or university, and for success in attaining their degree.

Aum vakratundaya hum

This is a very powerful mantra, as discussed in the Ganesha Purana. When something is not working properly, individually or universally, nationally or internationally, or when the minds of the people turn crooked, negative, depressed or discouraged, the attention of Ganesha may be drawn by this mantra to straighten their ways. The HUM symbolizes "Delay no more, my Lord, in straightening the paths of the crooked-minded ones." This mantra is used many times in the Ganesha Purana to curb the atrocities of cruel demons. In addition, this mantra could also be used for healing any spinal deficiency, such as curvature of the spine or curved limbs. Dedicate 1,008 repetitions of this holy word to straighten and heal such deficiencies.

Aum kshipra prasadaya namah

Kshipra means instantaneous. If some danger or negative energy is coming your way and you don't know how to get rid of that trouble, with true devotion, practice this mantra for quick blessing and purification of one's aura.

Aum shrim hrim klim glaum gam
ganapataye vara varada sarva
janamme vashamanaya svaha

There are several bija (seed) mantras in this mantra . Among other things, it signals, "Shower Your blessings, O Lord. I offer my ego as an oblation."

Aum sumukhaya namah

This mantra has a lot of meaning, but to make it simple, it means you will be always very beautiful in soul, in spirit, in face, everything. By meditating on this mantra, very pleasing manners and a beauty comes on you. Along with that comes peace, which constantly dances in your eyes; and the words you speak are all filled with that power of love.

Aum ekadantaya namah

Ekadanta refers to one tusk in the elephant face, which means God broke the duality and made you to have a one-pointed mind. Whoever has that oneness of mind and single-minded devotion will achieve everything.

Aum kapilaya namah

Kapila (red) means that you are able to give color therapy. You are able to create colors around yourself and around others, bathe them in that color and heal them. As per the mantra you create, so will you create the colors. Another meaning is "wish cow," the "cow of plenty." It means that whatever you wish, that comes true. There is a wish-cow inside you. Whatever you wish, especially for healing others, comes true immediately.

Aum gajakarnikaya namah

The ears of Ganesha, the elephant, are constant fanning, which means people may talk a lot, but you are not receiving inside anything other than that which is important. It also means that you can sit anywhere and tune this cosmic television (the body) with seven channels (chakras) and all 72,000 nadis, to any loka and be able to hear ancestors, angels, the voice of God or the voice of prophets. That kind of inner ear you will develop through this mantra.

Aum lambodaraya namah

This means you feel that you are this universe. It means that all the universes are within you. Like an entire tree is in the seed, the whole universe is in the sound of creation, which is Aum, and that Aum consciousness in you makes you feel that you are the universe. Therefore, if you say, realizing the oneness with the universe, "shanti to the world" every day, then the grace of God will come and there will be world peace, universal peace. It is the universes within Aum and Aum within you.

Aum vikataya namah

This means realizing this world as a dream or a drama. When you are in that high consciousness, this whole world looks like a dream. All of us have taken a role. We have to play our role in life as wife or husband or children or citizens, all consistent with the role we have taken. When an actor bitten by a sponge cobra that is brought on the stage falls, the entire audience cries; but that boy who has fallen knows it was not a real cobra and he is not dead. Life is a drama -- definitely life in this material world, this physical world of ego, is a drama. But inside, like the boy on the stage who is quite happy knowing that he didn't die by the bite of the sponge cobra, like that, the truth never dies in us; it is immortal. So everything else you consider as drama. That consciousness comes to you by knowing this mantra.

Aum vighna nashanaya namah

This mantra invokes the Lord Ganesha to remove every impediment in your life and in your works. By constant meditation on this mantra, all obstacles and blocked energy in your physical and astral bodies are released.

Aum vinayakaya namah

Vinayaka is the name of Ganesha in the golden age. So by realizing this mantra, your life will have a golden age. In your office, in your work, you'll be the boss. Vinayaka means something under control. Vinayaka means the Lord of problems.

Aum dhumraketuve namah

Halley's Comet is called Dhumraketu in the Vedas. Whenever Halley's Comet appears, on the whole planet Earth, and in other places also, there will be fear and terror. The guiding masters and those who have the wisdom to face it will all withdraw to the higher worlds. Important people die during that time, and bloodshed and various other problems come. To overcome that, it's important for us to remember this mantra for world peace.

Aum ganadhyakshaya namah

This mantra is so important. Suppose you have a group, a country, neighbors, or any kind of group therapy, group healing or a whole country needing healing, then you have to bring that entire group to your mind's arena and say this mantra. A group healing takes place by this mantra.

Aum bhalachandraya namah

In Sanskrit, bhala means the forehead center. Chandra means the crescent moon. Bhalachandra means that chakra from where the nectar drips. That is the secret of all healing. It is to feel yourself as Siva, identifying yourself with the Truth and feeling constantly that you are carrying the crescent moon, the symbol of growth and nectar and peace.

Prayer Slokas on Sri Ganesha

vakratu.nDa mahaakaaya koTisuuryasamaprabha |
nirvighnaM kuru me deva sarvakaaryeshhu sarvadaa ||

[Oh! Lord (Ganesha), of huge body and curved elephant trunk, whose brilliance is equal to billions of suns, always remove all obstacles from my endeavors.]

gajaananaM bhuutagaNaadisevitaM
kapitthajaMbuuphalasaarabhaxitam.h |
umaasutaM shokavinaashakaaraNaM
namaami vighneshvarapaadapaN^kajam.h ||

[Salutations to Lord Ganesha who has an elephant head, who is attended by the band of his followers, who eats his favorite wood-apple and rose-apple fruits, who is the son of Goddess Uma, who is the cause of destruction of all sorrow. And I salute his feet which are like lotus.]

shuklaambaradhara.n devaM
shashivarNa.n chaturbhujam.h |
prasannavadana.n dhyaayet.h
sarvavighnopashaantaye ||

[In order to remove all obstacles, one should meditate on (the God Ganesha) as wearing a white garment, as having the complexion like the moon, and having four arms and a pleasant countenance.]

ekada.ntaM mahaakaaya.n
taptakaaJNchanasannibham.h |
laMbodaraM vishaalaaxaM
vande.ahaM gaNanaayakam.h ||

[I bow down to one tusked, huge-bodied, big-bellied, large-eyed Lord Ganesha whose complexion is like that of molten gold.]

Srikantho Mathulo Yasya Jananee Sarva Mangalaa | Janakaha Sankaro Devaha Tam Vande' Kunjaraananam ||

He for whom Lord Vishnu is the Uncle, Whose mother is the Universal auspicious one, Parvathi, Whose father is Lord Mahaa Deva, to Him the Omkaara Faced One, Sri Ganesha, I am doing the salutations.

Vakrathunda Mahaakaaya Sooryakoti Samaprabha,
Avighnam Kuru Me' Deva, Sarva Kaaryesu Sarvadhaa.

You, of the twisted trunk and the massive body, With the dazzle and light of millions of suns; Lead me on a path that has no obstacles nor hindrances Clearing the way in all that I do, ever, and always!

Prasanna Vinaayakam De'vam; Pe'rivana Pura Samsthitham |
Sarva Vigna Haram Nithyam; Vandhe' Sri Kunjaraananam ||

O' Lord Sri Prasanna Vinaayaga, who lives in His Temple in Pearland; The one who will remove all obstacles for all His devotees at all times; One who has the Omkara face of the elephant, I pray to Him.

Sri Ganesha Sthuthi

Srikantho Mathulo Yasya Jananee Sarva Mangalaa |
Janakaha Sankaro Devaha Tam Vande' Kunjaraananam ||

He for whom Lord Vishnu is the Uncle, Whose mother is the Universal auspicious one, Parvathi, Whose father is Lord Mahaa Deva, to Him the Omkaara Faced One, Sri Ganesha, I am doing the salutations.

Vakrathunda Mahaakaaya Sooryakoti Samaprabha,
Avighnam Kuru Me' Deva, Sarva Kaaryesu Sarvadhaa.

You, of the twisted trunk and the massive body, With the dazzle and light of millions of suns; Lead me on a path that has no obstacles nor hindrances Clearing the way in all that I do, ever, and always!

Suklaambaratharam Vishnum Sasivarnam Chaturbujam,
Prasanna Vadhanam Dhayaye't Sarva Vighnopa Santhaye'.

Mooshiga Vaahana Modhaka Hastha -
Saamara Karna Vilambitha Soothra
Vaamana Roopa Maheswara Puthra -
Vighna Vinayaka Paadha Namaste'.

Agajaanana Padmaarkam Gajaananam Adharnisam,
Ane'kadantam Bhakthaanam Ekadandham Upaasmahe'.

Gajaananam Bhuta Ganadhi Sevitam,
Kapiththa Jambu Phala Saara Bhaksitham
Umasutham Soka Vinaasa Kaaranam
Namaami Vighneswara Paadapankajam.

Manthras for Daily Prayers to Sri Ganesha

1. Om Sumukhaya Namaha ;
2. Om Ekadanthaaya Namaha ;
3. Om Kapilaaya Namaha ;
4. Om Gajakarnaaya Namaha ;
5. Om Lambodharaaya Namaha ;
6. Om Vikataaya Namaha ;
7. Om Vighnaraajaaya Namaha ;
8. Om Ganaadhipaaya Namaha ;
9. Om Dhoomaketave' Namaha ;
10. Om Ganaadhyakshaaya Namaha ;
11. Om Bhaalachandraaya Namaha ;
12. Om Gajaananaaya Namaha ;
13. Om Vakrathundaaya Namaha ;
14. Om Soorpakarnaaya Namaha ;
15. Om He'rambaaya Namaha ;
16. Om Skandapoorvajaaya Namaha

A Prayer for Sri Ganesha - using all His Names.

Sumukhascha E'kadhanthascha Kapilo Gajakarnakah:
Lambodharascha Vikata: Vignaraajo Vinayaka:
Dhoomake'thur Ganaathyaksho Baalachandro Gajaanana:
Vakrathunda: Soorppa Karna: He'ramba: Skandha Poorvajah:

Thvame'va Maathaa Cha Pithaa Thvame'va
Thvame'va Bandhuscha Sakha Thvame'va |
Thvame'va Vidhyaa Cha Thraveenam Thvame'va
Thvame'va Sarvam Mama Dheva Dheva ||
Om Saanthi ! Saanthi !! Saanthi !!!

You are my Mother; You are my Father;
You are my closest Kin; You are my dearest Friend;
You are my Wisdom; You are the Treasure;
You are my Everything; O' my Lord, My loving Lord ||
Om Peace ! Peace !! Peace !!!

The Lord Ganesha History

Lord Ganesha, also known as Vinayaka (the prominent leader), is the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom, literature and worldly success. He is thought to derive from an animistic deity, possibly a Dravidian (aboriginal) sun god. Lord Ganesha is a propitious god, promising success, prosperity, and peace and is invoked before any sort of enterprise. It is his responsibility to decide between success and failure, to remove obstacles or create them as necessary. His pot-belly symbolizes a pitcher full of prosperity, a sort of abdominal cornucopia.

Lord Ganesha has many names. The main ones are Ganapati (Lord of the tribe or attendants), Vighnesvara (controller of all obstacles), Gajanana (elephant-faced), Gajadhipati (Lord of elephants), Lambkarn (long-eared), Lambodar (pendant-bellied) and Ekadant (having one tusk).

Lord Ganesha is said to have been the son of Parvati and Shiva. His task in life was to guard his mother and once while doing so he foolishly failed to recognizeShiva himself who had come seeking his consort. Trying to defend his mother's bath, Lord Ganesha was beheaded by Shiva who later was persuaded by Parvati to revive him. He promised Lord Ganesha that he should have the head of the first creature who happened along. An elephant, the wisest of animals, appeared and became the involuntary donor in the first successful head transplant in history.

Lord Ganesha was a glutton. One evening, having stuffed himself to capacity, he decided to take a post-prandial ride on his favored mount, Mooshika, a rat or shrew. Along the moonlit road they chanced upon a large snake and the startled rat bolted, throwing the gross god. Lord Ganesha fell heavily; he hit the ground so hard that his stomach burst open. Gathering up the remains of his self-esteem, his ample guts and the snake, Lord Ganesha wittily used the reptile as a belt and tied himself up together again. Howls of derision shattered the peaceful scene; it was the moon who had witnessed the whole incident with great relish. Lord Ganesha lost his temper and angrily looked about for something to throw at his tormentor. Finding nothing suitable, he ripped off one of his own tusks and hurled it at the moon. He added a vindictive curse that every so often the moon would lose its power of giving light.

Another explanation of his missing tusk is that he plucked it out in his enthusiasm to write down the Mahabharata, the Hindu religious epic, at the dictation of sage Vyasa. He was after all the Hindu god of learning and the patron of letters. Would that all in the literary world were as kind, gentle and well-meaning as Lord Ganesha.

Lord Ganesha is depicted with having four arms. These symbolize him as the universal ruler establishing four categories of beings -- firstly those who can live only in water, secondly those who can live in water and earth, thirdly those who can live only on earth and lastly those who can fly in the air. Moreover it is also Lord Ganesha who instituted the four castes and four Vedas. One hymn in Sri Bhagavat Tathva, an ancient scripture, says:

"In heaven this child will establish the predominance of gods, on earth that of men, in the nether world that of the anti-gods and serpents. He causes the four principles of the elements to move and is therefore four-armed. In one hand he is shown to have a shell, in another a discus, in the third a club or a sweet cake and in the fourth a water lily."

The vehicle of Lord Ganesha is a mouse. As rats generally succeed in gnawing their way through every obstruction, the rat symbolizes this god's ability to destroy every obstacle. Being an elephant he passes through the thickest of wild growth in a forest, uproots and tears to smithereens the thickest trees hindering his path and fells out whatever comes in his way. While drilling holes like a mouse he can also slip through the narrowest of spaces and thickest of the walls. Moreover, the mouse is deemed to be the master of inside everything. The all-pervading Atman (soul) is the mouse that lives in the hole called Intellect, within the heart of every being. It hides itself behind the inscrutable shape of illusion.

The legend about Lord Ganesha having preference over all other gods establishes his sharpness of intellect. There was a keen competition amongst all gods to gain the first place of worship amongst the laity. It was decided that the god who would return first after traversing the whole universe shall be declared the winner. All gods and goddesses ran on their fast vehicles. Lord Ganesh with his pot-bellied body and mouse's vehicle could never hope to compete. He took a round of his parents, Shiva and Parvati, and just sat there at the starting point. He was declared the winner because one who goes round his parents and touches their feet traverses the whole universe. Since then Lord Ganesha is always worshipped first and every other god takes a back seat. Another legend says that when Parvati saw an elephant's head being fixed on her son's body, she burst into tears and could not be soothed. To pacify her Brahma announced that amongst the worship of all the gods, that of Lord Ganesha should forever bear the first preference.
Lord Ganesha has two wives, one named Siddhi (Success) and the other named Riddhi (Prosperity). Of course one who pleases the Lord automatically comes into the good books of his two wives!
As the Lord of Obstacles and the personification of those qualities which surmount all difficulties, Lord Ganesha is often honored at the outset of any project or test and consequently has become particularly popular with modern businessmen and students. He is the typical lord of success in life and its accompaniments of good living, prosperity and peace. In all ceremonies (except funeral rites) Lord Ganesha is first involked. He is revered by most Hindus, whether followers of Shiva or Vishnu.
Lord Ganesha represents the unity of the Small Being, the man, with the Great Being, the elephant. It is the blending of the microcosm with macrocosm, of drop of water with the ocean and of individual soul with divinity.