Ganapati Atharvashirsha

Today (Sep 15, 2007) is the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, a special day to honor Lord Ganesha, the Remover of all obstacles. In honor of this festival, I am posting a video link. The audio is called the Ganapati Atharvashirsha Upanishad and is recited in temple on this festival during the abhishekha (ablution) ceremony. The Ganapati Atharvashirsha is believed to have originated with a sect called the Ganapatya, which worshipped Ganesha as the Supreme Reality. Over the centuries, however, this sect became absorbed by Shaivism. The Ganapati Atharvashirsha is, therefore, now considered one of the fourteen Shaivite Upanishads. Despite the absence of the formal Ganapatya sect, Ganesha is still extremely popular and worshipped in most branches of Hinduism, and also by some Buddhists and Jains.

A translation of the Ganapati Atharvashirsha Upanishad follows the video.




The Ganapati Atharvashirsham in translation:

Om Lam I bow to Ganapati. [1]

You clearly are the tattva. You alone are the Creator. You alone are the Maintainer. You alone are the Destroyer. Of all this you certainly are Brahma. You plainly are the Essence. [2]

Always I speak amrita. The truth I speak. [3]

Protect me. Protect the speakers. Protect the hearers. Protect the givers. Protect the holders. Protect the disciple that repeats. Protect that in the East. Protect that in the South. Protect that in the West. Protect that in the North. Protect that above. Protect that below. Everywhere protect! Protect me everywhere! [4]

You are speech. You are consciousness. You are Bliss. You are Brahman. You are Being-Consciousness-Bliss. You are the Non-Dual. You are plainly Brahman. You are knowledge. You are Intelligence. [5]

You create all this world. You maintain all this world. All this world is seen in you. You are Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Aether. You are beyond the four measures of speech. You are beyond the three Gunas. You are beyond the three bodies. You are beyond the three times. You are always situated in the Muladhara. You are the Being of the three Shaktis. You are always meditated on by Yogins. You are Brahma, You are Vishnu, You are Rudra, You are Agni, You are Vayu, You are the Sun, You are the Moon, You are Brahma, Bhur-Bhuvah-Svar. [6]

'Ga' the first syllable, after that the first letter, beyond that 'm', then the half-moon all together. Joined with 'Om', this is the mantra form. [7]

Letter Ga the first form, letter a the middle form, m the last form. Bindu the higher form, Nada the joining together, Samhita the junction. This is the vidya of Lord Ganesha. [8]

Ganaka is the seer, Nricad-Gayatri the metre, Sri Mahaganapati the god. "Om Ganapataye Namah." [9]

Let us think of the one-tusked, let us meditate on the crooked trunk, may that tusk direct us. [10]

One tusk, for arms, carrying noose and goad, with His hands dispelling fear and granting boons, with a mouse as His banner. [11]

Red, with a big belly, with ears like winnowing baskets, wearing red, with limbs smeared with red scent, truly worshipped with red flowers. [12]

To the devoted a merciful Deva, the Maker of the World, the Prime Cause, who at the beginning of creation was greater than nature and man. [13]

He who always meditates thus is a yogin above yogins. [14]

Hail to the Lord of Vows, hail to Ganapati, hail to the First Lord, hail unto you, to the Big-bellied, One-Tusked, Obstacle-Destroyer, the Son of Shiva, to the Boon-Giver, hail, hail! [15]

He who studies this Atharva Shira moves towards Brahma. He is always blissful. He is not bound by any obstacles. He is liberated from the five greater and the five lesser sins. Evening meditation destroys the unmeritorious actions of the night. At both evening and morning he is liberated from the bad and he attains Dharma-Artha-Kama and Moksha. [16]

This Artharva Shira should not be given to those not pupils. If from delusion a person so gives, he is a bad person. [17]

He who wants something may accomplish it by 1000 recitations of this. He who sprinkles Ganapati with this becomes eloquent. He who recites this on a 4th day becomes a knower of Vidya. This an Artharva saying "He who moves towards Brahma Vidya is never afraid." He who worships with fried grains becomes famous and becomes intelligent. He who worships with sweet-meat (modaka) gains the desired fruit. He who worships with samit and ghee by him all is attained, all is gained by him. He who makes eight brahmanas understand this becomes like the sun's rays. In a solar eclipse, in a great river, or in front of an image having recited (this) he gets accomplished in the mantra. He becomes liberated from great obstacles. He is freed from great misfortunes. [18]

Aum Gam Ganapataye Namah.