-Translated by SGP Char

Chapter 28: vighnEshvarastOtra saMdhi (28 Padyas)

harikathAmR^itasAra gurugaLa

karuNadiMdApanitu pELuve

parama bhagavadbhaktaridanAdaradi kELuvudu

shrIshanaMghri sarOjabhR^iMga ma

hEshasaMbhava manmanadoLu pra

kAshisanudina prARthisuve prEmAtishayadiMda

nI salahu sajjanara vEda

vyAsa karuNApAtra mahadA

kAshapati karuNALu kaipiDidemmanuddharisu………..HKAS_28-01

According to shAstra-s, one must perform the pUja of shrI vighnEshvara at the commencement of any pUja. Thus vighnEshAMtaRgata bhAratIramaNa mukhyaprANAMtaRgata shrI vishvaMbhara mURti must first be offered obeisance before commencement of any other pUja. Therefore, JagannAtha dAsa has praised shrI vighnEshvara in the 21 stanza-s of this saMdhi.

shrIshana = laxmIpati shrIman nArAyaNa

aMghrisarOja = sucking the nectar of the Lotus Feet of ParamAtma

bhR^iMga = just like the bees

mahEshasaMbhava = son of mahaR^idra

vEdavyAsa karuNApAtra = obtained the kind anugraha of vEdavyAsa, by writing the mahAbhArata as dictated by him

mahadAkAshapati = bhUtAkAshAbhimAni

karuNALu = kind person

manmanadoLu = in my manas

prakAshisi = enthusiastically energize

anudina = at all times

prEmAtishayadiMda = with intense loving bhakti

prARthisuve = I pray to you

sajjanara = mukti yOgya jIva-s

nI salahu = please protect

emmanu = us

kaipiDidu = by holding our hands

uddharisu = provides us viShNu bhakti and redeem us (save us from the power of evil)

JagannAtha dAsa prays to gaNapati saying, "Oh gaNapati! You sit at the Lotus Feet of sAxAt laxmIpati ParamAtma like a bee which sits on the lotus to suck honey."

gaNapati is the son of R^idra dEvaru (mahEshasaMbhava) i.e. pARvatI dEvi created her son by the sweaty dirt from her sharIra. So it can be said that gaNapati is the son of pARvatI dEvi. But he was not born by the anugraha of R^idra then how can be called 'mahEshasaMbhava'?

The story goes – After creating gaNapati, pARvatI dEvi ordered him to guard the house and not allow any one to enter the house as she went in for a bath. R^idra dEvaru who was not around earlier, returned home to find that he was obstructed entry into his own house by gaNapati. R^idra was angry and he cut off the head of this guard of the house. pARvatI dEvi returned after her bath to find this tragic situation and was very upset. R^idra pacified her and ordered his men to go & get the head of anyone who is sleeping with his head in the North direction. They could find none except an elephant in that position. They cut off the head of that elephant and brought it R^idra dEvaru and by his powers R^idra fixed the elephant head on the dead child and brought him back to life and named him 'gaNapati' and made him the adhipati of bhUtagaNa (attendants of shiva). Thus, he was first created by pARvatI dEvi and recreated by R^idra dEvaru and therefore it is okay to define him as 'mahEshasaMbhava'.

JagannAtha dAsa say, "Oh gaNapati, I pray to you everyday to enable me carry out my functions without obstructions by energizing my manas. Please protect the sajjana-s in this way. You are the one who has the karuNa of vEdavyAsa dEvaru."

Why should he be called 'vEdavyAsa karuNApAtra', when there are several avatAra-s of ParamAtma? When vEdavyAsa dEvaru wanted to write the mahAbhArata, gaNapati told vEdavyAsa dEvaru, "You must dictate the work non –stop", for which vEdavyAsa told him that he must think, undersgand and write the works. He thus chose gaNapati to be his writer, and gaNapati wrote the whole mahAbhArata. If gaNapati has successfully written the works, then he must have certainly understood them all. That is how he earned the anugraha of vEdavyAsa dEvaru.

JagannAtha dAsa describes gaNapati as 'mahadAkAshapati'. Among the 24 tatva-s there are paMchamahAbhUta tatva-s. AkAsha tatva is one among ths paMcha mahAbhUta tatva-s. gaNapati is the adhipati for AkAsha tatva. JagannAtha dAsa begs gaNapati to hold our hand (guide us) and provide us viShNu bhakti and redeem us (save us from the power of evil).

Some key understandings:-

1) vighnEshvara is the adhipati for AkAsha tatva

2) He is shabda guNa grAhya

3) He destroys the obstacles of sajjana-s

4) He does the upAsana of vishvaMbhara ParamAtma – having 19 faces and the central face is the Elephant face. gaNapati is the pratibiMba of vishva nAmaka ParamAtma. He is thus called gajamukha. This is the secret of maMDOdaka upanishad

EkadaMta ibhEMdramukha chA

mIkarakR^ita bhUShaNAMga kR^i

pA kaTAxadi nODu vij~nApisuveniniteMdu

nOkanIyana tutisutippa vi

vEkigaLa sahavAsa sukhagaLa

nI karuNisuvudemage saMtata paramakaruNALu…………..HKAS_28-02

EkadaMta = with one tooth

ibhEMdramukha = elephant face

chAmIkara = golden

kR^ita bhUShaNAMga = decorated with golden jewelry

kR^ipA kaTAxadi nODu = please see me with your kind eyes

vij~nApisuveniniteMdu = I pray to you

nOkanIyana = saRvOttama ParamAtma (kanIya – lowest, nOkanIya – highest)

tutisutippa = contantly praise

vivEkigaLa = j~nAni-s

sahavAsa sukhagaLa = happiness of association (with j~nAni-s)

saMtata paramakaruNALu = always with extreme kindness

emage = to us

nI karuNisuvudu = please bestow on us

Once, chaMdra expressed amusement and giggled at the sight of the falling of stout gaNapati, who was traveling on the mouse which was his vehicle. gaNapati was annoyed at this disrespect. He pulled out one of his tooth and flung it at chaMdra and cursed chaMdra that his brightness be diminished. That is how vinAyaka came to be known as 'EkadaMta'.

ibhEMdra – is a male elephant. gaNapati has an elephant face and he is therefore called gajAnana and also referred as 'ibhEMdramukha'.

gajAnana does the upAsana of vishvaMbhara rUpi ParamAtma – having 19 faces and the central face is the Elephant face. gaNapati is the pratibiMba of vishva nAmaka ParamAtma. He is thus called gajamukha. This is the secret of maMDOdaka Upanishad.

He wears golden jewelry – thus called 'chamIkarakR^ita bhUShaNAMga'.

JagannAtha dAsa prays to EkadaMta / gajAnana to look at him and the sajjana-s with his kind eyes and bestow anugraha.

kanIya – means the lowest, nOkanIya – means the highest. Thus saRvOttama ParamAtma is 'nOkanIyanu'.

JagannAtha dAsa begs gaNapati to bestow us the association of j~nAni-s or sajjana-s who constantly praise ParamAtma, by removing the obstacles.

vighnarAjane duRviShayadoLu

magnavAgiha manavu mahadO

ShaghnaMghri sarOjayugaLadi bhaktipURvakadi

lagnavAgali nitya naraka bha

yAgnigaLigAnaMje guruvara

bhagnagaisennavaguNagaLanu pratidivasadalli……………..HKAS_28-03

vighnarAjane = the key person who eliminates the obstacles that would come in the way of bhakta-s for performing bhagavad sEva

duRviShayadoLu = worldly viShaya-s

magnavAgiha = engrossed

manavu = my manas

mahadOShaghna = that which can destroy my dOSha-s

aMghri sarOjayugaLadi = Lotus Feet of ParamAtma

bhaktipURvakadi = filled with bhakti

lagnavAgali = let it be attached (engrossed)

nitya = always

naraka = hell

bhaya = other fears

agnigaLige = fear of fire

AnaMje = I dont fear

guruvara = guru (gOpAla dAsa is the guru for JagannAtha dAsa. gOpAla dAsa was known to be gaNeshAMsha)

pratidivasadalli = everyday – at all times

enna avaguNagaLanu = my duRguNa-s which will not be acceptable by hari-vAyu

bhagnagaisu = please destroy

The happiness experienced by the contact of the manas with the dashEMdriya-s is called viShaya sukha i.e. seeing through our eyes, hearing through our ears and other j~nAnEMdriya vyApAra-s, working with our hands, walking with our legs, and other kaRmEMdriya vyApAra-s. If these are done in order to please ParamAtma then it is called 'sadviShaya', if they are used to please oneself then it is called 'duRviShaya'.

For example, in bhAgavata 7th skaMda prahalAda rAja explains as to how much one should desire sexual satisfaction with woman.

Quote:-

"yanmaithunAdigR^ihamEdhi sukhaMhi tuchChaM

kaMDUyanEkar yOriva duHkha duHkhaM

tR^ipyaMtishadEhakR^ipaNAbahuduHkhabhAgaH

kaMdUti vanmanasijaM vishahEta dhIraH" -------- B.G. 11-10-45

gR^ihastAshrami thinks that strI bhOga is the ultimate gratification but that is not so. It is the cause of dismay.

If our body feels itchy, our hands would pick up any thing to grate or scratch that surface of the skin to obtain relief, which indeed provides a temporary satisfaction. However, the aggravated surface of the skin starts bleeding and causes sadness. In the same way, strI bhOga also provides temporary contentment and one has to suffer various difficulties later. Those who are engrossed in worldly viShaya-s alone call this as happiness, whereas the j~nAni-s realize that it is the cause of misery and they do not desire that sort of happiness. It is just like not scratching the surface of the skin for temporary relief and avoiding future problems, in the same way avoiding the experience of temporary happiness by way of strI bhOga can prevent immense duHkha later. Only the brave can accomplish 'iMdriya nigraha'. These are the words of prahlAda rAja.

Therefore, in this stanza, JagannAtha dAsa begs gaNapati to enable the manas to engross itself at the Lotus Feet of ParamAtma, instead of being absorbed in 'duRviShaya-s'. This 'iMdriya nigraha' is not easy. Therefore, he begs vighnEshavara that this should happen by dEvata anugraha.

This apart, the j~nAni-s would never fear saMsAra, naraka, agni, or other problems. They would indeed like to face difficulties. While they are experiencing sukha, they remember ParamAtma constantly. A fine example from bhAgavatam explains how kuMtI dEvi prayed to shrI kR^ishNa as follows:-

"vipadasaMtunaH shashvatattattatra jagatpate,

bhavatO daRsanaM yatshata punaRbhavadaRshanaM". SB-1-8-28

Gist – Oh kR^iShNa, please let us have difficulties from time to time. This is my request, because if we have difficulties then we would remember You. By remembering You, we would obtain Your daRshana. If we obtain Your daRshana, we would not have re-birth even if we go to any lOka.

There is no greater fear than the fear of falling back into saMsAra for bhagavad bhakta-s.

During narasiMhAvatAra, all the iMdrAdi dEvata-s were scared to see the fearful ugra narasiMha rUpa. At that time prahlAda said as under in shrImad bhAgavatam:-

"nahaM bibhEmyajita tEEtibhayAnakasya

jivhAgninEtra bhrukuTI rabhasOgradaMShTrAt

aMtrasrajaH xatajakEsara shaMkukaRNAnniRhrAda

bhItadigibhAdari bhinnakhAgrAt

trastOsmyahaM kR^ipaNavatsala duHsahOgra

saMsArachakrakadanat kR^ishatAM praNItaH" ---- SB 7-9-15 &16

Gist – "Oh unconquerable Lord! The Tongue of Your fearful rUpa looks like agni. Your Eyes, Eyebrows, Teeth, and the garland of intestine of my father around Your Neck, my father's blood drenching Your dEha at various places, Your Ears, Your roar which trembled the whole world, Your Nails which tore apart the enemy – I am not afraid to see these. What I fear is that I may get entangled in this terrible saMsAra, which can swallow even R^idra. Why? "chiMtA samOnasti sharirashOShaNe" – there is nothing more than worry that can affect our sharIra. Thus, I am worried that You will put me back into this saMsAra." This is what prahlAda prayed.

In the same way JagannAtha dAsa says "I am not afraid of hell, fire and other troubles. I am only afraid that my manas may get engrossed in duRviShaya-s. Please protect me from that my manas does not get engrossed in duRviShaya-s. Oh vighnEshvara! Please forgive my shortcomings and bestow your anugraha on me."

JagannAtha dAsa addresses gaNapati as 'guruvara'. All of them – right from brahma dEvaru till mAnushOttama-s are all guru-s. Therefore, gaNapati is also guru for JagannAtha dAsa. This apart, gOpaladAsa who was the guru of JagannAtha dAsa and was blessed by him (gOpAladAsa), was gaNEshAMsha. Thus addressing gaNapati as 'guruvara' seems befitting the stanza.

Thus, JagannAtha dAsa prays to gaNapati to burn away the bad guNa-s (engrossment in duRviShaya-s) and bestow good j~nAna.

dhanapa vishvaksEna vaidyA

shvinigaLige sariyenipa ShaNmukha

nanuja shEShashatastha dEvOttamma viyadgaMgA

vinuta vishvOpAsakane sa

nmanadi vij~nApisuve lakumI

vaniteyarasana bhaktij~nAnava koTTu saluhuvudu………………….HKAS_28-04

dhanapa = kubEra (dhanAdhipati)

vishvaksEna = vishvaksEna (son of vAyu)

vaidyAshvinigaLige = ashvini dEvata-s (the doctors for dEvata-s)

sariyenipa = equal to them

ShaNmukhananuja = younger brother of shaNmukha (elder son of R^idra dEvaru)

shEShashastasha = 85 dEvata-s of kaxa-18 (100-15 = 85 dEvata-s. Out of 100 dEvata-s entitled for sOmapAna 15 of them are in uttama kaxa)

dEvOttamma = slightly above these 85 dEvata-s

viyadgaMgA = bhAgIrathI dEvi

vinuta = especially praised by her

vishvOpAsakane = does constant upAsana of vishvarUpi ParamAtma

sanmanadi = with a manas not engrossed in viShaya-s

vij~nApisuve = I pray to you

lakumIvaniteyarasana = laxmIramanNa ParamAtma's

bhakti = bhakti

j~nAnava = undoubting j~nAna

koTTu saluhuvudu = please bestow and protect us

vighnEshvara is equal in level to kubEra (also called dhanAdhipati, also adhipati for North direction), vishvaksEna (son of vayu) and ashvini dEvata-s (nasatya & dasra, who are sura vaidya-s). All of them belong to kaxa-18.

The shEshashatastha sOmapAnARha-s 85 dEvata-s – see list in HKAS_21-55

http://dvaita.info/pipermail/dvaita-list_dvaita.info/2007-May/002906.html

(Out of 100 dEvata-s entitled for sOmapAna 15 of them are in uttama kaxa)

'ShaNmukhananuja' is slightly higher (by1/16th guNa) than the shEshashatastha sOmapAnARha-s

ShaNmukha – is the son of R^idra and pARvatI dEvi. Since he was born in a garden of 'daRbhe' (a typical grass), he was called sharavaNabhava (sharavaNa – means daRbhE). When he was a child he suckled the 6 kR^ittikA naxatrAbhimAni dEvata-s. Since he suckled them at the same time he came to be known as 'ShaNmukha' or 'ShaDAnana'. He was also called sEvAni, kumAra & skaMdha. He became the sEnAdhipati of the dEvata-s and killed tArakAsura.

gaNapati is the younger brother of ShaNmukha.

viyadgaMgA (viyat – AkAsha, gaMgA – gaMgA River) i.e. bhAgIrathI was born in AkAsha and flowed through svaRga before arriving on earth. Thus bhAgIrathI river is called viyadgaMgA. Since gaNapati is praised by her, he is superior to her in tAratamya.

vighnEshvara does the upAsana of vishva nAmaka ParamAtma. It may be noted that the famous viShNu sahasra nAma stOtra starts with 'vishvaM'.

vishva nAmaka ParamAtma resides at the edge of the right eye in every jIva.

This "vishva" ParamAtma who has 19 faces has 9 male faces to the right and 9 female face to the left and He has an elephant trunk at the centre. That is why the pratibiMba rUpa (gaNapati) of this "vishva" also has an elephant face. Therefore, gaNapati is also called gajAnana. gajAnana is the abhimAni for akAsha. vishvaMbhara mURti holds all the asR^ijya, and mukta chEtana-s in His grand Belly. That is why the belly of vighnEshvara, who is the upAsaka of vishvaMbhara ParamAtma, also has a large belly. Thus he is also called laMbOdara.

JagannAtha dAsa begs gaNapati to bestow good bhakti in ParamAtma, j~nAna with a manas that is not engrossed in worldly viShaya-s.

chArudEShNAhvayanenisi ava

tAra mADide rukmiNIyali

gouriyarasana varadi uddhaTarAda rAxasara

shouriyAj~nadi saMharisi bhU

bhAraviLuhida karuNi tvatpA

dAraviMdake namipe karuNipudemage sanmatiya…………..HKAS_28-05

rukmiNIyali = in rukmiNI dEvi (consort of shrI kR^iShNa)

chArudEShNa = charudEShNa

ahvayanenisi = by that name

avatAra mADide = took avatAra

gouriyarasana = R^idra dEvaru (husband of pARvatI dEvi)

varadi = by his blessings

uddhaTarAda = absorbed in pride

rAxasara = daitya-s who are enemies of ParamAtma

shouriyAj~nadi = by the order of shrI kR^iShNa

saMharisi = killed them

bhUbhArava = their weight (meaning - their population on earth)

iLuhida = reduced (their population on earth)

karuNi = kind vinAyaka

tvatpAdAraviMdake = your lotus feet

namipe = I pay obeisance

emage = to us

sanmatiya = proper knowledge

karuNipudu = please bestow on us

vinAyaka took avatAra in dvApara yuga as the son of rumiNi-kR^iShNa.

Refer – "chArudEShNaH kR^iShNasutO samapURvaM vinayakaH" – aMshAvatAra graMtha.

Also refer MBTN

"sa chArudEShNOOpi hi vighnarAjO yEEnyE kR^iShNasya sutaH samastAH" - 20.141

chArudEshNa killed many proud daitya-s, who had the blessings of R^idra that they would not die. They had obtained this blessing from R^idra thinking that he is cause of laya. However, they were killed by chArudEShNa by the order (blessings) of shrI kR^iShNa.

In this stanza, shrI kR^iShNa is called 'shouri' as He is the grandson of shUrasEna rAja.

Thus, vinAyaka reduced the weight on the earth by killing the proud daitya-s, who were adhaRmi-s.

This chArudEShNa is very kind to his bhakta-s (to His bhakta-s). JagannAtha dAsa prays at his lotus feet to bestow proper knowledge.

shURpakaRNadvaya virAjita kaM

daRpashara uditARkasannibha

saRpavara kaTisUtra vaikR^itagAtra sucharitra

svaRpitAMkusha pAshakara khaLa

daRbhaMjana kaRmasAxiga

taRpakanu nInAgi tR^iptiya paDisu sajjanara………….HKAS_28-06

shURpa = just like a fan (in kannaDa – like a 'mora' – which is used to separated chaff from the grains)

kaRNadvaya = two ears

virAjita = wins overs

kaMdaRpashara = the arrows of manmatha – meaning - jitEMdriya

uditARka = just born sunrise

sannibha = radiance like the just born sunrise

saRpavara = superior snake called 'viracha'

kaTisUtra = waist band

vaikR^itagAtra = strangely distorted (elephant face, large human belly etc...)

sucharitra = has good history

aMkusha = aMkusha is a hook used by the mahout (keeper & rider of the elephant)

pAsha = rope

svaRpita kara = he holds – aMkusha in one hand and rope in the other hand

khaLadaRbhaMjana = dissolved the pride of daitya-s

kaRmasAxiga = witness for the kaRma-s performed by jIva-s

taRpakanu nInAgi = feed the bhagavad viShaya-s to your bhakta-s

sajjanara = sajjana-s who are bhagavad bhakta-s

tR^iptiya paDisu = satisfy their manas

Explanation of this stanza is taken from bhAvaprakAshika.

gaNapati looks pleasant with his large elephant face and large fan like ears.

On bhAdrapada shukla chatuRthi day, by the anugraha of R^idra dEvaru, gaNpati had accepted pUja in every house, eaten mOdaka and was also holding the same in his hands and in the evening while he was moving about on his vehicle (the mouse), the mouse got scared of the snake-like rope in the hands of gaNapati and in the process jerked gaNapati to fall down. At that time chaMdra saw this incident and laughed at gaNapati. gaNapati felt insulted. gaNapati pulled out one of his tooth and hurled the same at chaMdra and he cursed chaMdra that no one must see him (chaMdra) on bhAdrapada shukla chatuRthi day. If any one sees him (chaMdra) on that day, he or she would be blamed for eloping or thieving. Thus gaNapati is called 'daRpahara'. Some texts also write this 'iMduvadaRpahara' – meaning he broke the pride of chaMdra.

This incident also broke gaNapati's belly as is described in agastyOpakhyAna is heard by people on the gaNEsha chatuRthi pUja day. This is explained in short as under:-

Once upon a time agastya did penance of ParamAtma. He begged that he be granted such a boon that everyday he would travel from viMdhya paRvata (his residence) upto kAshi, take bath in gaMgA river, carry gaMgA water to rAmEshvara and perform abhiSheka to rAmaliMga and return to his residence in the evening. ParamAtma was pleased with his penance and gifted him with a pot with the strength to travel from viMdhya paRvata to kAshi and then to rAmEshvara and return to viMdhya – with a condition that he should never keep down the pot during this journey of the day and if he ever did that, then the pot would break and his strength to perform this pUja would also go away. agastya did this pUja for long time as per this condition.

One day while he was traveling from kAshi to rAmEshvara with the pot of water, he was under heavy pressure to urinate. He was in a fix. It would not be right to take the pot of water under pressure like this nor would it be possible. He looked around for some help. That day was bhAdrapada chatuRthi day. gaNapati was visiting every house to receive pUja and goodies and he was coming along on the way on his (gaNapati) mouse. agastya stopped gaNapati and said, "Oh gaNapati please hold this pot for a few minutes and do not keep down the pot. If you keep it down the pot will break and I will not be able to perform my desired kARya. I will quickly return after easing myself."

gaNapati responded saying that he was in a hurry and that he had no time. Upon insistence by agastya, gaNapati accepted to hold the pot with a condition that agastya must return to gaNapati to hold back the pot before he calls agastya for 3 times. agastya agreed, thinking that gaNapati would never keep down the pot. As soon as agastya gave the pot to gaNapati and walked away 4 steps, gaNapati gave his 1st call to agastya. gaNapati gave his 2nd call soon after and the 3rd call loudly immediately thereafter and kept the pot down and went away. agastya returned after easing himself to find that the pot had broken. He was unhappy at this obstacle in his kARya. He cursed gaNapati that his (gaNapati's) stomach would break like this pot which broke. For this reason, gaNapati broke his belly on this day, which was seen by chaMdra, and chaMdra laughed at gaNapati and thus gaNapati cursed chaMdra.

Since gaNapati fell down and broke his stomach he tied his stomach with a snake.

gaNapati has the radiance like that of the just born sunrise.

gaNapati is called 'kaMdaRpashara' because, usually a person gets afflicted with kAma by the arrows of manmatha. However, gaNapati does not get affected by this. iMdra & kAma are abhimAni dEvata-s for manas and they can make ones manas wavery. But gaNapati has won over this situation thus described as 'vivaRjita'. Meaning he is jitEMdriya.

He has an elephant face, human body, large stomach tide with snake and therefore it may appear to be strangely distorted, thus described as 'vaikR^itagAtra'. That is not a distortion. In fact, he has a very pleasant looking personality and he has a good history. He has a rope in one hand (indicating control for the manas), aMkusha in another hand (to bind the manas in viShaya-s of ParamAtma). He destroys the pride of ayOgya daitya-s.

gaNapati (as AkAshAbhimAni) is the witness for all the puNya-pApa-mishra kaRma-s performed by the jIva-s. He quickly bestows whatever the jIva-s ask for and satisfies them.

Thus, JagannAtha dAsa prays to gaNapati to bestow j~nAna, bhakti to sajjana-s and satisfy them

khEsha parama subhaktipURvaka

vyAsakR^ita graMthagaLanaritu pra

yAsavilladE baredu vistarisideyo lOkadoLu

pAshapANiye prARthisuvenupa

dEshisenagadaraRthagaLa karu

NAsamudra kR^ipAkaTAxadi nODuva pratidinadi HKAS_28-07

khEsha = Oh AkAshAbhimAni gaNapati (khaM + Isha = khEsha, where khaM is AkAshatatva)

subhaktipURvaka = with intense bhakti in vEdavyAsa dEvaru

parama = saRvOttama

vyAsa = bhagavAn vEdavyAsa dEvaru

kR^ita = created

graMthagaLanu = graMtha-s like shrIman mahAbhArata

aritu = understood their deeper meaning by the anugraha of vEdavyAsa dEvaru

prayAsavilladE = effortlessly

baredu = wrote

vistarisideyO = propogated

lOkadoLu = in this world

pAshapANiye = one who holds the pAsha (rope) and aMkusha in his hands

prARthisuvenu = I pray to you

adara aRthagaLa = the secrets lying in their meanings

enage = to me / us

upadEshisu = advise / counsel through our guru

karuNAsamudra = sea like kindness (immense kindness)

pratidinadi = every day

kR^ipAkaTAxadi nODuva = see me with your kind gaze and bestow anugraha

khEsha - means AkAshAbhimAni gaNapati (khaM + Isha = khEsha, where khaM is AkAshatatva). Thus gaNapati is also khEsha nAmaka. He knows the AkAsha guNa, he is thus shabda guNa grAhya.

When bhagavAn vEdavyAsa decided to write/create shrIman mahAbHarata, He entrusted the job of writing the same to gaNapati. mahAbhArata encompasses all shAstra-s. It has a special place among learned people. It is historic in nature. mahAbhArata is understood to be the 5th vEda.

gaNapati proposed that bhagavAn vEdavyAsa must dictate non-stop. bhagavAn vEdavyAsa said to gaNapati, "You must write every word after understanding them very well." gaNapati agreed to this condition. Thus gaNapati understood and wrote that entire siddhAMta works that was dictated by vEdavyAsa dEvaru. Thus gaNapati came to be known as 'lEkhagrANi' – top writer, which has been described in one of the earlier stanzas.

saRvOttama vEdavyAsa dEvaru is none other than sAxAt shrIman nArAyaNa who took avatAra in parAshara-satyavati. gaNapati understood and wrote all the works of vyAsa dEvaru and spread that knowledge around – thus described as 'vistarisidayO lOkadoLu'.

Since vighnarAja holds the pAsha in one hand and the aMkusha in the other hand, he is called 'pAshapANi'.

JagannAtha dAsa begs gaNapati to bestow the knowledge that he has gained from the works of vyAsa.

gaNapati is very kind. He eliminates the obstacles that come in the way of his bhakta-s and would show them the way to sAdhana. Therefore, JagannAtha dAsa prays to gaNapati to see him with his (gaNapati's) kind gaze and bestow anugraha.

shrIshanatiniRmala sunAbhI

dEshavasthita rakta gaMdhA

tishObhitagAtra lOkapavitra suramitra

mUShakasuvaravahana prANA

vEshayuta prakhyAta prabhu pU

raisu bhaktaru bEDidiShTARthagaLa prati dinadi……………….HKAS_28-08

atiniRmala = extremely dOSha vidUra

shrIshana = ParamAtma

sunAbhIdEshavasthita = residing in the Navel of ParamAtma

raktagaMdhAtishObhitagAtra = decorated with red gaMdha (sandal paste)

lOkapavitra = by eliminating obstacles of sajjana-s & he enables them to perform pavitra kaRma-s

suramitra = friend of all dEvata-s

mUShakasuvara vahana = one who has the mouse as his vehicle

prANA vEshayuta = has AvEsha of vAyu dEvaru

prakhyAta = well known

bhaktaru bEDidiShTARthagaLa = whatever the your bhakta-s desire (meaning - j~nAna, bhakti & vairAgya)

pratidinadi = everyday (nay every moment)

prabhu = Oh vighnEshvara!

pUraisu = please grant

gaNapati resides in the Navel of ParamAtma, which is indeed the AkAsha – refer – "nAbhyA AsIdaMtarixaM" – stated in puruSha sUkta.

ParamAtma is the niyAmaka of shrI nAmaka laxmI dEvi and therefore He is referred here as 'shrIsha'. gaNapati resides in His unusually sanctified Navel.

The sharIra of vinAyaka is painted with kEsari (red color) gaMdha (sandal paste).

taMtrasAra says, "raktAMbarO raktanuH raktamAlyAnulEpanaH" – meaning gaNapati wears a red cloth (vastra), he covers himself with a red cloth, decorates himself with red sandal paste & a red flower garland.

Since he eliminates the obstacles and enables them to perform pure kARya-s, he is called 'lOkapavitra'.

Since his pUja needs to be performed first on all occasions, he is the friend of all dEvata-s. gaNapati is thus described as 'suramitra'.

mUShakavaravahana – gaNapati has the mouse as his vehicle. A mouse is usually indecisive (or irresolute). In the same way our manas is also very wavery. Since gaNapati controls the mouse, it indicates the he can alos also control the manas.

Some texts also write this as 'mUShakAsuravahana' – indicating the gaNapati had killed a daitya called mUShaka. He (son of mUgaNNa) thus has mUshaka as his vehicle.

Since he is the AvEsha of prANa dEvaru, he has the special aungraha of ParamAtma.

Since everyone performs his pUja first on all occassions, he is well known. JagannAtha dAsa prays to gaNapati to bestow whatever his bhakta-s desire (meaning - j~nAna, bhakti & vairAgya).

shaMkarAtmaja daityarigati bha

yaMkaragatigaLIya lOsuga

saMkaTa chatuRthiganenisi ahitARthagaLa koTTu

maMkugaLa mOhisuve chakrada*

rAMkitana dinadinadi tvatpada

paMkajagaLige binnaisuvenu pAlipudu emma…………….HKAS_28-09

* There are 3 versions for this as under:-

1) shrI chakrada, rAmkitage atipriyane

2) chakrada, rAMkitana tOranu dinadi

3) chakraga, dAMkitana tOranu dinadi

shaMkarAtmaja = son of R^idra dEvaru

daityarige = to daitya-s i.e. the tamO yOgya enemies of ParamAtma

ati bhayaMkara =very fearful

gatigaLa = condition or state

IyalOsuga = in order to give it to them

saMkaTa chatuRthiganenisi = by the name of saMkaTa gaNapati

ahitARthagaLa koTTu = bestows them their wants / desires leading to tamO yOgyata

maMkugaLa = aj~nAna svarUpi daitya-s

mOhisuve = makes them attracted to gaNapati with the belief that gaNapati is saRvOttama

chakradarAMkitana = ParamAtma who has chakra-shaMkha in His Hands

dinadinadi = at all times

tvatpadapaMkajagaLige = at your lotus feet

emma pAlipudu = please protect us

binnaisuvenu = I request you

The story goes – gaNapati is the son of pARvatI dEvi – created by her by the sweaty dirt from her sharIra. After creating gaNapati, pARvatI dEvi ordered him to guard the house and not allow any one to enter the house as she went in for a bath. R^idra dEvaru who was not around earlier, returned home to find that he was obstructed entry into his own house by gaNapati. R^idra was angry and he cut of the head of this guard of the house. pARvatI dEvi returned after her bath to find this tragic situation and was very upset. R^idra pacified her and ordered his men to go get the head of anyone who is sleeping with his head in the North direction. They could find none except an elephant in that position. They cut off the head of that elephant and brought it R^idra dEvaru and by his powers R^idra fixed the head on the dead child and brought him back to life and named him 'gaNapati' and made him the adhipati of bhUtagaNa (attendants of shiva).

Thus, he was first created by pARvatI dEvi and recreated by R^idra dEvaru and therefore JagannAtha dAsa aptly describes him as 'shaMkarAtmaja'. Since he was created by pARvatI dEvi – he is also called 'mR^idbhava'.

In order to please gaNapati the aj~nAni-s i.e. tamO yOgya daitya-s who are enemies of ParamAtma, invoke gaNapati on chatuRthi day of kR^iShNa paxa every month and perform his upAsana praising that he is saRvOttama and that he can bestow all that one desires. This form of gaNapati is referred as 'saMkaTchatuRthiga'. This saMkaTachatuRthi is a proscribed (niShiddha) vrata. The tamO yOgya-s obtain benefit by performing this vrata, which ultimately leads them to aMdhatamassu.

ParamAtma holds the sudaRshana chakra, paMchajanya shaMkha in His Hands. The chakra indicates the destruction of dAnava-s and shaMkha indicates giving j~nAna. JagannAtha dAsa prays at the lotus feet of gaNapati to help us obtain the smaraNa / daRshana of the Lotus Feet of shaMkhachakradhara ParamAtma and always protect us.

Also refer comments by Shobha Srinivasan

http://dvaita.info/pipermail/dvaita-list_dvaita.info/2007-July/003014.html

siddha vidyAdharagaNa samA

rAdhya charaNasarOja saRvasu

siddhidAyaka shIghradiM pAlipudu binnapava

buddhi vidya j~nAna bala pari

shuddha bhakti virakti nirutana

vadyana smR^itilIlegaLa sustavana vadanadali……………..HKAS_28-10

siddha = siddha-s

vidyAdhara = vidyAdhara

gaNa = the above groups

samArAdhya = they perform his ArAdhana

charaNasarOja = lotus feet

saRvasusiddhidAyaka = enabler of performance of all bhagavad kARya-s

buddhi = decisive buddhi about ParamAtma

vidya = good vidya (parama vidya)

j~nAna = knowledge about hari saRvOttama, vAyu jIvOttama, paMcha bhEda, tAratamya, etc…

bala = strength of the anugraha of bhagavad bhakta-s

parishuddha bhakti = bhagavad bhakti without ahaMkAra-mamakAra

virakti = absence of worldly desires

niruta = always

anavadyana = dOSha rahita ParamAtma

smR^iti = His remembrance

lIlegaLa = His lIla-s, His past times

sustavana = ability to pray well

vadanadali = through my mouth

shIghradiM = very soon

binnapava = my this request

pAlipudu = please bestow

siddha-s and vidyAdhara-s (70 each) are mentioned under the anAkhyAta ajAnaja dEvata-s listed in HKAS_21-46 refer

http://dvaita.info/pipermail/dvaita-list_dvaita.info/2007-May/002872.html

anAkhyAta ajAnaja-s (HKAS_21-46)

i vibudha-s 100 in total

ii dEva bhR^itya pitR^i-s 100 in total

iii dEva bhR^itya asura-s 100 in total

iv dEva gAyana gaMdhaRva-s 100 in total

v dEva nR^itya apsarastri-s 100 in total

vi siddha sAMkEta-s [dEvakARya niRvAhaka-s] 70 in total

vii vAhana carriers yaxara-s 70 in total

viii shibika carriers rAxasa-s 30 in total

ix dEva parichAraka-s chAraNa-s 30 in total

x sEva kaRta bhUta-s 70 in total

xi kinnara-s 70 in total

xii pishAcha-s 70 in total

xiii kubEra bhR^itya guhyaka-s 7 in total

xiv prEta-s 70 in total

xv vidyAdhara-s 70 in total

xvi varuNa bhR^itya nAga-s 5 in total

xvii shata Una shatakOTi R^iShi-s 99, 99, 99, 900

The siddha-s and vidyAdhara-s pay obeisance to gaNapati.

Since gaNapati provides siddhi i.e. undoubtedly and effectively accomplishing results from the 'buddhi' obtained through manas vR^itti, therefore he is called 'saRvasusiddhidAyaka' - enabler of performance of all bhagavad kARya-s.

JagannAtha dAsa prays to gaNapati to provide decisive buddhi about ParamAtma, good knowledge about hari saRvOttama, vAyu jIvOttama, paMcha bhEda, tAratamya, etc…, strength of the anugraha of bhagavad bhakta-s, bhagavad bhakti without ahaMkAra-mamakAra & absence of worldly desires.

ParamAtma has no dOSha-s. JagannAtha dAsa prays to gaNapati to give us His remembrance of His lIla-s, His past times, ability to pray well and bestow anugraha.

raktavAsadvaya vibhUShaNa

ukti lAlisu paramabhagava

dbhaktavara bhavyAtma bhAgavatAdishAstradali

saktavAgali manavu viShaya

virakti pAlisu vidhvadhAdhya vi

muktaneMdenisenna bhavabhayadiMdalanudunadi….HKAS_28-11

raktavAsadvaya = wearing a red vastra and covering himself with a red vastra

vibhUShaNa = so adorned

vara = saRvOttama

bhagavat = ParamAtma, who is praised by all

bhakta = His bhakta (gaNapati being His bhakta)

ukti lAlisu = please listen to me

manavu = my manas

bhAgavatAdishAstradali = sachChAstra-s like bhAgavatam etc...

saktavAgali = bless me so that I am engrossed in them

viShaya virakti = detachment from worldly viShaya-s

pAlisu = please bestow

vidvadAdya = one who is praised at the time of beginning to learn 'vidya' (education)

anudunadi = everyday

bhavabhayadiMdali = fear arising due to ahaMkAra-mamakAra in this saMsAra

vimuktaneMdu = salvation (rescue from this saMsAra)

enisu = please bestow

The color of the 'paMche' of gaNapati is red. So also is the same for the vastra that he covers himself with. He is thus described as 'raktavAsadvaya vibhUShita' (rakta – red, vAsa – cloth, dvaya – two). Even while we buy the gaNapati mURti for vinAnayaka pUja, we must ensure that this condition is satisfied.

JagannAtha dAsa says, "Oh vishvOpAsaka (bhagavadbhaktavara), you belong to the category of bhakta-s of saRvOttama ParamAtma. You are praised by gaMgA. You are slightly higher than the shEShashatastha dEvata-s. Your sharIra rUpa is maMgalakara (bhavyAtma). Please make certain that my manas is always engrossed (ukti lAlisu) in sachChAstra-s like bhAgavatam etc… so that my manas does not wander about towards the worldly viShaya-s, which are obstacles on the road to sAdhana and make my manas focus on the Lotus Feet of ParamAtma, by detaching my manas from saMsArika sukha."

Since his pUja is performed at the beginning of learning processes, he is called 'vidvadAdya'.

JagannAtha dAsa further prays, "We are stuck in this cycle of birth and death and we are soaked in the fear duHkha. Oh vighnEshvara, please be our dhaRma prEraka and guide us on the road to sAdhana by qualifying us to obtain the anugraha of vishvaMbhara ParamAtma and help us to obtain salvation."

shukra shiShyara saMharipudake

shakra ninnanu pUjisidanu u

rukrama shrIrAmachaMdranu sEtumukhadalli

chakravaRtipa dhaRmarAjanu

chakrapANiya nuDige bhajisida

vakratuMDane ninnoLeMtuTo Ishanugrahavu…….HKAS_28-12

shukra shiShyara = daitya-s, who are the shiShya-s of shukrAchARya

saMharipudake = in order to destroy them

shakra = iMdra dEvaru

ninnanu = Oh you vighnarAja

pUjisidanu = performed your pUja

urukrama = very brave (also understood as urukrama nAmaka ParamAtma)

shrIrAmachaMdranu = shrI rAmachaMdra dEvaru

sEtumukhadalli = at the beginning of the construction of the bridge to reach laMka

chakravaRtipa = emperor

dhaRmarAjanu = dhaRmarAja (yudhiShThira)

chakrapANiya nuDige = by the advise of shrI kR^iShNa

bhajisida = performed your pUja

vakratuMDane = Oh vighnarAja (having a bent nose)

Ishanugrahavu = anugraha of ParamAtma

ninnoLeMtuTo = especially exists in you

While dEvEMdra went on mission to kill vR^itrAsura, he performed the pUja of gaNapati and he was able to kill vR^itRasura and all his companion daitya-s. shrI rAmachaMdra dEvaru, while He began the construction of the bridge on the sea to reach laMka to obtain sIta dEvi, He too prayed to gaNapati so that the construction could be done without obstacles. shrI kR^iShNa narrated these incidents to emperor dhaRmaraja and made him perform gaNapati pUja before going for the mahAbharata war. This has been narrated in skAMda purANa gaNapati kathA as follows:-

"sannaddhyOH purA viprAHkuru pAMDavasEnayOH.

pR^iShTavAn dEvarE putraM dhaRmaputrO yudhiShThiraH.

niRvighnEna jayamahyaM vada dEvakinaMdana.

kala dEvatAM namakr^ityaM samyagrAjyaM labhEmahi.

shrI kR^iShNa uvAcha:-

pUjaya svagaNadhyaxaM umAmala samudbhavaM

tasmin saMpUjitEvIra samyagrAjyamavAShyu

shakrENa pUjitaH pURvaM tathAvR^itravadhEnyapa

rAmachaMdrENa mahatAjAnakyAnvEShaNi tathA

tasmAtsaRva prayutnEna pUjanIyO gaNadhipaH

Eva yuktatastu kR^iShNena sAnujaH pAMDunaMdanaH

pUjayA mAsa dEvEshaM putraM tripura ghAtinaH

tatprasAdkAnnihatyAshu shatru saMghAsashEShataH

sasyanikAn mahabhAgEH prAptavAn rAjyamOjasA"

At the commencement of the mahAbhArata war at kuruxEtra between the kaurava-s and pAMDava-s, dhaRmarAja asked shrI kR^iShNa (son of dEvakI), "How can we obtain victory in the war without any obstacles? Which dEvata should we pray to for undoubtedly ensuring success?" shrI kR^iShNa replied, "You must pray to gaNAdhyaxa, who is the son of pARvatI dEvi. He was born from the sweaty dirt of her sharIra. You will then certainly win and obtain your kingdom. Sometime earlier, iMdra prayed to gaNapati before fighting with vR^itrAsura, killed him and obtained the title of iMdra. After rAma dEvaru understood that sIta dEvi was eloped by rAvaNa and kept in laMka, He prayed to gaNapati before commencing the construction of the bridge over the sea to laMka,m reached laMka, killed rAvaNa and other daitya-s took back sIta to ayOdhya and regained His kingdom. Therefore, you must perform the pUja of gaNapati to obtain victory and your kingdom." dhaRmarAja thus performed the pUja of gaNapati, killed the kaurava-s and obtained his kingdom.

By saying, 'umAmala samudbhavaM', one may ask, "Was there so much of mud/dirt & sweat in the sharIra of pARvatI dEvi, when we say that even normal dEvata-s do not have such things." Even the flowers kept on them (dEvata-s) do not dry, then how can pARvatI dEvi have such mud/dirt on her sharIra. However, only by her ichCha she created on her body in order to create gaNapati.

Then, one may argue, that how could rAmachaMdra dEvaru, iMdrAdi dEvata-s who are all at higher kaxa pay obeisance to gaNapati, who is much lower in tAratamya. But, as we already know, after creating gaNapati, pARvatI dEvi ordered him to guard the house and not allow any one to enter the house as she went in for a bath. R^idra dEvaru who was not around earlier, returned home to find that he was obstructed entry into his own house by gaNapati. R^idra was angry and he cut of the head of this guard of the house. pARvatI dEvi returned after her bath to find this tragic situation and was very upset. R^idra pacified her and ordered his men to go get the head of anyone who is sleeping with his head in the North direction. They could find none except an elephant in that position. They cut off the head of that elephant and brought it R^idra dEvaru and by his powers R^idra fixed the head on the dead child and brought him back to life and named him 'gaNapati' and in order to please pARvatI, he declared that everyone must perform the pUja of 'vighnarAja' at the commencement of any work / assignment in order that the work is completed without obstacle otherwise they would face obstructions as they proceed in their work.

In order to keep this statement as true, iMdra performed the pUja of gaNapati before going for a fight with tripurAsura. shrI rAmachaMdra did the pUja of gaNapati in order to uphold to the blessings of R^idra to gaNapati and to send a wrong signal to the daitya-s that He is now helpless and He too is therefore asking gaNapati for a boon. This would make the daitya-s happy.

However, all these dEvata-s performed the pUja of the aMtaRyAmi rUpa vishvaMbhara nAmaka ParamAtma in gaNapati, which ParamAtma happily accepted. Therefore JagannAtha dAsa says, "ninnoLeMtuTo Ishanugrahavu"

– you have so much anugraha of ParamAtma.

kouravEMdranu ninna bhajisada

kAraNadi nijakula sahita saM

hAra aidida guruvara vR^ikOdarana gadeyiMda

tArakAMtakananuja enna

sharIradoLu nIniMtu dhaRma

prErakanu nInAgi saMtaisenna karuNadali…………..HKAS_28-13

kouravEMdranu = duRyOdhana – head of kuru clan

ninna bhajisada kAraNadi = because he did not perform your pUja at the commencement of the war at kuruxEtra

nijakulasahita = along with his relatives

guruvara vR^ikOdarana = jIvOttama bhImasEna dEvaru

gadeyiMda = mace

saMhAra aidida = got killed

tArakAMtakana = shaNmukha, who killed tArakAsura

anuja = younger brother (of shaNmukha) – i.e. gaNapati

enna sharIradoLu = in my sthUla dEha

nIniMtu = please reside

dhaRmaprErakanu nInAgi = provoke my manas to perform dhaRma kARya-s

karuNadali = with kindness

saMtaisenna = please protect me

duRyOdhana, the arrogant leader of the kourava-s ignored the instructions, "vivAhe, vidyAraMbhE, saMgrAmE, ripusaMkaTE.." and disregarded the pUja of vighnarAja before the commencement of the war at kuruxEtra.

For this reason, the kuru clan was completely wiped our along with duRyOdhana during the mahAbhrata war by bhImasEna.

bhImasEna, who is the 2nd avatAra of jIvOttama vAyu dEvaru is called vR^ikOdara (vR^ika is one of the qualities of agni. ... vR^ikOdara means one who has vR^ika (kind of agni) in his udara (stomach). bhImasEna had a very strong digestive power and hence vR^ikOdara term is used to describe him). duRyOdhana and his family members were killed by the brave bhImasEna by his mace.

About tripurAsura-s:-

According to mahAbhArata there were three sons born to the demon tAraka. tAraka was killed by kARtikeya. tAraka's sons were called tArAxa, kamalAxa and vidyunmAli, collectively called tripurAsura-s. These demons were very intelligent and strong but they tended to use their knowledge and strength towards the wrong means. These demon sons of tAraka had performed severe penance towards brahma and won the gift of immense power, that they could not be killed by anyone who had upto 5 faces (upto R^idra). The boon that they received, granted them that they would live for a thousand years in three invincible, moving cities known as 'tripuri' and that they could only be destroyed by one arrow that would merge the three cities into one, and set them to fire. 'tri' means three and 'puri' means cities. tripuri were splendid, made up of gold, silver and iron respectively. They were built to rival iMdra's grand city. As such powerful demons, the tripura-s spent all their time and energy to harass the dEvata-s. The power was such that it was difficult to control their destructive tendencies. Their cities never remained in one place long enough therefore it was difficult to destroy them together. At the end of a thousand years of their negative rule, the dEvata-s went to R^idra and begged him to destroy the demons.

R^idra-pARvatI obtained a son kumArasvAmi (skaMda), who is the avatAra of kAma. kuMarasvAmi had 6 faces and was therefore called ShaNmukha. ShaNmukha killed tArakAsura-s on the 7th day he was born. As a tribute of burning and destroying the demons and their cities, this form of ShaNmukha is known as 'tripuraMtaka' or 'tArakAMtaka' for killing the three demon princes and destroying their evil cities. vinAyaka is the younger brother of tripurAMtaka. Therefore, vinAnayaka is described as 'tArakaMtakananuja'.

JagannAtha dAsa prays, "Oh, tArakAMtananuja, please reside in my sthUla dEha, and provoke my manas to perform dhaRma kARya-s and protect me."

EkaviMshati mOdaka priya

mUkaranu vA~NgmigaLa mALpe kR^i

pAkarEsha kR^itaj~na kAmada kAyo kaipiDidu

lEkhakAgraNi manmanada du

RvyAkulava pariharisu dayadi pi

nAki bhARyA tanuja mR^idbhava prARthisuve ninna…………….HKAS_28-14

EkaviMshati = 21

mOdaka priya = loves 21 mOdaka-s (indicating 21 Mdriya-s i.e. paMcha j~nAnEMdriya-s, paMcha kaRmEMdriya-s, paMcha bhUta-s, paMcha tanmAtra-s and manas)

mUkaranu = dumb person

vA~NgmigaLa mALpe = makes them talk well (mUkaru – those who don not know bhagavan mahime because of aj~nAna, vA~NgmigaLa – destroys their aj~nAna and makes them talk)

kR^ipA Akara Isha = you my lord (Isha) has capability to attract (Akara) the karuNa (kRipa) of ParamAtma

kR^itaj~na = protector of those who pray to ParamAtma with j~nAna, bhakti & vairAgya (kR^itaj~na – remembering the help that ParamAtma has given)

kAmada = by eliminating the obstacles, he bestows all that his bhakta-s desire

kaipiDidu kAyo = hold my hands and protect me

lEkhakAgraNi = you who wrote the graMtha-s of vEdavyAsa dEvaru

manmanada = that which exists in my manas

duRvyAkulava = bad thoughts arising out of ahaM-mamakAra

pariharisu = destroy them

dayadi = with kindness

pinAkibhARyA tanuja = born from the sharIra of pARvatI dEvi (consort of R^idra dEvaru)

mR^idbhava = born from the dirt of her sharIra

prARthisuve ninna = I pray to you

gaNapati loves 21 mOdaka-s. While performing the gaNapati pUja we must offer him 21 flowers, 21 garike (grass) and 21 mOdaka-s.

The significance of 21indicates

1) gaNapati has been performing the upAsana of vishvaMbhara nAmaka ParamAtma who resides in the 21 iMdriya-s i.e. paMcha j~nAnEMdriya-s, paMcha kaRmEMdriya-s, paMcha bhUta-s, paMcha tanmAtra-s and manas. We must perform the pUja of gaNapati with this anusaMdhAna.

2) shrIman madhvAchARya successfully torpedoed the 21 mata-s and established that hari is saRvOttama, vAyu is jIvottama, this world is true, paMcha bhEda exists, tAratamya exists and that ramA dEvi, brahma dEvaru and all others are in control of ParamAtma. We must pray to gaNapati to remove the obstacles (wrong understandings of 'kubhAShya-s') that come in our way understanding the correct mahime of ParamAtma.

gaNapati is the abhimAni for the AkAsha tatva in the navel area of all jIva-s and he resides there. All the vibratory speech that we make originates from the navel. shabda is the Akasha tatva guNa. gaNapati is shabda guNa grAhya. vighnEshvara has the anugraha of vishvaMbhara nAmaka ParamAtma to bestow speech to the dumb.

Those who do not know the secrets of sachChAstra-s are dumb indeed. By the anugraha of gaNapati when the obstacle of aj~nAna is removed only then one can be blessed with the sound understranding of shAstra-s and recitation of the same. He gives this capability to speak well.

gaNapati is very kind to his bhakta-s who pray to ParamAtma with j~nAna, bhakti & vairAgya. He bestows all their wishes. He would never leave his bhakta-s high and dry.

Obstacles are always there for performing puNya kARya-s. vishvaMbhara rUpOpAsaka gaNapati removes those obstacles and guides them to perform puNya kARya-s.

gaNapati is the top notch writer (lEkhakAgraNi). He had the aungraha of vEdavyAsa dEvaru to effortlessly write all the mahAbharata and other graMtha-s created by Him.

A person obtains duHkha due to duRviShya-s in his manas. Kind gaNapati removes such duHkha of people i.e. by eliminating bad thoughts arising out of ahaM-mamakAra

R^idra dEvaru holds the pinAki bow. Therefore he is called 'pinAki'. pARvatI dEvi is his wife (bhaRya). gaNapati is the son (tanuja) of pARvatI dEvi. gaNapati is called 'mR^idbhava' since he was created from the dirt/mud from the sharIra of paRvatI dEvi. JagannAtha dAsa aptly displays tAratamya when he describes gaNapati as 'pinAkibhaRyAtanuja' – i.e. R^idra-pARvatI-vighnEshvara.

As discussed earlier the dEvata-s to not have dirt on their sharIra. Only sthUla sharIra-s have dirt on them. In order to create gaNapati, pARvatI dEvi created mud on her sharIra, hence gaNapati is described as 'mR^idbahava'.

JagannAtha dAsa prays, "Oh gaNapati, please hold my hands (rather, guide me) and protect me."

nitya maMgaLa charita jagadu

tpattisthiti laya niyamana j~nA

natrayapada baMdhamOchaka sumanasAsura

chittavR^ittigaLaMte naDeva pra

mattanalla suhR^ijjanAptana

nityadali nenenenedu sukhisuva bhAgya karuNipudu HKAS_28-15

nitya = permanent – existing from anAdi kAla

maMgaLa charita = maMgala svarUpi

jagada = jagat

utpatti = sR^iShTi (creation)

sthiti = sthiti (maintain / protect)

laya = destruction

niyamana = regulate or control

j~nAna = j~nAna to the jIva-s according to thier yOgyata

trayapada = aj~nAna to daitya-s, binding of the jIva to the kaRma-s according to their svarUpa yOgyata, suj~nAna to sajjana-s and bestowing their deserved destination (phala)

baMdhamOchaka = during sR^iShTi He binds the svarUpa dEha with the liMga dEha and binds them to kaRma and during praLaya does kaRma vimOchana and bestows the deserved destination (nitya mukti) to the jIva

sumanasara = dEvata-s

asurara = daitya-s

chittavR^ittigaLaMte = according to the wishes of their manas

naDeva = provokes them

pramattanalla = but not according to his wish

suhR^it janAptana = ParamAtma, who is loved by knowledgeable bhakta-s

nityadali = everyday

nenenenedu = constantly remember him

sukhisuva bhAgya = wealth of happiness

karuNipudu = please bestow

ParamAtma does not have a beginning or an end. He is permanent. ParamAtma who has infinite avatAra-s and rUpa-s is indestructible and exists permanently. He does not get distorted in any way. He does not have the four types of nAsha-s i.e. chatuRvidha nASha.

Destruction or nAsha is of four types:

1. svarUpa nAsha:- destruction of the very entity

2. dEha nAsha:- destruction of the body only

3. duHkha prApti:- being affected by sorrows

4. apuRNata:- finiteness or limited nature in respect of time, space, attributes, etc…

This nitya ParamAtma has an excellent history of shubha guNa-s. Thus, He is described as maMgaLacaharita.

ParamAtma carries out the aShTakaRtR^itva as follows:-

1) creation (sR^iShTi) of the world

2) maintenance or protection (sthiti) of what is created

3) destruction (laya) of His own creation

4) regulation or control (niyamana) of all the jIva-s and jaDa-s

5) provides good knowledge (j~nAna) to His bhakta-s

6) gives ignorance (aj~nAna) to tamO yOgya daitya-s who are His enemies and the enemies of His bhakta-s

7) just for the sake of His lIla or pleasure He binds (baMdha) the svarUpa dEha with the liMga dEha of the jIva to enable the jIva to experience kaRma in this saMsAra i.e. the cycle of birth and death

8) at the time of praLaya, He releases (mOxa) the liMga dEha by way of kaRma vimOchana

vighnEshavra does the upAsana of vishvaMbhara ParamAtma who is nitya, having maMgaLacharita and the one who performs aShTa kaRya-s as per His saMkalpa (wish).

vinAyaka does not promote or initiate the wishes of the dEvata-s or asura-s according to their manas, but he has the chitta vR^itti of initiating the wishes of ParamAtma alone. He does not do that on his own accord or as per his own wishes (pramattanalla).

suhR^it – sajjana-s who have a balanced manas, janApta – most loving possession of such sajjana-s. JagannAtha dAsa prays to ParamAtma to bestow his anugaha to provide him the happiness of constantly remembering Him.

paMchabhEda j~nAnavarupu vi

riMchijanakana tOru manadali

vAMChitaprada olumeyiMdali dAsaneMdaridu

paMchavaktrana tanaya bhavadoLu

vaMchisade saMtaisu viShayadi

saMcharidaMdadali mADu manAdikaraNagaLa…………..HKAS_28-16

paMchabhEda j~nAnava = knowledge of paMcha bhEda, tAratamya

arupu = tell me or teach me

manadali = in my manas

viriMchi janakana = my biMba rUpi ParamAtma, who is the Father of brahma dEvaru

tOru = show me by way to parOxa

vAMChitaprada = One who shows the right road to His bhakta-s

olumeyiMdali = with love

dAsaneMdaridu = recognize me as your dAsa (servant)

paMchavaktrana tanaya = Oh gaNapati! – son of R^idra dEvaru who has 5 faces

bhavadoLu = in this saMsAra

vaMchisade = without turning down my request to keep away my manas from worldy viShaya-s

saMtaisu = protect my manas

manAdikaraNagaLa = EkadashEMdriya-s

viShayadi = worldly viShaya-s connected to house, wife, son, wealth, crops and others

saMcharidaMdadali mADu = let not my manas wander

As has been extensively discussed in past saMdhi-s the paMcha bhEda-s are jIva-Isha, jaDa-Isha, jIva-jIva, jIva-jaDa and jaDa-jaDa. These paMcha bhEda-s are anAdi and nitya. This jagat which holds the paMcha bhEda-s is therefore called 'prapaMcha'.

It is very important to realize paMcha bhEda and tAratamya in order to obtain the anugraha of ParamAtma. This is the road to sat-sAdhana.

JagannAtha dAsa prays to vighnEshavara to bestow such knowledge of paMcha bhEda & tAratamya.

The obstacles for j~nAna are doubt, ignorance or other wrong j~nAna-s. gaNapati has the capability to bestow suj~nAna by removing these obstacles.

puruSha nAmaka viriMchi (brahma dEvaru) was born to vAsudEva nAmaka ParamAtma and mAyA dEvi during sUxma sR^iShTi. brahma dEvaru who was born from the Golden Lotus emating from the Navel of padmanAbha rUpi ParamAtma is referred as 'viriMchi'. This ParamAtma is called 'viriMchijanaka'.

JagannAtha dAsa prays to gaNapati to show ParamAtma by way of aparOxa. brahma dEvaru is the abhimAni for sR^iShTi kARya. ParamAtma is the Father of brahma dEvaru.

JagannAtha dAsa says, "Oh gaNapati! Please recognize me as your servant by making me the servant of ParamAtma and the servant of His servants."

Since R^idra dEvaru has 5 faces, he is called 'paMchavaktra' R^idra dEvaru was born from the eye brows of brahma dEvaru. gaNapati is the son of R^idra.

Our manas is constantly engaged in viShaya-s connected to house, wife, son, wealth, crops and others things. JagannAtha dAsa prays to gaNapati, "Please prevent my manas from wandering in the worldly viShaya-s but focus on good j~nAna and protect me."

Enu bEDuvudilla ninna ku

yOnigaLu baralaMje lakumI

prANapati tatvEshariMdoDagUDi guNakARya

tAnE mADuvaneMba I su

j~nAnavane karuNisuvudemage ma

hAnubhAva muhuRmuhuH prARthisuveniniteMdu………………..HKAS_28-17

ninna = you Oh vinAyaka!

Enu bEDuvudilla = I do ask for any worldy requirements

kuyOnigaLu = birth in lower yOni

baralu aMje = not afraid even if I get that

lakumI = laxmI dEvi

prANapati = jIvOttama vAyu dEvaru

tatvEshariMda = tatvAbhimAni dEvata-s

oDagUDi = along with them

guNa = triguNa

kARya = kARya-s

tAnE = ParamAtma as biMba rUpi

mADuvaneMba = Himself does by biMba kriya, makes us (the jIva-s) do the same via vAyu dEvaru through the tatvAbhimAni dEvata-s and gets it to our experience

I suj~nAnavane = such good j~nAna only

emage = to us

karuNisuvudu = please bestow with love

mahAnubhAva = Oh great vighnEshvara

muhuRmuhuH = everytime, nay every moment

prARthisuve = I pray to you

initeMdu = in this way

"dashAvarANAM dEhanAM kArANAni karOtyajasou" - the amount of kaRma-s done by every jIva everyday entitles the jIva to obtain 10 lower janma-s in lower yOni. Thus one can imagine the number of janma-s one might get.

JagannAtha dAsa says that he is not afraid of janma-s in the lower yOni-s like animals, birds, insects etc… There are 84 lakhs of yOni-s in which a jIva can take janma.

The all powerful saRvEshvara and prEraka who exists in every jIva as aMtaRyAmi along with laxmI dEvi does all the kaRma-s by His biMba kriya and makes the jIva do them through mukhya prANa dEvaru via the tatvAbhimAni dEvata-s. These kARya-s are exhibited by the jIva-s as their own kARya and the jIva obtains the deserved phala. JagannAtha dAsa begs that he be made to understand this secret knowledge of the performance of kaRma.

Whatever may be the yOni of the jIva, it has manas. This manas must have the above suj~nAna. Although the animals are dumb, their actions are initiated by their manas, which the animals indicate by their behaviors or actions. To have such suj~nAna one needs the anugraha of bhUtAkAshAbhimAni shabdaguNagrAhya varasiddhivinAyaka.

namO namO guruvaRya vibudhO

ttama vivaRjitanidra kalpa

drumanenipe bhajakarige bahuguNabharita shubhacharita

umeya naMdana pariharisa

haMmamate buddhyAdiM driyagaLA

kramisi daNisutalihavu bhavadoLagAva kAladali HKAS_28-18

guruvaRya = Oh gaNapati who is superior to the ajAnaja dEvata-s (also indicates gOpAla dAsaru who is gaNEshAMsha and the guru of JagannAtha dAsa)

namO namO = I pay my obeisance to you again and again

vibudOttama = you who are superior to the j~nAni-s i.e. the kaRmaja-s

vivaRjitanidra = who does not sleep

bhajakarige = those who pray to you with bhakti

kalpadrumanenipe = is a kalpavR^ixa

bahuguNabharita = one who has many shubha guNa-s

shubhacharita = does only maMgalakara vyApAra-s

umeya naMdana = son of pARvatI dEvi

ahaM mamate = ahaMkAra and mamakAra

pariharisu = please remove

buddhyAdiMdriyagaLu = our buddhi and other iMdriya-s (meaning – EkAdashEmdriya-s)

Akramisi = are invading us

bhavadoLage = in this saMsAra

Ava kAladali = at all times

daNisutalihavu = and making me tired

gaNapati is superior to ajAnaja dEvata-s, kaRmaja-s, gaMgA dEvi, paRjanya, shEShashatastha dEvata-s in tAratamya. Therefore, JagannAtha dAsa addresses him as 'guruvaRya'. This apart, gOpAla dasa (who was gaNEshAMsha) who had given him (JagannAtha dAsa) 40 years of extended life which enabled JagannAtha dAsa to write this shrImad harikathAmR^itasAra is also his guru. Therefore 'guruvaRya' indicates gOpAladAsa also.

The j~nAni-s are called vibudha-s. gaNapati is called 'vibudhOttama' since he is superior to ajAnaja dEvata-s, kaRmaja-s, gaMgA dEvi, paRjanya, shEShashatastha dEvata-s in tAratamya.

The dEvata-s do not have eyelids – are always awake. They are therefore called 'animESha'. They do not have sleep (nidra).

Since he does not have mOha, he is 'vivaRjitanidra'. nidra is jaDa related. mOha and doubtful j~nAna indicate nidra. vakratuMda has undoubted j~nAna and has no mOha.

gaNapati bestows the wishes of his bhakta-s just like the kalpavR^ixa bestows the wishes of those who stay in iMdra lOka. He is therefore called 'kalpadruma'.

Since he has several good guNa-s, he is called 'bahuguNabharita'. He has a pure charitre and thus called 'shubhacharita'.

Since he was created from the dirt of the sharIra of pARvatI dEvi, he is called 'umEya naMdana'.

JagannAtha dAsa says, "Oh gaNapati, my buddhi, chitta, manas, paMchaj~nAnEMdriya-s and paMchakaRmEMdriya-s are controlled by my ahaMkAra and mamakAra and troubling me."

ahaMkAra & mamakAra leads the jIva to duRgati by getting caught in the cycle of saMsAra and ultimately suffers.

ahaMkAra & mamakAra are obstacles on the road to sAdhana. JagannAtha dAsa begs gaNapati remove these obstacles and lead us to the road of sAdhana.

jayajayatu vighnEsha tApa

trayavinAshana vishvamaMgaLa

jayajayatu vidyApradAyaka vItabhayashOka

jayajayatu chARvAMga karuNA

nayanadiMdali nODi janumA

maya mR^itigaLanu pariharisu bhaktarige bhavadoLage……..HKAS_28-19

vighnEsha = oh vighnEshvara!

jaya jayatu = giver of victory to your bhakta-s

tApatraya vinAshana = remover of AdivyAdhi

vishvamaMgaLa = one who does good to this jagat

vidyApradAyaka = giver of proper education (vEda vidya)

jaya jayatu = giver of victory to your bhakta-s

vItabhayashOka = one who does not have fear and sorrow

jaya jayatu = giver of victory to your bhakta-s

chARvAMga = having handsome sharIra

januma = janma (birth)

amaya = diseases to sharIra

mR^itigaLanu = death

bhaktarige = to bhakta-s

bhavadoLage = in this jagat

pariharisu = remove them

karuNA nayanadiMdali nODi = with your kind gaze

vighnEshvara is always victorious. He is never a loser. JagannAtha dAsa wishes that his (gaNapati's) victory be widely known in this jagat and prays that gaNapati may enable us to obtain victory.

Since gaNapati removes infinite number of obstacles of his bhakta-s, he is called 'vighnEsha'.

Adibhoutika, Adidaivika & AdhyAtmika are the 3 types of troubles (tApatrayagaLu) referred in HKAS_06-09.

Adibhoutika:-

Our sthUla dEha consisting of paMchabhUta-s i.e. pR^ithvi (Earth), appu (Water), tEjas (Fire), AkAsha (Sky) & vAyu (Air) has its own agonies or anguish. These are called Adibhoutika. Pervading as achyuta ParamAtma, He brings the experience of Adibhoutika to the dEha.

Adidaivika:-

The dEvata-s of the dashEMdriya-s, through daitya-s by the prEraNa of ParamAtma and by the regulation of vAyu dEvaru does and makes us do pApa kARya-s and obtains us the agonies as a result of those kARya-s. This is called Adidaivika. gOviMda ParamAtma pervades here and gets us these experiences.

AdhyAtmika:-

manO iMdriya is related to AdhyAtmika. The agony caused by the gain or loss of wealth, house, wife, son etc…are all AdhyAtmika. anaMta ParamAtma pervades here and gets these experiences to us.

The difficulties one experiences due to the effect of paMcha bhUta-s (earth, air, water, fire & space), various distressing diseases and other difficulties as per the saMkalpa of ParamAtma – are all obstacles on the road to sAdhana. vinAyaka removes the obstacles of his bhakta-s and protects them.

Since he does good to this jagat by his upAsana of vishvaMbhara nAmaka ParamAtma, he is called 'vishvamaMgaLa'

As said, "vidyAraMbhE, vivAhEcha….." we pray to vighnEshvara at the commencement of education. He provides success to such persons who pray to him at the commencement of learning (particularly vEda vidyA).

He does not fear anyone, thus called 'vItabhayashOka'. He has a handsome sharIra, thus called 'chARvAMga' (chAru + aMga).

JagannAtha dAsa prays, "Oh gaNapati, please let your kind gaze be on your bhakta-s and protect them by removing various obstacles coming in their way of sAdhana and help them to escape this cycle of birth and death."

kaDukaruNi nIneMdaridu hE

roDala namisuve ninnaDige beM

biDade pAlisu parama karuNAsiMdhu eMdeMdu

naDu naDuve barutippa vighnava

taDedu bhagavannAma kIRtane

nuDidu nuDiseMniMda prati divasadali mareyadale……….HKAS_28-20

kaDukaruNi = one who is extremely kind to bhagavad bhakta-s

nIneMdu aridu = I understand you are so

hEroDala = hEraMba nAmaka vighnEshvara

ninnaDige namisuve = I pay obeisance to your lotus feet

parama karuNAsiMdhu = very kind person

beMbiDade pAlisu eMdeMdu = always protect me

naDu naDuve = in between while performing bhagavad sEva

barutippa = that which comes

vighnava taDedu = stop those obstacles

bhagavannAma kIRtane = ParamAtma kIRtane or smaraNe

nuDidu = perform them as Your biMba kriya

nuDisu eMniMda = then make me do the same

pratidivasadali = everyday

mareyadale = without forgetting (make me do bhagavad sEva)

gaNapati is extremely kind to the bhagavad bhakta-s and he is thus called 'kaDu karuNi'.

The belly of vinAyaka is very huge since He is the pratibiMba of vishvaMbhara nAmaka ParamAtma who indeed holds the entire jagat in His Belly. Thus vighnEshvara is called 'laMbOdara' or 'herODala', because he has a huge belly.

JagannAtha dAsa prays at the lotus feet of kaDukaruNi hErODala to protect us at all times without leaving us for a second and begs for his anugraha constantly.

JagannAtha dAsa prays, "There are many obstacles in our efforts to obtain the anugraha of ParamAtma. Oh gaNapati, please eliminate those obstacles (vighnava taDedu) so that my manas can be focused on the Lotus Feet of ParamAtma and that I continuously chant His Holy Name and praise Him. Make me perform bhagavad sEva without forgetting."

EkaviMshati padagaLenisuva

kOkanada navamAlikeya mai

nAkitanayAMtaRgata shrIprANapatiyenipa

shrIkarajagannAthaviTThala

svIkarisi svaRgApavaRgadi

tA koDuva soukhyagaLa bhaktarigAva kAladali….................HKAS_28-21

EkaviMshati = 21

padagaLenisuva = stanzas of this vighnEshvara stOtra

kOkanada = of 21 lotus flowers

navamAlikeya = new garland

mainAkitanaya = son of paRvatI dEvi, who is the daughter of mEnaka & himAchala (mainAki – indicating mEnaka)

aMtaRgata = aMtaRyAmi

shrI =laxmI dEvi

prANa = vAyu dEvaru

patiyenipa = their Prabhu

shrIkara = very wealthy

jagannAthaviTThala = biMba rUpi JagannAtha viTThala

svIkarisi = please accept (this garland)

bhaktarige = bhagavad bhakta-s who recite this stOtra

AvakAladali = at all times

svaRga = svaRga sukha (during sthiti)

ApavaRgadi soukhyagaLa = mukti sukha in vaikuMTha and other lOka-s

tA koDuva = He would Himself give

Finally, JagannAtha dAsa offers these 21 slOka-s, which are indeed like a garland made up of 21 fresh lotus flowers, to mainAkitanayAMtaRgata vAyvyAMtaRgata vishvaMbharAbhinna JagannAtha viTThala ParamAtma.

The importance of 21 was already discussed in HKAS_28-14.

mainAkitanayAMtaRgata bestows wealth to His bhakta-s. He is therefore described as 'shrIkara' (shrI – wealth, kara – bestows). JagannAtha dAsa derives his name from JagannAtha viTThala, who is the same as shrIkara nAmaka.

Devotees who recite this stOtra at all times would obtain svaRga sukha (during sthiti) mukti sukha in vaikuMTha and other lOka-s after kaRmavimOchana