Ganesha Atharva Sheersha Explained - Part 3

Ganadim ... Om Gam

Now, what is called the Ganesha Vidya:
'Ganadim purvamucharya varanadim tadanantaram anusvaraha parataraha.' 'Gam' is the Ekakshara Ganapathy mantra. This is called 'mantroddhara' – in mantrashastra, this is the explanation of how a mantra is constructed or formed, the ingredients of the mantra. 'Ganadim purvamucharya' – ganadi means gakara, 'ga' with a halanta, not 'ga g.' The consonant 'g' with vowel 'a' becomes 'ga.'

'Ganadim purvamucharya varnadim tadanantaram' – Varnas are the 16 vowels, starting with 'a' and ending with 'a:.' The first among them is 'a,' so ganadi (g + a) and varnadi (a) after that make it 'ga.' 'Anusvarah parataraha' – anusvara at the end. Anusvara is 'am' – 'g + a + am = gam.' What kind of anusvara is that? 'Ardhendulasitam,' with 'anunaikam,' the nasal pronunciation. While writing in Sanskrit, it is represented by a half-moon with a dot in the middle, ardhendulasitam.

'Tarena rudham' – tara is omkara – 'tarena yuktam,' meaning 'Om Gam.' This is the Ekakshara mantra. 'Etat tava manu svaroopam' – manu means mantra. This is the form of your mantra.

Again explained for clarity:
'Galkaraha purvarupam, akaro madhyama rupam, anusvaraschantya rupam, binduruttara rupam' – the four components: ganadi, varnadi, anusvara (nasal), and nada sandhanam – all strung together by sound, with sound acting as the thread between them. These joined together form samhita – the compilation. 'Saisha Ganesha vidya' – this is Ganesha Vidya. Vid means knowledge. Upasana with this mantra makes one know Ganesha, to understand all truths about Ganesha, to know him as Brahma, as everything.

The rishi is Ganka, its meter is Nichrudgayatri, and the deity is Ganapathy. Importantly, the original text has only 'Om Gam' and not 'Om Gam Ganapathaye Namaha' as is commonly recited. The mantroddhara explains only 'Om Gam,' not 'Om Gam Ganapathaye Namaha.'

Ekadantaya

'Ekadantaha' – one with a single tusk. Why does Ganesha have only one tusk? He wants to convey a message, just as he used his elephant-headed form to indicate he is Brahma.

एकशब्दात्मिका माया तस्या: सर्वं समुद्भवम्
श्रान्तिदं मोहदं पूर्णं नानाखलात्मिकं किल​
दन्तः सत्ताधरस्तत्र मायाचालक उच्यतेब्
बिम्बेन मोहयुक्तश्च स्वयं स्वानन्दगो भवेत्
माया भ्रान्तिमयी प्रोक्ता सत्ता चालक उच्यते
तयोर्योगं गणेशोयं एकदन्तः प्रकीर्तिदः

'Eka' means maya; 'danta' refers to mayikaha – one who drives maya. Both combined as one are Ekadanta, maya and the controller or creator of maya. In his leela, Ganesha broke his tusk and used it as his pen for writing down the Puranas as Vyasa dictated.

'Vakratunda' – one with a curved trunk. What is curved, crooked, and misleading is maya, illusion. He breaks it with his trunk. His trunk breaks the maya of his sadhaka; when the sadhaka realizes him, they go beyond maya. Hence, he is Vakratunda. 'Tunda' also means head. Ganesha’s lower body is human, worldly, bound by mind and speech, like any human. But his head is vakra, turned away from that – it is Brahma svaroopa, not bound by these. Being Vakratunda, he shows us that jagat svaroopa and Brahma svaroopa are both his own.

'धीमहि' – ध्यायेम – we are meditating upon him. Let that 'dantee,' one with a tooth/tusk, prompt us towards devotion for him. This is called Ganesha Gayatri. This mantra fulfills all desires.

Ekadantam Chaturhastam ... Yoginam Varaha

'Ekadantaha,' 'chaturhastaha' – with four hands. What is he holding in his hands?

• Upper right hand – pasha, rope, or noose.
• Upper left hand – ankusha, goad (a stick with a hook to control elephants).
• Lower left hand – radaha, his own broken tusk.
• Lower right hand is held in varada mudra, showing he grants boons. Varada mudra is the palm held out with fingers pointing down. The upward-pointing hand is actually abhaya mudra, offering protection.

With the noose, he binds, and with the goad, he controls everything, showing that all is under his control. His tusk is for destroying evil and protecting the righteous. His boon-giving hand grants his devotees’ desires.

'Mushakadhwajam' – Mushaka, the rat. Mushaka means a thief, as rats steal grains and such. Ganesha is symbolized as Mushaka, the thief, here. Being omnipresent, he resides in the hearts of all beings and 'steals' their experiences of pleasure and pain, the results of their karma. He alone undergoes these experiences. He 'steals' them, hence Mushaka.

A Gandharva named Krauncha once stepped on the foot of Sage Vamadeva in Indra’s court. Vamadeva cursed Krauncha to become a mooshaka (rat). When Krauncha pleaded for mercy, Vamadeva foretold that he would become Ganesha’s vehicle in the future and that Ganesha himself would grant him moksha from the curse. Krauncha then fell to Parashara Maharshi’s ashrama as a giant rat with huge tusks, causing havoc. He destroyed vessels, ate grains, and uprooted trees with his tail. Parashara felt helpless and was about to leave the ashrama.

In one of his avataras, Ganesha was a young child living in Parashara’s ashrama. Ganesha assured Parashara, 'Do not worry, I will take care of him.' He tied the rat with his rope and climbed on top of him. Mooshaka tried violently to throw him off, even climbing to the sky and patala, but to no avail. Realizing the boy was extraordinary, Mooshaka felt devotion for Ganesha. Ganesha offered him a boon. Still arrogant, Mooshaka said, 'You ask me for a boon; I will grant it.' Ganesha requested that he become his vehicle. Mooshaka complied, but was unable to bear Ganesha’s weight, and humbled himself. Ganesha also reduced his weight for him.

'Raktam' – his color is red. 'Lambodram' – the whole universe is contained in his belly, which is huge, hence Lambodara.

तस्योदरात्समुत्पन्नं नानाविश्वं न संशयः
The entire creation came out of his belly.

After seeing the whole universe in Ganesha’s belly, Brahma exclaimed:

दृष्टं च नानार्थयुतं सुरेश ब्रह्माण्डकूटं जठरे त्वदीये
स्थातुं बहिर्गन्तुमपीह नेशस्त्वदन्य देवं शरणं न चैमि

After having seen the entire universe within your belly, I can neither go nor stay; I am restless. I take refuge in you.

'Shoorpakarnaha' – shoorpa means a winnow, used to separate grain from dust. His ears are like a winnow, with which he removes the dirt – the punya and papa – of his devotees, purifying them for kaivalya prapti.

'Raktavasasam' – Ganesha loves red clothing, hence raktavasasa. 'Raktagandhanuliptangam' – red is his favorite color; he is anointed with red sandal paste and worshiped with red flowers.

'Bhaktanukampinam' – he is compassionate toward his devotees. 'Devam' – he is the only deva called 'Jyeshtaraja' – 'Jyeshtarajam Brahmanam Brahmanaspate.' No one is senior or greater than him.

'Jagatkaranam' – the cause of the world. 'Achyutam' – one without decay or decrease, never diminishing.

Prakruteh Purushatparam Srishtyadou Avirbhutam – He existed even before prakriti and purusha, being their cause, the embodiment of 'Tat Tvam Asi.'

Evam Dhyayati Yaha Nityam Sa Yogi Yoginam Varaha – One who meditates upon Ganesha in this manner becomes the greatest among yogis.

Namo Vratapatye ...

'Vratapati' – lord of the groups of devas, such as the eight Vasus, 11 Rudras, and 12 Adityas. 'Ganapathy' – lord of ganas, as previously explained.

'Namo Pramathapathaye' – pramathas are the bhutaganas of Shiva; he is their chief. Another version says 'Namo Prathamapathaye.'

वर्णानां ब्राह्मणः प्रथमः ब्राह्मणेषु योगी प्रथमः – The first among the varnas is Brahmana, and the foremost among Brahmins is the yogi. He is the lord of yogis.

'Lambodaraya Namaha'
'Ekadantaya Namaha'
'Vighnavinashine' – A king named Abhinandana conducted a yajna without invoking Indra. Indra, angered, called upon Kala Yama to obstruct it. Kala assumed the form of Vighnasura, who killed Abhinandana and began obstructing good deeds everywhere. The devas prayed to Brahma, who advised them to pray to Ganesha. Ganesha defeated Vighna and made him his orderly. Ganesha granted Vighna the authority to obstruct good deeds where he is not worshipped first.

So, 'Vighnavinashine Namaha.'

'Shivasutaya' – son of Shiva. After Ganesha created Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, they performed tapas. Shiva was the first to attain realization and saw Ganesha. Shiva said:

त्वं मे पुत्रो भव तदहं माया-मोह-भयहीनश्चरामि
You be my son so that I may live free from fear of maya and delusion.

ध्याने मनसि मे जातः पुत्र त्वं पालय प्रभो
मम पुत्र इति ख्यातो लोकेऽस्मिन भगवन्भव

'Lord, you were born in my mind during meditation, hence you are my son. Become known as my son in this world.'

'Varadamoortaye Namaha' – He grants boons even to devas; none are eligible to grant boons to him.

Sarvaischa Vandyaha Na Cha Tasya Vandyaha – Everyone salutes him, and he salutes none. This is Ganesha’s status among devas.

Starting with Vratapataye, these eight namaskaras correspond to the Ashta Vinayakas.

Knowledge Bank

Who is Sweta in Mahabharata?

Sweta was son of King Virata. He was a commander of the Pandava army and caused great damage to the Kaurava side on the first day of the battle itself. Bhishma had to use Brahmastra to kill him. Sweta's relationship with his father was not good. Sweta was known for his inappropriate and unruly ways but reformed after he came in touch with the Pandavas.

The theory of error

The theory of error, or Akhyati ('nondiscrimination'), was proposed by Prabhakara, a philosopher of the Purva Mimamsa school in the 7th or 8th century CE. This theory explains why people make errors in judgment, such as mistaking the silvery shine of a seashell for a piece of silver. According to Prabhakara, the error arises from the inability to sharply distinguish between two true judgments: 'that object is silvery' and 'silver is silvery.' While both statements are correct on their own, the mistake occurs when the mind combines them into the false judgment, 'that object is silver.' The issue lies not with perception (pratyaksha) or memory, which provide accurate inputs, but with the mind's failure to consider alternative judgments critically.