Upanishads

Ganapati Upanishad

Atharvaveda
group of Upanishads – Shaiva

   1. Om. Lam. Salutations to Thee, Ganapati!

   2. Thou art verily That. Thou art the only Creator. Thou art the only Sustainer. Thou art the only Destroyer. Thou art verily all that, Thou art Brahman. Thou art verily the Atman.

   3. Always I speak the truth (Ritam; the Right). I speak the truth (satyam).

   4. Do You protect me! Protect the speaker, protect the listener, protect the sacrificer, protect the performer [of the sacrifice], protect the disciple who repeats [this]! Protect him who is in the east, protect him who is in the south, protect him who is in the west, protect him who is in the north, protect him who is above and him who is below. Protect me on all sides, protect me everywhere!

   5. You are full of speech, You are full of consciousness. You are full of bliss, You are full of Brahman. You are Being-Consciousness-Bliss, one without a second. You are verily Brahman. You are full of knowledge and the ability to comprehend.

   6. This whole world is generated by You. This whole world abides in You. This whole world dissolves in You. This whole world returns to You. You are earth, water, fire, air and celestial space. You are the four dimensions of speech. You are superior to the three gunas. You are superior to the three bodies. You are superior to the three times. You are always in muladhara. You are the inner essence (Atman) of the three shaktis. You are constantly contemplated by yogis. You are Brahma, You are Vishnu, You are Rudra, You are Indra, You are Agni, You are Vayu, You are Surya, You are Chandra during the new moon, You are Brahman, bhur-bhuvah svah and Om.

   7. First the consonant ga is pronounced, then the first of the vowels (i.e. a) and the nasal sound in the form of a crescent with anusvara. Together with the tara-mantra (i.e. Om) these sounds form the form of the mantra (i.e. Om gam) [Ganapati].

   8. The syllable ga is the first, the syllable a is the middle, the nasal sound is the last, and bindu is its final part, but nada is their union together. This is the mantra (vidya) of Ganesha.

   9. The rishi [of this mantra] is Ganaka, the metrical metre is nrichad-gayatri, the deity is Sri Mahaganapati. [The full form of the mantra is:] Om gam Ganapataye namah ("Om gam. Worship of Ganapati").

   10. Let us realize Ekadanta! Let us meditate on Vakratunda. May the Possessor of the Tusk guide us [along the true Path]!

   11-14. On the one-tusked, four-armed, holding a noose and a goad, fearless, auspicious, strong-armed, riding on a rat, possessing a red hanging belly and large shaking ears, dressed in red clothes, with limbs anointed with red incense, adorned with excellent red flowers, the god who fulfills the desires of His devotees, the immaculate Cause of the universe, surpassing all beings, the entire created world, Purusha and Prakriti – that yogi who meditates thus constantly is the best among yogis.

   15. Homage to the Lord of Vows, homage to the Lord of the Ganas, homage to the Lord of the Pramathas, let us homage to You! To the Fat-bellied, the One-tusked, the Remover of Obstacles, the Son of Shiva, the comely – homage, homage!

   16. Whoever thus meditates on this Atharvashirsha attains unity with Brahman. He will be happy everywhere. He will not be limited by any obstacles. He will be freed from the five great and five small sins. In the evening, meditating thus, he removes the sin committed during the day. In the morning, meditating thus, he removes the sin committed at night. He who meditates thus thrice a day (during the three Sandhyas) becomes sinless and attains virtue, well-being, enjoyment and liberation.

   17. This Atharvashirsa should not be given to a non-disciple. He who, in error, gives it [to those to whom it should not be given], he will be a sinner.

   18. He who desires anything will attain it by reciting [this Atharvashirsa] in full a thousand times. He who [with these mantras] performs abhishekam of the form [of Ganapati], he will become eloquent. He who, on the day of Chaturtha, with his mind concentrated, performs japa [of these mantras], he will become the possessor of knowledge. Thus says the teaching of Atharvan: "He who goes to Brahman never experiences fear." He who donates durva shoots, he will surpass [in wealth] Vaishravana himself. He who donates parched grains, he will become very famous, he will become very wise. He who sacrifices a thousand modaka sweets, he will obtain the desired fruit. He who sacrifices [with these mantras into the sacred fire] logs and clarified butter, he will achieve all that he desires, he will achieve all that he desires. He who receives [in his home for the purpose of reciting this atharvashirshi] eight brahmins, he will become like Surya in his effulgence. He who, during an eclipse of the sun, [standing waist-deep] in a large river or near the image [of Ganapati] does japa [of these mantras], he will attain perfection in the mantras, will overcome all great obstacles, and will be freed from all great ailments.

   19. He who knows this Upanishad will become all-knowing, he will become all-knowing.

   Such is the Ganapati Upanishad of the Atharva Veda.