Ekadantaaya Vakratundaaya…Beautiful Sanskrit
A Beautiful song by Shankar Mahadevan:
Meaning, taken from http://blog.practicalsanskrit.com/2009/08/meditate-upon-ganesh.html
गुणशरीराय गुणमण्डिताय गुणेशानाय धीमहि ।
गुणातीताय गुणाधीशाय गुणप्रविष्टाय धीमहि ।
एकदंताय वक्रतुण्डाय गौरीतनयाय धीमहि ।
गजेशानाय भालचन्द्राय श्रीगणेशाय धीमहि ॥
For the one who is – (common to all the adjectives/names of gaNesha) –
– gaNa-nAyaka = leader of the गण gaNa (^1), gaNa-devatA = divine god of the people, gaNa-adhyakSha = representative of the people, dhImahi = meditate (^0).
– guNa-sharIra = embodiment of गुण guNa (^2), guNa-maNDita = one adorned with गुण guNa, guNa-IshAna = lord of the गुण guNa, meditate.
– guNa-atIta = beyond गुण guNa, guNa-adhi-Isha = controller of गुण guNa, guNa-praviShTa = pervading the गुण guNa (or one in which guNa is pervading, full of all guNa), meditate.
– eka-danta = having one tusk, vakra-tuNDa = having curved trunk, gaurI-tanaya = son of गौरी gaurI (पार्वती pArvatI), meditate.
– gaja-IshAna = lord of the elephants, bhAla-chandra = with moon on forehead, shrI-gaNesha = श्री shrI गणेश gaNesha, meditate.
That is,
Meditate, for the leader of the people, meditate for the divine god of people, meditate for the embodiment of guNa … etc.
गानचतुराय गानप्राणाय गानान्तरात्मने ।
गुरुपूजिताय गुरुदेवताय गुरुकुलस्थायिने ।
गुरुविक्रमाय गुह्यप्रवराय गुरवे गुणगुरवे ।
गुरुदैत्यगलच्छेत्रे गुरुधर्मसदाराध्याय ।
गुरुपुत्रपरित्रात्रे गुरुपाखण्डखण्डकाय ।
गीतसाराय गीततत्त्वाय गीतगोत्राय धीमहि ।
गूढगुल्फाय गन्धमत्ताय गोजयप्रदाय धीमहि ।
गुणातीताय गुणाधीशाय गुणप्रविष्टाय धीमहि ।
एकदंताय वक्रतुण्डाय गौरीतनयाय धीमहि ।
गजेशानाय भालचन्द्राय श्रीगणेशाय धीमहि ॥
For the one who is –
– gAna-chatura = clever at music (and singing), gAna-prANa = life of music, gAna-antaH-Atman = inner soul of music .
– gAna-utsuka = eager for music, gAna-matta = intoxicated in music, gAna-utsuka-manas = eager-minded for music .
– guru-pUjita = main (guru)(^3) among those who are worshiped, =guru-devatA = main god, guru-kula-sthAyI = main resident of the family.
– guru-vikrama = most brave, guhya-pravara = main among mysteries (to liberation?), guru = knowledgeable, guna-guru = elder or worthier by virtue of his guNa (guNa-guru) .
– guru-daitya-galan-kShetre = the main in the area of killing demons, guru-dharma-sadA-ArAdhya = main goal of dharma.
[one liner translations are so much injustice to sanskrit]
– guru-putra-paritAtRi = main protector of children (son), guru-pAkhaNa-khaNDaka = main destroyer of hypocrisy.
– gIta-sAra = gist of song/music, gIta-tattva = essence of song/music, gIta-gotra = enricher of music, meditate .
– gUDha-gulpha = one with deep ankles, gandha-matta = intoxicated with fragrance, go-jaya-prada = giver of victory over senses (go-jaya), meditate.
– guNa-atIta = beyond guNa, guNa-adhi-Isha = controller of guNa, guNa-praviShTa = pervading the guNa, meditate.
– eka-danta = having one tusk, vakra-tuNDa = having curved trunk, gaurI-tanaya = son of gaurI (pArvatI), meditate.
– gaja-IshAna = lord of the elephants, bhAla-chandra = with moon on forehead, shrI-gaNesha = shrI gaNesha, meditate.
ग्रन्थगीताय ग्रन्थगेयाय ग्रन्थान्तरात्मने ।
गीतलीनाय गीताश्रयाय गीतवाद्यपटवे ।
गेयचरिताय गायकवराय गन्धर्वप्रियकृते ।
गायकाधीनविग्रहाय गङ्गाजलप्रणयवते ।
गौरीस्तनन्धयाय गौरीहृदयनन्दनाय ।
गौरभानुसुताय गौरीगणेश्वराय ।
गौरीप्रणयाय गौरीप्रवणाय गौरभावाय धीमहि ।
गोसहस्राय गोवर्धनाय गोपगोपाय धीमहि ।
गुणातीताय गुणाधीशाय गुणप्रविष्टाय धीमहि ।
एकदंताय वक्रतुण्डाय गौरीतनयाय धीमहि ।
गजेशानाय भालचन्द्राय श्रीगणेशाय धीमहि ॥
For the one who is –
– grantha-gIta = sung of (praised) in the scriptures, grantha-geya = worthy of being sung of in the scriptures, grantha-antaH-Atman = the soul of the scriptures.
– gIta-lIna = immersed in music, gIta-Ashraya = patronage/refuge/saviour of music, gIta=vAdya-paTu = expert in singing and playing music.
– geya-charita = whose personality/praises are sung, gAyaka-vara = worthy/ideal of singers, gandharva-priya-kRit = benefactor (priya-kRit) of the musicians (gandharva).
– expander of the dominance of musicians(?), one who loves water of gangA (wrongly written as ganges).
– gaurI-stanandhaya = breastfed by gaurI, gaurI-hRidaya-nadana = bringer of joy to the heart of gaurI (or the child of gaurI’s wish(heart)(^4)
– gaura-bhAnu-suta = brilliant (bhAnu) son of pArvatI, gaurI-gaNa-Ishvara = lord in the form of gaurI-gaNesha.
– gaurI-praNaya = dear to gaurI, gaurI-pravaNa = leaning towards gaurI (young gaNesha in her lap, or one who leads to shakti), gaura-bhAva = the essence of gaurI (bhAva), meditate.
– go-sahasra = [like, equal to] thousand/all senses/cows/veda, go-vardhana = enhancer of senses/cows/earth, gopa-gopa = protector of protectors, meditate. [go has multiple meanings]
– guNa-atIta = beyond guNa, guNa-adhi-Isha = controller of guNa, guNa-praviShTa = pervading the guNa, meditate.
– eka-danta = having one tusk, vakra-tuNDa = having curved trunk, gaurI-tanaya = son of gaurI (pArvatI), meditate.
– gaja-IshAna = lord of the elephants, bhAla-chandra = with moon on forehead, shrI-gaNesha = shrI gaNesha, meditate.
^0 dhImahi – meditate, focus the intellect on it, ponder on it
^1 gaNa = people, groups of people. gaNarAjya = democracy, people-rule.
^2 guNa = qualities, the three guNa (sattva, rajas, tamas), characteristic
^3 guru – teacher, but also, main, important, chief, heavy (with virtue)
^4 gaurI = pArvatI, shakti, umA, aparNA, gaurI, … pArvatI created gaNesha out of her desire, using clay and then breathed life in it.
