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Ganesha Ashtakam Meaning — Line by Line

गणेशाष्टकम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Ganesha Ashtakam with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. Yato'nanta-shakter ananta-shcha jiva
  2. Verse 2. Yata-shchavirasij jagat sarvam etat
  3. Verse 3. Yato vahnibhanu bhavo bhurjalam cha
  4. Verse 4. Yato danavah kinnara yaksha-sangha
  5. Verse 5. Yato buddhir ajnana-nasho mumukshoh
  6. Verse 6. Yatah putra-sampad yato vanchhitartho
  7. Verse 7. Yato'nanta-shaktih sa shesho babhuva
  8. Verse 8. Yato vedavacho vikuntha manobhih
  9. Verse 9. Punash chedam ashtakam bhaktiyukto
Verse 1#

Yato'nanta-shakter ananta-shcha jiva

यतोऽनन्तशक्तेरनन्ताश्च जीवा यतो निर्गुणादप्रमेया गुणास्ते यतो भाति सर्वं त्रिधा भेदभिन्नं सदा तं गणेशं नमामो भजामः

Yato'nanta-shakter ananta-shcha jiva Yato nirgunad aprameya gunaste Yato bhati sarvam tridha bhedabhinnam Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah

MeaningFrom whom, of infinite power, arise the infinite living beings; from whom, the attributeless, come the immeasurable qualities of creation; by whom all this, divided into its three-fold distinctions, shines forth — to that Ganesha we ever bow and offer worship.

Verse 2#

Yata-shchavirasij jagat sarvam etat

यतश्चाविरासीज्जगत्सर्वमेतत् तथाब्जासनो विश्वगो विश्वगोप्ता तथेन्द्रादयो देवसङ्घा मनुष्याः सदा तं गणेशं नमामो भजामः

Yata-shchavirasij jagat sarvam etat Tathabjasano vishvago vishvagopta Tathendradayo devasangha manushyah Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah

MeaningFrom whom this whole universe came into being, and likewise the lotus-seated Brahma, the all-pervading protector Vishnu, and Indra with the hosts of gods and human beings — to that Ganesha we ever bow and offer worship.

Verse 3#

Yato vahnibhanu bhavo bhurjalam cha

यतो वह्निभानू भवो भूर्जलं यतः सागराश्चन्द्रमा व्योम वायुः यतः स्थावरा जङ्गमा वृक्षसङ्घाः सदा तं गणेशं नमामो भजामः

Yato vahnibhanu bhavo bhurjalam cha Yatah sagara-shchandrama vyoma vayuh Yatah sthavara jangama vriksha-sanghah Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah

MeaningFrom whom come fire and sun, creation, earth and water; from whom the oceans, the moon, the sky and the wind; from whom the unmoving and moving beings and all the trees — to that Ganesha we ever bow and offer worship.

Verse 4#

Yato danavah kinnara yaksha-sangha

यतो दानवाः किन्नरा यक्षसङ्घा यतश्चारणा वारणाः श्वापदाश्च यतः पक्षिकीटा यतो वीरुधश्च सदा तं गणेशं नमामो भजामः

Yato danavah kinnara yaksha-sangha Yata-shcharana varanah shvapada-shcha Yatah pakshikita yato virudha-shcha Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah

MeaningFrom whom come the danavas, kinnaras and hosts of yakshas; from whom the charanas, the elephants and the beasts of prey; from whom the birds and insects, and from whom the creepers — to that Ganesha we ever bow and offer worship.

Verse 5#

Yato buddhir ajnana-nasho mumukshoh

यतो बुद्धिरज्ञाननाशो मुमुक्षोः यतः सम्पदो भक्तसन्तोषिकाः स्युः यतो विघ्ननाशो यतः कार्यसिद्धिः सदा तं गणेशं नमामो भजामः

Yato buddhir ajnana-nasho mumukshoh Yatah sampado bhakta-santoshikah syuh Yato vighnanasho yatah karyasiddhih Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah

MeaningFrom whom come intellect and the destruction of ignorance for the seeker of liberation; from whom come the riches that bring contentment to devotees; from whom comes the removal of obstacles and the accomplishment of every task — to that Ganesha we ever bow and offer worship.

Verse 6#

Yatah putra-sampad yato vanchhitartho

यतः पुत्रसम्पद्यतो वाञ्छितार्थो यतोऽभक्तविघ्नास्तथानेकरूपाः यतः शोकमोहौ यतः काम एव सदा तं गणेशं नमामो भजामः

Yatah putra-sampad yato vanchhitartho Yato'bhakta-vighnas tathaneka-rupah Yatah shoka-mohau yatah kama eva Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah

MeaningFrom whom comes the blessing of children and the fulfilment of desires; from whom come the many forms of obstacles for the faithless; from whom come grief and delusion, and desire itself — to that Ganesha we ever bow and offer worship.

Verse 7#

Yato'nanta-shaktih sa shesho babhuva

यतोऽनन्तशक्तिः शेषो बभूव धराधारणेऽनेकरूपे शक्तः यतोऽनेकधा स्वर्गलोका हि नानाः सदा तं गणेशं नमामो भजामः

Yato'nanta-shaktih sa shesho babhuva Dharadharane'neka-rupe cha shaktah Yato'nekadha svarga-loka hi nanah Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah

MeaningFrom whom Shesha, of boundless strength, came to be, able in his many forms to bear the earth; from whom arose the heavenly worlds in their endless variety — to that Ganesha we ever bow and offer worship.

Verse 8#

Yato vedavacho vikuntha manobhih

यतो वेदवाचो विकुण्ठा मनोभिः सदा नेति नेतीति यत्ता गृणन्ति परब्रह्मरूपं चिदानन्दभूतं सदा तं गणेशं नमामो भजामः

Yato vedavacho vikuntha manobhih Sada neti netiti yatta grinanti Parabrahma-rupam chidananda-bhutam Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah

MeaningFrom whom the words of the Veda turn back, baffled along with the mind, ever singing 'not this, not this' (neti neti) — that one of the form of the Supreme Brahman, being of pure consciousness and bliss — to that Ganesha we ever bow and offer worship.

Verse 9#

Punash chedam ashtakam bhaktiyukto

पुनश्चेदमष्टकं भक्तियुक्तो पठेद्यो नरो भक्तिभावेन नित्यम् इह श्रीसमृद्धिं परत्रापि मुक्तिं लभेद्भक्तियुक्तः स्तुतो येन देवः

Punash chedam ashtakam bhaktiyukto Pathedyo naro bhaktibhavena nityam Iha shri-samriddhim paratrapi muktim Labhed bhaktiyuktah stuto yena devah

MeaningAnd the person who, full of devotion, recites this octet daily with a loving heart, attains the blessing of prosperity here and liberation hereafter — for by it the Lord himself has been praised.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

यतः
Yatah
From whom / because of whom (the anaphora opening each verse)
अनन्तशक्तेः
Ananta-shakteh
From the one of infinite power / energy
अनन्ताश्च जीवाः
Ananta-shcha jivah
(From whom arise) the infinite living beings
निर्गुणात्
Nirgunat
From the attributeless (formless) one
अप्रमेया गुणाः
Aprameya gunah
The immeasurable qualities (of creation)
त्रिधा भेदभिन्नम्
Tridha bhedabhinnam
Divided into the three-fold distinctions (of creation)
सदा तं गणेशं नमामो भजामः
Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah
We ever bow to and worship that Ganesha (the refrain)
अब्जासनः
Abjasanah
The lotus-seated one (Brahma)
विश्वगोप्ता
Vishvagopta
The protector of the universe (Vishnu)
वह्निभानू
Vahnibhanu
Fire and the sun
स्थावरा जङ्गमाः
Sthavara jangamah
The unmoving and the moving (all beings)
बुद्धिरज्ञाननाशः
Buddhir ajnana-nashah
Intellect, and the destruction of ignorance (for the seeker of liberation)
विघ्ननाशः
Vighnanashah
The destruction of obstacles
कार्यसिद्धिः
Karyasiddhih
The accomplishment of (every) task
पुत्रसम्पत्
Putra-sampat
The blessing of children
वाञ्छितार्थः
Vanchhitarthah
The desired object / fulfilment of wishes
शेषः
Shesha
Shesha, the cosmic serpent who bears the earth
नेति नेति
Neti neti
'Not this, not this' — the Upanishadic negation by which the Vedas seek the Absolute
परब्रह्मरूपम्
Parabrahma-rupam
Of the form of the Supreme Brahman
चिदानन्दभूतम्
Chidananda-bhutam
Being of the nature of consciousness and bliss (chit-ananda)

Origin & History

Source: Ganesha Purana

Author: Unknown (traditional; from the Ganesha Purana)

Period: Puranic

This Ashtakam appears in the Ganesha Purana as a hymn of praise to Ganesha as the Supreme Brahman. Rather than dwelling on his iconographic form, it sweeps through the whole of creation — beings and gods, elements and oceans, beasts and birds, even Shesha and the heavenly worlds, and obstacles, grief and desire themselves — declaring that all of it arises 'yatah', from Ganesha, and ending each verse by bowing to and worshipping him as the source of all.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ganesha Ashtakam?
It is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn from the Ganesha Purana, beginning 'Yato'nanta-shakter ananta-shcha jiva'. Unusually philosophical, it praises Ganesha as Para-Brahman — the supreme Reality from whom all beings, gods, elements and worlds arise — each verse closing 'Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah' ('We ever bow to and worship that Ganesha').
How is this Ganesha Ashtakam different from other Ganesha hymns?
Where many Ganesha stotras describe his form and emblems, this Ashtakam is a Vedantic hymn: it contemplates Ganesha as the formless Absolute (Para-Brahman, chit-ananda) from whom the entire cosmos — and even obstacles, grief and desire — proceeds, echoing the Upanishadic 'neti neti'.
What does the refrain 'Sada tam ganesham namamo bhajamah' mean?
It means 'We ever bow to and worship that Ganesha'. This line closes every verse, so that each contemplation of Ganesha as the source of creation ends in an act of reverent worship and surrender.
What are the benefits of reciting the Ganesha Ashtakam?
Its phala-shruti (closing verse) promises that one who recites it daily with devotion gains prosperity (shri-samriddhi) in this world and liberation (mukti) in the next. It is chanted for wisdom, the removal of obstacles, success in undertakings and spiritual upliftment.

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