Ganesha Bhujangam — Benefits & How to Chant
गणेशभुजङ्गम्
Complete guide to chanting correctly for maximum benefit
Benefits of Chanting Ganesha Bhujangam
Grants Vak-Siddhi
the power by which one's spoken words come true
Fulfils all righteous desires when recited at dawn with devotion (as stated in the final verse)
Removes obstacles and dissolves the bondage of samsara ('bhava-dhvamsa-hetum')
Sharpens devotion through vivid contemplation of Ganesha's Nritya (dancing) form
Bestows poetic and oratorical gifts, making it cherished by students and speakers
Carries the special grace of Adi Shankaracharya's lineage and meditative depth
Leads the mind from the saguna (form) to the nirguna (formless Brahman) aspect of God
How to Chant Ganesha Bhujangam
Instructions
Bathe and sit before an image of Ganesha facing east. Recite all nine verses melodiously, savouring the rolling bhujanga-prayata metre that gives the hymn its serpentine flow. The first six verses are meditations on his dancing form, so visualise each detail — the bells, the trunk holding the pomegranate, the jewelled crown, the serpent garland. The final verse is the phalashruti; recite it as a sincere prayer. Light a lamp and offer modaka or red flowers if possible, and end by chanting Om Gam Ganapataye Namah.
Spiritual Significance
Tradition holds that those who rise before dawn and recite this hymn daily with devotion attain Vak-Siddhi — the boon by which whatever they sincerely utter comes to pass. Devotees and scholars recount that consistent recitation has loosened tongues bound by stammering, blessed students with eloquence in examinations, and made the speech of singers and orators carry unusual power and truth.
Origin & History
Source: Stotra attributed to the works of Adi Shankaracharya (Shankaracharya Stotra collection)
Author: Adi Shankaracharya
The Ganesha Bhujangam belongs to Adi Shankaracharya's celebrated series of 'Bhujanga' hymns, in which he poured devotion into a swaying, song-like metre. Where the philosopher-Acharya elsewhere expounds the formless Absolute, here he first delights in the most tangible and joyful image of God — the elephant-faced Ganesha dancing the Tandava, bells ringing, trunk swirling. Verse by verse he ascends from this enchanting form to the realisation that the same Ganesha is the imperishable Om, the supreme Brahman beyond the gunas, thus uniting bhakti (devotion) and jnana (knowledge) in a single short hymn.