ganeshaganapatimuthuswami-dikshitarvatapi

Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje

वातापि गणपतिं भजेऽहम्

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 At the start of any undertaking, study, music practice or worship; on Sankashti Chaturthi and Vinayaka Chaturthi·📜 Carnatic kriti by Muthuswami Dikshitar, in raga Hamsadhwani, Adi tala (Sanskrit, early 19th century CE)

Also known as: vatapi ganapatim · vatapi ganapathim bhaje · vathapi ganapathim · dikshitar vatapi ganapatim · hamsadhwani ganapati kriti

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

'Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje' is the celebrated Sanskrit kriti on Lord Ganesha composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar, one of the Trinity of Carnatic music, set in raga Hamsadhwani. It is sung as the auspicious opening of countless Carnatic concerts. Rich in tantric and philosophical imagery, it describes Ganesha as the elephant-faced boon-giver, the embodiment of Om and of the four forms of speech, seated in the Muladhara, holding the noose, sugarcane and pomegranate — the remover of all obstacles.

Origin & Story

Carnatic kriti by Muthuswami Dikshitar, in raga Hamsadhwani, Adi tala (Sanskrit, early 19th century CE) · Muthuswami Dikshitar · c. 1775-1835 CE

Muthuswami Dikshitar, a master of both music and the Sanskrit tradition, composed this kriti in praise of the Vatapi Ganapati enshrined at Tiruvarur. Tradition relates that this very form of Ganesha was carried from Vatapi (Badami) to the Tamil land. Dikshitar wove into the song the deepest layers of Ganesha's worship — His seat in the Muladhara, His identity with Om and the four forms of speech — making it both a devotional hymn and a profound meditation.

✦ As told in scripture

It is told among musicians that to begin a concert with 'Vatapi Ganapatim' in raga Hamsadhwani is to place the whole performance under Ganesha's protection, so that obstacles dissolve and the music flows; generations of Carnatic artists have honoured this as the auspicious first invocation that never fails.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

वातापि गणपतिं भजेऽहं वारणास्यं वरप्रदं श्री

vātāpi gaṇapatiṃ bhaje'haṃ vāraṇāsyaṃ varapradaṃ śrī

Meaning:I worship Ganapati of Vatapi, the elephant-faced bestower of boons.

Verse 2

भूतादि संसेवित चरणं भूत भौतिक प्रपञ्च भरणम् वीतरागिणं विनत योगिनं विश्वकारणं विघ्नवारणम्

bhūtādi saṃsevita caraṇaṃ bhūta bhautika prapañca bharaṇam vītarāgiṇaṃ vinata yoginaṃ viśvakāraṇaṃ vighnavāraṇam

Meaning:His feet are served by the elements and all beings; He sustains the whole universe of matter; He is free of passion, adored by humble yogis, the cause of the cosmos and the remover of all obstacles.

Verse 3

पुरा कुम्भ सम्भव मुनिवर प्रपूजितं त्रिकोण मध्यगतं मुरारि प्रमुखाद्युपासितं मूलाधार क्षेत्रस्थितम् परादि चत्वारि वागात्मकं प्रणव स्वरूप वक्रतुण्डम् निरन्तरं निटिल चन्द्रखण्डं निज वामकर विधृतेक्षुदण्डम् करांबुज पाश बीजापूरं कलुष विदूरं भूताकारम् हरादि गुरुगुह तोषित बिम्बं हंसध्वनि भूषित हेरंबम्

purā kumbha sambhava munivara prapūjitaṃ trikoṇa madhyagataṃ murāri pramukhādyupāsitaṃ mūlādhāra kṣetrasthitam parādi catvāri vāgātmakaṃ praṇava svarūpa vakratuṇḍam nirantaraṃ niṭila candrakhaṇḍaṃ nija vāmakara vidhṛtekṣudaṇḍam karāmbuja pāśa bījāpūraṃ kaluṣa vidūraṃ bhūtākāram harādi guruguha toṣita bimbaṃ haṃsadhvani bhūṣita herambam

Meaning:Worshipped of old by the great sage Agastya, seated at the centre of the mystic triangle, adored by Vishnu (Murari) and the foremost gods, abiding in the Muladhara chakra; He is the embodiment of the four forms of speech (Para, Pashyanti, Madhyama, Vaikhari), the curved-trunked One whose form is the very Pranava (Om), with a crescent moon ever upon His brow, holding a sugarcane stalk in His left hand, bearing in His lotus-hands the noose and the pomegranate; far removed from all impurity, whose form is the elements themselves, whose image delights Lord Shiva and Guruguha (Skanda) — Heramba, adorned by (the raga) Hamsadhwani. Him I adore.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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वातापि गणपतिं🔊vātāpi gaṇapatiṃGanapati of Vatapi (the deity at Tiruvarur whose icon, by tradition, came from Vatapi/Badami).

भजेऽहम्🔊bhaje'hamI worship / I adore.

वारणास्यं🔊vāraṇāsyaṃHe of the elephant face (varana = elephant, asya = face).

वरप्रदं🔊varapradaṃThe bestower of boons.

भूतादि संसेवित चरणं🔊bhūtādi saṃsevita caraṇaṃWhose feet are served by the elements (bhutas) and all beings.

भूत भौतिक प्रपञ्च भरणम्🔊bhūta bhautika prapañca bharaṇamThe sustainer of the whole material universe of elements and their products.

वीतरागिणं🔊vītarāgiṇaṃHe who is free from all passion / desirelessness.

विनत योगिनं🔊vinata yoginaṃHe before whom the yogis bow / who is adored by humble yogis.

विश्वकारणं विघ्नवारणम्🔊viśvakāraṇaṃ vighnavāraṇamThe cause of the universe and the remover of obstacles.

पुरा कुम्भ सम्भव मुनिवर प्रपूजितं🔊purā kumbha sambhava munivara prapūjitaṃWorshipped of old by the great sage Agastya (born of a pot, kumbha-sambhava).

त्रिकोण मध्यगतं🔊trikoṇa madhyagataṃSeated at the centre of the triangle (the mystic yantra).

मूलाधार क्षेत्रस्थितम्🔊mūlādhāra kṣetrasthitamAbiding in the Muladhara chakra (the root centre at the base of the spine).

परादि चत्वारि वागात्मकं🔊parādi catvāri vāgātmakaṃEmbodying the four forms of speech — Para, Pashyanti, Madhyama and Vaikhari.

प्रणव स्वरूप वक्रतुण्डम्🔊praṇava svarūpa vakratuṇḍamThe curved-trunked One whose very form is the Pranava (Om).

निटिल चन्द्रखण्डं🔊niṭila candrakhaṇḍaṃWith a crescent (slice) of the moon upon His forehead.

निज वामकर विधृतेक्षुदण्डम्🔊nija vāmakara vidhṛtekṣudaṇḍamHolding a stalk of sugarcane in His own left hand.

करांबुज पाश बीजापूरं🔊karāmbuja pāśa bījāpūraṃBearing in His lotus-hands the noose (pasha) and a pomegranate fruit (bijapura).

कलुष विदूरं भूताकारम्🔊kaluṣa vidūraṃ bhūtākāramFar removed from all impurity, whose form is the very elements.

हरादि गुरुगुह तोषित बिम्बं🔊harādi guruguha toṣita bimbaṃWhose image delights Shiva (Hara) and Guruguha (Skanda / the composer's signature).

हंसध्वनि भूषित हेरंबम्🔊haṃsadhvani bhūṣita herambamHeramba (Ganesha) adorned by (the raga) Hamsadhwani — also 'graced by the sound of the swan'.

Benefits of Chanting Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje

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Sung as the auspicious first piece in Carnatic music concerts, invoking Ganesha to remove obstacles from the performance.

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Recited before beginning any new venture, study or worship to seek Ganesha's blessings for success.

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Its profound tantric imagery (Muladhara, the four forms of speech, the Pranava) makes it a meditation on Ganesha's cosmic nature.

✦

Believed to bestow wisdom, eloquence (vak-siddhi) and the removal of inner and outer hindrances.

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A treasured masterpiece of devotion and music together, deepening love for Ganesha through the beauty of raga Hamsadhwani.

How to Chant Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje

Repetitions3times

Best TimeAt the start of any undertaking, study, music practice or worship; on Sankashti Chaturthi and Vinayaka Chaturthi

Recite or sing before an image of Lord Ganesha, ideally at the beginning of any new work or concert. If sung, it is set in raga Hamsadhwani; if recited, chant clearly with attention to the meaning, visualising Ganesha holding the noose, sugarcane and pomegranate. As an invocation to the remover of obstacles, it is fittingly offered first, before all other prayers.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a famous Sanskrit kriti (devotional song) in praise of Lord Ganesha, composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775-1835) in the raga Hamsadhwani. It is among the most popular Carnatic compositions and is traditionally sung at the very start of a concert as an invocation to Ganesha.

Vatapi Ganapati refers to the deity worshipped at the Thyagaraja temple in Tiruvarur. Tradition holds that the icon was brought from Vatapi (Badami) by the general Paranjyoti (later the saint Siruthondar). Dikshitar's kriti honours this very form of Ganesha.

Muthuswami Dikshitar was one of the 'Trinity' of Carnatic music, alongside Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri. A great devotee and master of Sanskrit, his compositions are noted for their depth of devotion, scriptural and tantric content, and majestic musical settings. His signature 'mudra' is 'Guruguha'.

Because Ganesha is the remover of obstacles and is invoked first before any auspicious undertaking. Set in the bright, auspicious raga Hamsadhwani, 'Vatapi Ganapatim' is the ideal opening piece, seeking the Lord's grace for a successful performance.