ganeshaganapatimuthuswami-dikshitarvatapi

𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌿 𑌗𑌣𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌂 𑌭𑌜𑍇𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍

वातापि गणपतिं भजेऽहम् in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ 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)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

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

𑌵𑌾𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌿 𑌗𑌣𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌂 𑌭𑌜𑍇𑌽𑌹𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌵𑌰𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌂 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀

vātāpi gaṇapatiṃ bhaje'haṃ vāraṇāsyaṃ varapradaṃ śrī

Meaning:मैं वातापि के गणपति की वंदना करता हूँ — गजमुख, वरदायक।

Verse 2

𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌾𑌦𑌿 𑌸𑌂𑌸𑍇𑌵𑌿𑌤 𑌚𑌰𑌣𑌂 𑌭𑍂𑌤 𑌭𑍗𑌤𑌿𑌕 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚 𑌭𑌰𑌣𑌮𑍍 𑌵𑍀𑌤𑌰𑌾𑌗𑌿𑌣𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌤 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌿𑌨𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌘𑍍𑌨𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌮𑍍

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

Meaning:जिनके चरणों की सेवा भूतगण और समस्त प्राणी करते हैं, जो समस्त भौतिक जगत् के भरण-पोषक हैं, जो वीतराग हैं, विनम्र योगियों से वंदित, विश्व के कारण और समस्त विघ्नों के निवारक हैं।

Verse 3

𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌾 𑌕𑍁𑌮𑍍𑌭 𑌸𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌵 𑌮𑍁𑌨𑌿𑌵𑌰 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑍂𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌕𑍋𑌣 𑌮𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌗𑌤𑌂 𑌮𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌰𑌿 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌪𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌮𑍂𑌲𑌾𑌧𑌾𑌰 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌦𑌿 𑌚𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌿 𑌵𑌾𑌗𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌵 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍂𑌪 𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌮𑍍 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌟𑌿𑌲 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌖𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌜 𑌵𑌾𑌮𑌕𑌰 𑌵𑌿𑌧𑍃𑌤𑍇𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌦𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌮𑍍 𑌕𑌰𑌾𑌂𑌬𑍁𑌜 𑌪𑌾𑌶 𑌬𑍀𑌜𑌾𑌪𑍂𑌰𑌂 𑌕𑌲𑍁𑌷 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍂𑌰𑌂 𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌮𑍍 𑌹𑌰𑌾𑌦𑌿 𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌗𑍁𑌹 𑌤𑍋𑌷𑌿𑌤 𑌬𑌿𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌂 𑌹𑌂𑌸𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌿 𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌿𑌤 𑌹𑍇𑌰𑌂𑌬𑌮𑍍

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:जो प्राचीन काल में कुम्भज मुनि अगस्त्य से पूजित हुए, जो त्रिकोण के मध्य में विराजमान हैं, जो मुरारि (विष्णु) आदि प्रमुख देवों से उपासित हैं, जो मूलाधार चक्र में स्थित हैं; जो परा-पश्यन्ती-मध्यमा-वैखरी — इन चार वाणियों के स्वरूप हैं, प्रणव (ॐ) स्वरूप वक्रतुण्ड हैं, जिनके ललाट पर सदा अर्धचंद्र है, जो अपने बायें हाथ में इक्षुदण्ड (गन्ना) धारण करते हैं, जिनके कर-कमलों में पाश और बीजपूर (अनार) है; जो समस्त मलिनता से दूर हैं, जिनका स्वरूप पंचभूत है, जिनका बिम्ब हर (शिव) और गुरुगुह (स्कन्द) को आनंदित करता है — वे हंसध्वनि से विभूषित हेरम्ब — उनकी मैं वंदना करता हूँ।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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

𑌭𑌜𑍇𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍🔊bhaje'hamI worship / I adore.

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

𑌵𑌰𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌂🔊varapradaṃThe bestower of boons.

𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌾𑌦𑌿 𑌸𑌂𑌸𑍇𑌵𑌿𑌤 𑌚𑌰𑌣𑌂🔊bhūtādi saṃsevita caraṇaṃWhose feet are served by the elements (bhutas) and all beings.

𑌭𑍂𑌤 𑌭𑍗𑌤𑌿𑌕 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚 𑌭𑌰𑌣𑌮𑍍🔊bhūta bhautika prapañca bharaṇamThe sustainer of the whole material universe of elements and their products.

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

𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌤 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌿𑌨𑌂🔊vinata yoginaṃHe before whom the yogis bow / who is adored by humble yogis.

𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌘𑍍𑌨𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌮𑍍🔊viśvakāraṇaṃ vighnavāraṇamThe cause of the universe and the remover of obstacles.

𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌾 𑌕𑍁𑌮𑍍𑌭 𑌸𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌵 𑌮𑍁𑌨𑌿𑌵𑌰 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌪𑍂𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂🔊purā kumbha sambhava munivara prapūjitaṃWorshipped of old by the great sage Agastya (born of a pot, kumbha-sambhava).

𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌕𑍋𑌣 𑌮𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌗𑌤𑌂🔊trikoṇa madhyagataṃSeated at the centre of the triangle (the mystic yantra).

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

𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌦𑌿 𑌚𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌰𑌿 𑌵𑌾𑌗𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌂🔊parādi catvāri vāgātmakaṃEmbodying the four forms of speech — Para, Pashyanti, Madhyama and Vaikhari.

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌵 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍂𑌪 𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌮𑍍🔊praṇava svarūpa vakratuṇḍamThe curved-trunked One whose very form is the Pranava (Om).

𑌨𑌿𑌟𑌿𑌲 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌖𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌂🔊niṭila candrakhaṇḍaṃWith a crescent (slice) of the moon upon His forehead.

𑌨𑌿𑌜 𑌵𑌾𑌮𑌕𑌰 𑌵𑌿𑌧𑍃𑌤𑍇𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌦𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌮𑍍🔊nija vāmakara vidhṛtekṣudaṇḍamHolding a stalk of sugarcane in His own left hand.

𑌕𑌰𑌾𑌂𑌬𑍁𑌜 𑌪𑌾𑌶 𑌬𑍀𑌜𑌾𑌪𑍂𑌰𑌂🔊karāmbuja pāśa bījāpūraṃBearing in His lotus-hands the noose (pasha) and a pomegranate fruit (bijapura).

𑌕𑌲𑍁𑌷 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍂𑌰𑌂 𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌮𑍍🔊kaluṣa vidūraṃ bhūtākāramFar removed from all impurity, whose form is the very elements.

𑌹𑌰𑌾𑌦𑌿 𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌗𑍁𑌹 𑌤𑍋𑌷𑌿𑌤 𑌬𑌿𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌂🔊harādi guruguha toṣita bimbaṃWhose image delights Shiva (Hara) and Guruguha (Skanda / the composer's signature).

𑌹𑌂𑌸𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌨𑌿 𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌿𑌤 𑌹𑍇𑌰𑌂𑌬𑌮𑍍🔊haṃsadhvani bhūṣita herambamHeramba (Ganesha) adorned by (the raga) Hamsadhwani — also 'graced by the sound of the swan'.

Benefits of Chanting वातापि गणपतिं भजेऽहम्

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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.

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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 वातापि गणपतिं भजेऽहम्

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

This page shows the complete वातापि गणपतिं भजेऽहम् written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

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.