Adhyaya 23: The Birth of Gaṇapati, the Emergence of the Vināyakas, and the Significance of the Fourth Lunar Day

Verse 1

प्रजापाल उवाच । कथं गणपतेर्जन्म मूर्तिमन्तं च सत्तम । एतन्मे संशयं छिन्धि धृतिकष्टं व्यवस्थितम् ॥ २३.१ ॥

Prajāpāla said: “How was Gaṇapati born, and how did he become embodied, O best of beings? Cut through this doubt of mine, which has remained firmly lodged as a persistent difficulty.”

Verse 2

महातपा उवाच । पूर्वं देवगणाः सर्वे ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः । कार्यारम्भं तथा चक्रुः सिध्यन्ते च न संशयः ॥ २३.२ ॥

Mahātapā said: “Formerly, all the hosts of the gods, and the seers—rich in ascetic discipline—undertook their enterprises in just this manner; and they achieved success, without doubt.”

Verse 3

सन्मार्गवर्तिषु यथा सिद्ध्यन्ते विघ्नतः क्रियाः । असत्कारिषु सर्वेषु तद्वदेवमविघ्नतः ॥ २३.३ ॥

Just as, among those who proceed on the right path, actions reach accomplishment even amid obstacles, so too, among all who offer no proper regard (or hospitality), this holds—indeed, without obstruction.

Verse 4

ततो देवाः सपितरश्चिन्तयामासुरोजसा । असत्कार्येषु विघ्नार्थं सर्व एवासभ्यमन्त्रयन् ॥ २३.४ ॥

Then the gods, together with the Pitṛs (ancestral spirits), powerfully deliberated; and all of them invoked protective measures with the aim of creating obstacles for improper undertakings.

Verse 5

ततस्तेषां तदा मन्त्रं कुर्वतस्त्रिदिवौकसाम् । बभूव बुद्धिर्गमने रुद्रं प्रति महात्मतिम् ॥ २३.५ ॥

Then, as those dwellers of the three heavens were performing their deliberative counsel, a resolve arose in them to go to Rudra, the great-minded one.

Verse 6

ते तत्र रुद्रमागम्य कैलासनिलयं गुरुम् । ऊचुः सविनयं सर्वे प्रणिपातपुरःसरम् ॥ २३.६ ॥

There, having approached Rudra—the venerable teacher who dwells on Kailāsa—all of them spoke with humility, preceded by an act of prostration.

Verse 7

देवा ऊचुः । देवदेव महादेव शूलपाणे त्रिलोचन । विघ्नार्थमविशिष्टानामुत्पादयितुमर्हसि ॥ २३.७ ॥

The gods said: “O God of gods, great deity—O bearer of the trident, three-eyed one—you ought to bring forth (a being) for the purpose of removing obstacles for all, without distinction.”

Verse 8

एवमुक्तरस् तदा देवैर् भवः परमया मुदा । उमां निरीक्षयामास चक्षुषाऽनिमिषेण ह ॥ २३.८ ॥

Thus addressed at that time by the gods, Bhava (Śiva), with supreme joy, then gazed upon Umā with an unblinking eye.

Verse 9

देवानां सन्निधौ तस्य पश्यतो मां महात्मनः । चिन्ताऽभूद् व्योम्नि मूर्तिभ्यो दृश्यते केन हेतुना ॥ २३.९ ॥

In the presence of the gods, while that great-souled one was looking upon me, a thought arose: “For what reason is this seen in the sky as embodied forms?”

Verse 10

पृथिव्या विद्यते मूर्तिरपां मूर्तिस्तथैव च । तेजसः श्वसनस्यापि मूर्तिरेषा तु दृश्यते । आकाशं च कथं नेति मत्वा देवो जहास च ॥ २३.१० ॥

“A tangible form exists for the earth, and likewise a form for the waters. A form of fire and even of wind is indeed perceived. But thinking, ‘How could space (ākāśa) be taken as having form?’—having reflected thus, the deity laughed.”

Verse 11

ज्ञानशक्तिमुमां दृष्ट्वा यद् दृष्टं व्योम्नि शम्भुना । यच्चोक्तं ब्रह्मणा पूर्वं शरीरं तु शरीरिणाम ॥ २३.११ ॥

Having beheld Umā as the śakti of knowledge—and recalling what Śambhu saw in the sky, and what Brahmā formerly declared—this indeed pertains to the body of embodied beings.

Verse 12

यच्चापि हसितं तेन देवेन परमेष्ठिना । एतत्कार्यचतुष्केण पृथिव्यादिचतुष्वपि ॥ २३.१२ ॥

And likewise the laughter expressed by that god, Parameṣṭhin, is to be understood in relation to this fourfold set of actions, and also with respect to the fourfold group beginning with the Earth.

Verse 13

मूर्त्तिमानतितेजस्वी हसतः परमेष्ठिनः । प्रदीप्तास्यो महादीप्तः कुमारो भासयन् दिशः । परमेष्ठिगुणैर्युक्तः साक्षाद् रुद्र इवापरः ॥ २३.१३ ॥

From the laughing Parameṣṭhin there appeared a youthful form—embodied and of surpassing brilliance—his mouth aflame, intensely radiant, illuminating the directions; endowed with Parameṣṭhin’s qualities, he was manifestly like Rudra himself, as though another Rudra.

Verse 14

उत्पन्नमात्रो देवानां योषितः सप्रमोहयन् । कान्त्या दीप्त्या तथा मूर्त्या रूपेण च महात्मवान् ॥ २३.१४ ॥

As soon as he was born, that great-souled one bewildered the women of the gods—by his beauty, his radiance, his embodied form, and his appearance.

Verse 15

तं दृष्ट्वा परमं रूपं कुमारस्य महात्मनः । उमा अनिमेषनेत्राभ्यां तमपश्यत भामिनी ॥ २३.१५ ॥

Having beheld the supreme form of the great-souled Kumāra, Umā—her eyes unblinking—gazed upon him; the radiant lady fixed her sight on him.

Verse 16

तं दृष्ट्वा कुपितो देवः स्त्रीभावं चञ्चलं तथा । मत्वा कुमाररूपं तु शोभनं मोहनं दृशाम् । ततः शशाप तं देवः स्त्रीशङ्कां परमेश्वरः ॥ २३.१६ ॥

Seeing him, the god grew angry, judging the state of womanhood to be fickle; and deeming the youthful form beautiful and enchanting to the eyes, Parameśvara, the Supreme Lord, then cursed him with “womanly suspicion/doubt” (strī-śaṅkā).

Verse 17

कुमार गजवक्त्रस्त्वं प्रलम्बजठरस्तथा । भविष्यसि तथा सर्पैरुपवीतगतिर्ध्रुवम् ॥ एवं शशाप तं देवस्तीव्रकोपसमन्वितः ॥ २३.१७ ॥

“O boy, you shall have an elephant-like face, and likewise a pendulous belly. You shall also certainly bear serpents as your upavīta (sacred thread).” Thus, the god—filled with intense anger—pronounced a curse upon him.

Verse 18

अर्द्धकोट्या च रोमाणामात्मनोऽङ्गे त्रिलोचनः । कूपकास्वेदसलिलपूर्णशूलधरस्तथा । धुन्वन् शरीरमुत्थाय ततो देवो रुषान्वितः ॥ २३.१८ ॥

Trilocana (Śiva), with half a koṭi of hairs upon his own body, and bearing a trident whose socket was filled with the water of sweat, rose up shaking his body; thereafter the god was filled with anger.

Verse 19

यथा यथा असौ स शरीरमाद्यं धुनोति देवस्त्रिशिखास्त्रपाणिः । तथा तथा चाङ्गरुहाश्चकासुर्जलं क्षितौ संन्यपतंस्तथान्याः ॥ २३.१९ ॥

As that god—bearing the triśikhā weapon in his hand—again and again shook his primordial body, so again and again the hairs upon his limbs shone forth; and likewise water fell down upon the earth from other parts as well.

Verse 20

विनायकानेकविधा गजास्या स्तमालनिलाञ्जनसन्निकाशाः । उत्तस्थुरुच्चैर्विविधास्त्रहस्ता स्ततस्तु देवा मनसाकुलेन ॥ २३.२० ॥

Then many kinds of Vināyakas—elephant-faced, resembling the dark hue of tamāla and blue collyrium (añjana)—rose up with a loud clamor, bearing diverse weapons in their hands; and at that, the gods became inwardly agitated in mind.

Verse 21

किमेतदित्यद्भुतकर्मकारी ह्येकः करोत्यप्रतिमं महच्च । कार्यं सुराणां कृतमेतदिष्टं भवेदथैतं परितं कुतस्तत् ॥ २३.२१ ॥

“What is this? For a single doer of wondrous deeds accomplishes a great and incomparable act. This appears to be the desired work of the gods, already brought to completion—then how could there be any reversal of it, and from where would that arise?”

Verse 22

दिवौकसां चिन्तयतां तथा तु विनायकैः क्ष्मा क्षुभिता बभूव । चतुर्मुखश्चाप्रतिमो विमानम् आरुह्य खे वाक्यमिदं जगाद ॥ २३.२२ ॥

While the dwellers of heaven were thus deliberating, the Earth (kṣmā) became agitated by the Vināyakas. Then the four-faced, peerless one (Brahmā), mounting his aerial chariot (vimāna), spoke these words in the sky.

Verse 23

धन्याः स्थ देवाः सुरनायकेन त्रिलोचनेनाद्भुतरूपिणा च । अनुगृहीताः परमेश्वरेण सुरद्विषां विघ्नकृतां नतौ च ॥ २३.२३ ॥

Blessed are you, O gods—favored by the leader of the suras, the three-eyed one of wondrous form; and also graced by the Supreme Lord (Parameśvara), by whose act of bowing the obstacles created by the enemies of the gods are brought to an end.

Verse 24

इत्येवमुक्त्वा प्रपितामहस्तानुवाच देवस्त्रिशिखास्त्रपाणिम् । यस्ते विभो वक्त्रसमुद्भवः प्रभुर्विनायकानां भवतु त्विमेऽनुगाः ॥ २३.२४ ॥

Having spoken thus, the Grandfather (Brahmā) then addressed the god who bore the Triśikhā weapon: “O mighty one, may he who is born from your mouth and is the lord of the Vināyakas become the leader of these attendants of yours.”

Verse 25

भवांस्तथा । अस्यात्मवरेण चाम्बरे त्वया चतुष्वस्तु शरीरचारी । आकाशमेतद् बहुधा व्यवस्थितं त्वया वरेण्यः कृत एव नान्यः ॥ २३.२५ ॥

So too are you. By your own intrinsic excellence, you move embodied within the sky in fourfold ways. This expanse of ākāśa (space) has been arranged in many forms; it has been fashioned by you alone, O worthy one—by no other.

Verse 26

प्रभोर्भव त्वं प्रतिमास्त्रपाणिना इमानि चास्त्राणि वरांश्च देहि । इत्येवमुक्त्वा ।अधिगते पितामहे त्रिलोचनश्चात्मभवं जगाद ॥ २३.२६ ॥

“Manifest as the Lord, bearing the emblem of weapons; grant these weapons and the boons as well.” Having spoken thus, when he had approached the Grandsire (Pitāmaha, Brahmā), the three-eyed one (Trilocana) addressed Ātmabhava (the Self-born).

Verse 27

विनायको विघ्नकरो गजास्यो गणेशनामा च भवस्य पुत्रः । एते च सर्वे तव यान्तु भृत्या विनायकाः क्रूरदृष्टिः प्रचण्डाः । उच्छुष्मदानादिविवृद्धदेहाः कार्येषु सिद्धिं प्रतिपादयन्तः ॥ २३.२७ ॥

“He is Vināyaka, the maker of obstacles, elephant-faced, called Gaṇeśa, and the son of Bhava (Śiva). May all these attendants of yours—the Vināyakas, fierce in gaze and formidable—go forth, their bodies enlarged through ucchuṣma, dāna, and the like, establishing success in undertakings.”

Verse 28

भवांश्च देवेषु तथा मखेषु कार्येषु चान्येषु महानुभावात् । अग्रेषु पूजां लभतेऽन्यथा च विनाशयिष्यस्यथ कार्यसिद्धिम् ॥ २३.२८ ॥

And you, by virtue of your eminent stature, receive honor in precedence among the gods, in sacrificial rites (yajña), and in other undertakings. Otherwise, you would indeed bring about the destruction of the successful accomplishment of the rite (or undertaking).

Verse 29

इत्येवमुक्त्वा परमेश्वरेण सुरैः समं काञ्चनकुम्भसंस्थैः । जलैस्तथासावभिषिक्तगात्रो रराज राजेन्द्र विनायकानाम् ॥ २३.२९ ॥

Having thus spoken, the Supreme Lord (Parameśvara), together with the gods, consecrated him with waters contained in golden pitchers; and so, O king of kings, his body anointed in that ablution, he shone forth as the foremost among the Vināyakas.

Verse 30

दृष्ट्वाऽभिषिच्यमानं तु देवास्तं गणनायकम् । तुष्टुवुः प्रयताः सर्वे त्रिशूलास्त्रस्य सन्निधौ ॥ २३.३० ॥

Seeing that leader of the gaṇas being consecrated, the gods—all composed and attentive—praised him in the presence of the triśūla weapon (the trident).

Verse 31

देवा ऊचुः । नमस्ते गजवक्त्राय नमस्ते गणनायक । विनायक नमस्तेऽस्तु नमस्ते चण्डविक्रम ॥ २३.३१ ॥

The gods said: “Homage to You, O Elephant-faced One; homage to You, O leader of the gaṇas. O Vināyaka, may homage be offered to You; homage to You, O One of fierce valor.”

Verse 32

नमोऽस्तु ते विघ्नकर्त्रे नमस्ते सर्पमेखल । नमस्ते रुद्रवक्त्रोत्थ प्रलम्बजठराश्रित ॥ २३.३२ ॥

Homage to You, the maker (or remover) of obstacles; homage to You whose girdle is a serpent. Homage to You, born from Rudra’s mouth, abiding in the belly of Pralamba.

Verse 33

सर्वदेवनमस्कारादविघ्नं कुरु सर्वदा । एवं स्तुतस्तदा देवैर्महात्मा गणनायकः । अभिषिक्तश्च रुद्रस्य सोमस्यापत्यतां गतः ॥ २३.३३ ॥

“By this salutation to all the gods, remove obstacles at all times.” Thus praised then by the gods, the great-souled leader of the gaṇas was consecrated (abhiseka), and he attained the status of being the offspring of Rudra and Soma.

Verse 34

एतच्चतुर्थ्यां संपन्नं गणाध्यक्षस्य पार्थिव । यतस्ततोऽयं महती तिथीनां परमा तिथिः ॥ २३.३४ ॥

O king, this rite/observance connected with the Lord of the gaṇas is accomplished on the fourth lunar day (Caturthī); therefore it is regarded as a great day—indeed the foremost among lunar dates (tithi).

Verse 35

एतस्यां यस्तिलान् भुक्त्वा भक्त्या गणपतिं नृप । आराधयति तस्याशु तुष्यते नात्र संशयः ॥ २३.३५ ॥

O king, whoever on this occasion consumes sesame seeds and, with devotion, worships Gaṇapati—He is quickly pleased with that person; of this there is no doubt.

Verse 36

यश्चैतत् पठते स्तोत्रं यश्चैतच्छृणुयात् सदा । न तस्य विघ्ना जायन्ते न पापं सर्वथा नृप ॥ २३.३६ ॥

O king, for one who recites this hymn and for one who continually listens to it, no obstacles arise for him, and no pāpa (sin) remains for him in any respect.