Shri Sankat Nashanam Ganesha Stotram

My first exposure to Sanskrit hymns was my mother’s daily chanting.  She was a lecturer who hardly found any time to sit in one place and chant.  That did not prevent her from chanting routinely.  Every morning, she would start chanting the hymns as she got ready for her bath, and right through her bath ending with lighting the diya after getting dressed up.  In the evenings, she would light the diya, and continue chanting while cooking dinner.  At 86 years of age, she still chants all the stotras from memory.  Alzheimer's, go take a walk!

Lord Ganesha is known as Aadidaivat and is always invoked before any other deity and so mother always began her chants with the Sankatatanashana Ganesh Stotra.  As a child, I memorised most of the stotra just by hearing her chant it.  It was only in high school, when I learnt Sanskrit as a part of the curriculum that I actually came to understand the meaning of the words.

Today, as I am confined indoors under home quarantine, praying to God to heal my family ASAP, and chanting the hymns I learnt as a child, I feel inclined to share my comprehension of the gist of the stotra on the blog.  I hope this stotra relieves my readers of some of their worries and brings some peace and calm into their lives.

नारद उवाच

Narada Uvacha:

Sage Narada Explained

 

प्रणम्य शिरसा देवम् गौरीपुत्रम् विनायकम् ।

भक्तावासम् स्मरेन्नित्यमायुः कामार्थसिद्धये ।।

Pranamya shirasa devam Gauri putram Vinayakam

Bhakthaavaasam smarenityamayuh kama artha sidhaye

The devotee who offers obeisance daily by bowing his head to Vinayaka (remover of obstacles), the son of Gauri, can attain longevity, love and wealth in his home.

 

प्रथमम् वक्रतुडं च एकदन्तम् द्वितीयकम् ।

तृतीयम् कृष्णपिंगाक्षम् गजवक्त्रम् चतुर्थकम् ।।

Prathamam Vakratundam cha, Ekadantam dwitiyakam.

Tritiyam Krushnapingaksham, Gajavaktram Chaturthakam.

Firstly, He is known as the God with a broken tusk and secondly as the one with a single tusk.

Thirdly, He is known as one with dark red eyes (that look almost black) and fourthly as an elephant-faced God.

 

लम्बोदरम् पंचमम् च षष्ठ विकटमेव च ।

सप्तमम् विघ्नराजेन्द्रम् धूम्रवर्णम् तथाष्टमम् ।।

Lambodaram Panchamam cha, Sashtam Vikatamev cha.

Saptamam Vignarajendram cha, Dhoomravarnam tathashtamam.

His fifth identity is that of one with a large abdomen and sixth as the one who is terrifying to His enemies.

His Seventh identity is that of an eradicator of obstacles and the eighth is of one who is of the colour of smoke.

 

नवमं भालचन्द्रं च दशमं तु विनायकम् ।

एकादशं गणपतिं द्वादशं तु गजाननम् ।।

Navamam Bhalachandram cha, Dashamam tu Vinayakam.

Ekadasham Ganapatim, Dwadasham tu Gajananam.

Ninth, (call out to him as) the one having the moon on his forehead and tenth as the one who is the Chief remover of obstacles

Eleventh (invoke him as) the leader of the Ganas (Soldiers of Lord Shiva) and twelfth as the one who has the face of an elephant.

 

द्वादशैतानि नामानि त्रिसन्ध्यम् यः पठेन्नरः ।

न च विघ्नभयम् तस्य सर्वसिद्धिकरम् परम् ।।

Dwadasaithani namani Trisandhyam yah pathenarah.

Na cha vighnabhayam tasya, Sarvsiddhikaram param

(From hereon, the benefits of invoking Lord Ganesha with the above 12 names are listed.)

The human reciting these twelve names at dawn, noon and dusk need not fear obstacles, and all his ventures will always be met with success.

 

विद्यार्थी लभते विद्याम् धनार्थी लभते धनम् ।

पुत्रार्थी लभते पुत्रान्मोक्षार्थी लभते गतिम् ।।

Vidhyarthi labhate Vidhyam,Danarthi labhate Dhanam.

Putrarthi labhate Putran,Moksharthi labhate Gateem.

The pursuer of knowledge will gain education, while the one who seeks financial gains will be blessed with wealth.

One who desires a son, will be bestowed sons, and one who desires salvation will get deliverance.

 

जपेग्दणपतिस्तोत्रम् षड्भिर्मासैः फ़लम् लभेत् ।

संवत्सरेण सिद्धिम् च लभते नात्र संशयः ।।

Japet Ganapati stotram, Shadbhirmasai phalam labheth.

Samvatsarena sidhim cha Labhate naatra sanshayah.

The fruits of chanting this Ganapati stotra (hymn) regularly can be realised within six months,

And without any doubt, all the wishes of the devotee are fulfilled within a year.

 

अष्टभ्यो ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च लिखित्वा यः समर्पयेत् ।

तस्य विद्या भवेत् सर्वा गणेशस्य प्रसादतः ।।

Ashtabhyo Brahmanebhyashcha Likihitwa yah samarpayet.

Tasya Vidya bhavet sarvaa Ganeshasya Prasadatah.

He who submits this prayer in writing to eight wise men will become enlightened by the grace of Lord Ganesha.

 

|| इति श्री नारदपुराणे संकटनाशनम गणेश स्तोत्रम सम्पूर्णम ||

Iti Shri Narad Purane Sankat nashanam Ganesha Stotram Sampurnam

Thus ends the ode to Ganesha from Narada Purana that will destroy all sorrow.