देवानां पूजनोपायं क्रमं ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम्। अग्रे पूज्यतमः कोसौ को मध्यो नित्यपूजने
Tell me the certain method and order of worshipping the gods: who is to be worshipped first, who is central in daily worship?
अंते च पूजा कस्यैव कस्य को वा प्रभावकः। किंवा कं च फलं ब्रह्मन्पूजयित्वा लभेन्नरः
And at the end, whose worship is to be performed, and who possesses what power? O Brahman, what fruit does a person obtain by worshipping whom?
व्यास उवाच- गणेशं पूजयेदग्रे त्वविघ्नार्थं परे त्विह। विनायकत्वमाप्नोति यथा गौरीसुतो हि सः
Vyasa said: One should worship Ganesha first, for the removal of obstacles; thus, one attains the state of Vinayaka, for he is the son of Gauri.
पार्वत्यजनयत्पूर्वं सुतौ महेश्वरादिमौ। सर्वलोकधरौ शूरौ देवौ स्कंदगणाधिपौ
Formerly, Parvati gave birth to two sons: the foremost Maheshvara, upholder of all worlds, heroic gods, Skanda and Ganapati, lords of hosts.
तौ च दृष्ट्वा नगसुता सिध्यर्थं पर्यभाषत। इदं तु मोदकं पुत्रौ देवैर्दत्तं मुदान्वितैः
Seeing them, the daughter of the mountain spoke for the sake of their success: 'This sweetmeat, my sons, was given by the gods, filled with joy.'
महाबुद्धीति विख्यातं सुधया परिनिर्मितम्। गुणं चास्य प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुतं तु समाहितौ
'It is renowned as Mahabuddhi, fashioned from nectar. I will declare its quality; listen attentively, both of you.'
अस्यैवाघ्राणमात्रेण अमरत्वं लभेद्ध्रुवम्। सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदः
By merely smelling this, one surely attains immortality; one becomes a knower of the essence of all scriptures and an expert in all weapons and arms.
निपुणः सर्वतंत्रेषु लेखकश्चित्रकृत्सुधीः। ज्ञानविज्ञानतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वज्ञो नात्र संशयः
He becomes skilled in all systems, a wise scribe and artist, a knower of knowledge and its essence, and omniscient—there is no doubt about this.
पुत्रौ धर्मादधिकतां प्राप्य सिद्धिशतं व्रजेत्। यस्तस्य वै प्रदास्यामि पितुस्ते संमतं त्विदम्
The two sons, having surpassed dharma, attain a hundredfold accomplishment; whoever gives this, I shall grant him what is approved by his father.
श्रुत्वा मातृमुखादेवं वचः परमकोविदः। स्कंदस्तीर्थं ययौ सद्यः सर्वं त्रिभुवनस्थितं
Having heard these words from his mother's mouth, the supremely wise Skanda immediately went to the sacred place, along with everything in the three worlds.
बर्हिणं स्वं समारुह्य त्वभिषेकः कृतः क्षणात्। पितरौ प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा लंबोदरधरस्सुधीः
Mounting his own peacock, he was anointed in an instant; after circumambulating his parents, the wise one, bearer of a pot belly, stood there.
तत एव मुदायुक्तः पित्रोरेवाग्रत स्थितः। पुरतश्च तथा स्कंदो मे देहीति ब्रुवन्स्थितः
Then, filled with joy, he stood before his parents; and likewise, Skanda stood before me, saying, 'Give me a body.'
ततस्तु तौ समीक्ष्याथ पार्वती विस्मिताब्रवीत्। सर्वतीर्थाभिषेकैस्तु सर्वदेवैर्न तैस्तथा
Then, seeing this, Parvati, astonished, spoke: 'Even with all the ablutions at sacred places by all the gods, it was not so.'
सर्वयज्ञव्रतैर्मंत्रैर्योगैरन्यैर्यमैस्तथा। पित्रोरर्चाकृतः कोपि कलां नार्हति षोडशीम्
By all sacrifices, vows, mantras, other yogas, and disciplines, no one who worships the parents attains even a sixteenth part.
तस्मात्सुतशतादेषोऽधिकः शतगुणैरपि। अतो ददामि हेरम्बे मोदकं देवनिर्मितम्
Therefore, he is superior to a hundred sons, even by a hundredfold; thus, I give to Heramba the modaka made by the gods.
अस्यैव कारणादस्य अग्रे पूजा मखेषु च। वेदशास्त्रस्तवादौ च नित्यं पूजाविधासु च
Because of this, in all rituals and sacrifices, in the beginning of Vedic hymns and scriptural praises, and in daily worship procedures, he is to be worshipped first.
पार्वत्या सह भूतेशो ददौ तस्मै वरं महत्। अस्यैव पूजनादग्रे देवास्तुष्टा भवंतु च
Along with Parvati, the Lord of beings granted him a great boon: by worshipping him first, may the gods be pleased.
सर्वासामपि देवीनां पितॄणां च समंततः। तपो भवतु नित्यं च पूजितेऽग्रे गणेश्वरे
For all goddesses and ancestors alike, may austerity always prevail when Ganesha is worshipped first.
ततः सर्वेषु यज्ञेषु पूजयेद्गणपं द्विजः। कोटिकोटिगुणं तेषु देवदेवी वचो यथा
Therefore, in all sacrifices, the twice-born should worship Ganesha; in those, the words of the gods and goddesses are multiplied a hundred million times.
दत्वा सर्वगुणं पुण्यं देवदेव्या तथा मुदा। कृतं गणाधिपत्यं च सर्वदेवाग्रतस्तदा
Having given all virtues and merit with joy to the goddess, Ganesha's lordship over the hosts was established before all the gods.
तस्मात्प्राज्येषु यज्ञेषु स्तोत्रेषु नित्यपूजने। गणेशं पूजयित्वा तु सर्वसिद्धिं लभेन्नरः
Therefore, in grand sacrifices, hymns, and daily worship, by worshipping Ganesha, a person attains all accomplishments.
एवं ज्ञात्वा तु देवैस्तु दयितप्राप्ति काम्यया। पूजितश्चाथसर्वैस्तु स्वर्गमोक्षार्थतो ध्रुवम्
Thus, knowing this, the gods, desiring to obtain their beloved, worshipped him; and surely, all attained heaven and liberation.
नक्ताहारश्चतुर्थ्यां तु पूजयित्वा गणाधिपं। लिंगे वा प्रतिमा चित्रे देवः पूज्यो भवेद्यदि
On the fourth day, fasting at night and worshipping the Lord of the hosts, whether in the linga, in an image, or in a picture, the deity is to be worshipped.
गणाधिप नमस्तुभ्यं सर्वविघ्नप्रशांतिद। उमानंदप्रद प्राज्ञ त्राहि मां भवसागरात्
O Lord of the hosts, I bow to you, remover of all obstacles; giver of joy to Uma, wise one, save me from the ocean of existence.
हरानंदकरध्यान ज्ञानविज्ञानद प्रभो। विघ्नराज नमस्तुभ्यं प्रसन्नो भव सर्वदा
O Lord who grants joy to Hara, who bestows knowledge and wisdom, O King of Obstacles, I bow to you; may you always be gracious.
कृतोपवासो गणपं पूजयेद्यो नरो मुदा। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः सुरलोके महीयते
Whoever, after observing a fast, joyfully worships Gaṇapati, is freed from all sins and is honored in the world of the gods.
स्तोत्रं तस्य प्रवक्ष्यामि नामद्वादशकं शुभं। ॐनमो गणपतये मंत्र एष उदाहृतः
I will now declare his hymn, the auspicious twelve names; this mantra is recited: 'Om, I bow to Gaṇapati.'
गणपतिर्विघ्नराजो लंबतुंडो गजाननः। द्वैमातुरश्च हेरम्ब एकदंतो गणाधिपः
Gaṇapati, King of Obstacles, Long-tusked, Elephant-faced, Son of Two Mothers, Heramba, Single-tusked, Lord of the Gaṇas—
विनायकश्चारुकर्णः पशुपालो भवात्मजः। द्वादशैतानि नामानि प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत्
Vināyaka, Beautiful-eared, Protector of Creatures, Son of Bhava—these twelve names, whoever recites them upon rising in the morning,
विश्वं तस्य भवेद्वश्यं न च विघ्नं भवेत्क्वचित्। महाप्रेताश्शमं यांति पीड्यते व्याधिभिर्न च। सर्वपापाद्विनिर्मुक्तो ह्यक्षयं स्वर्गमश्नुते
For him, the whole world comes under control, and obstacles never arise; great spirits are pacified, he is not afflicted by diseases, and freed from all sins, he attains imperishable heaven.