He whose compassionate heart is vast enough to uphold the three worlds within its lotus, whose feet are lovingly served by great yakṣas such as Kubera—he is the one before whom all the gods bow, their jeweled crowns adorning him as they touch his feet in reverence. With supreme skill, he severs the paths that lead to the lower and higher realms, liberating beings from the cycles of wandering. Around his neck hangs a garland that recalls the hoods of mighty serpents. His brows, fierce and knitted, inspire awe and terror in both gods and demons alike. Yet, he alone is the radiant moon that increases the joy in the heart of Bhavani, and his single lotus-like hand appears swollen, as if holding a vessel of divine wine. Ever armed and resolute, he stands ready to destroy all obstacles that hinder sacrifice. By his presence, he magnifies the radiance and fame of the beloved of the daughter of the ocean. His form is immense and formidable, his belly large; he humbles the pride of demons and is worshipped with offerings by Varuna and the other lords who guard the directions. His loving gaze brings joy to Śaṅkara alone, and he is masterful in singing melodious songs, perfectly set to the sixteen svaras and tālas. Like a mighty boat, he rescues all from the river of misfortune, and he recites the hymns composed by Brahma, Vaikuṇṭha, and others, beginning with Hara. Within the lotus of his heart dwells boundless forgiveness, and he protects all beings, both moving and unmoving. His radiant form is comprised solely of the syllables of the Tārā mantra, and he is adorned with knowledge from the first syllable ‘a’ to the last ‘kṣa’. He is invoked as Om Śrīṃ Vināyaka, Om Hrīṃ, Chief of Obstacles, Lord of the Gaṇas. He is Heramba, the enjoyer of sweet modakas, known for his curved trunk and remembered in the scriptures as Vidhismrita. Praised in Vedanta, he is a seeker of knowledge, pure in mantra, and known as the six-syllabled one. He is Ganesha, the bestower of boons, divine and empowered by the twelve-syllabled mantra, his entire being suffused with the great mantra of seventy million mantras. He is the son of Ganga, worshipped by the hosts of ganas, invoked as Om, Shrim, Dvaimatura, Shiva, Om, Hrim, Shrim, Klim, Glaum, Gam—the god, the great Ganapati, the Lord himself. The greatness of his thousand names is profound—this thousand-name hymn of Mahaganapati is remembered as secret and most confidential, hidden and safeguarded within all the tantras. It is the divine treasury of all mantras, the destroyer of all obstacles, composed of the influences of planets and stars, adorned with the sequence of zodiacal signs and their colors. It encompasses all knowledge, serves as the means for realizing Brahman, and is beloved by practitioners. It contains the entire essence of Ganesha and is the secret possessed by the dwellers of heaven. This thousand-name hymn grants all desired fruits in the world, fulfills wishes, is endowed with the eight perfections, is attainable, and bestows victory upon practitioners. Even without worship, oblation, ritual gestures, or recitation—merely by remembering it—the eight perfections beginning with aṇimā are accomplished. On the fourth lunar day, at midnight, the practitioner should recite it at a crossroads; O Goddess, he should write these thousand auspicious names on birch bark in the sunlight. He should wear it on the fourteenth lunar day, at midday, either on his head or arm; a woman should tie it on her left arm, a man on his right. With this, he can immobilize even Brahma, delude even Shiva, subjugate the three worlds, and destroy all enemies. He can drive away the gods, subdue Dhananjaya; a barren woman quickly receives sons, and a poor man acquires wealth. Whoever recites this three times at night before Ganesha and Shiva, naked and united with Shakti, O Goddess, after enjoying pleasures as desired—such a foremost practitioner, reciting this thousand names of Ganesha with devotion, will behold Ganesha himself, the bestower of boons, directly. For him, wealth and prosperity, wife, lifespan, and riches will always be present. In battle, in the fear of kings, or in gambling, let him recite the thousand names. By Ganesha’s grace, he attains victory everywhere. Thus, this thousand-name mantra is the very embodiment of all merit.