Ganapati Mantras & Atharvashirsha
Every ritual begins with Ganapati — but there is more to his mantras than the opening verse. The Ganapati Atharvashirsha, recited in homes across Maharashtra, declares: "You alone are the visible truth." Discover the mantras of the remover of obstacles.
The verse
Om Gam Ganapataye Namah
"Gaṃ" is Ganapati's bīja, his seed syllable. The mantra "oṃ gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ" — "Om, Gam, salutations to Ganapati" — is the most common short mantra for him, recited before beginnings, studies and journeys. The Vakratunda verse, "vakratuṇḍa mahākāya…", is the invocation sung at the start of countless pujas.
An Upanishad for Ganesha
The Ganapati Atharvashirsha calls itself an Upanishad of the Atharvaveda. It does something remarkable: it does not merely praise Ganesha as a god among gods — it identifies him with Brahman itself…
The journey continues for members
- What the Atharvashirsha says
- Traditional practice
- A note on what mantras promise
Sources
- Ganapati Atharvashirsha
- Mudgala Purana