Saturday, January 23, 2010

Vathapi Ganapathim Bhajeham

This is a really great song. I wanted to understand it. Just singing it doesn't make sense. Here goes the lyrics and the meanings of the individual words.

Vathapi Ganapathim Bhajeham
Vaaranaasyam Vara Pradham Sri

Words meaning:
Vathapi - place where Mr Ganesha is born; Ganapathim (trutiya vibhakti in sanskrit) - ganesh ji - our hero; Bhaje+aham - worship , me; Vaara + haasyam - elephant, smiling face; Vara - vows; Pradham - gives (actually "showers"); Sri - symbol used to show token of respect;

Order:
aham vatapi ganapathim bhaje | haasyam vaaram | Sri vara pradam

Bhoothaadhi Samsevitha Charanam
Bhootha Bhautika Prapancha Bharanam

Words meaning:
Bhootha+adhi - elements of nature + others; Samsevitha - together(sam ?) worship(sevita); Charanam - feet; Bhootha - elements; Bhautika -world Prapancha - five ?; Bharanam - pervades;

Order:
bhootadi samsevita charanam | bhautike prapancha bhoota bharanam |

Veetharaaginam Vinutha Yoginam
Vishwakaaranam Vigna Vaaranam

Words meaning:
Veetha - desires; raaginam - transcends; Vinutha - revere; Yoginam - by sages;
Vishwakaaranam - cause of the world; Vigna - obstacles; Vaaranam - obliterate ;

Order:
raaginam veeta | yoginam vinuta | karanam vishwayoho | vignaam vaarana |

Puraa Kumbha Sambhava Munivara Prapoojitham Trikona Madhyagatham
Muraari Pramukhaadhyupaasitham Moolaadhaara Kshetrasthitham
Paraadhi Chathvaari Vaagaathmakam Pranava Swaroopa Vakrathundam
Nirantharam Nithila Chandrakandam Nijavaamakara Vidhrutekshu Dandam

Words meaning:
Puraa -water; Kumbha -pitcher ; Sambhava - born out of; Munivara - sage; Prapoojitham - first worshipped;
Trikona - some magical triangle (no clue what this is); Madhyagatham - stays in the middle; Muraari - Vishnu - the great; Pramukhaadi + upaasitham - important people like him(vishnu)+ meditated;
Moolaadhaara - important deity; Kshetra+sthitham - religious places + stays;
Para+adhi - ragas like Para; Chathvaari - the four; Vaagaa + athmakam - sound + form;
Pranava - some sitting state; Swaroopa - form; Vakrathundam - twisted trunk;
Nirantharam - always; Nithila -bears; Chandra+ gandam - moon + forehead; Nija+vaama+kara - left hand; Vidhruta + ikshu - xxx+sugar; Dandam - stick;

Order:
Puraa kumbha sambhava (agastya) munivara prapoojitam | Trikona madhyagatam | Muraari Pramukha adhi upaasitham | Moolaadhaara Kshetrasthitham | athmakam Para adhi Chathvaari Vaagayoho |Vakra thundam Swaroopa Pranava | Nirantharam Nithila Chandra gandam | Vidhruta ikshu Dandam Nijavaamakare |


Karaambujapaasha Beejaapooram Kalushavidooram Bhoothaakaaram
Haraadhi Guruguha Toshitha Bimbam Hamsadhwani Bhooshitha Herambham

Words meaning:
Kara+ambuja+paasha - hand + lotus + noose; Beejaapooram - goad and fruits; Kalusha+vi dooram -evil + drives away ; Bhoothaakaaram - gigantic, huge form;
Hara+adhi - hara and others; Guruguha - guruguha; Toshitha - adored; Bimbam - face;
Hamsadhwani - hamsadwani raga; Bhooshitha - adorned; Herambham - Vinayaka;

Order: ambuja kare paasham , beejaapooram | Bhoothakaaram kalusham vi dooram | Guruguha hara adhi Toshitha bimbam | bhooshitham hamsadhwanaye Herambham |

Aah, how beautiful the lyrics are. Ganesh ji should fall straight to this flattery :P.

Please listen to this song, if you have access to it. ( You can always ask me if you don't). Also it is in Sanskrit, the easiest language :)

@insti junta: search for "vathapi ganapathim MS" in the lan [size:11.4 Mb].

References:
http://www.ecse.rpi.edu/homepages/shivkuma/music/vatapi.htm
http://nadhasudharasa.blogspot.com/2007/01/vathapi-ganapathim-bhajeham.html

4 comments:

ramya said...

Wow!!
Thanks a lot for the complete translation.

One question :
Bhautika = Physical
Prapancha = World
right ?

Dr.Suryanarayana Vulimiri said...

Good post. Some input on meanings. Varanaasyam = vaarana (elephant) + asyam (face);It is not haasyam. Bhoota is used in three contexts with three different meanings; bhootaadi = The bhoota ganas or pancha bhootas and others; boota-bhoutika = bhoota (past) and bhoutika (present/physical); bhootaakaaram = giant body; Puraa = ancient (not water). Kumbha = pot (pitcher has a different shape); Sage Agastya was born in a pot. Veeta = beyond; Raginam = desires or infatuation; Moolaadhara is a chakra situated at the base of the spine; Trikona = triangle in the middle of the moolaadhara chakra; Paraadi = Para and others making four of them, which are being Para, Pasyanti, Madhyama and Vaikhari. These four are the ranges of sound (vaak). Para is not a raga, it is one of the sound frequency that human ear can not hear. Pranava is another name for Omkaram. The curved trunk is resembling omkaram. Beejaapuram = pomegranate; Guruguha = is the signature of the lyricist Sri Muttuswami Deekshitar. The word 'guruguha' appears in all his works. Heramba = beloved son of amba (mother) or parvati which is Ganapati.

Freedom's my name... said...

thanks to Mr. Suryanarayana. I had some similar observations.
was curious to know about "parAdi". Where can I find more details on the four sounds? Which text? I like researching on sound frequencies and ancient texts.

Unknown said...

Vatapi is not clearly understand by me.