Hymn to Ganesha

(Translated, from the original poem in Bengali,

by Kalipada Mukherjee)

[Here is a fine example of Hindu henotheism or kathenotheism-belief in one god without asserting that he is the only God. In this hymn the eighteenth century Bengali poet gives us an insight into popular Hinduism. We should bear in mind, however, that at least from the time of the Vedas, there have been monotheists among the Hindus, who have believed in one God (Brahma) with or without qualities (sagun or nirgun), bodied or disembodied (sakar or nirakar)…..K. P. M.]

I bow again and again to Ganesha,

who is incomparable, the primal Brahma,

the Supreme Person, beyond all others;

who is short in stature, and plump in body,

who has the face of an elephant and a protruding belly,

and is a great Yogi beautiful to look at.

Take away all my ills, O thou who art lord over all ills.

In all worshippings and ceremonies, the devotee worships thee before all other gods,

because the fulfillment of all objects is in thy name.

Thou art father of all the worlds, of heaven, hell and earth.

Thou art also the root of creation, existence and annihilation.

In sport didst thou become son of Siva, and didst call Durga mother.

With great ease thou dost distend thy trunk: and in play dost thou bring about the deluge of the world by sucking it in, even like the sea.

And in thy great mercy thou dost pour forth rain-drops: and the whole world is created again.

Again and again thou dost create and dissolve:

the creator, the preserver and the destroyer art thou:

thou art also the spouse of Siva.

Thou alone dost know on what Brahma thou dost meditate, thou who hast thyself been called Brahma in the Vedas.

Thy nature is unknown of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva:

what can I know of it, I, a mere human being?

He who takes thy name is freed from all evil, for thou art the giver of the four-fold objects of life.

My prayer to thee is this, my Lord: in thy kindness, listen to it.

I will by a poem propagate the worship of Annada on earth.

Cast an eye of kindness on me, and take thou all the ills of my life; for then alone can I have success in my venture.

I pray to thee to appear and fulfill the hope of my hero.

At the behest of Raja Krishnachandra, Bharat writes this poem in order to instill devotion into his mind.