Ganesha Purana — Upasanakhanda — Chapter 1
GnP 1 1.1
।। श्रीगुरुभ्यो नमः ।। ।। श्रीगणेशाय नमः ।। ।। श्रीसरस्वत्यै नमः ।। ।। श्री रेणुकायै नमः ।। ।। ॐ नमो भगवते कृष्णचन्द्राय ।। ।। अथ महर्षिश्रीवेदव्यासप्रणीतं श्रीगणेश पुराणम् ।। ।। अथ प्रथमोऽध्यायः ।। ॐ नमस्तस्मैगणेशाय ब्रह्मविद्याप्रदायिने । यस्यागस्त्यायतेनाम विघ्नसागरशोषणे ।। ऋषय ऊचुः ।। सूतसूतमहाप्राज्ञ वेदशास्त्रविशारद । सर्वविद्यानिधेत्वत्तोवक्तान्यौनौपलभ्यते
|| śrīgurubhyo namaḥ || || śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ || || śrīsarasvatyai namaḥ || || śrī reṇukāyai namaḥ || || oṃ namo bhagavate kṛṣṇacandrāya || || atha maharṣiśrīvedavyāsapraṇītaṃ śrīgaṇeśa purāṇam || || atha prathamo'dhyāyaḥ || oṃ namastasmaigaṇeśāya brahmavidyāpradāyine | yasyāgastyāyatenāma vighnasāgaraśoṣaṇe || ṛṣaya ūcuḥ || sūtasūtamahāprājña vedaśāstraviśārada | sarvavidyānidhetvattovaktānyaunaupalabhyate
Salutation to the revered gurus. Salutation to Śrī Gaṇeśa. Salutation to Śrī Sarasvatī. Salutation to Śrī Reṇukā. Om, salutation to the Lord Kṛṣṇacandra. Here begins the Śrī Gaṇeśa Purāṇa composed by the great sage Śrī Vedavyāsa. Now the first chapter. Om, salutation to that Gaṇeśa, giver of the knowledge of brahman, whose name acts as an Agastya in drying up the ocean of obstacles. The sages said: O Sūta, son of Sūta, greatly wise, expert in the Veda and the treatises, treasury of all learning — no other speaker than you is to be found.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.2
जन्मजन्मातरीयंनः स्थितंपुण्यं महत्तरम् । तेन संदर्शनं जातं सर्वज्ञस्यसतस्तव
janmajanmātarīyaṃnaḥ sthitaṃpuṇyaṃ mahattaram | tena saṃdarśanaṃ jātaṃ sarvajñasyasatastava
Merit, very great, has stood to our account birth after birth; by that has come about this sight of you, the omniscient and true one.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.3
वयं धन्यतमालोके जीवितं नः सुजीवितम् । पितरो वेदशास्त्राणि तपांस्याश्रम एव च
vayaṃ dhanyatamāloke jīvitaṃ naḥ sujīvitam | pitaro vedaśāstrāṇi tapāṃsyāśrama eva ca
We are most fortunate in the world, our life is a life well lived — and so too our fathers, the Vedas and treatises, our austerities, and our hermitage.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.4
अष्टादश पुराणानि विस्तराच्छ्रावितानिनः । अन्यान्यपिहिनः श्रोतुमिच्छास्तिद्विजसत्तम
aṣṭādaśa purāṇāni vistarācchrāvitāninaḥ | anyānyapihinaḥ śrotumicchāstidvijasattama
The eighteen Purāṇas have been recited to us at length; yet there is a wish in us to hear others also, O best of the twice-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.5
शौनकेये महासत्रे सक्ता द्वादशवार्षिके । त्वत्कथामृतपानान्तो नान्यद्विश्रामकारणम्
śaunakeye mahāsatre saktā dvādaśavārṣike | tvatkathāmṛtapānānto nānyadviśrāmakāraṇam
(We) are engaged here in Śaunaka's great twelve-year sacrifice; apart from drinking the nectar of your narrations there is no other means of rest (for us).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.6
सूत उवाच ।। साधु पृष्टंं महाभागा भवद्भिः पुण्यकर्मभिः । साधूनां समचित्तानां मतिर्लोकोपकारिणी
sūta uvāca || sādhu pṛṣṭaṃṃ mahābhāgā bhavadbhiḥ puṇyakarmabhiḥ | sādhūnāṃ samacittānāṃ matirlokopakāriṇī
Sūta said: Well have you asked, greatly fortunate ones of meritorious deeds! The thought of the good, who are even-minded, benefits the world.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.7
ममापि परितोषोस्ति कथानां कथने द्विजाः । अतोहं साधुवृत्तेभ्यः कथयिष्ये विशेषतः
mamāpi paritoṣosti kathānāṃ kathane dvijāḥ | atohaṃ sādhuvṛttebhyaḥ kathayiṣye viśeṣataḥ
I too, O twice-born, have delight in the telling of stories; therefore I shall speak, especially to those of good conduct.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.8
अन्यान्युपपुराणानि वर्तन्तेऽष्टादशैव च । गाणेशं नारदीयं च नृसिंहादीन्यथापि च
anyānyupapurāṇāni vartante'ṣṭādaśaiva ca | gāṇeśaṃ nāradīyaṃ ca nṛsiṃhādīnyathāpi ca
There are also other, secondary Purāṇas, eighteen of them: the Gāṇeśa, the Nāradīya, and the Nṛsiṃha and the rest as well.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.9
गणेशस्य पुराणं यत्तत्रादौ कथयाम्यहम् । दुर्लभं श्रवणं यस्य मत्र्यलोके विशेषतः
gaṇeśasya purāṇaṃ yattatrādau kathayāmyaham | durlabhaṃ śravaṇaṃ yasya matryaloke viśeṣataḥ
Among these I shall first recount the Purāṇa of Gaṇeśa, the hearing of which is hard to obtain, especially in the world of mortals.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.10
यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नरः । प्रभावमस्य गदितुं नेशःशेषश्चतुर्मुखः
yasya smaraṇamātreṇa kṛtakṛtyo bhavennaraḥ | prabhāvamasya gadituṃ neśaḥśeṣaścaturmukhaḥ
By the mere remembrance of whom a man becomes one whose purpose is accomplished — neither Śeṣa nor the four-faced (Brahmā) is able to declare his power.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.11
संंक्षेपतोन्नब्रवीम्येतत्तथापि भवदाज्ञया । बहुजन्मार्जितैः पुण्यैरस्यतु श्रवणं भवेत्
saṃṃkṣepatonnabravīmyetattathāpi bhavadājñayā | bahujanmārjitaiḥ puṇyairasyatu śravaṇaṃ bhavet
Yet by your command I shall relate this in brief; only through merits gathered over many births does the hearing of it come about.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.12
पाखण्डिनां नास्तिकानां नभवेत्पापकर्मिणाम् । नित्यत्वान्निर्गुणत्वाच्च अनादित्वाच्च तत्त्वतः
pākhaṇḍināṃ nāstikānāṃ nabhavetpāpakarmiṇām | nityatvānnirguṇatvācca anāditvācca tattvataḥ
For hypocrites, for deniers, for doers of evil deeds it does not come about. Because (he is) eternal, without qualities, and without beginning, in truth—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.13
गणेशस्य स्वरूपं तु वक्तुं केनापिनेष्यते । तथाप्युपासनासक्तैः सगुणं तन्निरूप्यते
gaṇeśasya svarūpaṃ tu vaktuṃ kenāpineṣyate | tathāpyupāsanāsaktaiḥ saguṇaṃ tannirūpyate
—the true form of Gaṇeśa cannot be described by anyone; still, for those devoted to worship, it is set forth as possessed of qualities.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.14
ॐकाररूपी भगवान् यो वेदादौ प्रतिष्ठितः । यं सदा मुनयोदेवाः स्मरन्तीन्द्रादयोहृदि
oṃkārarūpī bhagavān yo vedādau pratiṣṭhitaḥ | yaṃ sadā munayodevāḥ smarantīndrādayohṛdi
The Lord who has the form of the syllable Oṃ, who is established at the beginning of the Veda, whom the sages and the gods, Indra and the rest, always remember in the heart;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.15
यं पूजयन्ति सततं ब्रह्मेशानेन्द्रविष्णवः । यो हेतुः सर्वजगतां सर्वकारणकारणम्
yaṃ pūjayanti satataṃ brahmeśānendraviṣṇavaḥ | yo hetuḥ sarvajagatāṃ sarvakāraṇakāraṇam
whom Brahmā, Īśāna, Indra and Viṣṇu constantly worship; who is the cause of all the worlds, the cause of all causes;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.16
यदाज्ञया कः सृजतेथ विश्वं यदाज्ञया पालयते च विष्णुः । यदाज्ञया संहरते हरोपि यदाज्ञया संभ्रमते दिनेशः
yadājñayā kaḥ sṛjatetha viśvaṃ yadājñayā pālayate ca viṣṇuḥ | yadājñayā saṃharate haropi yadājñayā saṃbhramate dineśaḥ
by whose command Ka (Brahmā) then creates the universe, and by whose command Viṣṇu protects it, by whose command even Hara destroys it, and by whose command the sun wheels about;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.17
यदाज्ञया वातिसमीरणोपि यदाज्ञयापः प्रवहन्ति दिक्षु । यदाज्ञया भानि पतन्ति भूमौ यदाज्ञयाग्निज्र्वलति त्रिलोके
yadājñayā vātisamīraṇopi yadājñayāpaḥ pravahanti dikṣu | yadājñayā bhāni patanti bhūmau yadājñayāgnijrvalati triloke
by whose command the wind too blows, by whose command the waters flow in (all) directions, by whose command the lights fall to the earth, by whose command fire blazes in the three worlds—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.18
तस्य यच्चरितं गुप्तं कस्यापि न निवेदितम् । तदहं वः प्रवक्ष्यामि सादरं श्रूयतां द्विजाः
tasya yaccaritaṃ guptaṃ kasyāpi na niveditam | tadahaṃ vaḥ pravakṣyāmi sādaraṃ śrūyatāṃ dvijāḥ
that hidden deed-history of his, which has been disclosed to no one, that I shall declare to you; listen reverently, O twice-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.19
ब्रह्मणा कथितं पूर्वं व्यासायामिततेजसे । भृगवे कथितं तेन सोमकान्ताय तेन च
brahmaṇā kathitaṃ pūrvaṃ vyāsāyāmitatejase | bhṛgave kathitaṃ tena somakāntāya tena ca
It was told formerly by Brahmā to Vyāsa of measureless splendour; by him it was told to Bhṛgu, and by him to Somakānta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.20
व्रतैर्यज्ञैस्तपोभिश्च दानैस्तीर्थैश्च कोटयः । भवन्ति येषां पुण्यानां तेषां बुद्धिः प्रजायते
vratairyajñaistapobhiśca dānaistīrthaiśca koṭayaḥ | bhavanti yeṣāṃ puṇyānāṃ teṣāṃ buddhiḥ prajāyate
Those whose merits amount to crores, (won) by vows, sacrifices, austerities, gifts and pilgrimages — in them the inclination arises
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.21
गणेशाख्य पुराणस्य श्रवणे द्विजसत्तमाः । माया येषां न संसारे न दारापत्यभूमिषु
gaṇeśākhya purāṇasya śravaṇe dvijasattamāḥ | māyā yeṣāṃ na saṃsāre na dārāpatyabhūmiṣu
to hear the Purāṇa named after Gaṇeśa, O best of the twice-born — (in them) who have no illusion about worldly existence, nor about wife, offspring and lands.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.22
मयूरेश कथायां ते सादरा मुनिसत्तमाः । श्रूयतामस्य महिमा सोमकान्त प्रसङ्गतः
mayūreśa kathāyāṃ te sādarā munisattamāḥ | śrūyatāmasya mahimā somakānta prasaṅgataḥ
You are reverent toward the story of Mayūreśa, O best of sages; let his greatness be heard by way of the account of Somakānta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.23
सौराष्ट्रे देवनगरे सोमकान्तो भवन्नृपः । वेदशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञो धर्मशास्त्रार्थतत्परः
saurāṣṭre devanagare somakānto bhavannṛpaḥ | vedaśāstrārthatattvajño dharmaśāstrārthatatparaḥ
In Saurāṣṭra, in the city of Devanagara, there was a king Somakānta, who knew the true sense of the Vedas and the treatises and was devoted to the meaning of the law-books.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.24
दशनागसहस्राणि हयानां द्विगुणानि च । रथानां षट्सहस्राणि यंयीत मनुयान्ति च
daśanāgasahasrāṇi hayānāṃ dviguṇāni ca | rathānāṃ ṣaṭsahasrāṇi yaṃyīta manuyānti ca
Ten thousand elephants, and twice as many horses, and six thousand chariots which followed him (in his marches).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GnP 1 1.25
पदातयोप्यसंख्याता अग्निशस्त्रधरास्तथा । कोदण्डधारिणश्चान्ये निषङ्गद्वयधारिणः
padātayopyasaṃkhyātā agniśastradharāstathā | kodaṇḍadhāriṇaścānye niṣaṅgadvayadhāriṇaḥ
Foot-soldiers too, beyond counting, bearing fire-weapons, and others carrying bows, and (still others) carrying a pair of quivers.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.26
बुद्ध्याबृहस्पतिं जिग्ये संपदा धनदञ्चयः । क्षमया पृथिवीं जिग्ये गाम्भीर्येण महोदधिम्
buddhyābṛhaspatiṃ jigye saṃpadā dhanadañcayaḥ | kṣamayā pṛthivīṃ jigye gāmbhīryeṇa mahodadhim
By his intelligence he surpassed Bṛhaspati, by his wealth the Giver of Riches (Kubera); by his patience he surpassed the earth, by his depth the great ocean.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.27
सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ जिग्ये भासाकान्त्याचयोनृपः । प्रतापेनानलं जिग्ये सौन्दर्येण मनोभवम्
sūryācandramasau jigye bhāsākāntyācayonṛpaḥ | pratāpenānalaṃ jigye saundaryeṇa manobhavam
That king surpassed the sun and the moon by his radiance and his loveliness; by his majesty he surpassed fire, by his beauty the Mind-born (Kāma).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.28
यस्यामात्याः प्रबलिनः पञ्चासन्दृढविक्रमाः । नीतिशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञाः परराष्ट्रविमर्दिनः
yasyāmātyāḥ prabalinaḥ pañcāsandṛḍhavikramāḥ | nītiśāstrārthatattvajñāḥ pararāṣṭravimardinaḥ
He had five ministers, mighty and of firm valour, knowing the true sense of the treatises on statecraft, crushers of enemy kingdoms.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.29
रूपवान्प्रथमस्तत्र विद्याधीशस्तथापरः । क्षेमंकरो ज्ञानगम्यः सुबलः पञ्चमः स्मृतः
rūpavānprathamastatra vidyādhīśastathāparaḥ | kṣemaṃkaro jñānagamyaḥ subalaḥ pañcamaḥ smṛtaḥ
Among them the first was Rūpavān, the next Vidyādhīśa, (then) Kṣemaṃkara, Jñānagamya, and the fifth is called Subala.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.30
एतैर्नानाविधादेशा आक्रान्ताः स्वपराक्रमात् । एतेति सुन्दरा नाना भूषावस्त्रैरलंकृताः
etairnānāvidhādeśā ākrāntāḥ svaparākramāt | eteti sundarā nānā bhūṣāvastrairalaṃkṛtāḥ
By these, various regions were overrun through their own valour; these (men) were handsome and adorned with many ornaments and garments.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.31
राजकार्य करानित्यं राज्ञः प्रियतमाभृश । तस्य राज्ञो भवद्भार्या सुधर्मा गुणशालिनी
rājakārya karānityaṃ rājñaḥ priyatamābhṛśa | tasya rājño bhavadbhāryā sudharmā guṇaśālinī
Always performing the king's business, they were exceedingly dear to the king. That king had a wife, Sudharmā, endowed with virtues.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GnP 1 1.32
तद्रूपमवलोक्यैव रतिरम्भातिलोत्तमाः । लज्जिता न सुखं क्वापि लेभिरे नचमेनिरे
tadrūpamavalokyaiva ratirambhātilottamāḥ | lajjitā na sukhaṃ kvāpi lebhire nacamenire
Merely on beholding her beauty, Rati, Rambhā and Tilottamā were put to shame, and nowhere found happiness nor felt esteem (for themselves).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
GnP 1 1.33
अनेकरत्नरचितेताटङ्के काञ्चने शुभे । बिभ्रतीकर्णयोः कण्ठे निष्कंमुक्ताफलानि च
anekaratnaracitetāṭaṅke kāñcane śubhe | bibhratīkarṇayoḥ kaṇṭhe niṣkaṃmuktāphalāni ca
She wore on her ears two fine golden earrings set with many jewels, and on her neck a golden necklace and pearls.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.34
कटौरत्नमयींकाञ्चीं तादृशे नूपुरेङ्घ्रिगे । अङ्गुलीयान्युत्तमानि करपादाङ्गुलीषु च
kaṭauratnamayīṃkāñcīṃ tādṛśe nūpureṅghrige | aṅgulīyānyuttamāni karapādāṅgulīṣu ca
On her hips a jewelled girdle, on her feet anklets of the same sort, and excellent rings on the fingers of her hands and feet.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.35
वासांस्यनेकवर्णानि महार्हाणि सहस्रशः । भगवद्भजनेदानेसक्ताचातिथिपूजने
vāsāṃsyanekavarṇāni mahārhāṇi sahasraśaḥ | bhagavadbhajanedānesaktācātithipūjane
Garments of many colours, very costly, by the thousand; she was devoted to worship of the Lord, to giving, and to honouring guests.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.36
सेवनेहर्निशं भत्र्तुर्वचने चरता सदा । हेमकण्ठ इतिख्यातः पुत्रो भूवनयोः शुभः
sevaneharniśaṃ bhatrturvacane caratā sadā | hemakaṇṭha itikhyātaḥ putro bhūvanayoḥ śubhaḥ
(Devoted) to service day and night, always acting on her husband's word. The two of them had an auspicious son known as Hemakaṇṭha.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.37
नागायुतबलोधीमान् विक्रमी शत्रुतापनः । एवमासीत्सोमकान्तः पृथिव्यां राजसत्तमः
nāgāyutabalodhīmān vikramī śatrutāpanaḥ | evamāsītsomakāntaḥ pṛthivyāṃ rājasattamaḥ
He had the strength of ten thousand elephants, was wise, valorous, a scorcher of foes. Such was Somakānta, the best of kings on earth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
GnP 1 1.38
सर्वान् राज्ञो वशेकृत्वा चक्रे राज्यं धरातले । नित्यं धर्मरतो यज्वादातात्यागीद्विजोत्तमाः
sarvān rājño vaśekṛtvā cakre rājyaṃ dharātale | nityaṃ dharmarato yajvādātātyāgīdvijottamāḥ
Having brought all kings under his sway, he exercised kingship over the earth's surface; ever devoted to dharma, a performer of sacrifices, a giver, a renouncer, O best of the twice-born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition