विनायकस्तुतिः
देवीपुराणान्तर्गतम् सटीप
विष्णुरुवाच-
स्तोष्ये सुरारिदमनं दमनं रिपूणां
वैरिहाणं गजवक्त्रमुदन्तशोभम् ।
तं भाति कुन्दहिमशङ्खशशाङ्कदन्तं
ताम्राभकान्तिवपुषं रुचिरारुणाभम् ॥ १॥
तां भस्मव्यापितजगच्छशिसूर्यमार्गं var तं भाति अर्पित जग
गां गच्छतीव मेरुसुरारिहन्तुम् ।
तमहं नमामि भगवन् प्रमथेशजातं
तर्जन् सुरारिभयदं दनुदर्पहन्तुम् ॥ २॥
ताराभमौक्तिककृतं वनमालग्रीवं
वाराहवक्त्रदृढदंष्ट्र इवांशुशोभम् । var वक्षदृढ
भृङ्गोपगीतमदगण्डसुसेव्यमानं
तमहं नमामि वरदं वरदायकं तम् ॥ ३॥
तारारिणं प्रमथभ्रातृवरं सुरेशं var सुवेशं
शम्भोर्द्वितीय इव मूर्तिसुचारुवेशम् ।
नानाविचित्ररूपशोभितचारुहारं
जम्भकान्तकं च तमहं महाप्रमाणम् ॥ ४॥
नागेन्द्रभोगकृतशेखरमूर्द्धिमानं
लम्बन्तचारुचमरं रणकार्यवीरम् ।
स्तम्भन्तशत्रुवनकान्तमहान्तमन्तं
तं मातृयोगिगणमर्चितसुष्टमिष्टम् ॥ ५॥
टङ्कारहाररचनादितघण्टशब्दं
हुङ्कारकारवरनादघटाकलापम् ।
पङ्काङ्करेणुरजपङ्कजचारुकवर्यं
चामीकराखचितमरकतसंसेव्यमानम् ॥ ६॥
लम्बन्तकर्णपर्णशङ्खञ्च सुचारुचामरं
रक्तास्तनेत्रकर्णायतचारुतुङ्गम् ।
गम्भीरगर्जितमहारवमेघशब्दं var भेद्यशब्दं
दण्डाङ्कुशपरशुमेखलसूत्रधारम् ॥ ७॥
राराजते सकलपर्वतसानुकण्ठं
चण्डातिनूपुरध्वनिमुखं विश्रान्तम् ।
var विभ्रान्तं वितातन्तं
तस्मै नमामि सततं जगतो हिताय
विघ्नेश्वराय वरदाय वरप्रदाय ॥ ८॥
वामैकहस्तसततं कृतलड्डुकाय
सिद्धार्थकं सुरभिगन्धविलेपनाय ।
ब्रह्मेन्द्रचन्द्रवसुशङ्करसंस्तुताय
गङ्गाजलौघ इव दानमहाप्रदाय ॥ ९॥
इच्छार्थमीहितफलप्रदाय शिवाय
सम्पूजयस्व मम देवशुभं शुभाय ।
विघ्नं विनाशाय प्रभो सुरसिद्धशत्रुं
शक्रस्य व्याधितदिवस्य शुभं प्रयच्छ ॥ १०॥
स्तुत्वा तु शक्तितनयं प्रयतेन विष्णो
स्तुष्टः समीहितवरं ददते च तस्य ।
विष्णोस्तवार्थमिदं शैलवरं हरेण
सम्प्रेषितो रिपुहराय पुरन्दरस्य ॥ ११॥
मयोच्यतां वद भवान् किमहं करोमि
त्रैलोक्यनिर्जितरिपुं त्वमहं ददामि ।
स्तुत्वैवं तदा देवं विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना
तुतुष्ट वरदीभूतो विघ्नस्य निधनाय च ॥ १२॥
इति श्रीदेवीपुराणे विनायकस्तवो नाम
त्रयोदशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः ॥ ११३॥
The vinAyakastava in the devIpurANa
by Smt. Saswati Sen,
Oriental Institute, M.S.University of Baroda
From pages 83-89 in
A Survey of Sanskrit Stotra Literature, 2013
Edited by Dr. M. L. Wadekar and Dr. Sweta Prajapati
Bharatiya Kala Prakashan
3421-A IInd Floor, Narang Colony,
Tri Nagar, Delhi 110035 www.bkpbooks.com
ISBN 978-81-8090-331-1
The concept of gaNapati can be traced back to the Vedic
literature. Some scholars opine that worship of gaNesha was
in vogue before the advent of the Aryans and the latter had
adopted this tradition. The references to gaNapati in the
Vedic literature denote gaNapati as gaNAnAm pati or the
lord of the herd. He is not the pot-bellied god which we
are acquainted with. We do not find gaNapati's references
in the main upaniSads. But the gANapatyupaniSad, taittirIya
AraNyaka mention names like gaNapati, mahAgaNapati, vakratuNDa,
dantI etc. The early gRRihyasUtras and the dharmasUtras do
not mention the worship of gaNapati either. The baudhAyana
sUtras refer to gaNapati being the elephant headed and
the master of obstacles. gaNapati came to eminence as a
deity in the Epic-Puranic age. In the purANas various myths
regarding his birth appeared. Along with these we find the
iconographical descriptions of his forms. The agnipurANa, the
brahmavaivartapurANa, the vAmanapurANa, the varAhapurANa, the
padmapurANa and the garuDapurANa are the main purANas in which
the cult of gaNapati has been dealt with. The gaNeshapurANa
and the mudgalapurANa are the only two upapurANas which
treat extensively about the gaNesha worship and the cult. We
may, therefore, say that gaNesha is a typically Puranic
deity. Several theories have been established about the origin
of gaNapati as he is the only animal-headed deity in the Indian
pantheon. Mostly he has been shown as the son of Lord Shankara
and goddess pArvatI. ShankarAchArya's pa~nchAyatanapUjA has
several verses in praise of gaNapati. It is said that gaNapati
worship had been adopted by the Tantriks during sixth/seventh
century. Dr. R.C. Hazra opines that gaNapati came to have
elephant's head earlier than the 6th century A. D. which
can be determined by the sculptural, epigraphic and literary
evidences.[1]
The devIpurANa, one of the important shAkta upapurANas from
the medieval period, is considered as a great authority on the
worship of the Mother Goddess. The work professing shaktism,
had been recognized by the early smRRiti writers of different
parts of India, as an authoritative hand book of religious
and social matters. Many digest texts based on the devIpurANa
are prevalent in Bengal and are considered as the manual
of religious rites. The society and social structure have
changed considerably, but these texts are even now important
as far as the religious instructions are concerned. Besides
dealing with the exploits and worship of the devI, the purANa
gives an account of eulogies by/of Lord viShNu, Lord sUrya and Lord
vinAyaka. The legend of vinAyaka depicted in the three chapters
of the purANa, is however, quite different from those delineated
in other purANas. It is Lord viShNu who eulogizes vinAyaka to
get rid of the demon vighnAsura. The story of the origin of
the demon vighna, his rise and his end has been interwoven
with the worship of Lord vinAyaka. (Chs. 112-114)
Lord brahmA, while seated in penance, was once infatuated by
ego. He began to think himself as the whole and sole of the
three worlds by neglecting Lord sha~Nkara and Lord viShNu. All
or a sudden a fire broke out from the left side of his face
and from there emerged a terrific demon named vighna who
overpowered all the gods including brahmA. In order to subdue
the demon, viShNu created vighnesha gaNapati and sought help
by eulogizing him.
The myth regarding the birth of gaNapati in the text is as
follows- Once Lord viShNu, while sporting with goddess lakShmI in
the mount mAlavya, created gajAnana suddenly by rubbing his hand
(11.112). Immediately all the gods contributed their power in
the growth of gaNesha. The sun and the moon became his eyes,
brahmA his head, the trees became his hair and the Rudras
were his throat, the stars and planets were his teeth. The
dharma and adharma became his lips, and goddess sarasvatI was
his tongue and the ten directions were his ears. Lord indra
appeared in gaNapati's nose, Lord mahAdeva sat in between
his eyebrows, the seas became his stomach. yakSha, rakShas,
gandharvas, pishAchas were settled in his abdomen, shriyAdevI
was seated in his heart. It is to be noted that gaNapati,
in the devIpurANa, has been referred to as svayambhU and
anAyaka. He is again addressed as pramatheshajAta, born from
pramathesha and shaktitanaya, son of shakti.
viShNu prays to gajavaktra, the elephant faced god who is
copper coloured complexion and has tooth as white and bright
as conch shell or moon or the kunda flower, to intervene
in the demon-god battle and help the god to subjugate
vighnAsura. gaNapati has such a huge body that it obstructs
the orbits of sun and moon and even it pushes meru mountain
downwards. The demons are very much apprehensive to face his
valour. He is wearing a huge garland string with wild flowers
and designed in row of stars. The bees are humming near his
secreted throat. Like Lord pramatha his head is crowned with
serpents and yoginIs are offering service to him. His roar
sounds like the bell. The demons elephants are stuck on the
tip of his tooth. His complexion is as red as red lotus. He
is served by the jeweled fan. His huge ears are like the leaf
of palAsha. His beautiful eyes extend up to his ears. He is
holding some weapons in one hand and in one of his left hands
he holds a lADDu. Lords like brahmA, indra, chandra, vasu,
shankara are gratifying him. gaNesha is the god who bestows
his devotee with whatever he desires. He helps his devotees
to overcome all hurdles.
The attributes of vinAyaka in the devIpurANa illustrate
nicely his character as the one who is the destroyer of
vighna, the problem personified. Image of the god can be
classified into terrific and pacific types according to
the portrayal of nature of the deity. The terrific or the
raudra image is characterized by sharp, long tusks and nails,
and a large number of hands carrying weapons. It also has
wide eyes and fire round its head. The raudra form of images
are worshispped for the attainment of objects requiring for
violence. The shAnta form of images are peaceful looking in
appearance and are worshipped for the attainment of peaceful
aims and objects. The Hindu theism attributes various names
and powers to a particular deity and sculpt images according
to the attributed nature. We find almost 91 types of gaNapati
with four hands, six hands, ten hands and twelve hands from the
iconography described in the purANas, tantras, Agamas and the
idols found in different temples. In the devIpurANa we find the
vinAyaka gaNapati in raudra form as he has been depicted as the
protector of the three worlds. The text does not mention the
number of hands vinAyaka has. He must be having at least six
hands as he is holding a daNDa, an aऽNkusha, parashu, mekhalA,
and sUtra in his hands. The weapons in the deity's hands are
all of symbolic significance. parashu is a battle axe. gaNesha
is parashudhara, the destroyer of the evil. aऽNkusha is an
elephant's driver's hook. This symbolizes the control power,
control over the misdeeds. It is also j~nAnashakti. The
controlling weapon in the right hand indicates controlling
capacity of the brain. mekhalA is a girdle or belt, may be a
serpent indicatinig the latent kulakuNDalinI. daNDa is a staff
or a club. laDDu is a type of sweet resembling happiness and
bliss. It also symbolizes life. vinAyaka is wearing a crown,
a coiled snake. It represents the kuNDalinI shakti which has
been elevated to the head. This means vinAyaka has attained the
yogic power and has become yogeshvara. He has beautiful broad
ears like conch shell. The broadness represents the hearing
power of the oMkAra by which one can be free from life and
death circle. He has a huge body, an elephant face and a big
tusk. The elephant having a gigantic body is an irresistible
force that can face as well as progress through all odds. The
elephant head stands for the organs of cognition and action. The
tusk stands for concentration. vinAyaka is stated to have served
by the yoginIs. Since ancient times vinAyaka had a close
connection with the seven mAtRRikAs. The devIpurANa does not
mention the number of yoginIs, the text may have indicated the
seven mAtRRikAs. The seven mAtRRikAs or the yoginIs are the
forces of gaNesha. No reference to mouse as gaNesha's mount
is referred to here.
Digressions from the main theme are numerous in the
devIpurANa. Though this is a shAkta upapurANa yet it establishes
gaNapati as the supreme, even superior than the other gods. The
text mentions some practices or methods of worship or the vows
or rituals connected with the gaNapati worship in two separate
chapters.[2] It does not contain any instruction for making
of image. But the iconographic feature of gaNapati described
in the text shows some Tantric influence. In Tantric rituals
worship of gaNesha, mAtRRis and grahas are performed prior
to every auspicious event. The yoginIs' association with the
deity and the weapons and ornaments mentioned bear the same
significance. The text, though, is lacking in enough material
regarding the gaNesha cult the stava depicted here may be an
important addition to the gaNapati stotras as the devIpurANa
is a very little known work and is not much studied.
REFERENCES
1. Hazra R.C., ``gaNapati Worship and the upapurANas Dealing with
It,'' Journal of the Ganganath Jha Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth,
Vol. V, p. 269.
2. Chapter 69 in the devIpurANa explains gaNayAga where it
has been said that one, who has experienced a terrible dream
should perform a ritual in order to satisfy gaNapati. The
rite includes offering of meat, fish and wine along with
sweetmeats like curd, pAyasa,(milk with rice) modakas prepared
with jaggery etc. to gaNapati and also offering of flowers,
durvA and white mustards to his mother ambikA. Chapter 70
mentions rakShAvidhAna of gaNapati. The mantras like oM
vinAyakAya gaum namaH, gAM hRRidayAya namaH, gIM shiraH, gUm
shikhA, gaiM netre, goM kavacham, gaH astram should be written
in silver plate or in bhurjapatra (birch bark) and one has to
perform some rites so that he can live long and healthy and
can get rid of all obstacles.
Encoded and proofread by Jonathan Wiener wiener78 at sbcglobal.net