Translation:
Shining like so many suns, you great one with a broken tusk, we implore you, remove all obstacles; remain with us in all we do, always!
Great one who has one tooth, a round belly, and visage of an elephant, destroyer of obstacles that remain in our way, we bow down in devotion to you.
Flowers of beautiful fragrance are all offered to you, flowers that come from the devoted centers of our hearts to give you worship, Oh! please receive them.
Listen to the mantra:
This mantra is sung during our Kali Puja and other rites to invoke and honor Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles, He Who Challenges Us to Greater Potentials. This mantra invites engagement with Ganesha as we see him in our mind’s eye and experience him through our delight in our worship.
Ganesha is playful, generous, and sweet; yet he is also fierce in his commitment to providing us with the obstacles we need in order to grow, learn, and change upon the spiritual path. His ways are comforting and gentle, direct and stubborn. With Ganesha, we may not immediately see the point being made, but it will become clear enough what he expects of us…perhaps even that we must get out of our own way!
Utilize this mantra to play with the child within, connect to joy and delight, and know the Divine through everyday actions. Use this mantra in your daily practice to open your heart to fun, wonder, awe and the spark of imagination that gets us into trouble if we’re not careful. Come to know Ganesha, beloved Ganapati, and remember the reason you started the journey.