Rādhā’s Stotra to Gaṇeśa

This stotra was composed and sung by Rādhā herself, as part of her full shoḍaśopacāra pūjā (worship with sixteen offerings) to Gaṇeśa at Siddhāśrama, on Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā. It is addressed to Gaṇapati as the one who rules all beginnings, the remover of all vighnas (obstacles), and the first deva to be honoured in any sacred work. It is found in Chapter 123 of the Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa of the Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa. Its phalaśruti says that whoever recites it at dawn is freed from all vighnas.

The setting

Siddhāśrama is the most sacred place in Bhāratavarsha. Sanatkumāra, Brahmā and Indra each reached their siddhis (powers) there. On the holy day of Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā, Rādhā performed a full shoḍaśopacāra pūjā to Gaṇeśa at this place. The stotra was sung as part of that pūjā. The pūjā included:

  • waters from seven tīrthas;
  • white flowers, sandal paste, camphor and kastūrī (musk);
  • naivedya (food offering) of nuvvula laddus, modakas, pāyasa, and all four kinds of food;
  • rivers of ghee, milk, honey and curds as an offering;
  • a ratna-siṃhāsana (jewelled throne) for the mūrti.

The sixteen-syllable Gaṇeśa mantra was also chanted one thousand times:

Oṃ gaṃ gauṃ vighnanāśakāya gaṇapataye svāhā

What the stotra praises

The stotra calls Gaṇeśa by these names and gives these reasons.

  • Vighnakartā and Vighnahartā: the one who makes obstacles for those who do not honour him, and the one who destroys them for true devotees.
  • Prathama-pūjya: the first among all devas to be worshipped, before any work, before any other pūjā, before any prayer. Without the grace of Gaṇapati, no work goes forward without a block.
  • Lambodara: the one with the large belly, who holds all the worlds within himself.
  • Brahmasvarūpa: the stotra says that Gaṇeśa is a form of Brahman itself. He is not only a deva with one duty, but a highest form of Parabrahman.

The stotra also praises Gaṇeśa for guarding Rādhā’s own pūjā. Without his grace, even Rādhā’s worship of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa would meet obstacles.

Gaṇeśa’s reply

After Rādhā’s pūjā and stotra, Gaṇeśa appeared before her and gave her this teaching. It is found in Chapter 124 of the Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa.

  1. Rādhā is Brahma-svarūpiṇī: she is the very form of the highest Brahman.
  2. The right order of the names is Rādhā first, Kṛshṇa second. To reverse this is a mahāpāpa (a great sin), equal to brahmahatyā (the killing of a brāhmaṇa).
  3. Rādhā is the Mūla-Prakṛti, the root of all nature. From her left side comes the cosmic emanation of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa.

The phalaśruti

Whoever recites this Gaṇeśa Stotra at dawn is freed from all vighnas. These are the obstacles in spiritual practice, in household affairs, and in work of every kind.

Sources

  • Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa, Chapter 123
  • Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa, Chapter 124