Friday 3 June 2016

Ganapati Atharva Sheersham ( Upanishad ) - Importance and Benefits # Atharva Veda



Ganapati Atharva Shirsham ( also called Ganapati Upanishad ) is part of the Atharva Veda.It is an Upanishad associated with Atharva Veda.


An Upanishad comes as the conclusion of Vedas that serve as an essence of a Vedic truth.

It is very interesting to note that the Ganapati Upanishad is from an extinct branch of the Atharva Veda.This Upanishad is part of the lost portions of the Atharva Veda.It was rediscovered as a manuscript about 80 years ago.This is why there are variations in the way this Upanishad is recited ( In real, no one knows the actual way to recite it.The svaras used are artificial ).

The Vedas were preserved only through recitation.A huge volume of the Vedas were lost when people stopped reciting and teaching.

This Upanishad's Rishi is Sage Ganaka ( The Vedas were downloaded from the cosmos in the form of sounds which were heard by Sages.The Sage who received and experienced the particular part of the Vedas is called a 'Rishi' )

*Anyone who has mastery over the Atharva Veda would protect his entire nation from all forms of danger and calamity simply by his very presence*

This Upanishad extols and describes Lord Ganesha as Para-Brahman ( Absolute consciousness - God). It also speaks and expounds on the  secret formula - GAM that invokes Ganesha's energy. The mantra ' Om Gang Ganapataye Namaha' has its origin from this Upanishad.



The second half of this Upanishad talks on the merits and benefits of its recitation and study ( known as Phala Shruti ). Note that the merits described are from the Veda itself and not a mere imaginative concoction. 

Phala Shruti  


One who studies and chants this Upanishad becomes Brahman ( realising God - attaining enlightenment ).As the Vedas declare through the Mundaka Upanishad of Atharva Veda - Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavati.One who realises Brahman ( God ) becomes Brahman.

He will not be affected or tied up by any obstacles.


He experiences bliss at all times.

He is released from the five great sins.


When one recites this upanishad in the evening, the sins committed during the day are destroyed.


When one recites this upanishad in the morning, the sins committed at night are destroyed.


With double recitation ( morning and evening ), he becomes free from all sins.

When read in any situation and anywhere, one becomes free of all obstacles.

One attains all four goals of life ;

(1) Righteousness ( dharma )
(2) Wealth ( Artha )
(3) Rightful Desire ( kaama )
(4) Liberation ( Moksha )

If one recites and meditates on this Upanishad 1000 times, he attains siddhi ( mastery )

One who does Abhisheka to Lord Ganapati with this Upanishad ( while reciting this Upanishad ) becomes a renowned orator ( fluent speaker )


One who fasts on Chaturthi ( 4th day from new moon / full moon ) and recites this Upanishad becomes filled with knowledge ( becomes a Vidvan )

His consciousness raises to understand and experience Brahman ( God-consciousness ). As a result, he becomes totally fearless.


One who worships Lord Ganapati with blades of Durva grass
becomes as prosperous as the God of wealth ( Kubera )

One who offers parched grains (rice/wheat flakes ) to Ganapati becomes a person of name and fame.


He would also become a medhavan ( genius )

One who offers a thousand modakas for worship gets his desires fulfilled



One who offers ghee and firewood to the fire-sacrifice  ( Yagna ) attains everything.

One who enables eight qualified people to absorb these teachings of the Atharva Veda becomes dazzling like the Sun.


By undertaking  Japa ( continuous recitation ) on the banks of a great river during a solar eclipse or by sitting in front of the idol of Lord Ganapati, one gets the siddhi of this mantra ( mantra siddhi )


In particular, he becomes free from big obstacles, major defects, and all sins.


He who has this knowledge becomes all-knowing.


The Phala Shruti ends with a declaration that the reciter will attain enlightenment and hence, becomes all-knowing. This verse is repeated twice to stress its magnitude.

Nandi temple's Ganapati,Sungai Petani.Classes used to happen in front of Him

Why recite it? Can't I just go through the meanings?

The beauty of Vedas lies in its sound aspect. Vedas comprise the sound waves that reverberate as the cosmos.The entire Universe is a reverberation. They were heard by ancient Sages ( Rishi ) who then orally transferred this sound-bound knowledge to disciples. This is why they are known as Shrutis ( that which was heard ). This is also why Veda chanting is bound to intonations ( uprise and downfall of pitches). Other forms of prayers which are not from Vedas do not have this rule ( eg.Lalita Sahasranamam )

If you read, it is nothing different from reading a good philosophy.No experience in you is triggered. If you recite it, the truths of the Vedas are realized by the very reciter.

Reading and knowing is different from reciting and letting the sound of the Vedas erupt the very experience in you.

The mantra ( sound energy ) is the pendrive through which cosmic data is transferred into the chanter.

For help in learning, contact +60163059916 via WhatsApp



My personal experience..over a cup of coffee talk ... 



I got introduced to Ganapati Atharva Shirsham by my campus' Vice-Chancellor. We were about to start a Veda group in the campus. We met on a Saturday morning in the nature-filled temple of AIMST University, Malaysia. 


View from AIMST Temple.

This was in 2015. The very learning experience was breath-taking and I get bliss-soaked even as I recall the experience today.

Upon learning, we recited the Upanishad several times before the installed Ganapati.

It was indeed a very pleasant and vibrant moment. The experience is still strongly rooted in my consciousness. The wave created was so unique and engaging. That was also when I took a stern decision to teach this as a primary lesson in my Veda classes.


My professor later explained that he adores this Upanishad very much and that he used to teach it to school children in the rural estates.

He narrated on how he made the children recite this Upanishad compulsorily before going to school on a daily basis. Gradually, they started exhibiting excellence in their studies. By excellent, I really mean excellent - considering them to be rural children who are deprived of good educational resources and support. They started scoring the highest grades to top their school.It went from 'D's to 'A's.


                         
Video Above: My Veda Class kids in Nandi Temple,Sungai Petani chanting the Ganapati Upanishad. 

Over these few years, I have taught this Ganapati Atharva Shirsham to many. The first group consisted of AIMST students who attended our weekly campus Veda Class.

Video above: Whatsapp Vedam learner Shravanthi reciting the complete Upanishad.Her local priests deny females from learning Vedas.She learnt with me through Whatsapp and today she recites in such perfection ! Lord Ganesha graced her in the form of an elephant when she recited in the video - Check out ! 

Another Whatsapp Veda learner reciting the Upanishad

My eagerness to share every detail of miracles witnessed in relation to this Upanishad is too vast. Therefore,I shall condense my experience.

In a nutshell, I would just say that Ganapati Himself will manifest in you and be your closest friend. Your life will never be the same again. To quote a few examples I have seen :

(1) Atheists becoming best buddies with Ganapati within weeks of recitation.They literally communicate with Him.

(2) Spike in intelligence and wisdom like never before upon frequent recitation.

(3) Obstacles and difficulties withering away,ensuring paramount success.

(4) Introvert with no experience in debating gets selected to represent campus in national debate tourney upon reciting this Upanishad.

(5) Having the direct darshan of the physical form of Lord Ganesha.

(6) Liberation from alcohol dependence and other psychiatric disorders like OCD



This Upanishad contains sacred sounds which activate the Muladhara chakra ( root chakra). 

As per this Upanishad,Lord Ganapati resides in this chakra. Once the Muladhara chakra is active, you become very stable in life. All obstacles will be naturally broken.


By activating the Muladhara chakra, more than 50 percent of materialistic problems in your life will be instantly solved. This being the root chakra, can transform your life completely.

Having yourself rooted is important.Your very presence will echo like the trumpeting of an elephant.

In a nutshell, any significance of Lord Ganesha's energy can be experienced by reciting and studying this Upanishad.


What could be attained by countless Ganapati Yagna or Puja will simply knock your door if you recite this Upanishad frequently

22 comments:

  1. I would like to chant this hymn....kindly guide me on this...pls....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can You tell me the other benefits which your guruji received after chanting Ganpati Upanishad Please

      Delete
  2. I would like to chant this hymn....kindly guide me on this...pls....

    ReplyDelete
  3. Absolutely true.!! thanks a lot for such a wonderful article

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  4. Is it compulsary to read it in sanskrit? I read the marathi translation everyday

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vedas consists of the sounds that vibrate as the universe.

      Recitation is a must.Recitation if Vedas is only in the Vaidika Basha.

      Meanings can be contemplated on using language of interest.

      Going through meanings without recitation won't have any effect.You must imbibe the vibrations of the mantra for you to grasp the meanings experientially.

      Delete
  5. I cannot pronounce Sanskrit very well. Will I get Ganapati blessing equal to chanting just by listening him chant on youtube? please advise. 🙏🏽

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Youtube search :

      'Learn Sanskrit Pronunciation With English Script'.

      I have made a 30 min video which will help you decipher vedic sounds by using an English script.

      No,you have to chant to experience.

      Delete
  6. Can you suggest me the correct time to chNt this?

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  7. While empty vessels are making live fb videos about fighting for hinduism in malaysia,you are creating history by teaching vedas openly in this country when no one did ever b4

    Neranja kudam talumbatu.you are the best example

    ReplyDelete
  8. While empty vessels are making live fb videos about fighting for hinduism in malaysia,you are creating history by teaching vedas openly in this country when no one did ever b4

    Neranja kudam talumbatu.you are the best example

    ReplyDelete
  9. https://youtu.be/IC3wsNe6410

    ReplyDelete
  10. I would like to learn it. Can you guide me?

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  11. How can a single person chant atharvashirsha 1000 times?

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  12. Your experiences are amazing. I'm greatly inspired

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  13. If you are repeating the Atharvashirsha mutilple times continuosly, do we need to read the phalshruti every time? Or can we read it at the end of the last time you say the stotram?

    ReplyDelete
  14. It is written in the Atharvasheersha - One who is not a student should not be given this. What does this mean in context to today's day and age?

    ReplyDelete