Correct Way to Pronounce OM GAM GANAPATAYE NAMAHA - Gam, Gan or Gang ?

'GAM' - the secret key to access Lord Gaṇapati's grace is widely used across the globe.

So,how do you actually pronounce it ? 

gaṃ gaṇapataye ( GAM GANAPATAYE )

gan gaṇapataye ( GAN GANAPATAYE ) 

or

gaṅg gaṇapataye ( GANG GANAPATAYE )

?

Let's look at the Vedic reference for this mantra. This mantra is explained in the Gaṇapati Upaniṣad of the Atharva Veda. This mantra is regarded as the secret knowledge of Gaṇeśa worship. Gaṇapati Upaniṣad is also called 'Gaṇapati Atharvaśīrṣa'.

Upaniṣad refers to a portion of the Vedas that give the essence of Vedic truths—like a summary, sometimes through the representation of a particular deity.

So let us take a look at the breakdown of the verses which appear in the Gaṇapati Upaniṣad, pertaining to the correct usage of this bīja mantra:

gaNaadiiM puurvam-uchchaarya

varNaadiiM stada-nantaram

anusvaaraH (f) parataraH

ardhendulasitam

taareNa r^iddham

etat-tava manusva-ruupam

gaNadiim = words that start with the sound 'ga' as in the example of 'gaNa'

puurvam = first

uchchaarya = uttered

varNadiim = colour ( description )

tat = that

anantaram = later

anusvaaraha = the sound 'mm' in the Vedic language

parataraha = later

ardha = half

indu = moon

lasitam = beautified 

taareNa = representing the power of taaraNa ( taking across )

r^iddham = enriched

etat = this

tava = your

manuhu = progenitor of mankind ( the ancestor of humans )

svaruupam = form

Meaning and commentary :

The sound ‘ga’ (the first syllable of gaṇa) is uttered. This is followed by the first sound of the varṇa (the vowel ‘ā’). It ends with the anusvāra (the sound ṃm). Hence, the secret code that manifests the very cosmic form of Lord Gaṇapati is ‘gaṃ’.

This is beautified by a half-moon. The sound oṃ is represented in the Devanāgarī script with a half-moon (semicircle with a dot above).

This is the very form of Lord Gaṇapati.

The potential of creation (represented by the creator-progenitor Manu) is invoked here.

gakaaraH (f) puurva-ruupam

akaaro madhyama ruupam

anusvaarasch-chaantya-ruupam

bindur-uttara-ruupam

naadaH sandhaanam

sa(gm)-hitaa sandhiH

saishhaa gaNesha-vidyaa

gaNaka R^ishhiH

nichR^id-gaayatriichchhandaH

gaNapatir-devataa

OM gaM gaNapataye namaH

gakaaraha = the sound 'ga'

puurva ruupam = the form at the beginning

*Every sound has a form.Hence,the sound 'ga' itself is seen as the 'first form' of Lord GaNapati

akaaraha = the sound 'a'

madhyama ruupam = is the middle form

anusvaaraha = the sound 'mm'

cha = also

antya-ruupam = the ending form

binduhu = dot

uttara-ruupam = the form which is above ( uttara means north )

naadaha = sound

sandhaanam = the joining thread ( which joins these forms together )

samhita-sandhihi = samhita + sandhihi : the science of combining sounds

sa + eshha = that feminine form

gaNesha-vidyaa = the knowledge of gaNesha

gaNaka R^ishhiHi = the Rishi who heard this upanishhad as revealed from the cosmos is Sage GaNaka

nichR^it gaayatrii = this is the metre ( chhanda ) of this line of the verse

gaNapatir devata = the deity is gaNapati

Meanings and commentary :

Here, the very form of the sacred mantra is described. ‘ga’ is the first sound form. ‘a’ is the middle form. The anusvāra is the final sound form. The dot is the form which is above (the anusvāra is represented as a dot only in the Devanāgarī script).

The anusvāra itself is bound to change in the way a group of words are pronounced (anu = following, svāra = vowel/sound: after-sound).

The ṃm sound is nasalised according to the consonant that follows it. For example, if the anusvāra (ṃm) is followed by a consonant ‘ga’, the anusvāra is pronounced as ‘ṅa’ { pronounced NGA } which is the nasal sound of the velar group of consonants).

The last horizontal row you see in the diagram shows the nasal sounds for every consonant group. To quote an example:

oṃ namo bhagavate rudrāya is recited as

on namo bhagavate rudrāya

This is because the ṃm in oṃ is followed by the consonant ‘na’. Na comes under dental sounds. The nasal sound in the dental group is ‘na’. Hence, the anusvāra is nasalised to ‘na’. Hence, the recitation of oⁿ namo...

This is referred to as the science of combining sounds.

The formula oṃ gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ is recited as

oṅ gaṅ gaṇapataye namaḥ

when we apply the anusvāra sandhi.

This is the Gaṇeśa Vidyā – the secret knowledge of Gaṇeśa.

The Ṛṣi who received this Upaniṣad is Sage Gaṇaka.

The Vedas were NOT composed. They were downloaded from the cosmos in the form of sounds (mantras) which were heard by advanced beings. The being who heard and received this Upaniṣad is Sage Gaṇaka.

nicṛt gāyatrī is the chandas (metre).

*Vedas were downloaded in the form of mantras, which appear in a particular length (a particular number of syllables and words). This is why the language of the Vedas is referred to as Chandobhāṣā (chandas = metre/length).

In simple words...

Vedas were not composed by anyone. Vedas were downloaded as reverberations of the cosmos, which were heard and visualized by advanced beings (ṛṣis). As they received these sounds, various knowledge endowed in tandem with it. The ṛṣi for the Gaṇapati Upaniṣad, as mentioned in the translations above, is Sage Gaṇaka.

So, the basis of the Vedas is sound. This is why they are to be recited, and not merely read.

In terms of Vedic sounds, they are unique. The ‘m’ sound in Vedas is referred to as ‘anusvāra’. It has a great influence on pronunciation. There is something called ‘sandhi rules’.

For example, let us look at the famous Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra from the Ṛg Veda:

tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ...

If you look here, tryambakaṃ ends with ‘ṃ’ – the anusvāra.

The next word starts with a ‘ya’ sound (yajāmahe).

Whenever ṃ is followed by ‘ya’ – the pronunciation becomes something like ‘yain’.

According to sandhi rules, this mantra is recited as:

‘tryambakay yajāmahe’.

Video: Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra chanted as ‘tryambakay yajāmahe’ by Challakere Brothers – the mānasika guru for many Veda aspirants around the world.

Similarly, when ṃ is followed by other consonants, the pronunciation is modified. The ‘ga’ sound falls under a common group of consonants which includes the sounds ka, kha, ga, gha, and ṅa. All these sounds emerge from the same location of the oral cavity when pronounced (guttural sounds). The ‘ṅa’ is known as anunāsika – nasal sound.

So, in the case of gaṃ gaṇapataye – the Atharva Veda first describes it as beginning with ‘g’, followed by ‘a’, and ending with ‘ṃ’ (anusvāra). So by default – it is ‘gaṃ’.

However, we don’t just recite ‘gaṃ’ (unless you want to). We say: oṃ gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ. So gaṃ here is followed by a ‘ga’ in gaṇapataye, which is under the influence of the anusvāra (ṃ sound).

Since the anunāsika in the consonant group into which ‘ga’ falls is ‘ṅa’, we change the pronunciation to:

gaṅg gaṇapataye

The ‘ṃ’ in gaṃ is nasalised to ‘ṅa’, forming: gaṅgaṇapataye

How about gan gaṇapataye?

‘gan’ is totally incorrect. ‘gaṃ’ can only become ‘gan’ if it is followed by a consonant from the dental group of sounds — which is not the case in this mantra.

In a nutshell:

The mantra by itself is ‘gaṃ’.

But when you add ‘gaṇapataye’ to it, it becomes ‘gaṅ’.

Ultimately, gaṃ or gaṅ – it still works. There are some who choose not to apply the sandhi rules and others who choose to.

Sandhi rules are not supposed to alter the effect of the mantra.

Video: Amalgamation of Sandhi and non-Sandhi rules. A Rudra homa where alternating recitation of the Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra is done. The priest recites without adhering to the Sandhi, while I use it.

You should also keep in mind that 'OM' itself is recited as 'ONG' in the mantra, because the anusvaara in OM is followed by a 'GA' in GANAPATAYE which follows it after.

Therefore, the most authentic way to pronounce this mantra, incorporating all the sandhi rules is as ONG GANG GANAPATAYE NAMAHA

If you do not get this article : Just stick to OM GAM GANAPATAYE NAMAHA

Let us thank Sage Gaṇaka, who received this Upaniṣad, and our ancients who passed on this knowledge through the recitation of the Vedas over the millennia. Some even claim that Sage Gaṇaka was Gaṇapati Himself in disguise!

ALSO READ :

Benefits of reciting Ganapati Upanishad : 

https://www.mayiliragu.com/2016/06/ganapathi-atharva-sirsam-importance-and.html

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