पार्वतेयं महाकायं ऋद्धिसिद्धिवरदायकम् ।
गणपतिं निधिपतिं सर्वजनलोकनायकम् ।
रुद्रप्रियं यज्ञकायं नमामि हे दीर्घकायकम् ।
हे गजानन गिरिजानन्दन रक्ष मां देव रक्ष माम् ॥१॥
एकदन्तं कृपानन्तं सर्वांगसुन्दरदर्शनम् ।
वक्रतुंडं दिव्यशुण्डम् अपूर्वमंगलस्पर्शनम् ।
लंबोदरं पीतांबरं नमामि हे रोमहर्षणम् ।
हे गजानन गिरिजानन्दन रक्ष मां देव रक्ष माम् ॥२॥
प्रेममूर्तिं कामपूर्तिं चराचरहृदस्पन्दनम् ।
मंत्रमुग्धं पापदग्धम् अग्रपूज्य देववन्दनम् ।
प्रथमेशं श्रीगणेशं नमामि हे गौरीनन्दनम् ।
हे गजानन गिरिजानन्दन रक्ष मां देव रक्ष माम् ॥३॥
दिव्यतेजं कविराजं योगीजन आत्मकारकम् ।
शिवानन्दं पराद्वन्दं भावप्रद प्रेमधारकम् ।
विघ्ननाशं दीर्घश्वासं नमामि हे गर्वमारकम् ।
हे गजानन गिरिजानन्दन रक्ष मां देव रक्ष माम् ॥४॥
प्रथमं मयूरेश्वरं द्वितीयं सिद्धिविनायकम् ।
ततश्च भल्लालेश्वरम् अस्ति वरदाविनायकम् ।
पंचमं चिंतामणिदेवं षष्ठं च गिरिजात्मजम् ।
विघ्नेश्वरं महागणपतिं नमामि अष्टदेवम् ।
हे गजानन गिरिजानन्दन रक्ष मां देव रक्ष माम् ॥५॥
तरूणी लभते वरं च प्रीत्यार्थी लभते प्रेमम् ।
विद्यार्थी लभते विद्यां च मोक्ष्यार्थी लभते धामम् ।
अर्थार्थी लभते अर्थं च कामार्थी लभते कामम् ।
हे गजानन गिरिजानन्दन कृष्णदासः भजति त्वाम् ॥६॥
॥ इति श्रीकृष्णदासः विरचित श्रीगणपति रक्षाकवचम् सम्पूर्णम् ॥
pārvateyaṁ mahā-kāyaṁ ṛddhi-siddhi-vara-dāyakam |
gaṇapatiṁ nidhi-patiṁ sarva-jana-loka-nāyakam |
rudra-priyaṁ yajña-kāyaṁ namāmi he dīrgha-kāyakam |
he gajānana girijānandana rakṣa māṁ deva rakṣa mām || 1 ||
eka-dantaṁ kṛpānantaṁ sarvāṅga-sundara-darśanam |
vakra-tuṇḍaṁ divya-śuṇḍam apūrva-maṅgala-sparśanam |
lambodaraṁ pītāmbaraṁ namāmi he roma-harṣaṇam |
he gajānana girijānandana rakṣa māṁ deva rakṣa mām || 2 ||
prema-mūrtiṁ kāma-pūrtiṁ carācara-hṛd-spandanam |
mantra-mugdhaṁ pāpa-dagdham agra-pūjya deva-vandanam |
prathameśaṁ śrī-gaṇeśaṁ namāmi he gaurī-nandanam |
he gajānana girijānandana rakṣa māṁ deva rakṣa mām || 3 ||
divya-tejaṁ kavi-rājaṁ yogī-jana ātma-kārakam |
śivānandaṁ parādvandaṁ bhāva-prada prema-dhārakam |
vighna-nāśaṁ dīrgha-śvāsaṁ namāmi he garva-mārakam |
he gajānana girijānandana rakṣa māṁ deva rakṣa mām || 4 ||
prathamaṁ mayūreśvaraṁ dvitīyaṁ siddhi-vināyakam |
tataśca bhallāleśvaram asti varadā-vināyakam |
pañcamaṁ cintāmaṇi-devaṁ ṣaṣṭhaṁ ca girijātmajam |
vighneśvaraṁ mahā-gaṇapatiṁ namāmi aṣṭa-devam |
he gajānana girijānandana rakṣa māṁ deva rakṣa mām || 5 ||
taruṇī labhate varaṁ ca prītyarthī labhate premam |
vidyārthī labhate vidyāṁ ca mokṣyarthī labhate dhāmam |
arthārthī labhate arthaṁ ca kāmārthī labhate kāmam |
he gajānana girijānandana kṛṣṇadāsaḥ bhajati tvām || 6 ||
The refrain repeated after every verse is: "O elephant-faced one, O delight of Girija (Parvati), protect me, O God, protect me!"
1. I bow to the son of the mountain-goddess, the great-bodied one, giver of the boons of prosperity (Riddhi) and attainment (Siddhi), Ganapati lord of treasures, leader of all people and worlds, beloved of Rudra, embodiment of sacrifice, the tall-bodied Lord - protect me, O Gajanana.
2. I bow to the single-tusked one, of endless grace, beautiful to behold in every limb, the curved-trunk Lord of divine trunk whose touch brings unprecedented auspiciousness, the large-bellied, yellow-robed one who thrills the body with joy - protect me, O Gajanana.
3. I bow to the embodiment of love, the fulfiller of desires, the heartbeat of all moving and unmoving things, enchanted by mantra, the burner of sins, first to be worshipped, saluted by the gods, the foremost Lord Shri Ganesha, son of Gauri - protect me, O Gajanana.
4. I bow to the one of divine radiance, king of poets, the inmost Self of yogis, the bliss of Shiva, beyond all duality, granter of feeling and holder of love, destroyer of obstacles, of long (steady) breath, slayer of pride - protect me, O Gajanana.
5. First Mayureshwara, second Siddhivinayaka, then Ballaleshwara and Varada-Vinayaka, fifth the Lord Chintamani, sixth Girijatmaja, then Vighneshwara and Mahaganapati; I bow to all eight forms (the Ashtavinayaka) - protect me, O Gajanana.
6. The young woman gains a good husband, the seeker of affection gains love, the student gains learning, the seeker of liberation gains the supreme abode, the seeker of wealth gains wealth, and the seeker of desire gains his wish - O elephant-faced delight of Girija, Krishnadasa worships you.
The Shri Ganpati Rakshakavacham is a heartfelt "armour of protection" (raksha-kavacha) addressed to Lord Gajanana, composed by a devotee who signs himself Krishnadasa ("servant of Krishna") in the closing verse. Its most striking feature is its lyrical refrain - "Hey Gajanan Girijanandan, Raksh Maan Dev Raksh Mam" - sung after every verse like a chorus, turning the hymn into a continuous, rhythmic appeal for the Lord's protection.
The verses move through Ganesha's beloved epithets - single-tusked Ekadanta, curved-trunk Vakratunda, large-bellied Lambodara, yellow-robed Pitambara - and rise to a remarkable fifth verse that names the eight famous Ashtavinayaka shrines of Maharashtra: Mayureshwara (Morgaon), Siddhivinayaka (Siddhatek), Ballaleshwara (Pali), Varada-Vinayaka (Mahad), Chintamani (Theur), Girijatmaja (Lenyadri), Vighneshwara (Ozar) and Mahaganapati (Ranjangaon). Reciting it is thus like making a pilgrimage to all eight self-manifested Ganesha temples in a single breath.
The final verse is a beautiful summary of the kavacha's gifts: every kind of seeker receives exactly what they seek - a good spouse, love, learning, liberation, wealth, or the fulfilment of any desire. This makes it a wonderfully all-purpose Ganesha prayer, suited to students before exams, the unmarried seeking a partner, those longing for prosperity, and seekers on the spiritual path alike. The repeated "Raksh Maan" refrain frames it primarily as a shield, invoked for general protection from harm, accidents, negativity, and the obstacles that block any endeavour.
Because Ganesha is Vighnaharta (remover of obstacles) and the first deity worshipped before any undertaking, daily recitation is believed to clear the path for new beginnings - a new job, journey, marriage, business, or course of study - while keeping the devotee under his protective grace.
Lord Ganesha is the universal remover of obstacles, and in Vedic astrology his worship is the first remedy prescribed for any planetary affliction that creates blockages, delays and repeated failures. Because the hymn explicitly grants the wishes of every kind of seeker, it touches several planetary domains at once: learning and intellect (Budha/Mercury, signified in the "vidyarthi labhate vidyam" line), wealth (the 2nd and 11th houses and Jupiter), marriage and love (Shukra/Venus, in "prityarthi labhate premam"), and liberation (Ketu and the 12th house). Ganesha is also linked to Ketu in many traditions, making this kavacha a fitting devotional support during a Ketu period or for clearing sudden, hidden obstacles. It is recommended at the start of any new venture to neutralise vighna (obstacle) yogas in the chart.
After bathing, sit facing east before an image of Ganesha. Offer durva grass, red or yellow flowers, sindoor, and modak or laddu, and light a lamp and incense. Begin with "Om Gan Ganapataye Namah," then recite all six verses, singing the "Hey Gajanan Girijanandan Raksh Maan Dev Raksh Mam" refrain after each, ideally aloud and with feeling, since the hymn is meant to be sung. One, three or eleven rounds may be done. It is especially fitting before beginning any new work, journey, or examination. Conclude by bowing and asking Ganesha for his protection over the day's undertakings.
Wednesday and the Chaturthi tithi - particularly Sankashti Chaturthi and Vinayaka Chaturthi - are the most auspicious times for any Ganapati hymn, and the morning hours are ideal. Ganesh Chaturthi (Bhadrapada) is the supreme occasion. Reciting it at the outset of a new endeavour, on any day, is also strongly encouraged given its protective, obstacle-clearing nature.
The closing verse and colophon attribute it to a devotee who signs himself Krishnadasa ("servant of Krishna"), a traditional devotional pen-name. It is freely circulated as a public devotional hymn to Ganesha.
They are the Ashtavinayaka - the eight revered self-manifested Ganesha shrines of Maharashtra: Mayureshwara, Siddhivinayaka, Ballaleshwara, Varada-Vinayaka, Chintamani, Girijatmaja, Vighneshwara and Mahaganapati. Reciting the verse honours all eight together.
Its final verse promises that each kind of seeker gains their wish - a good spouse, love, learning, liberation, wealth, or any desire - while the recurring refrain seeks Ganesha's protection, making it an all-purpose prayer for new beginnings.
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Ganesha as the armour the devotee wears within
The Ganpati Rakshakavacham, composed by a devotee named Krishnadasa, belongs to the kavach genre - protective armour hymns in which each body part and each direction is placed under divine guard. What distinguishes this particular kavach is its joyful, almost affectionate refrain, repeatedly addressing Ganesha as Gajanan and Girijanandan, names that evoke both his elephant nature and his filial bond with Parvati. The composition does not merely petition for protection in the abstract; it also moves through the Ashtavinayaka, the eight celebrated Ganesha shrines of Maharashtra, grounding heavenly protection in the living geography of pilgrimage. This dual movement - from cosmic to local, from armour to love - gives the kavach a rare warmth uncommon in the genre.
Devotees traditionally recite this kavach on Wednesdays, Sankashti or Vinayaka Chaturthi, and at any new beginning - before travel, before examinations, before entering a new home or starting a business venture. In the Jyotish tradition, Ganesha is invoked as the lord of Ketu and as the remover of obstacles associated with planetary malefics generally; a Rakshakavacham thus serves both as a bhakti offering and as a graha-shanti measure. Devotees believe that the kavach, when recited with sincerity, builds a subtle field of awareness - a mindfulness of the divine's protective presence - that naturally reduces anxiety and supports clear, auspicious action.