About this reading
Contemplate Ganesha as Ekadanta and Vakratunda in this short prayer found in the Ganapati Atharvashirsha.
This is a prayer collection. The explanations below are concise reading aids, rather than a complete word-by-word translation. Recitation traditions can differ.
Original text and meaning
1. Ganesha Gayatri
ॐ एकदन्ताय विद्महे वक्रतुण्डाय धीमहि ।
तन्नो दन्तिः प्रचोदयात् ॥
Roman reading: Oṃ ekadantāya vidmahe vakratuṇḍāya dhīmahi .
tanno dantiḥ pracodayāt .
Meaning: We seek to know Ekadanta and meditate on Vakratunda; may Danti, Ganesha, inspire us.
Reading and repetition
- Read the text slowly and understand its meaning first. You may begin with one name or one prayer.
- Sit comfortably and repeat at a natural pace. Clear, attentive reading matters more than a count; no number is prescribed for every reader.
- Roman text is a reading aid. It does not encode Vedic pitch accents or replace instruction in your recitation tradition. Follow appropriate guidance for a formal ritual.
- The accompanying artwork is a symbolic devotional depiction. Use it to connect the name being read with its subject.
Text reference
Consult the Sanskrit text reference
The collection uses selected names and short traditional texts. The explanations and reading guidance above were written for this collection.
