siddhi vinAyakam sEvEham

[rshankar]

In the mOhanakalyANi composition siddhi vinAyakam of Sri HKMB, what does buddhi dEvi varam mean? I always thought that it referred to gaNapati as the husband (varam) of buddhi dEvi - but I just saw the piece performed by a student of Sri Dhananjayan's interpreting it as the gift/boon (varam) of buddhi dEvi...which is correct? Or, are both right?

[VK RAMAN]

Some believe that Ganesh is a Brahmachari who refused to marry by postponing his marriage every day. However, Padmapurana states that Ganesh is married to Siddhi and Buddhi. Siddhi means skill and Buddhi means intelligence.

Ganesh wrote the epic Mahabharat while VedaVyasa dictated it. It is no wonder that an epic such as Mahabharat would definitely need a God to write. Ganesh told VedaVyasa to dictate Mahabharat continuously without a pause not to create a chance for Ganesh to hold the pen still, unless he would stop writing. Yet, they finished writing Mahabharat after three years of continuous writing - which proves in one way His skill and intelligence.

[Lakshman]

rshankar: The words are buddhi dEvi vivaram. Here are the lyrics:

siddhi vinAyakam sEvEham. rAgA: mOhanakalyANi. Adi tALA. Muttiah Bhagavatar.

P: siddhi vinAyakam sEvEham varam
A: buddhi dEvi vivaram bhOgi kankaNa karam
shuddha kaLEbaram sOma kalAdharam
(ciTTasvara)
; gA pa ma ga ri gA pa ma ga ri sa *ni *dha *pa *dha sa ri ga sa ri ga pa dha pA ma ga ri
sa ri ga pa dha sa* ni dha pa dha ri* sa* ri* ni dha pa ma ga pa dha sa* ri* ga* ri* sa* sa* ni dha pa dhA
ri* sa* ni dha pa dha sa* ri* ga* ga* ri* sa* ri* ri* sa* ni dha pa ma ga ri sa ri ga pa dha sa* ni dha ga
pa dha sa* ri* gA* ri* sa* ni dha sa* rI* sa* ni dha pA ga pa dha sa* ri* ga* sA* sa* ni dha pa ma gA ri
C: mOdaka hastam mUSika vAhanam muni hrdgEham mOhanidAham
vEda samUham bOdha pravAham shrIda nivAsam shrta harikEsham

[rshankar]

Lakshmanji, I don't think 'vivaram' helps matters at all.
PS: I heard a bunch of versions, and no one sings it as buddhi devi vivaram...everyone sings 'buddhi dEvi varam'

[Lakshman]

rshankar: Sorry, I erred. It is buddhi dEvi varam in the book.

[keerthi]

The only correct interpretation of this line is 'consort of Goddess Buddhi'. Further it is true that the symbolism of gaNEsa being the spouse of buddhi and siddhi [in the South] or Rddhi and siddhi [in the North], is that he can confer those qualities on bhaktas.

However performing abhinaya equivalent to 'buddhi-dAyakam' for 'buddhi-dEvi-varam' is unwarranted.

[rshankar]

Thank you Keerthi!