The Law Code of Yājñavalkya 1.11: atha gaṇapatikalpaprakaraṇam

Rites that accomplish visible and invisible results have been stated and will also be stated. Since the accomplishment of their essential nature and their capacity to achieve results occur without obstacles, [the author], intending to enjoin a rite for the removal of obstacles, states the productive and indicative causes of obstacles:

Vināyaka was appointed by Rudra and by Brahmā
for the purpose of bringing about obstacles to rites, and to the overlordship of the gaṇas. // 1.271

With the words "Vināyaka [...] for the purpose of bringing about obstacles to rites" and so forth: by knowing both kinds of causes of obstacles, foresighted people proceed either to safeguard against the prior non-existence of an obstacle or to destroy one that has presented itself, just as [a physician acts] from knowing both kinds of causes of a disease. "Vināyaka" is the Lord of Obstacles (Vighneśvara). "For the purpose of bringing about obstacles to rites" means for the sake of obstructing the essential nature and result-bearing capacity of rites that achieve the aims of human life. "Was appointed" means was assigned by Rudra and by Brahmā—and, from the particle "and" (ca), by Viṣṇu—to the "overlordship," that is, mastership, of the gaṇas, such as Puṣpadanta and others. // 1.271

Having thus stated the productive cause of obstacles, he speaks to demonstrate the indicative causes:

Learn the signs of one who is possessed by him:
in dreams he wades deeply into water and sees bald men, // 1.272ab

and men wearing ochre robes; and he mounts carnivores;
he stays in one place together with outcasts, donkeys, and camels; // 1.272cd-273ab

and even while walking, he imagines himself pursued by enemies. // 1.273cd

"Possessed," seized, by him, namely Vināyaka; "learn," know, O sages, the "signs," that is, the indicative symptoms of that person. The address to the sages again is for the purpose of commencing the section on propitiatory rites (śānti). "In dreams," in the state of dreaming, "he wades deeply into water," is swept away by a current, or drowns. "He sees" men with shaved heads. "And those wearing ochre robes," that is, coverings of red or indigo-dyed cloth. "Carnivores" are meat-eating birds, such as vultures, and wild animals, such as tigers; he "mounts" them. Likewise, "he stays" surrounded "together with outcasts," such as Caṇḍālas, "donkeys," asses, and "camels." "Even while walking," while moving along, he "imagines himself pursued," that is, overpowered, "by enemies," adversaries running behind him. // 1.272 // 1.273

Having thus described the dream visions, he states the perceptible symptoms:

He is dejected, his undertakings are fruitless, and he sinks into despair without cause. // 1.274ab

Possessed by him, a prince does not obtain a kingdom,
nor an unmarried maiden a husband, nor a woman offspring or pregnancy; // 1.274cd-275ab

a learned scholar does not attain the office of teacher, nor a pupil his studies;
a merchant does not gain profit, nor a cultivator his farming. // 1.275cd-276ab

"Dejected" means distracted in mind. "His undertakings are fruitless": he whose undertakings are fruitless is described as such; he nowhere obtains a result. "He sinks into despair without cause": he becomes depressed in mind without a reason. "A prince," one born into a royal family, does not obtain a kingdom, even though endowed with qualities such as learning, valor, and fortitude. "An unmarried maiden," even though endowed with beauty, auspicious marks, and noble lineage, does not obtain a desired husband. "A woman," if pregnant, does not obtain offspring; if in her fertile period, does not obtain pregnancy. "A learned scholar" (śrotriya) does not attain the office of teacher, even though possessing Vedic study and knowledge of its meaning. "A pupil," even though endowed with modesty and proper conduct, does not obtain study or instruction. "Does not obtain" connects with every clause. "A merchant," one living by commerce, does not gain profit in the buying and selling of grain and other goods, even though skilled therein. "A cultivator," a farmer, does not obtain the fruit of farming, even though diligent in it. In this way, by whatever occupation a person lives, if his undertaking in it proves fruitless, he should be understood to be possessed by him. // 1.274 // 1.275 // 1.276

Having thus stated the productive and indicative causes, he speaks of the ritual injunction for the pacification of obstacles:

A bath should be performed for him on an auspicious day according to rule. // 1.276cd

"For him," who is possessed by Vināyaka, or who desires the prevention of an impending possession by Vināyaka, a "bath," a ritual consecration, should be performed. "On an auspicious [day]," one endowed with an asterism and other astrological factors favorable to oneself. "On a day," during the daytime, not at night. "According to rule," accompanied by the procedure enjoined in the scriptures.

He states the procedure for the bath:

For him who has been rubbed with white mustard paste mixed with clarified butter, // 1.277ab

whose head has been smeared with all-medicinal herbs and all-perfumes,
and who is seated on a ceremonial throne, auspicious twice-born men should be made to pronounce blessings. // 1.277cd-278ab

"With white mustard paste," ground white mustard, "mixed with clarified butter," stirred together with ghee; "for him who has been rubbed," whose limbs have been anointed with paste; likewise, "whose head has been smeared with all-medicinal herbs," such as priyaṅgu and nāgakesara, and "with all-perfumes," such as sandalwood, agallochum, and musk; for the man "seated on a ceremonial throne" (bhadrāsana) described below, "auspicious," that is, possessing Vedic learning, recitative study, and good conduct, and endowed with pleasing appearance, four "twice-born men," Brahmins, "should be made to pronounce blessings," saying: "May your honors declare welfare!" The meaning is that at this time he should perform the declaration of an auspicious day (puṇyāhavācana) according to the method stated in the domestic manuals (Gṛhyasūtras). // 1.277 // 1.278

Moreover:

Earth from a horse-stable, from an elephant-stable, from an anthill, from a confluence, and from a pool,
yellow orpiment, perfumes, and bdellium resin he should cast into the waters, // 1.278cd-279ab

which have been fetched from a pool in four pitchers of one color.
Then, on a red bull's hide, the ceremonial throne is to be placed. // 1.279cd-280ab

One should cast into those waters the five kinds of earth brought from a stable of horses, an elephant stable, an anthill, the confluence of rivers, and a perennial pool; as well as yellow orpiment, perfumes such as sandalwood, saffron, and aloe-wood, and bdellium. Those waters are fetched with four pots of the same color, free from defects, uncracked, and not darkened, from a perennial pool or confluence. And then, upon a red ox-hide with its hair turned upward and its neck to the east, an auspicious, delightful seat fashioned of Śrīparṇī wood is to be placed. Then, having placed in the four directions beginning with the east [the pots] containing the said water, earth, perfumes, and so forth, their mouths adorned with mango leaves and the like, their necks wrapped with garlands, anointed with sandalwood, and adorned with new, unwashed cloth; and having spread the red ox-hide with its hair turned upward and its neck to the east upon a pure, well-smeared sacrificial ground prepared with a five-colored svastika; one should set upon it the seat covered with white cloth—this is the 'auspicious seat'. For him who is seated upon it, the Brahmins are to recite auspicious blessings. (1.279–1.280)

Moreover:

"Possessing a thousand eyes, having a hundred streams, made purifying by the seers— / with that I consecrate you; may the purifying [waters] cleanse you!"

Following the recitation of auspicious blessings, the guru, taking the water-pot stationed in the eastern direction which has been rendered auspicious by women whose husbands and sons are living, endowed with beauty and good qualities, and well dressed, should consecrate [him] with this mantra: 'With that water which has a thousand eyes—meaning many powers—a multitude of streams, and was made pure and produced as holy by the seers such as Manu, with that water I consecrate you who are afflicted by Vināyaka, for the pacification of Vināyaka's affliction; and may these purifying waters cleanse you!' (1.281)

"May King Varuṇa bestow good fortune upon you, may the Sun [and] Bṛhaspati bestow good fortune; / may Indra and Vāyu bestow good fortune, and may the Seven Seers bestow good fortune!"

Immediately after that, taking the second water-pot stationed in the southern direction, he should consecrate [him] with this mantra: 'May King Varuṇa bestow fortune—that is, welfare—upon you; may the Sun bestow fortune; may Bṛhaspati bestow fortune; may Indra and Vāyu bestow fortune; and may the Seven Seers bestow fortune.' (1.282)

"Whatever misfortune is in your hair, in your parting, and on your head, / on your forehead, ears, or eyes, may the waters ever destroy that!"

Then, taking the third water-pot, he should consecrate [him] with this mantra: 'Whatever misfortune—inauspiciousness—is in your hair, in your parting and on your head, and on your forehead, ears, and eyes, may the divine waters ever destroy—that is, appease—all that!' (1.283)

Upon the head of him who has bathed, holding kuśa grass with the left hand, / he should sacrifice mustard oil with a sacrificial ladle made of udumbara wood,

Then, taking the fourth water-pot, he should consecrate [him] with the three previously mentioned mantras; because of the textual indicator of the mantra: 'the fourth with all mantras'. For him whose consecration has been performed according to the prescribed manner, the teacher should sacrifice mustard oil upon his head—intervened by kuśa grass grasped with the left hand—with a ladle made of the udumbara tree, using the mantras to be stated. (1.284)

"Mita, Saṃmita, as well as Śāla and Kaṭaṅkaṭa, / Kūṣmāṇḍa, and Rājaputra"—with these names followed by "svāhā" at the end,

and with offering mantras accompanied by obeisance.

"With the names of Vināyaka, such as Mita and Saṃmita, ending with the syllable svāhā and preceded by the praṇava, he should sacrifice"—this connects with what has gone before. Because of the combination with the syllable svāhā, there is the dative case. Hence there are six mantras: "Oṃ mitāya svāhā", "Oṃ saṃmitāya svāhā", "Oṃ śālāya svāhā", "Oṃ kaṭaṅkaṭāya svāhā", "Oṃ kūṣmāṇḍāya svāhā", and "Oṃ rājaputrāya svāhā". Immediately following, having cooked the sacrificial caru on domestic fire in accordance with the rule of sthālīpāka, and having sacrificed into that very fire with these six mantras alone, he should make an offering of the remnant to Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Soma, Īśāna, Brahmā, and Ananta with their names in the dative case followed by "namas", using the offering mantras. (1.286)

He states what one should do next:

He should present on a winnowing basket at a crossroads, having spread kuśa grass all around,

both husked and unhusked rice grains, rice cooked with sesamum, / cooked and likewise raw fish, and just as much meat,

multicolored and fragrant flowers, the three kinds of liquor, / radishes, fried cakes, sweet cakes, and likewise garlands of round pastries,

curd, cooked rice, sweet milk-rice, jaggery and flour dough, along with water. / Having gathered all these, and then placing his head upon the ground,

he should then pay homage to Ambikā, the mother of Vināyaka.

Having presented the collection of offering substances beginning with husked and unhusked rice to Vināyaka, and, because of her proximity, having bowed with his head to the ground before his mother,

"We know that Puruṣa, we meditate on the one with the curved trunk; / may that tusked one inspire us!"

—with this mantra to Vināyaka,

"We know the Fortunate One, we meditate on the one garlanded with desire; / may that Gaurī inspire us!"

—with this [mantra] he should pay obeisance to Ambikā. Then, placing the remainder of the offering upon a winnowing basket covered with kuśa grass, he should deposit it at a crossroads [reciting]:

"May the gods accept this offering: the Ādityas as well as the Vasus, / the Maruts, the two Aśvins, the Rudras, the birds, the serpents, the planets, / the Asuras, the Yātudhānas, the Piśācas, the serpent mothers, / the Śākinīs, the Yakṣas and Vetālas, the Yoginīs, the Pūtanās, the jackals, / the Jṛmbhakas, the Siddhas, Gandharvas, magical Vidyādharas, humans, / the regents of the quarters and the world-protectors, and those who are obstacle-making Vināyakas, / the makers of peace for the worlds, and the great seers headed by Brahmā! / May there be no obstacle for me, nor sin, and let there be no adversaries! / May the spirits and ghosts be benevolent, satisfied, and bringers of happiness!"

[Offering this] with these mantras: 'Rice grains pounded only once' means unhusked rice pounded a single time. 'Palala' is pounded sesame seed; rice mixed with that is 'palala-rice'. 'Fish, both cooked and raw'. 'Meat, of just this sort: cooked and raw'. 'Variegated flowers' means flowers of various colours such as red, yellow, and so on. 'Sandalwood and other fragrant substances'. 'Wine of three kinds: made from molasses (gauḍī), made from honey (mādhvī), and made from flour (paiṣṭī)'. 'Radish' (mūlaka) is radish, a kind of edible bulb-shaped vegetable. 'Pūrikā' is well known. 'Apūpa' is a preparation of wheat flour cooked without oil or ghee. 'Garlands of uṇḍeraka': uṇḍerakas are pastries made of flour and the like; strung together, they form garlands. 'Curd-rice' is food mixed with curd. 'Pāyasa' is milk-rice porridge. 'Jaggery-flour' is flour of rice and other grains mixed with jaggery. 'Modakas' are sweetmeat balls (laḍḍukas). Immediately after, one should attend upon Vināyaka and his mother Ambikā with the mantra that will be stated. (1.286–1.289)

[The author] states after doing what:

Having offered arghya, [and] a full double handful of dūrvā grass, mustard, and flowers. (1.290ab)

Having offered arghya with flower-water, [and] having previously offered a double handful of dūrvā grass, mustard, and flowers, one should attend upon [them]—this connects with the preceding [text]. (1.290)

[The author] states the mantra for attending upon [them]:

Grant me beauty, grant me fame, grant me fortune, O Blessed One; / Grant me sons, grant me wealth, and grant me all desires! (1.291)

Then, clad in white garments, wearing white garlands and ointments, / One should feed Brahmins and give a pair of garments to the teacher as well. (1.292)

When attending upon Ambikā, the modification (ūha) is 'O Blessed Goddess' (bhagavatī). Then, following the consecration (abhiṣeka), the patron (yajamāna), clad in white garments and adorned with white garlands and ointments, should feed Brahmins according to his means. He should give a pair of garments to the teacher who is endowed with Vedic learning and conduct and who knows the rite of bathing Vināyaka. From the word 'also' (api), [he should give] a sacrificial fee according to his means, and [food and gifts] to Brahmins in honour of Vināyaka. Here, this is the ritual procedure: The teacher who has the stated qualifications and knows the mantras, together with four Brahmins, after arranging the auspicious seat (bhadrāsana), should worship Vināyaka and his mother in its presence with fragrant paste, flowers, and the rest using the stated mantras; cook the sacrificial porridge (caru); perform the recitation of auspicious day (puṇyāhavācana) for the patron seated on the auspicious seat; consecrate him with four pitchers; pour mustard oil on his head; offer the porridge oblation into the fire; and offer food gifts (bali) to Indra and the other world guardians (lokapālas) in the four directions in the consecration hall. The patron, however, after bathing, dressed in white garments and garlands, accompanied by the teacher, should present the offerings to Vināyaka and Ambikā, bow to the ground with his head, offer arghya with flower-water, offer a double handful of dūrvā grass, mustard, and flowers, and attend upon Vināyaka and Ambikā. The teacher should place the remnants of the offerings in a winnowing basket and deposit them at a crossroads. Immediately thereafter, he should give a pair of garments, a sacrificial fee, and a feeding of Brahmins. Such is the rite of bathing Vināyaka. (1.291–1.292)

In order to show another application (saṃyoga) by concluding this very rite of bathing Vināyaka, [the author] says:

Having thus worshipped Vināyaka and the planets according to rule, / One obtains the fruit of rites and attains unsurpassed prosperity. (1.293)

'Having thus worshipped Vināyaka in the stated manner, one obtains the fruit of rites without obstacle' is the restatement by way of conclusion. He mentions another application: 'and attains the highest prosperity'. The meaning is that one who desires prosperity should also worship Vināyaka by this very procedure. Intending to enjoin the ritual procedure of worshipping the planets and so forth for one who desires pacification of the afflictions from planets such as the Sun, and for one who desires fortune and the like, he introduces the worship of the planets: 'and the planets according to rule'. Having worshipped the planets, the Sun and others, according to the rule to be stated, one achieves the accomplishment of rites and obtains prosperity. (1.293)

[The author] states the regular (nitya) and desire-prompted (kāmya) applications:

Constantly performing worship of the Sun, and an ornamental mark for the Lord [Skanda] / And for the great Gaṇapati, one would attain success. (1.294)

Constantly, every day, performing worship of the Blessed Sun with red sandalwood, saffron, flowers, and the like, and performing regular worship of Skanda and the great Gaṇapati, one attains success, that is, liberation, by means of knowledge of the Self: this is the regular application. Preparing an ornamental mark (tilaka) made of gold or silver, for any one of the Sun, Skanda, and Gaṇapati, or for all of them, one obtains the desired success; likewise [if one offers] eyes: this is the desire-prompted application. (1.294)

Here ends the ritual procedure of the great Gaṇapati.