Verse 55 of Ucchiṣṭa Gaṇapati Ashtastotram: The Śakti of Hastipiśācī and the Joy of Divine Union

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The Ucchista Ganapati Ashtottara Shatanamavali, commonly known as the Ucchista Ganapati Ashtottaram, is a devotional hymn comprising 108 names that extol the various attributes and virtues of Ucchista Ganapati.

oṃ varahastipiśācīhṛnnandanāya namo namaḥ oṃ

ॐ वरहस्तिपिशाचीहृन्नन्दनाय नमो नमः ॐ

Salutations to the One who delights the heart of the beautiful śakti called hastipiśāci.

Hastipiśāci represents the power of śrī ucchiṣṭa gaṇeśa and is indicative of the principle of the divine feminine or śiva-śakti.

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Verse (55):

oṃ varahastipiśācīhṛnnandanāya namo namaḥ oṃ
ॐ वरहस्तिपिशाचीहृन्नन्दनाय नमो नमः ॐ

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Word-by-Word Translation:

• oṃ – Sacred primordial syllable invoking divine presence.
• vara (वर) – Excellent, best, supreme, or beloved.
• hasti (हस्ति) – Elephant.
• piśācī (पिशाची) – A female spirit or supernatural being; in tantric contexts, she is not merely a ghost but represents a fierce feminine power.
• vara-hasti-piśācī – The beautiful or supreme elephant-like piśācī (a specific Śakti of Gaṇapati).
• hṛt (हृन्) – Heart.
• nandanāya (नन्दनाय) – To the one who delights, pleases, or brings joy to.
• namo namaḥ – Salutations again and again.

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Full Translation:

“Salutations again and again to the One who delights the heart of the beautiful elephant-faced (or elephant-spirited) śakti, known as Hastipiśācī.”

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Commentary:

This evocative name reveals the esoteric aspect of Ucchiṣṭa Gaṇapati’s relationship with Śakti. In this name:

• Hastipiśācī is not a malevolent being as the word piśācī might traditionally imply. In tantric context, she represents a form of raw, primal feminine energy, often linked with appetite, desire, taboo, and power.
• The addition of “vara” (meaning “best” or “blessed”) and “hasti” (elephant) implies she is majestic and exalted, possibly sharing symbolic resonance with Gaṇapati himself—who has an elephant head. Thus, she is a tantric śakti of similar force and dignity.

Ucchiṣṭa Gaṇapati is praised here as the “Hṛn-nandana”—the delighter of her heart. This implies:

• A deep inner union between the masculine and feminine energies.
• Gaṇapati is not separate from Śakti but is her source of joy, possibly her consort, or her essence.

In tantric worship, this name reveals the unity of bhoga and mokṣa, where even beings considered taboo in orthodoxy—like piśācīs—are seen as manifestations of śakti and vehicles of liberation when approached through proper mantra and knowledge.

Thus, this name subtly affirms:

• The non-duality of Śiva and Śakti, even in fierce or unconventional forms.
• The inclusive, radical, and transformative nature of Ucchiṣṭa Gaṇapati worship, where no aspect of existence is excluded.

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Tantric Insight:

To meditate on this name is to honor the divine polarity—the sacred interplay between the erotic, wild, and maternal aspect of śakti and the delight-bestowing, sovereign force of Gaṇapati.

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