The benefits of chanting the Ganesha Atharvasheersham are clearly articulated in the Phala Shruti of this mantra. Sometimes the Phala Shruti is chanted along the main text of the mantra but on certain occasions it is skipped while chanting. Let us try to analyze the meaning of the Phala Shruti and understand the benefits,
एतदथर्वशीर्षं॑ योऽधी॒ते स ब्रह्मभूया॑य क॒ल्पते ।
He who studies the Atharvasheersham becomes immersed (or) one with Brahman
स सर्वविघ्नै॓र्न बा॒ध्यते ।
He is not obstructed by any hurdles.
स सर्वत्र सुख॑मेध॒ते ।
He obtains peace & comfort everywhere.
स पञ्चमहापापा॓त् प्रमु॒च्यते ।
He gets relief from committing of the five great sins
सा॒यम॑धीया॒नो॒ दिवसकृतं पापं॑ नाश॒यति ।
Studying in the evening destroys the sins committed in the morning.
प्रा॒तर॑धीया॒नो॒ रात्रिकृतं पापं॑ नाश॒यति ।
Studying in the morning destroys the sins committed in the night
सायं प्रातः प्र॑युञ्जा॒नो॒ पापोऽपा॑पो भ॒वति ।
In this way, performing the Atharvasheersham prayer in the evening and morning, the sins becomes nullified. ‘Papa’ will become ‘Apapa’.
सर्वत्राधीयानोऽपवि॑घ्नो भ॒वति ।
Studying and chanting the Atharvasheersham at all places, one become free from all hurdles.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षं॑ च वि॒न्दति ।
One obtains the four Purusharthas namely Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.
इदमथर्वशीर्षमशिष्याय॑ न दे॒यम् ।
This Atharvasheersham mantra is not to be given to someone unsuitable.
यो यदि मो॑हाद् दा॒स्यति स पापी॑यान् भ॒वति ।
The teacher who imparts it out of greed and delusion will incur sin.
सहस्रावर्तनाद्यं यं काम॑मधी॒ते तं तमने॑न सा॒धयेत् ॥ ११ ॥
In the study from the chanting of the Atharvasheersham a thousand times, whatever desires one has, those will definitely be obtained.
From the first paragraph of the Phala Shruti, we can understand that the Ganesha Atharvasheersham chanting helps one overcome all hurdles faced in this world, obtain peace of mind, comfort and helps in fulfillment of our desires. It also provides relief from sins that we might have inadvertently committed. At times we are not conscious of the sins we commit and the promise of the Ganesha Atharvasheersham is to provide relief from those.
The four Purusharthas, Dharma (Righteousness), Artha (Material comfort), Kama (Desires) and Moksha (Liberation) will be obtained from this chanting. The unique aspect in our Sanatana Dharma is that the material world and spiritual world are integrated and are not viewed as distinct from each other. ‘Artha’ and ‘Kama’ should be fulfilled based on ‘Dharma’. By this too, Moksha can be attained and you can becomes immersed with Brahman.
The power of the Ganesha Atharvasheersham is so immense that it’s sanctity needs to be maintained. The student should be a ‘Shishya’and not a ‘Ashishya’ says the Phalashruti. One who has due respect for the mantras should be judged and imparted with this mantra.
अनेन गणपतिम॑भिषि॒ञ्चति स व॑ग्मी भ॒वति ।
One who offers prayers to Ganesha with the Atharvasheersham becomes the possessor of the divine word.
चतुर्थ्यामन॑श्र्न्न् ज॒पति स विद्या॑वान् भ॒वति ।
On Chaturthi, one who chants the Atharvasheersham without eating becomes a learned person.
इत्यथर्व॑णवा॒क्यम् ।
These are the words of Rishi Atharvan.
ब्रह्माद्या॒वर॑णं वि॒द्यान्न् बिभेति कदा॑चने॒ति ॥ १२ ॥
Brahma and other gods will become a protective shield for us. After this, this will be no fear at any time.
In the second paragraph, Rishi Atharvan affirms that the chanting of the Ganesha Atharvasheersham will bestow learning and wisdom to us. Chaturthi as we all know is special to Ganesha . The two important occasions of Ganesha Chaturthi & Sankata Hara Chaturthi fall on the Chaturthi Thithi. During Chaturthi, we need to chant the Atharvasheersham without eating. By the chanting of the Atharvasheersham, the gods become a protective shield for us and fear disappears.
यो दूर्वाङ्कु॑रैर्य॒जति स वैश्रवणोप॑मो भ॒वति ।
One who chants the Atharvasheersham and worships with the blades of durva grass becomes equal to Kubera.
यो ला॑जैर्य॒जति स यशो॑वान् भ॒वति ।
One who worships with puffed rice becomes endowed with fame.
स मेधा॑वान् भ॒वति ।
He becomes the possessor of intellect.
यो मोदकसहस्रे॑ण य॒जति स वाञ्छितफलम॑वाप्नो॒ति ।
One who worships with a thousand modaks obtains the fruits that he desires.
यः साज्य समि॑द्भिर्य॒जति स सर्वं लभते स सर्वं॑ ल॒भते ॥ १३ ॥
One who worships with ghee and samith sticks obtains everything.
In the third paragraph, the benefits of chanting during the yagna with special offerings are highlighted. During Ganapati Homam, we have all experienced the chanting of Atharvasheersham along with offering of modaks (or) puffed rice.
अष्टौ ब्रह्मणान् सम्यग् ग्रा॑हयि॒त्वा सूर्यवर्च॑स्वी भ॒वति ।
Getting a group of eight learned Brahmins and chanting the Atharvasheersham bestows on us the splendor of the sun.
सूर्यग्रहे म॑हान॒द्यां प्रतिमासन्निधौ वा ज॒प्त्वा सिद्धम॑न्त्रो भ॒वति ।
During the solar eclipse, chanting the Atharvasheersham in a great river in the presence of a idol of Ganesha will bestow on us the power of the mantra.
महाविघ्ना॓त् प्रमु॒च्यते ।
It will free us from great obstacles.
महदोषा॓त् प्रमु॒च्यते ।
It will free us from great faults.
महापापा॓त् प्रमु॒च्यते ।
It will free us from great sins.
महाप्रत्यवाया॓त् प्रमु॒च्यते ।
It will free us from falling from the position we attain.
स सर्वविद्भवति स सर्वविद्भ॒वति । य ए॑वं वे॒द । इत्यु॑प॒निष॑त् ॥ १४ ॥
One who knows it in this manner becomes all knowing. This is the Upanishad of the Ganesha Atharvasheersham.
In the fourth paragraph, it is articulated that the chanting of the Atharvasheersham grants us knowledge, relief from faults, sins and obstacles. This is all the more reason for us to learn and chant the Ganesha Atharvasheersham in the proper manner.
