gaṇān

 In Sanskrit, “gaṇān” (गणान्) is the accusative plural form 

of “gaṇa” (गण), meaning groups, classes, troops, or 

assemblies of beings, including attendants of deities 

or collective entities.

Etymology and Root

The word gaṇa derives from the Sanskrit root गण् (gaṇ), which 

means to count, calculate, or reckon

Wiktionary

 . From this root, 

gaṇa evolved to represent a troop, multitude, class, or series, 

implying a counted or organized assembly. The ending -ān 

indicates the accusative case plural, used when the group 

is the direct object in a sentence 

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Meanings and Contexts

Depending on the context, gaṇa and its forms like gaṇān can 

refer to:

• Groups or assemblies of people or animals, such as troops 
• or flocks 

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• A class or type of beings, including divine attendants or 
• demi-gods, particularly in Hindu religious texts, such as 
• the followers of Shiva under the supervision of Ganesha 

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• Counting or enumeration in grammatical and prosodic contexts, 
• where roots or mantras are organized into series called gaṇas 

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• Literary and scriptural usage, for example in the Śrīmad 
• Bhāgavata Purāna, where it refers to divine groups, such 
• as gandharvas, apsaras, or other beings ( 

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Grammatical Notes

• Gender and Stem: Masculine, a-stem.
• Singular Form: gaṇaḥ (गणः)
• Dual Form: gaṇau (गणौ)
• Plural Form: gaṇāḥ (nominative plural), gaṇān (accusative plural)

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• Example usage in a sentence: bhagavān sasarja gaṇān – 
• “The Lord created the groups of beings” 

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Summary

gaṇān is primarily used as an accusative plural to denote multiple 

groups, classes, or assemblies, both in grammatical and religious 

contexts. Its root meaning of counting or calculation underlies its 

connotation of organized multiplicities, whether in the material 

or divine realms, making it a versatile term in classical Sanskrit 

literature 

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