Idagunji Ganesh

November 10, 2009 Yogesh Joshi Leave a comment Go to comments

Idagunji is a sacred place of Hindu worship in Honnavara taluk of Uttara Kannada (North Canara) district in Karnataka. The famous temple at Idagunji dedicated to Lord Ganapati is the main attraction, receiving more than 1 million devotees per year. Idagunji is about 14 kms southeast of Honnavar.

The two handed Ganapati is holding Modaka and Padma (Lotus) in his hands. According to the legend Lord Ganapati stayed in the place Kunjaranya which is now renowned as Idagunji (Idakuñja). It is said to be a place of penance selected by ancient Rishies (Saints).

Wikimapia link: http://wikimapia.org/1913882/Idagunji-Maha-Ganapati-i

vighnesh

Why Lord Ganesh is easily appeased?

Contents

1. Mission and special features

1.1 One who gets rid of obstacles (Vighnaharta)

1.2 One who eliminates distress caused by distressing energies

1.3 One who augments the vital energy (pranshakti)

1.4 Presiding deity of knowledge (Vidyapati)

1.5 One who converts the language of light (prakashbhasha) into the language of sound (nadabhasha)

1.6 One granting an embodied soul (jiva), the permission to take birth

1.7 Worshipped by all sects

1.8 Deity glorified by saints

1.9 Expert in music and dance

1.10 Principle, ability and manifest energy

2 Retinue

2.1 Family members

2.2 Vehicle (vahan)

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1. Mission and special features

1.1 Vanquisher of obstacles (Vighnaharta)

On account of this attribute, He is worshipped before commencing any function right from a folk dance for entertainment to a wedding and all rituals including house-warming (gruhapravesh). (Refer: 'Meaning of Vighnesh')

1.2 One who eliminates distress caused by distressing energies

30% of people in society and 50% of good seekers are afflicted by distressing energies. An individual experiences physical or psychological distress due to distressing energies or he constantly encounters some or the other obstacle in his life. Distressing energies pose obstacles even in the spiritual practice of seekers and take the benefit of the spiritual practice of seekers. From this it is evident how necessary it is for everyone to give preference to overcome distress due to distressing energies. Information about how distress due to distressing energies like possession, black magic (karani), etc. can be overcome by repeating (chanting) the Name of Ganapati is given in the holy text 'Remedies to overcome distressing energies' yet to be published by Sanatan Sanstha.

Sanatan Sanstha is an organisation undertaking the mission for the sake of society (samashti), that is propagating Righteousness (Dharma) in society. Just as Sanatan wants to 'reinstate the Divine kingdom', the distressing energies want to 'establish a demoniacal kingdom'. Hence presently distressing energies are posing obstacles in the spiritual practice undertaken by Sanatan's seekers as well as in the mission of propagating Righteousness, on a large scale. Sanatan's seekers undertake collective repetition (chanting) of 'Om Gang Ganapataye namaha' and 'Om namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya' aloud thrice each alternately as suggested by The Lord during meditation in order to alleviate this collective distress faster. They are also benefited by it. This illustrates that Ganapati has the potential to overcome the distress caused to society.

1.3 One who augments the vital energy (pranshakti)

Various body functions in man occur due to various types of energies. (Information about these various energies is given in 'Science of Spirituality : Chapter 35 - Pranayam'.) The basic energy of all these energies is the vital energy. Repetition (chanting) of the Name of Lord Ganapati augments the vital energy in our body.

1.4 Presiding deity of knowledge (Vidyapati)

Maharashi Ved Vyas and Ganesh

Refer: 'Meaning of Vidyapati'. 'There is an ancient custom of writing, 'Shri Ganeshaya namaha, Shri Sarasvatyai namaha, Shri Gurubhyo namaha', that is obeisance to Lord Ganesh, deity Sarasvati and the Guru, before beginning any writing, for example a letter. Why is this order followed? Knowledge of any subject is first acquired through the intellect and Ganapati is the bestower of intellect. Hence 'Shri Ganeshaya namaha' is written first. Deity Sarasvati's mission is to put into words the knowledge acquired through the intellect. Sarasvati is called "abhinav vagvilasini", the deity of development of speech by Saint Dnyaneshvar and "shabda mul vagdevata", the deity of the origin of words by Saint Samarth Ramdasswami. Hence, deity Sarasvati is second in the order. Since the Guru is the medium of acquisition of knowledge and its transcription into words, He is third in the order.'

Maharshi Vyas wanted an intelligent writer to write the Mahabharat. So He prayed to Lord Ganapati to undertake this task.

1.5 One who converts the language of sound (nadabhasha) into the language of light (prakashbhasha) and vice versa

First repeat (chant) the Names - Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and Ganapati for one or two minutes each and if you see light, assess whether it is faint or bright. Only then read further.

There were 42 seekers at a spiritual meeting (satsang) conducted by the Sanstha. The spiritual experiences obtained by them when doing the above experiment are given in the table below. The average spiritual level of the seekers was 35%. During a spiritual meeting, at times the spiritual level of seekers can even rise upto 40% to 50%. The spiritual level of an average person is 20% while that of one who has attained the Final Liberation (Moksha) is 100%. If average individuals perform the same experiment, they do not perceive anything. Hence everyone does not get spiritual experiences in such experiments. Only those who have attained a spiritual level of more than 35% through spiritual practice and are able to perceive something from the spiritual dimension can perceive this.

Spiritual Experiences
Name of which deity?	Those seeing faint light	Those seeing bright light	Total number of those seeing light	Those unable to see light	Total
1. Brahma	7	4	11	31	42
2. Vishnu	8	1	9	33	42
3. Mahesh	7	3	10	32	42
4. Ganapati	8	12	20	22	42

From the above table, one will realise that a greater number of seekers got the spiritual experience of seeing light by repeating (chanting) the Name of Ganapati than with the Names of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. This will also clarify why Ganapati is referred to as one who converts the language of sound into that of light.

Since Ganapati can comprehend the language of sound which we speak, He is a deity who is easily appeased. Ganapati is the deity who converts the language of sound into that of light and vice versa. Most of the other deities can understand only the language of light. Some examples with regard to this are given in the table ahead.

Deity	Ability to comprehend the language of light (%)	Ability to comprehend the language of sound (%)
1. Brahma	98	2
2. Vishnu	80	20
3. Mahesh	80	20
4. Divine Energy (Shakti)	70	30
5. Ganapati	60	40

1.6 One granting an embodied soul (jiva) the permission to take birth

Maha (the embodied soul taking birth) is born with the permission of Ganapati.

1.7 Worshipped by all sects

A sect is 'one which considers only its deity of worship (upasyadevata) to be supreme and believes that it alone is responsible for the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe; it does not believe in other deities'. Despite the existence of several sects, every sect performs the ritualistic worship of LordGanesh. The Shaiva sect considers Ganapati to be the son of Lord Shiva and His main attendant (gan) whereas in the Vaishnav sect He has various forms like Aniruddha, Vasudev, etc. The Shakta (Divine Energy) sect is of two types - Dakshinmargi and Vamamargi, both of which worship Lord Ganesh. In this sect, Lord Ganesh is portrayed along with His consort as Shaktiganapati or Lakshmiganapati as well as worshipped in the feminine form too. Lord Ganesh is worshipped by the Jain sect too. Charumati, the daughter of Emperor Ashok who professed Buddhism, built a Ganesh temple in NepaL. Literature on Lord Ganesh mentions that the idol of Lord Ganesh installed in that temple, popularly known as 'Heramb', is seated on a throne and has five heads and ten arms.

1.8 Deity praised by saints

Although saints following different paths of spiritual practice may worship various deities yet all of Them have earnestly prayed to and sung the praises of Lord Ganesh. LordGanesh is highly venerable to all saints. Marathi literature authored by saints has described the worldly and spiritual nature of Lord Ganesh in a beautiful manner. The great saint, Shri Dnyaneshvar has offered His humble obeisance unto LordGanesh, 'O Lord Ganesh, You alone enlighten our intellect (implied meaning).' Saint Eknath has offered obeisance unto LordGanesh at the very beginning in His commentary on the holy text, Bhagvat, 'Though the universe has originated from the Omkar, Lord you existed even before. You are the master of knowledge in vedas, vedants and different sciences in the universe. Of all those worthy of salutation, you are the Supreme.You are the master of all and everything lies within you (implied meaning).' It is said that Saint Tukaram Maharaj had invited Lord Viththal and Lord Ganesh for a meal, both at the same time. Saint Namdev has said, 'O Lambodar, (another name of Lord Ganesh) with your trunk, you vanquish all obstacles (implied meaning).' Saint Tulsidas too has sung praises of Lord Ganesh at the commencement of His 'Ramacharitamanas'.

1.9 Expert in music and dance

Omkar is the manifestation of Brahman in the form of sound. Lord Ganesh is also referred to as 'Shriganesh whose form is of the nature of Omkar.' Numerous verses in the Shriganesh Varadstotra clearly illustrate the relationship of Lord Ganesh with music. The devotional songs (abhang) composed by Saint Dnyaneshvar, Saint Namdev, Samarth Ramdasswami and others also illustrate the close relationship of Lord Ganesh with music. One also comes across idols of Lord Ganesh in dance postures. This idol of Ganapati has a golden complexion with eight arms and His left leg rests on a lotus while the right leg is in mid-air. Sage Madhva has sung praises of the treasure of dance postures possessed by Lord Ganesh,'O Lord Ganesh, You are the vanquisher of all obstacles, the compassionate One, the One praised in all the three worlds and the Master of dance and music (implied meaning).' The poet Moropant has excellently portrayed the beautiful and attractive form of Lord Ganesh through his masterly and imaginative exposition of words while narrating that the dance performed by Lord Ganesh puts to shame even celestial singers (gandharva) and celestial dancers (apsara).

1.10 Principle, ability and manifest energy

Principle : 70% (Isham = 100%)
Ability : Creation 10%, sustenance 70% and dissolution 20%
Manifest energy : 10%

2. Retinue

2.1 Family members

According to the Purans, Shiva is the father, Parvati the mother and Skand is the brother of Ganapati. Shiva and Parvati are His parents implies that the Ganesh frequencies are generated by the confluence of the radiant (tej) frequencies of Shiva and Minakshi.

2.2 Vehicle (vahan)

The word vahan (वाहन) is derived from the root, vru-vaha (वृ-वह) which means, to transport. The vehicle of deities changes according to their mission. The vehicle mostly used by Ganapati is the rat. But He has other vehicles as well. A (आ) + vahan (वाहन) = avahan (आवाहन) which means, to invoke. A deity does not manifest itself without invocation, that is without an invitation. (However, if a devotee is in distress then it rushes to his rescue even without invocation.) Thus when a deity is invoked to carry out a mission, the vehicle should complement that mission, for instance, a lion for a battle. The vehicle of Heramb Ganapati is the lion while that of Mayureshvar Ganapati is the peacock. The table below gives the vehicle and special features of the idols of Lord Ganesh according to the yug (era). (Detailed information on vehicles of deities is given in 'Science of Spirituality : Vol. 7 - Supreme God, God, Incarnations and Deities'.)

Reference: 'Ganapati', Published by Sanatan Sanstha

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Loving Ganesha
Chapter 11: Prayers to Lord Ganesha



GanapatiPrarthanah
Prayers toLord Ganesha


NEELING OR STANDING, SITTING IN PADMASANA OR walking alone, devotees discover in prayer One of the most powerful forms of communication with inner worlds. Through praying with concentrated feeling, or bhava, we can share our inmost sensibilities with Lord Ganapati. Thus we establish a connection with the Deity. One of the finest explanations of prayer from the Hindu perspective was given by the renowned Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, Uttar Pradesh (North India).
"The entire process of spiritual ascent is from start to finish one of earnest practice. There is no other road except abhyasa (dedicated striving and practice). One may have the best feeling, the best heart, the most sublime bhava, but unless and until every part of this is put into actual practice, there is no hope. Abhyasa is the keynote of the life of sadhana. Without it, sadhana will not go towards its fruition of anubhuti, or experience. Thus, we have the celestials standing at the door of Mahadeva. They hymn Him, glorify Him and pray unto Him; and this is our next cue. It is the law of prayer that is now given to us as our sole guide upon the path. Prayer means, first and foremost, a perfect belief in a higher power. It means the desire and willingness to submit our abhimana, or ego, at the feet of a higher power. Thus, the acquisition of shraddha (faith) is now pointed out to us. The submission of our personal ego, or abhimana, is next pointed out to us. Herein its natural corollary, the cultivation of the supreme virtue of absolute humility, also is indicated. The devas prayed not that they may get power to win over the asuras. There is the attitude of willing self-abnegation, self-effacement, a standing aside so that the fullest manifestation of the divine power may stand in front and take over the stand from them. This indicates the recognition of the nondoership of the individual self and the Supreme doership of the one Doer, the Supreme God. It indicates that the sadhaka, or the seeker, is but a mere instrument; and it is the Lord Himself, the Indweller in the individual, who takes over the sadhana and actually does it. When the seeker begins to feel that even this sadhana is not done by him, but that it is the Divine shakti that works within him and enables the sadhana to be worked out and which achieves the ultimate fulfillment of the Divine Will, then he starts on the real upward march and rapid ascent toward triumphant divinity.
"Thus the second aspect of prayer unfolds itself before us. We completely allow the Divine to take charge of our personality. The seeker recedes into the background and there is total resignation to the will of the Divine. 'I am nothing; Thy will be done.' This is the formula that keeps tune to every beat of his heart, every pulsation in his body. The seeker becomes a transformed being" (Lord Shanmukha and His Worship, p. xiii-xv).
When we go to the temple in distress or when we go in great joy and thankfulness, our prayers may flow spontaneously up from our hearts. Some find it very natural to speak out in words, bringing their gratitude, adoration or troubles into a form that can be offered to Lord Ganesha. Others may just stand, feeling but not knowing what to say in their own minds or hearts. Others may not yet feel at all close to the Mahadeva but still yearn to open the door to religious communion with the Deity. In other words, many people want to learn how to pray.
We are indeed fortunate if we have been raised to learn the ancient Hindu hymns or the songs and prayers of the sants. These can be spoken in their original Indian languages, or voiced in the translation to other tongues. There are many types of prayer. There are prayers of invocation performed prior to worship or important actions. There are prayers of entreaty, requesting devonic aid in times of decision, trouble or turmoil. There are prayers of praise, giving thanks for God's grace and the fulfillment of our needs. And, perhaps most importantly, there are prayers specially written for the children, messages that make them aware of their innate intimacy with the Divine. On the following pages we offer a wide variety of prayers to Lord Ganesha composed in recent times in the English language, along with several famous invocations from the Sanskrit tradition.
By memorizing prayers, we make them immediately available to put into use wherever we are. In the temple with God Ganesha before us or by ourselves with the Lord in our mind, we can repeat them with a strong, concentrated feeling which will carry our thoughts into the inner world of the Gods. As our worship matures into an open relationship with the Deity, these prayers will come automatically to mind as our way of talking with the Lord. They are especially useful during and after Ganesha puja, when the Lord is present and listening and we are in close touch with Him. Of course, prayer can be used at any time to make us aware of our being in the mind of Lord Ganesha. As we come to know God Ganesha better, our communication with Him will take on more the spirit of talking with one's intimates, parents or close friends, and our own spontaneous words may mix freely with formal prayers.
Invocations are chants and prayers by which we "invoke" the presence of the Deity. The God is being called. The God and the devotee are being brought together, in touch. Prayers of invocation often sing out the greatness of the Deity, His known attributes and qualities. Vedic rishis and holy sages of olden times were masters of invocation. They could immediately call up the devata through the strength of their mantras. In the puja and japa chapters of this book there are many chants that also serve as powerful invocations. "Aum Shri Ganeshaya Namah" is an invocation in itself. We begin this section on prayers with a famous shloka to Lord Ganesha from the root scripture of all denominations of Sanatana Dharma, the Vedas. It has been chanted by billions of Hindus down through the ages, uttering five attributes of Ganesha and invoking His all-powerful protection.
Aum shuklambaradharam vishnum
Shashivarnam chaturbhujam
Prasanna vadanam dhyayet
Sarva vighnopa shantaye
Aum, attired in white and all-pervading,O moon-hued, four-shouldered Onewith smiling face so pleasing,upon You we meditatefor removing all obstacles.
Shri Adi Sankara prayed in his Ganesha Bhujangam the following invocation. It is particularly suitable for recitation before japa and deep meditation on the highest wisdom of Lord Ganesha, the incomparable Lord:
To You whom the wise exclaimas the single-syllabled, Supreme sound,stainless and peerless,bliss, formless, unconditioned --the Indweller in the core ofsacred tradition -- to thatPrimeval One I bow in adoration.
Prayers of supplication are requests, pleadings or entreaties presented to the Deity in the spirit of personal surrender and loving devotion. Something specific is being asked for, a specific problem is being laid at the Lord's Holy Feet. Such supplications to the one-tusked Lord are given unconditionally, with full trust that He will do what is best for us, though not necessarily what we might think is best. We do not demand of the Lord; for He, like a parent, provides not as we desire, but as we truly need. Prayers of supplication may come forth in the natural language of our hearts.
Leaving a problem at His holy feet means we let it be there and do not carry it home with us. Nor do we worry or wonder about how it will be handled, when it will be taken care of, or if it will be taken care of at all. In full unquenchable faith we leave the matter there, at the feet of the God, and walk away from the temple or shrine, feeling that release has started and solution will be forthcoming. We must have this kind of faith for religion to work within us. To carry home with us the same problems, fears and worries would be to take back the offering we have given the Deity to dissolve. This is like the rich and famous who buy with gifts and do not give at all, slyly expecting more than something in exchange, gaining papa rather than punya and not knowing the difference. The course of events will later show how He works for our ultimate spiritual welfare.
MOMENTS OF DECISION
Aum, Shri Ganeshaya namah -- Great Lord of Wisdom, here I stand with so many decisions to make, with so many ways to turn. I beg for Your grace. Fill me with righteous judgment and clear discrimination as I lay all confusion at Your holy feet and immerse myself solely in You. Aum, Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
RELEASE FROM WORLDLINESS
Aum, Shri Ganeshaya namah -- Lord Vinayaka, You are the Destroyer of all sin. I need you; help me. How long I've spent thinking only of worldly pursuits, caring not for the children of the future. How often I forget Your eternal presence. I beg for Your noose to hold me close and Your goad to spur me on. Give me faith in God, Gods and satgurus. Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
TIMES OF NEED
Aum, Shri Ganeshaya namah -- Ganapati, Lord of Ganas. I, too, am a deva under Your command. I know I can never ever separate myself from the intricate mind of the supreme intelligence. O Lord who destroys the obstacles of His devotees, grant me protection, guidance and help in this hour of need. (Devotee states his need or trouble.) Aum, Ganesha sharanam. Grant me Your grace, sharanam Ganesha.
FAMILY WELFARE
O Lord Ganesha, holder of the noose and goad, sweets, fruits and sugarcane, please provide for the welfare of my family. Guide prosperity and abundance to our door. But while we wait and mostly see only our wants and needs, please help us feel within our home Your goodness and Divinity, which no calamity can conceal. Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND ANGER
Omnipresent Lambodara, pure and peaceful doer of all good. Take away my fear and anger. Let me see Thee everywhere and at all times. Show me the truth that there is no intrinsic evil. Remove all barriers in my mind to understanding, true trust and love. Guide me to a harmonious life and righteous success in the fulfillment of my dharma. Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
RELEASE FROM EGOITY
Aum, Shri Ganeshaya namah! O keeper of the gate to the life of Sanatana Dharma, open that gate for me to feel Your intricate mind moving all things toward the world of the Gods. Open the gate for me to a life of continuous worship. Let me enter a new world where my ego is not my God. Open the gate; let me through to Your blissful world of trust, love and harmony.Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
In prayers of praise, adoration and thankfulness we do not ask for anything, but simply offer our feelings of love and recognition to Lord Ganesha when our heart is full of His grace. The more we worship and come to understand Him, the more we realize the greatness of His work in our life and see His presence all around us. It is from this perspective that the great bhaktas of the past sang many of their songs to God. Such prayers confirm our relationship with Lord Ganesha and draw us ever closer to His mind.
JOYOUS PRAISE
Aum, Shri Ganeshaya namah! Thank You, Umaganesha, for the wonderful fulfillment You have brought into my life. I show gratitude by giving abundant dana to the temple where You received and answered my prayers. Your shakti is the blossoming origin of love. Praise to You who are the source of all sweetness. I take refuge in grateful surrender at Your holy feet. Aum, jai Ganesha!
OFFERING GIFTS
Aum, Shri Ganeshaya namah! O my grand andgracious Lord Ganesha. Here I am, with only You in my mind. My body's life is Your warmth. Your fire is my comfort. Now, with puja flames we offer that fire back to You. These fruits and flowers are Yours to enjoy. My very mind, too, is Yours to direct. O peaceful One, praise to You. Take these offerings and take, too, a place in my humble life, in Your heart. Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
APPRECIATION
Aum, Shri Ganeshaya namah! Peerless One,industrious indweller in all, we see You in the full warmth of the Sun, in the full life of Earth and the orderliness of all the turning planets. O Lord and lover of intellect, You are the intricate knowledge blossoming in the mind of the people. O Lord who rules the mind of each and all who worship You, because of You, chaos never was nor will it ever be.Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
Here is a prayer that has been used for centuries wherever Ganapati is the principal Deity of the home.
TRADITIONAL SALUTATION
Praise be to elephant-faced Ganesha, the Incomprehensible One with a sharp tusk, three eyes and capacious belly, King of all beings, the Eternal One of blood-red hue, Whose forehead is illuminated by the new moon, Son of Siva-Shakti, Remover of all difficulties. Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
Teaching children prayers to recite at regular times during the day is a wonderful practice through which we fulfill our duty of passing our religion on to coming generations. Parents are encouraged to sit and say these prayers with the children until they enter the spirit of talking with Lord Ganesha themselves.
MORNING PRAYER
Aum, Lord Ganesha, You make the flowers grow, You keep the Earth going around the Sun. All day You keep things going right. You are Lord of the devas. I am one of Your devas, too. Help me to think of the needs of others, and to be kind to everyone I meet. Help me to think of You first before beginning something new and to always do what is right and kind. Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
NOON PRAYER
Aum, Lord Ganesha, You have kept my heart beating. You have guarded me from wrongdoing. Make my love for my family and friends grow stronger each day. Make me careful and wise. Help me to respect and heed the remindings of our kulaguru, to be respectful to my parents and remember above all the wisdom of the Vedas. Ganesha, that is a lot for me to do. Please help me succeed. Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
BEDTIME PRAYER
Aum, Lord Ganesha, nightime is here and the moon is in the sky above, reminding me of Your crescent tusk. Remain with me, Ganesha, through the night, in my deepest sleep, in my inner experiences, as You have remained with me during my daytime, outer encounters. Let me never forget You, even in my dreams. May we as a family be guided by Your loving wisdom, even there. Ganesha saranam, sharanam Ganesha.
MEALTIME PRAYER
Aum, Lord Ganesha, all is within You. God Siva has given You dominion over the material universe. Let me remember to always share my food with others. May the prasada You have given me today make all my pranas and subtle currents flow in perfect harmony, making my body healthy and strong so that I may serve You well. Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
We close this section with a prayer to Lord Vighnaraja, Ruler of Obstacles, for guidance and inspiration. This is something we all need to persevere through life's offerings of its many challenges to the supreme goal of moksha.
FOR GUIDANCE AND INSPIRATION
O Lord and ruler of many ganas, O Peaceful One who loves pomp and ceremony, patron of the arts and perserver of the best of ancient cultures, the one worshiped by all sages, use Your mighty trunk to hold us close to Your majestic mind, our purest state. Respond to our entreaties for clarity and direction, for this we supplicate. Protect us from beguiling ways and sternly direct us in the ways of our forefathers' traditions, forging for us new patterns to bring forth the old in the world of today. Keep us resolute to live the Sanatana Dharma. We prostrate at Your holy feet. Please grant us Your grace. Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
Shri Ganesha Upanishad
Excerpts from Ganapatyatharshirsham,Translated from Sankrit by Dr. Vasant Lad
Aum! Let us listen with our ears to that which is auspicious, adorable one. Let us perceive with our eyes what is holy and auspicious. With strong, stable body and limbs, may we seek the divine grace and accept the noble order of all our life.
I surrender to you, Lord Ganesha. You are the speaker. You are the listener. You are the giver. You are the sustainer. I am your disciple. Protect me from the front and back. Protect me from the north and the south, from above and below. Protect me from all directions.
You are full of perfect knowledge of truth and awareness. You are full of bliss and pure consciousness. You are truth, consciousness and bliss. You are the absolute awareness. You are full of supreme wisdom and knowledge.
You are the earth, water, fire, air and the space. You are the root foundation of speech. You are beyond the three gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas. You are beyond the physical, mental and causal bodies. You are beyond the three aspects of time: past, present and future. You are eternally established in the muladhara chakra. You have three shaktis: action, knowledge and will.
Salutation to the Ganapati whose seed mantra is Aum Gam. We know Ekadanta, the One-tusked God, the unique God. We meditate upon Vakratunda, the curved-trunk God. May that unique elephant God illumine our consciousness and direct us along the right track.
One should meditate upon Lord Ganesha having one tusk and four arms; holding the noose and goad with two of them; with the other two indicating varada, the giving of boons and blessings, and abhaya mudra, the fear removing gesture; having a mouse as the emblem on his ensign; possessing a big, beautiful belly and large, lovely ears which look like winnowing baskets; having a red cloth and His whole body covered with red sandalwood paste. He should be worshiped with red flowers. He manifests Himself as the universe and is beyond prakriti, matter, and Purusha, the manifest God. One who worships Ganesha in this way forever is the best of yogis.
Prostrations to Vratapati, the Lord of Plenty. Prostrations to Ganapati, the Lord of various groups of Gods. Prostrations to Pramathapati, the Lord of Siva's hosts. Prostrations to Lambodara, the full-bellied God with a single tusk, destroyer of obstacles, the Son of Siva, the Bestower of all Blessings.
He who chants this Ganapati Upanishad will verily get established in Brahman, the pure awareness. He will never encounter any obstacles. He will be happy everywhere. He will be free from the five great sins and lesser ones. By reciting this in the evening, the day's sins are destroyed.
By reciting this in the early morning, one becomes free from the sins committed at night in dreams. Reciting this morning and evening, one becomes totally free from all sins. He becomes totally free from all obstacles. He achieves the four divine ends of life: dharma, artha, kama and moksha: virtue, wealth, pleasure and liberation. Aum Ganesha sharanam, sharanam Ganesha.
Maha Ganesha Pancharatna Stotram
A Renowned Five-Jeweled Hymn byShri Adi Sankara (798-820), with aFree-Flowing Translation by J. Sethuraman
I bow to Vinayaka, who, with glee, holds a half-eaten modaka in His hand, who is the ever-present means of moksha, who has the moon as an ear ornament, who protects all the worlds, who is the single leader for those who have been left leaderless (i.e. are lost without anybody to help them), who destroyed the elephant demon and who swiftly removes the blemishes of those who bow to Him.
I seek refuge of the great Lord (Vinayaka), who is higher than the highest, who is everlasting, who is ferocious to others than those that bow to Him, who is resplendent as the newly rising sun, worshiped by both demons and Gods, the savior of those that bow to Him from all their miseries, the lord of all the Gods, the lord of all wealth, the elephant God, and Ganeshvara, the lord of the ganas.
I bow to the resplendent one who bestows peace to all the worlds, who conquered the elephant demon, who has not a small belly, the excellent one who has a beautiful elephant face, who is eternal, who is kind, who is forgiving, who gives happiness, who bestows fame and who satisfies every wish of those that bow to Him.
I worship the ancient elephant God who shares the misery of the poor, the fit receptacle of all the ancient prayers, the first son of the enemy of the three cities (Siva), the shatterer of the pride of the demons, the fierce destroyer of the worlds, decorated by fire and other elements, and whose elephant cheeks are flowing with must (the rut that flows from the cheeks of male elephants.)
I constantly think of Him alone, the single-tusked one, with a lovingly brilliant tusk, the son of the destroyer of the sacrifice (Siva), with a form that cannot be comprehended, with no end, who tears asunder all doubts, and who is verily like spring to the yogis who hold Him in their hearts all the time.
One who repeats every day the Maha Ganesha Pancharatna Stotram with reverence, in the mornings (evenings) while holding Ganeshvara in his heart, he, very quickly, will be joined by good health, blemishlessness, good fellowship, good children, long life and the eight vibhutis (powers, or ashtavibhuti, anima, mahima, lagima, garima, etc.)
The completion of the Maha Ganesha Pancharatna Stotram.
Ganesha Invocation
An Invocation to Lord GanapatiRig Veda 2.23.1
Aum gananAm tva ganapating(traditionally chanted ganapati gm) havamahekavinkavInam upamashravastamamjyeshtharajam brahmanam brahmanaspataanah shrinvan nUtibhih sida sadanam
May we worship Ganapati,
the Protector of Noble People,
the Best Poet,
the Most Honorable,
the Greatest Ruler and
the Treasure of all Knowledge.
O Ganapati! Please listen to us
and take Your seat in our heart.

Food-Blessing Chant
A Prayer of Gratitude to the Source of Sustenance.Lines 1-4 are from Shri Adi Sankara's Annapurnashtakam.Lines 5-6 are the Isha Upanishad invocation.Lines 7-8 are a traditional Saivite closing.
Aum annapurne sadapurne shankaraprana vallabhe;
Jnanavairagya siddhyartham bhiksham dehi cha pArvati.
MatA cha pArvatI devI pita devo maheshvarah
bandhavah shiva bhaktashcha svadesho bhuvanatrayam.
Aum purnamadah purnamidam purnAtpurnam udachyate,
PUrnasya purnamAdaya purname vava shishyate.
Aum shantih shantih shantih. Aum shivarpanamastu.
Aum, beloved Shakti of Siva, Fullness everlasting and fully manifest as this food; O, Mother of the universe, nourish us with this gift of food so that we may attain knowledge, dispassion and spiritual perfection. Goddess Parvati is my mother. God Maheshvara is my father. All devotees of Siva are my family. All three worlds are my home. Aum, Siva is Fullness. Creation is fullness. From Siva's Fullness flows this world's fullness. This fullness issues from that Fullness, yet that Fullness remains full. Aum, peace, peace, peace. Aum, this I offer unto Siva.

Prayer When Offering Incense
dashangam guggulopetamsugandham sumanoharamaghreyah-sarvadevanamdhupo-yam pratigrihyatam
O Lord! here is offered the incense
made of sweet-smelling herbs.
This is meant for the devas.
Please accept it.

Peace Invocation
A Prayer for Peace and Clarityintoned to begin and end teaching sessions,meetings and other group activities.Krishna Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Upanishad 2.1.1
Aum saha nAvavatu,saha nau bhunaktu,saha vIryam karavavahai,
tejasvinAv adhItamastu,ma vidvishAvahai,
Aum shantih, shantih, shantih.
Aum, may He protect us. May He be pleased with us.May we work together with vigor. May our studiesillumine us. May we have no contention or hostilitybetween us. Aum, peace, peace, peace.

Shri Ganesha: Saguna and Nirguna BrahmanNo other religion offers such insight into the intricate workings of our universe than Hinduism. More importantly, no other religion offers the grace of a God that is within us as well as within all things outside of ourselves, that is both within form as Saguna Brahman and beyond form as Nirguna Brahman and that may be known my the devout seeker even in this life. Little wonder that the Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Path, has withstood the ravages of time and stands today as the most advanced system of philosophy and devotion on the earth. It is fully in accord with, and in fact its sages clearly anticipated, the advances of 20th Century science. Hinduism today stands as the religion of the village community as well as the urban family - an enlightened faith for all men in all times. The single most unifying force within Hinduism is Lord Ganesha, son of Siva/Sakti, beloved Deity of over 600 million Hindus.It is an incontrovertible fact that Lord Ganesha is real, not a mere symbol. He is a potent force in the universe, not a representation of potent universal forces. Of course, Ganesha belongs to all mankind, not to Hindus alone, though not all men on the planet call Him by our name, Ganesha. ... To some Chinese He is Kuan-shi t'ien or Ho Tei, the large-bellied God of Happiness. To the Polynesians He is God Lono. The Tamils call him by the affectionate term Pilliar, Noble Child. The Tibetians know Him as ts' ogs-bdag, and the Burmese worship Maha-Pienne. In Mongolia His name is Totkhar-our Khaghan. Cambodians offer worship to Prah Kenes, and the Japanese supplicate Vinayaksa or Sho-ten. By some He is envisioned as the feminine Mother Nature, and even non-believers seek to understand Him through personifying His great powers as Fate, Destiny or Numen, The Greeks called Him Janus and sought His blessings at the outset of any new venture. ... In one form or another, Lord Ganesha is honored throughout the world. Hindus worship Him at countless pujas performed daily on every continent. In temples and home shrines Ganesha is worshipped today in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Malaysia, Java, Bali, Borneo, Tibet, Burma, Siam, China, Indo-China, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, Africa, Europe and North America.Abundantly built. Lord Ganesha is said to contain within Himself all matter, all mind. He is the very personification of material existence. We look upon this physical world as the body of Lord Ganesha. Hindus do not believe that God is in heaven, aloof from His creation. We believe in the divine immanence of God, that He is non-different from the world that He has created. In seeing and understanding the varied forces at work in the physical universe, we are seeing and understanding the powers and the being of Lord Ganesha. God is everywhere. Lord Ganesha is everywhere in this physical universe. In looking upon the world and all that happens in it and in our daily lives, we are learning to see God everywhere. There is nothing that exists apart from God. If we know that, then life becomes a joy, for we know that all that happens, whether it brings sorrow or happiness, whether we personally wanted it to happen or not, still we know that all that happens is right and good. This is a wonderful spirit for all Hindus to carry into our daily lives - a complete trust that all that happens is for the best, a full knowing that God's Will prevails everywhere.Symbols of Lord GaneshaSWASTIKAThe swastika is a sign of auspiciousness, a lucky cross associated with the good fortunes given by Lord Ganesha. It is said that the swastika has the crooked arms due to the fact that the path toward our objectives is not always straight, but filled with change and indirection.NOOSEThe noose, usually held in Ganesha's left hand, is unlike the more warring weapons of the other Deities. It is a gentle implement, used to capture and then hold obstacles or difficulties, to direct us along the right path much as a rider guides his steed by the use of the bridle and reins.MODAKAThe modaka is a sweet, round cake made of rice and sugar, and offered in Ganesha worship, The modaka is looked upon as the sweetest of all things sweet: as Siddhi, the gladdening fulfillment or joy hidden within everything.TUSKThe single broken tusk held in Ganesha's fourth hand is considered the symbol of sacrifice. For the elephant the tusks are beauty and pride and strength. But, in order to save the Mahabharata, Ganesha broke His own tusk. Thus He teaches us the noble principle of personal sacrifice.Shri Ganesha: Saguna and Nirguna Brahmanwww.hinduismtoday.com The Sadguru is BrahmanThe Guru is God Himself manifesting in a personal form to guide the aspirant. Grace of God takes the form of the Guru. To see the Guru is to see God. The Guru is united with God. He inspires devotion in others. His presence purifies all.The Guru is verily a link between the individual and the immortal. He is a being who has raised himself from this into That, and thus has free and unhampered access into both the realms. He stands, as it were, upon the threshold of immortality; and, bending down he raises the struggling individuals with his one hand, and with the other lifts them up into the empyrean of everlasting joy and infinite Truth-Consciousness.

* Ganesha Mantra
Ganesha Mantras are known as Siddhi Mantra
(the one with perfection).
Each and every mantra is full of energy and power of Lord Ganesha.
It is believed that mantras of Ganesha,
when chanted with genuine devotion, give positive results.
These mantras ward off all trials and troubles
gracing the devotee with every success.
All mantras are disclosed by the Almighty,
through the Intelligence, Vision and Experience
of the divinely illuminated and perfected sages
and men of integral God-Experience.
Ganesha is the power of knowledge, success and fulfillment.
It is believed that people get benefit out of these mantras
when chanted with utmost devotion and faith.
Success is not far when you have
love and respect, faith and understanding, kindness and willpower
in your heart and when you are in touch with that power
which breaks up all restrictions, obstacles, problems, difficulties
and makes available to you the rays of success,
prosperity and abundance.
Some such Mantras are given below for the
spiritual benefit of the readers -
*Special Ganesha Mantras*
*Aum Shri Ganeshaya Namah* "Praise to Lord Ganesha".
This is the mantra of prayer, love and adoration.
It is chanted to get Ganesha's blessings
for the positive starting of a project,
work or simply to offer
him the praise.
*Aum Gan Ganapatye Namah* This is Lord Ganesha's mula ("root") mantra.
It is also known as his ''beej'' Mantra.
This mantra is used for Yoga Sadhana in which
we pray to Lord Ganesha and merge ourself with the
supreme knowledge and peace.
This is a mantra from Ganapati Upanishad.
One can always use it before starting any new venture
so that success comes without any hassle.
*Aum Vakratundaya Hum* This is a powerful mantra from Ganesha Purana.
When things are not in your favour,
or when the minds of the people turn negative,
depressed or discouraged, the attention of Ganesha
may be drawn by this mantra to straighten their ways.
The HUM symbolizes
"Delay no more, my Lord, in straightening the paths
of the crooked-minded ones."
This mantra is used many a times in the
Ganesha Purana to reduce the violence of cruel demons.
In addition, this mantra could also be used for healing
any spinal problem,
such as curvature of the spine or curved limbs.
Dedicate 1,008 repetitions of this holy word
to straighten and heal such deficiencies.
*Aum Kshipra Prasadaya Namah* Kshipra means immediate.
If some danger or negative energy is coming
your way and you don't know how to get rid of that danger,
with true devotion, practice this mantra
for quick blessing and purification of one's aura.
*Aum Shrim Hrim Klim Glaum Gam Ganapataye vara varada sarva janamme vashamanaya svaha * There are several beej (seed) mantras in this mantra.
Among other things, it says,
"Shower Your blessings,
O Lord. I offer my ego as an oblation."
*Aum Sumukhaya Namah* This mantra has a lot of meaning, in simple terms,
it means you will be always very beautiful in soul,
in spirit, in face,
everything. By meditating on this mantra,
very pleasing manners and a beauty comes on you.
Along with that comes peace,
which constantly works in your eyes;
and the words you speak are all filled with that power of love.
*Aum Ekadantaya Namah* Ekadanta refers to one tusk in the elephant face,
which means God broke the duality and made you
to have a complete one-pointed mind.
Whoever has that oneness of mind and single-minded
devotion will achieve everything.
*Aum Kapilaya Namah* Kapila (red) means that you are able to give colour therapy.
You are able to create colours around
yourself and around others, soak them in that colour and heal them.
As per the mantra you create,
so will you create the colors. Another meaning is
"wish cow," the "cow of plenty."
It means that whatever you wish, that comes true.
There is a wish-cow inside you.
Whatever you wish, especially for curing others,
comes true instantly.
*Aum Gajakarnikaya Namah* The ears of Ganesha, the elephant - god, are constant fanning,
which means people can talk a lot,
but you are not receiving inside anything other than what is important.
It also means that you can sit anywhere and tune
this celestial tube (the body) with seven channels
(chakras) and all 72,000 nadis, to any loka and be able
to hear ancestors, angels, the voice of God
or the voice of prophets.
That kind of inner ear you will develop through this mantra.
*Aum Lambodaraya Namah* This means you feel that you are this universe.
It means that all the celestial bodies are within you.
Like an entire tree is in the seed,
the whole universe is in the sound of creation, which is Aum,
and that Aum consciousness in you makes you feel
that you are the universe.
Therefore, if you say, realizing the oneness with the universe,
"shanti to the world"
every day, then the grace of God will come
and there will be world peace, universal peace.
It is the universe within Aum and Aum within you.
*Aum Vikataya Namah* This means realizing this world as a dream or a drama.
When you are in that high consciousness,
this whole world looks like a dream.
All of us have taken a role. We have to play our role in life
as wife or husband or children or citizens,
all consistent with the role we have taken.
When an actor bitten by a sponge cobra that is brought
on the stage falls, the entire audience cries;
but that boy who has fallen knows it was not a real cobra
and he is not dead.
Life is a drama --definitely life in this material world,
this physical world of ego, is a drama.
But inside, like the boy on the stage
who is quite happy knowing that he didn't die by the bite
of the sponge cobra,
like that, the truth never dies in us; it is immortal.
So everything else you consider as drama.
That consciousness comes to you by knowing this mantra.
*Aum Vighna Nashanaya Namah* This mantra invokes the Lord Ganesha
to remove every hindrance in your life and in your works.
By constant meditation on this mantra,
all obstacles and blocked energy in your physical
and cosmological bodies are released.
*Aum Vinayakaya Namah* Vinayaka is the name of Ganesha in the golden age.
So by realizing this mantra, your life will have a golden age.
In your office, in your work, you'll be the boss.
Vinayaka means something under control.
Vinayaka means the Lord of resolving problems.
*Aum Ganadhyakshaya Namah* This mantra is very important.
Suppose you have a group,
a country, neighbours, or any kind of group therapy,
group healing or a whole country requiring healing,
then you have to bring that entire group to your mind's
arena and say this mantra.
A group healing takes place by this mantra.
*Aum Bhalachandraya Namah* In Sanskrit, bhala means the forehead center.
Chandra means the crescent moon.
Bhalachandra means that chakra from where the nectar drips.
That is the secret of all healing.
It is to feel yourself as Shiva, identifying yourself with the
Truth and feeling constantly that you are carrying
the crescent moon, the symbol of growth and nectar of peace.
-- Sriram Savarkar Hinduism is more a way of life than a method of worship. *Dharmo Rakshati Rakshithaha *If you protect Dharma, Dharma will in turn protect you

GANESHA the pillar

Loving Ganesha
Chapter 1: The Nature of Lord Ganesha
Shri GaneshasyaSvabhavah
The Natureof Lord Ganesha
TRIAD OF THREE GREAT PILLARS HAVE HELD Hinduism high, century after century: the satgurus, the temples and the scriptures. Together they echo the greatness of the loving God Ganesha, the Lord of Dharma, son of Siva. For untold millennia our rishis and sages have proclaimed the profound depths of the mind, assuring us that we, too, can and must come to know God and the Gods. It is the living presence of these satgurus and their spoken teachings which has brought to life the traditional practices and philosophy of the Sanatana Dharma. Now we shall delve into the nature of Lord Ganesha, what He is like, what functions this great God performs and find out how each seeker can make Him a vital part of daily life's path of experience.
Once a psychic connection is made with Lord Ganesha -- the Deity who manifests in several forms, including the elephant-headed Lord of Categories and Remover of Obstacles -- one is brought slowly into the mysteries of the Sanatana Dharma. Such an inner connection, which can be as subtle as a feeling, as tenuous as a dream or as bold as a personal visit, is also an entering into one's own muladhara chakra, governed by the planet Mercury, for every opening into a new chakra is also an introduction to the Deity who governs that state of consciousness and the planet to which that chakra is connected.The Sanatana Dharma, known today as Hinduism, is the only living religion on the planet that does not look to a human founder for its source of inspiration, scripture or historical beginning. It is timeless and ageless. Sanatana Dharma, the root religion of humankind, looks inward for its origins, into the subtle, superconscious realms within the microcosm, which it calls the Karanaloka, Sivaloka or Third World. This great religion has no single organized headquarters on the material plane. Nor does it have a one hierarchy. Who then is in charge of Hinduism? Why, it is none other than our loving Ganesha! He doesn't live in Rome, nor in Salt Lake City. Lord Ganesha lives simultaneously everywhere Hindus worship and pray within themselves. He doesn't have to be reappointed from time to time, because yugas and yugas ago He was permanently and irrevocably appointed when He was created for this work.
Ganesha, the Great Gatekeeper
Yes, it is the Great Ganesha who is the gateway for seekers into the world's most ancient faith. He is the inner authority, the guardian, the one who grants access to the spiritual mysteries of the Sanatana Dharma. All Hindus worship Him, regardless of their sectarian or philosophical positions. He truly binds them together in His love. This great God is both the beginning of the Hindu religion and the meeting ground for all its devotees. And that is only proper, inasmuch as Ganesha is the personification of the material universe. The universe in all of its varied and various magnificent manifestations is nothing but the body of this cheerfully portly God.
Ganesha sits on the psychic lotus of the muladhara chakra, the ganglia of nerves at the base of the spine within everyone. This chakra governs time, matter and memory. As the spiritual aspirant is lifted up from fear and confusion into conscious awareness of right thought, right speech and right action, the muladhara chakra becomes activated. It is then that the seeker, with heart filled with love, encounters the holy feet of Lord Ganesha. As the spiritual seeker worships the loving elephant-faced God, clearness of mind comes more and more as he automatically and very slowly enters the Hindu path to enlightenment. Once the connection is firmly established between the devotee and Ganesha, all of the currents of the devotee's mind and body become harmonized. After that strong connection is made, should he falter on the spiritual path, he has gained divine protection.B ut the seeker loses one thing. He loses his free, instinctive willfulness. It is lost forever. Yet it is not a great loss. Man's own personal willfulness, his animalistic free will, is a feeble and insignificant force when compared to Lord Ganesha's divine will. When beholden to God Ganesha and inwardly awakened enough to be attuned to His will, it is then quite natural that the instinctive will bows down. Personal likes and dislikes vanish. Limited faculties of reason and analysis are overpowered and subdued by a greater will, a cosmic will, the will of dharma. When sufficient humility has been awakened, it is easy to surrender personal, instinctive willfulness to the greater subsuperconscious will of dharma. It happens most naturally, but very slowly, because Lord Ganesha, of all the many Gods, proceeds with methodic deliberation. He is the careful, loving guide on the inner path of all seekers.
Among all the wonderful Hindu Deities, Lord Ganesha is the closest to the material plane of consciousness, most easily contacted and most able to assist us in our day-to-day life and concerns. In His hands Ganesha wields a noose and a goad. With the noose He can hold you close or hold obstacles close. Ganesha can capture and confine both blessings and obstacles. With the goad, Ganesha can strike and repel obstacles. This Lord is called the Remover of Obstacles; but He also places obstacles in our way, for sometimes his devotees are proceeding in the wrong direction, and His obstacles block their progress and guide them slowly back onto the straight path of dharma. When instinctive willfulness causes the seeker to decide to step out of the boundaries of dharma, the Lord of Obstacles is there to block the way. His emblem is the swastika, symbolizing His circuitous course in guiding the seeker through life's perplexing experiences.
Adopted by the Elephant God
Seekers of Truth come from many backgrounds, many religions, and have trod many paths. Having become acquainted with Lord Ganesha, they may wonder how their past can participate in their present aspirations. "What am I doing worshiping an elephant-faced God and loving it?" they may wonder. "What do I do now to harmonize this unfoldment with my previous upbringing?"
There is a way to reconcile this subconscious dilemma. Let's not "pack it away in denial," as they say; let's face up to the spiritual awakening. Truth is, you have a loving friend in Ganesha, who, if we may use the word, is the pope of the Hindu religion. And you are by no means alone. One fourth of the human race is acquainted with Ganesha -- twenty-five percent of the people on this planet -- 1.25 billion, and that number is growing year by year.O ur loving Ganesha leads his devotees deep into the oldest religion on planet Earth. There are two ways to come into Hinduism. One is to be born into the Hindu religion and be carried in your mother's arms to the temple, there to be inwardly and psychically connected to our loving God, Ganesha. So strong are those early impressions and samskaras that they carry you through life. Another way is to unfold naturally to the point of being ready to formally enter Hinduism, to supplicate, to sincerely entreat the guardians of that religion to allow you to be a part of that immense and ancient tradition. You have to want to be a Hindu so strongly, so sincerely, that Lord Ganesha lifts you out of the fog of the materialistic conscious mind, establishing a connection and a relationship with you. This is a personal relationship with the Deity. There is nobody in-between -- just you and the God, Lord Ganesha. It's like being adopted, in a way. If you were an orphan or abandoned on the streets of Sao Paulo or Madras or on the streets of wherever there are little kids running around, you would be "free." You could go through life listening to no one and exercising unrestricted free will, free instinctive will. If you had a developed intellect, then you could exercise an intellectual will. You could do anything that you wanted to do, absolutely anything. Of course, you would find that as you attempted to fulfill your desires, you were limited, sometimes prevented, by the natural forces within and without. But you could attempt anything. If you were fortunate enough, foster parents might come along to help you. They would adopt you and take you into their home. Your new mother would begin to lovingly guide and direct your life. She would tell you, "You can play as you like in this room, but not in the others." She is a wise mother and knows that you are accustomed to having your own way, so she lets you play freely within the confines of your own room. But if she catches you playing in another room, she might say firmly, "You may play in your room, not here in this room." You have lost your "free will" in being adopted by a mother and father, you are a part of their family now, and your well-being, your education, your training all now come under their will, to which you must adjust yourself and obey. They will watch over you and discipline you morning and night. They will protect you from getting into trouble with your "free will." The modern concept of freedom leads to the darker chakras below the muladhara chakra. Anguish is there.
Developing a Personal Relationship
It is the same when you evolve a relationship, a personal relationship, with the Deity Lord Ganesha. He will not allow you to use your free will to get into difficulties. Guiding you carefully and protecting you along your way in your natural karma through life is His concern. Someone once said, "I worship Lord Siva, I worship Lord Murugan, but I have never really gotten acquainted with Lord Ganesha." I responded, "You worship Siva and Lord Murugan, and that is wonderful. But unless you have established a personal relationship with Lord Ganesha, your worship of any of the Gods is probably more according to your own thoughts and fancy than true worship. Until you have established a rapport with Lord Ganesha, you cannot establish a relationship with Krishna, Ayyappan, Amman, Vishnu, Rama, Hanuman, Lakshmi, Sita, Radharani, Siva or Murugan, outside of your own limited concepts. It is Ganesha who introduces you to the millions of Gods of the Hindu pantheon, no one else. That is the way it works."
Yes, little by little, slowly, imperceptibly, a relationship evolves, a very personal, loving relationship, between the devotee and the elephant-faced God. Psychic protection is granted, physical protection, mental and emotional protection are all granted as boons by Him. He will not allow His devotees to use their free, instinctive willfulness to make more kukarma by getting into difficulties. Rather, He will guide them carefully, protecting them every moment along the way so that their natural birth karmas may be worked through and sukarma created by right living. This is His main concern. Lord Ganesha loves and cares for His devotees. Once the devotee is connected to Him through the awakening of the muladhara chakra, loneliness is never experienced.G anesha is a truly wonderful, loving God. He has an extraordinary knack for unweaving complicated situations and making them simple. He can unweave his devotees from their karma, simplifying and purifying their lives. But this only happens after they have established a personal relationship with Him. Soon thereafter, changes begin to happen in their lives; and when they go through difficult times, they no longer become angry or live in fear or worry. When difficult times come, they know it is because they are being unwound from accumulated and congested, difficult karmas or being turned in a new direction altogether. They know that at such a time they have to consciously surrender their free, instinctive willfulness and not fight the divine happenings, but allow the God's divine will to guide their life. Such is the spiritual path of total surrender, known as prapatti.
The Meaning of Grace
"What about the grace of the Deity?" seekers ask. Grace is received from the God when you are consistent in your worship, consistent in your discipline, consistent in your bhakti, your devotion. With such a foundation in your life, a great shakti, a force or power, will come from Lord Ganesha. This is grace. It is uplifting. It comes unexpectedly. When grace comes, your mind may change and your heart may melt. Your sight will become clear and penetrating. You may say, "I have been graced to see everything differently." New doors will begin to open for you, and as you go through them, your life will become more full, more wonderful. And the grace of it is that it would not have ordinarily happened to you.
Seekers also inquire, "What is the difference between grace and a boon from the Gods?" Grace is not exactly a boon. A boon comes as the result of something that you ask for and receive. A boon is quite specific. Grace comes because of the state of the soul in conjunction with its particular karma. It comes because we have done everything right up to a certain point in time according to the laws of dharma. It is then that the grace of the God comes. Grace is not for a specific need or event in our life, as a boon would be. Grace is more of a complete transformation -- a metamorphosis. After receiving grace of a God, the devotee can never be the same again, never look at life again in the old way.B y grace we are directed deeper into spiritual life, pointed in the right direction, carefully guided on the San Marga, the straight path to our supreme God. After grace has been received, our thoughts are enlivened, our life is inspired with enthusiasm and energy, and we live daily in the joyous knowledge that everything is all right, everything is happening around us in accord with our karma, our dharma and God's gracious will.
The Gods Are Real Beings, Not Mere Symbols
Many people look at the Gods as mere symbols, representations of forces or mind areas. Actually, the Gods are beings, and down through the ages ordinary men and women, great saints and sages, prophets and mystics in all cultures have inwardly seen, heard and been profoundly influenced by these superconscious, inner-plane, inner-galactic beings. Lord Ganesha is just such a being. He can think just as we can think. He can see and understand and make decisions -- decisions so vast in their implications and complexity that we could never comprehend them with our human faculties of limited understanding.
In recent history, missionaries and others from the Western religions have told the Indian people over and over again that their Gods are not real beings, but merely symbols of spiritual matters -- and unfortunately many have begun to believe this and look at their Gods in this way. Even among Hindus there are quite a few who don't believe in inner-world beings. Their belief is restricted to the people they see in the physical world, and that is all. You dare not tell them differently. It is very difficult, but not impossible, to introduce them to the grand philosophy which is based solely on worship, meditation, inner discipline and the search for Absolute Truth. But this is too high-minded for those living in the everyday materialistic consciousness. For the knowledge of inner worlds to become accepted, a personal realization has to occur. This is a slow process for the materialist, a very slow process, and only Lord Ganesha can help it along. To contact Lord Ganesha, it is imperative that the materialist visit one of His temples or shrines, to make initial contact. It only takes one meeting.
How to Approach the Deity
When you approach the Deity, you should believe that Ganesha feels your presence, that He sees you just as you see Him. In thus seeing Him in very human terms, you will get to know Him better. You will develop a very human relationship with Him. It is especially important that you develop this relationship with Lord Ganesha. It will not be difficult to nurture a friendly feeling for Him, because Ganesha is the Deity who governs our instinctive-intellectual state of mind. He governs the instinctive mind of all the animals, the insects, the birds and the fish, and governs, as well, all the forces of prakriti, nature. Lord Ganesha is also the Deity who governs the higher intellectual mind, of science and profound knowledge. This is why they call Him Lord of Categories. As Lord of Categories, He organizes and clears the intellectual mind so that individual awareness can flow unhindered in the many areas of developing thought. As Lord of Obstacles, He creates and removes obstacles so that karma becomes more and more perfect as the refinement process of living through the experiences of life continues.
In the temples of India, even the offerings that come in through the day from pilgrims, who bring silver, gold and gifts of all kinds to be placed into the hundi, are counted at nightfall before the Deity. He sees this and is told of all that was given to Him, and He knows. At night, the Deity is ceremoniously put to bed. They treat Him in very human terms. In the morning He is symbolically awakened, then bathed and dressed. The Deity is treated just as if He were a human person. Well, in the Third World that kind of dedication, intense bhakti, is noticed, and it is appreciated.
Connecting the Three Worlds: Hindu Magic
Now you might wonder, "Where are the inner worlds?" It is where you were just before you were conceived. They are in the nonphysical microcosm of this macrocosm. When you were conceived, you began to slowly grow a new physical body inside your mother. At that time you were living in your astral body in the nonphysical microcosm. You existed, to be sure, but not in this physical macrocosm.
The devas and Deities are all in that nonphysical microcosm. They actually exist inside material existence, for there are many worlds, or planes of existence, within the physical world. If you were to go into the physical microcosm, into a cell and into an atom, and into the inside of that and the inside of that, you would come out in the macrocosm of the Gods. This is called the Sivaloka or Third World. Their macrocosm is bigger than our macrocosm.T he concept of this inner space is different than we ordinarily conceive. Even though their macrocosm exists within this macrocosm, it is larger than this macrocosm. Of course, that immensity is in another dimension, another world. And each world is larger than the one before -- the world of departed souls is larger than this physical world, and the world of the Gods is much larger than the heaven worlds. Therefore, in a tiny space in this physical world hundreds of thousands of devas exist -- in a very tiny space.
Establishing the Link Through Puja
When the temple priest invokes the inner worlds and the beings within them, he is consciously trying to establish a channel of communication. When he is successful, this physical microcosm opens into the devonic macrocosm. In other words, through conscious effort, he connects the inner and outer worlds, even to the point that devotees may see the transfiguration of the God, or Mahadeva, superimposed over the stone image of the Deity in the temple. They can actually see the God, as He is in the inner world. Many, many awakened souls have seen such things -- the eyes of the God moving, for instance -- and some gurus can actually hear the God speak to them. The God is still in the inner world when this happens. It is the temple that has tuned into His world. This is much like live TV. Hundreds of sets can be tuned into the same station at the same time and view actual happenings as they occur.
The God, therefore, does not travel from the altar of one temple to the altar of another temple. The procedure is similar to that of dialing a friend on the telephone and bringing his voice across a vast distance into your ear. The friend can be heard quite clearly, but he has not moved to another place. The telephone could be likened to a connection between the gross and the subtle worlds, the world of matter and the worlds of spirit, or akasha.
Where Do We Go When We "Die?"
Where does the soul go when a person dies? It goes into the subtle microcosm and then into a larger macrocosm, or greater world, and ceases for a time to function in this gross macrocosm because it is not living in a physical body. At death, the soul drops off the physical body and travels in and in and in to subtle worlds, inner worlds of existence that have their own expansive space, their own macrocosm.S mall children, four or five years old, who can speak but have not yet become too immersed in the learned reality of the conscious or external mind, often tell their parents that they remember when they were born and even before. I have had children tell me, "I came from a world that was bigger than this world." And they talked about the activities that go on there and described the people living there. Of course, as they grow older and become involved in the external thought processes, these memories fade away. This is the kind of experiential knowledge that makes religion come alive in us, more real and useful. True religion should be the most real and solid and certain thing in our entire life. When we ponder these inner worlds, we learn from within ourselves how they relate and interrelate with each other. Ponder the many visions that prophets have spoken of experiencing, of all the angels or devas that have graced mankind with their presence and their prophecies. Ponder the mystic human events that cannot adequately be explained by the rational intellect. Think of them all in terms of the inner worlds of existence, and all will become clear. Yes, one day it will all become clear, from the inside of you to the external intellect. This is real knowing. This is the building of faith. This is true Hinduism, the bedrock of daily life. When this knowing comes from the depths of your knowing state of consciousness, the temple will be the home of the Gods to you.
Worship and Meditation on Lord Ganesha
Worship, bhakti yoga, is a definite discipline and practice to be perfected according to the aptitude of the devotee. After bathing and preparing the mind, approach Lord Ganesha in the shrine or temple, bringing a small gift or flower to be placed at His holy feet. Consider that you are approaching and about to meet the most important person in the world. Make your offering and prostrate. As you prostrate, feel the energies of love and devotion flow along your spine and out through the top of the head and into the home shrine altar or sanctum sanctorum, garbhagriha, of the temple, and offer those pure actinic energies to Lord Ganesha. Rise and walk slowly three times around the sanctum, always clockwise.M editation, dhyana yoga, is a discipline you can perform after worshiping that will, when diligently and consistently practiced, brings its own rewards. Sit before the Deity and bring up the images of your own father and mother, then the family guru and finally the darshana of the elephant Lord. Now meditate upon His form, His eyes, His ears, His trunk, His two tusks, His belly, in which rests the whole world. The first time your mind wanders into the thought patterns of daily life, bring it back to your parents, your guru and the first Lord to be worshiped before proceeding on to any other of the 330 million Gods of our ancient Sanatana Dharma.
The objective is to maintain an unbroken continuity of thought and to not allow the mind to wander away from the darshana of the God. You can begin this meditation by pondering the obvious physical properties of the worshipful image. If it is made of stone, think of the stone. How large is it? Where was it quarried and how was it carved? What are the various parts of the Deity and what do they mean? What are his symbols and what do they mean? Recall them to memory. If it is a picture of Ganesha, ponder how that picture was produced. Continue to explore the Lord Ganesha with your mind. Later you can move on to less physical points of concentration. You will find that your awareness or mind will wander to unrelated areas, to concerns of the past or worries of the future. When it does, bring awareness back to your point of concentration -- the Deity, Lord Ganesha. Begin again your stream of thoughts toward Him, and when the mind once again wanders, use your willpower to bring it back to His darshana.This may be difficult at first, but constant practice will unfold new knowledge from within you, knowledge that you never knew existed and did not learn from the outside. When that happens, concentration is strong and meditation is not far away. You should be able to have twenty, thirty or even fifty thoughts on loving Ganesha in sequence without awareness being distracted into areas of the external mind. It will help if you learn to breathe diaphragmatically during these exercises. Breathe deeply but naturally, without strain or effort. As we control the pranas of the breath, we simultaneously control awareness so that it remains steady and does not move here and there. You also have to teach the body to sit still, to remain poised and not restless. All of this will come in time, not immediately. Be patient. Never become upset with yourself when distractions arise, for that is a greater distraction still. Simply accept each departure from your concentration as an opportunity to become stronger and more one-pointed, and then quietly and firmly bring awareness back to its subject, Lord Ganesha.
You must teach this simple meditation to your children, and together the entire family will learn much about the Gods of our religion. It will inspire one and all to read more about Them, to study Their stories and memorize Their sacred chants. The Gods will come to life within your own mind and every member of the family as you penetrate behind the symbols and the stories and discover the true nature of Divinities. It is not necessary to practice this meditation for extended periods. A few minutes each day is enough. Once your brief meditation is finished, sit quietly in His darshana and enjoy His energies merging with your own pranic radiations. Take that darshana and that love out of the temple when you leave, spreading it among all the peoples of the world that they, too, may come to know and love the endearing God of Hinduism.

GANESHA GOD OF WISDOM

Ganesha
God of wisdom and good beginnings. (elephant face) Mercury / Moon (Asian: Hindu)
Ganesha rules kundalini energy, the first chakra, psychic energy, and the training of the mind. He is the patron of scribes, poets, and merchants. His name may also be spelled Ganesh or Ganesa. Ganeshaís many names and titles include Bhoovanpati, Lord Of The Lord; Devadeva: Lord of All Lords; Dharmik (one who favours righteousness); Dhoomraketu; Durja, the Invincible; Ekadantha or Ekdanta (one-tusked); Gajakarnaka; Gajanana; Gajani; Ganapati or Ganapathi; Maha-Ganapathi; Ganadhyaksha; Gunina, Lord of All Virtues; Heramba; Kapila; Kaveesha, Lord of Poets; Lambodara (the pot-bellied one); Lord Ganesha; Lord of Hosts; Lord of Beginnings; Lord of Categories; Lord of Obstacles; Lord of Wisdom; Lord of Power and Wisdom; Manomay (conqueror of oneís heart); Phalachandra; Pillaiyaar; Remover of Obstacles; Shakti Ganapati; Shambhavi (son of Parvati); Shubhan (auspicious); Siddhivinayaka; Skandapurvaja; Sri Ganesha; Sumukha; Surpakarna; Vakratunda; Vignaharta; Vignaraja; Vigneshwara or Vigneswara, Lord of All Obstacles; Vikat (of the monstrous figure); Vinayaka (the one who has no overlord); Lord Vinayaka; and Yashvasin, The Popular.
The rat, mouse, bandicoot, and elephant are Ganeshaís sacred animals. Red is his color. Sesame, arugampul grass (Cynodon dactylon pers., also called couch grass and dogís tooth grass), erukkam flowers (Calotropis gigantea), shankupushpa flowers, and water lily or lotus are his sacred plants. The peepul (Arasa maram) is his sacred tree. Ganesha has more than fifty symbols, which include a shell, disc, mace, swastika, noose, elephant goad, and water lily. Om gung Ganapathare namah is his mantra.
Ganesha is honored on January 16. The feast of Ganesh Chaturthi, held on the Full Moon in August or September, celebrates his nativity. Honor Ganesha at that time by making donations to a charities, giving blood, feeding the poor, or making a clay figure of him, putting it on the altar for two days, and then throwing it into water. It is said that he will grant your wish if you honor him during his festival.
Invoke Ganesha for wisdom, prosperity, wealth, happiness, writing, literature, learning, intelligence, energy, bliss, power, travel, business, success, art, protection, forgiveness, wishes, prudence, discernment, thoughtfulness, good luck, money spells, new enterprises, self-knowledge, integration with nature, success in an undertaking or enterprise, removing obstacles, welcoming prosperity, averting negativity, fulfilling desires, preventing impediments, protecting the home, protecting the world, protecting privacy, overcoming difficulties, learning not to hold grudges, and blessing your son with virtue and character.
Ganesha can be invoked by chanting or reciting his names and titles. He is usually invoked before moving, traveling, getting married, opening a new business, starting in a new school, beginning a course of study, and so on. An offering of 108 different kinds of leaves is considered a perfect offering to Ganesha. Other appropriate offerings include plantains, his sacred plants, and small umbrellas, especially those made from his favorite grass and flowers.
The thoppikkaranam is also performed in his honor. This involves squatting and rising again, repeatedly, while holding each ear in the opposite hand. Performing 108 repetitions is a perfect offering, but fewer will suffice. Placing Ganeshaís image near the door of a home draws all of his blessings to the household.
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Sadhurthi is a day of importance for Lord Ganesh(Vinayaga), and is considered auspicious to initiate with any new endeavour, job or project. This occurs twice every month once during the growing moon period and once during the waning moon period. The Sadhurthi which falls during the growing moon period is considered as Sankadahara Sadhurthi and is considered more auspicious than the other occurance. The main Sadhurthi called Sri Ganesh Sadhurthi (Sri Vinayaga Sadhurthi) occurs during the month of September in the growing moon period and is celebrated in K.Puduppatti. During this festival large and decorated idols of Sri Vinayaga are drowned in the rivers and lakes marking the occasion.

SALUTATIONS to Lord Ganesha who is Brahman Himself, who is the Supreme Lord, who is the energy of Lord Shiva, who is the source of all bliss, and who is the bestower of all virtuous qualities and success in all undertakings.

Mushikavaahana modaka hastha,Chaamara karna vilambitha sutra, Vaamana rupa maheshwara putra,Vighna vinaayaka paada namaste.

MEANING: "O Lord Vinayaka! the remover of all obstacles, the son of Lord Shiva, with a form which is very short, with mouse as Thy vehicle, with sweet pudding in hand, with wide ears and long hanging trunk, I prostrate at Thy lotus-like Feet!"

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most popular of Hindu festivals. This is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is the day most sacred to Lord Ganesha. It falls on the 4th day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada (August-September). It is observed throughout India, as well as by devoted Hindus in all parts of the world.

Clay figures of the Deity are made and after being worshipped for two days, or in some cases ten days, they are thrown into Water.

Lord Ganesha is the elephant-headed God. He is worshipped first in any prayers. His Names are repeated first before any auspicious work is begun, before any kind of worship is begun.
He is the Lord of power and wisdom. He is the eldest son of Lord Shiva and the elder brother of Skanda or Kartikeya. He is the energy of Lord Shiva and so He is called the son of Shankar and Umadevi. By worshipping Lord Ganesha mothers hope to earn for their sons the sterling virtues of Ganesha.

The following story is narrated about His birth and how He came to have the head of an elephant:

Once upon a time, the Goddess Gauri (consort of Lord Shiva), while bathing, created Ganesha as a pure white being out of the mud of Her Body and placed Him at the entrance of the house. She told Him not to allow anyone to enter while she went inside for a bath. Lord Shiva Himself was returning home quite thirsty and was stopped by Ganesha at the gate. Shiva became angry and cut off Ganesha's head as He thought Ganesha was an outsider.

When Gauri came to know of this she was sorely grieved. To console her grief, Shiva ordered His servants to cut off and bring to Him the head of any creature that might be sleeping with its head facing north. The servants went on their mission and found only an elephant in that position. The sacrifice was thus made and the elephant's head was brought before Shiva. The Lord then joined the elephant's head onto the body of Ganesha.

Lord Shiva made His son worthy of worship at the beginning of all undertakings, marriages, expeditions, studies, etc. He ordained that the annual worship of Ganesha should take place on the 4th day of the bright half of Bhadrapada.

Without the Grace of Sri Ganesha and His help nothing whatsoever can be achieved. No action can be undertaken without His support, Grace or blessing.

In his first lesson in the alphabet a Maharashtrian child is initiated into the Mantra of Lord Ganesha, Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah. Only then is the alphabet taught.

The following are some of the common Names of Lord Ganesha: Dhoomraketu, Sumukha, Ekadantha, Gajakarnaka, Lambodara, Vignaraja, Ganadhyaksha, Phalachandra, Gajanana, Vinayaka, Vakratunda, Siddhivinayaka, Surpakarna, Heramba, Skandapurvaja, Kapila and Vigneshwara. He is also known by many as Maha-Ganapathi.

His Mantra is Om Gung Ganapathaye Namah. Spiritual aspirants who worship Ganesha as their tutelary Deity repeat this Mantra or Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah.

The devotees of Ganesha also do Japa of the Ganesha Gayatri Mantra. This is as follows.
Tat purushaaya vidmahe Vakratundaaya dheemahi Tanno dhanti prachodayaat.
Lord Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom and bliss. He is the Lord of Brahmacharins. He is foremost amongst the celibates.

He has as his vehicle a small mouse. He is the presiding Deity of the Muladhara Chakra, the psychic centre in the body in which the Kundalini Shakti resides.

He is the Lord who removes all obstacles on the path of the spiritual aspirant, and bestows upon him worldly as well as spiritual success. Hence He is called Vigna Vinayaka. His Bija Akshara (root syllable) is Gung, pronounced to rhyme with the English word "sung". He is the Lord of harmony and peace.

Lord Ganesha represents Om or the Pranava, which is the chief Mantra among the Hindus. Nothing can be done without uttering it. This explains the practice of invoking Ganesha before beginning any rite or undertaking any project. His two feet represent the power of knowledge and the power of action. The elephant head is significant in that it is the only figure in nature that has the form of the symbol for Om.

The significance of riding on a mouse is the complete conquest over egoism. The holding of the ankusha represents His rulership of the world. It is the emblem of divine Royalty.

Ganesha is the first god. Riding on a mouse, one of nature's smallest creatures and having the head of an elephant, the biggest of all animals, denotes that Ganesha is the creator of all creatures. Elephants are very wise animals; this indicates that Lord Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom. It also denotes the process of evolution--the mouse gradually evolves into an elephant and finally becomes a man. This is why Ganesha has a human body, an elephant's head and a mouse as His vehicle. This is the symbolic philosophy of His form.

He is the Lord of Ganas or groups, for instance groups of elements, groups of senses, etc. He is the head of the followers of Shiva or the celestial servants of Lord Shiva.

The Vaishnavas also worship Lord Ganesha. They have given Him the name of Tumbikkai Alwar which means the divinity with the proboscis (the elephant's trunk).
Lord Ganesha's two powers are the Kundalini and the Vallabha or power of love.
He is very fond of sweet pudding or balls of rice flour with a sweet core. On one of His birthdays He was going around house to house accepting the offerings of sweet puddings. Having eaten a good number of these, He set out moving on His mouse at night. Suddenly the mouse stumbled--it had seen a snake and became frightened--with the result that Ganesha fell down. His stomach burst open and all the sweet puddings came out. But Ganesha stuffed them back into His stomach and, catching hold of the snake, tied it around His belly.

Seeing all this, the moon in the sky had a hearty laugh. This unseemly behaviour of the moon annoyed Him immensely and so he pulled out one of His tusks and hurled it against the moon, and cursed that no one should look at the moon on the Ganesh Chaturthi day. If anyone does, he will surely earn a bad name, censure or ill-repute. However, if by mistake someone does happen to look at the moon on this day, then the only way he can be freed from the curse is by repeating or listening to the story of how Lord Krishna cleared His character regarding the Syamantaka jewel. This story is quoted in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Lord Ganesha was pleased to ordain thus. Glory to Lord Ganesha! How kind and merciful He is unto His devotees!

Ganesha and His brother Lord Subramanya once had a dispute as to who was the elder of the two. The matter was referred to Lord Shiva for final decision. Shiva decided that whoever would make a tour of the whole world and come back first to the starting point had the right to be the elder. Subramanya flew off at once on his vehicle, the peacock, to make a circuit of the world. But the wise Ganesha went, in loving worshipfulness, around His divine parents and asked for the prize of His victory.

Lord Shiva said, "Beloved and wise Ganesha! But how can I give you the prize; you did not go around the world?"
Ganesha replied, "No, but I have gone around my parents. My parents represent the entire manifested universe!"
Thus the dispute was settled in favour of Lord Ganesha, who was thereafter acknowledged as the elder of the two brothers. Mother Parvati also gave Him a fruit as a prize for this victory.
In the Ganapathi Upanishad, Ganesha is identified with the Supreme Self. The legends that are connected with Lord Ganesha are recorded in the Ganesha Khanda of the Brahma Vivartha Purana.

On the Ganesh Chaturthi day, meditate on the stories connected with Lord Ganesha early in the morning, during the Brahmamuhurta period. Then, after taking a bath, go to the temple and do the prayers of Lord Ganesha. Offer Him some coconut and sweet pudding. Pray with faith and devotion that He may remove all the obstacles that you experience on the spiritual path. Worship Him at home, too. You can get the assistance of a pundit. Have an image of Lord Ganesha in your house. Feel His Presence in it.

Don't forget not to look at the moon on that day; remember that it behaved unbecomingly towards the Lord. This really means avoid the company of all those who have no faith in God, and who deride God, your Guru and religion, from this very day.
Take fresh spiritual resolves and pray to Lord Ganesha for inner spiritual strength to attain success in all your undertakings.

May the blessings of Sri Ganesha be upon you all! May He remove all the obstacles that stand in your spiritual path! May He bestow on you all material prosperity as well as liberation!

Posted by Kasi Vishvanathar and VishalakshiAmman at 6:30 AM 0 comments



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