Ganesha

“Om Namastay Ganpatay”

                                                      Om ! Salutations to Lord Ganesha

Ganesha the most popular Hindu god, represented as elephant headed on a human body. He crearts a tempatation of luck in hearts of his devotees with his chirsmatic personality and endows with peace, prosperity and plenty of wealth to the devotees who offer prayers to him.
I am trying to describe his rich body, fascinating stories, his likes and and dislikes, powerful mantras to invoke his blessings and lot other secrets to be revelead .

The elephant headed god has obvisly a big head which represents sufficient  room to accommodate the knowledge and intellect.
Listing to others is a good leadership quality and a positive trait to make good relations in this society.
Ganesha’s big ears represent the good  listing quality a perfect human should have this quality.
In this competitive world there are many problems which ae very simple and some are tricky and sensitive to solve. A perfect man is who makes a balance to solve small and big problems.

The trunk of elephant headed ganesha represents an intellect tool which removes big hindrances from the pathway when he walks and have grass as food which seems very difficult to have from a big trunk.

It is generally accepted that human being is never satisfied. The appetite for materialistic needs never ends. But once  selfrealisation  and divine energy takes place the needs automatically gets satisfied and calmed.

Once ganesha was invited for a dinner by lord kuber.  Ganesha was tempted by the food and started eating every thing, after the food was finished, he started eating the utensils and furniture etc. All the eatables were finished but his hunger was not satisfied. Lord Shiva offered him hand full of baked riceand his hunger was satisfied. The tells us a lesson that if we bake our Vasana’s in the heat of divine power and self realization we will be satisfied.

Lord Ganesha has four arms which represent four door to the subconconsicous mind.

One hand has rope , in another an Axe, third hand has Modaka bowl, the fourth hand has a blessing position.

Rope in first hand represents to pull and stop oneself from worldly distractions, and makes nearer to the life realites.

Axe in the other hand cuts the “Moha” emotionsand attachments with sorrow’s and unrealistic joys.

The third hand which holds a bowl of Modaka’s is reward of your hardwork, satisfaction of life and joy of spirituality.

The fourth hand blesses the human being and also represents on should be kind enough to endow forgivness and sweetness.

Now another important aspect of ganesha’s properties is a mouse which is always sitting near his feet.  Mouse is a very small animal but can create big losers to the grainery. It is loaded with lot os desires. Mouse is always moving and cannot sit idle but when we see the mouse sitting very calmly at lord Ganesha’s feet . Yes this represents that ganesha controls all the worldly desires and makes the present man peaceful and  calm.

Origin of Ganesha

The deities  once gathered and discussed about the obstacles in holy rituals and acts. These obstacles were created by demons in all the holy events by the deities. The only solution seemed to them was a super power who can control the demon’s acts and create an environment of peace in the heaven.

The Dieties approached to lord Shiva for originating a dedicated  power against all evils . Shiva

The divine union of Lord Shiva and parvathhy created a child which had a head of elephant.

The Controller of all obstacles had borned and was named “Vighaneshwara” Vighan means obstacles

This story is available in the Linga Purana.

According to Shiva Puran the story for the origin of Ganesha is like this once two maids of maa Parvathy,  named Jaya and Vijaya said O mother no body in the Shiva’s  Gana hear to you and nither they are loyal to you. The all praise lord Shiva. Following this one fine day mother Parvathy went to a large water pool to have a bath and asked Nandi the chief of Gana’s to stand at hte gate of the pool and donot let anybody enter the area. She meant that the area where she is having a bath should be nicely guarded and she should feel secure.

Little later Lord shiva himself came there and started entering the pool area. Nandi as instructed by the mother stopped the Lord, but could not and shiva confronted Nandi for stopping him and entered the pool.

Maa Parvathy saw Shiva in front and rembemerd the worlds of her maids that no body listens to her and only work for Lord Shiva.

After some time when Parvathy went for a bath again. While having bath she rubbed some dust our of her body and created a male child. The child was grown up and beautiful. She released life in the his body. And said to him you are my son, you will have all my powers, and you will also obey me whenever required you will come to protect you. She asked him to stand outside the pool gate and instructed that nobody should enter the area.

Lord Shiva again roamed around the area and heard the sound of bathing from the pool he started entering the pool. At the gate he saw a healthy child standing at the pool gate. Lord started entering the gate but was stopped by the child who was guarding the pool. Shiva’s anger shooted and immediately cut the head of the child from his body.
With the shouting sounds Parvathy came out and cried for his son. She told all the story to Lord Shiva about the creation of her son.

Shiva repented by the act and consoled Parvathy assured her that he will get the child back. He instantly send his gana’s  and instructed that whosoever as a living being you find first cut his head and bring it to me. The team went for search and found an baby elephant roaming around, the gana’s cut his head and presented to Lord Shiva. He then fixed the head to the child’s body and invoked life in him. The immediately recovered and resumed all its powers.

And he became an elephant headed god. One of the names of Ganesha is Gajanan.

Some Facts about Ganesha

Relation of Modaka and Ganesha

Once all the deities visited the Kailash (Parvat) Mount  and brought Modaka as a gift. The Modaka’s were tempting and both Ganesha and Kartikeya wanted to have them first that too all. They went to Mother Parvathy for a better decision. Mother said the one who will take a round of this universe and will earn a visit of all the and comes back first will get the Modaka.

Kaartikeya went for covering the whole universe for earning the punya’s by visiting the piligrims.

Ganesha the representative of finest intellect made a round around his parents Shiva and Parvathy. It is believed that the one who is dedicated to his parents and respects them recivives more punya’s then the piligrims and puja’s.

Ganesha gets the modaka as a reward. This is a learning that we should respect our parents get rewarded by there blessings.

Do not offer Tulsi (Basil) to Ganesha.

Once Tulsi the daughter of king Dharmraja was wandering near the banks of river ganga. She saw a ashram with beautiful flowers and fragrance. Entered the area and saw Lord Ganesha dressed in yellow clothes and immediately lost in deep connection with the divine. She was infatuated on ganesha and proposed him to marry her. Ganesha refused to marry her and said that he does not want to marry. He was not at all interested in married life.
Tulsi forced him that you will surely marry me one day. In turn ganesha cursed tulsi that you will marry an Asur (Demon). And after that you will be born as a plant. Tulsi repented and asked for mercy. Then Ganesha said your leaves as a plant will be medicinal and also you will be offered in form of leaves to all gods and above all you will be liked by Naryana the supreme god. But you will not be offered to me in my puja. Who soever will offer you to me will bear bad results for the puja done.

Ganesha’s Marriage

Ganesha is his mother’s son. He considered Maa Parvathy  to be the most beautiful woman of the universe. He thought that his mother perfect wife for Lord Shiva.
He  expected a woman as his mother and belived that there is no woman whom he can compare with Maa Pavathy.

Therefore he remained single, this theory is belived in South India.

In North India it is believed that Lord Ganesha  married two woman one was siddhi(goddess of success) and Budhi (goddess of wisdom)

Twelve Names/Mantra’s of Ganesha

Om Vakratundaaya Namha
Om Ekadantayaa Namha
Om Krishna- Pingaakshaaya Namha
Om Gajavaktraya Namha
Om Lambodaraaya Namha
Om Vikataaya Namha
Om Vighana- Raajaaya Namha
Om Dhoomra- Varnaaya Namha
Om Phaala - Chandraaya Namha
Om Vinaayakaaya Namha
Om Ganapataye Namha
Om Gajaananaaya Namha

The most auspicious day for praying the lord Ganesha is the fourth day is Bhadrapad.

This day is known as Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi Day.