Ganesha: Lord Of success

Ganesha — the elephant-deity riding a mouse — has become one of the commonest
mnemonics for anything associated with Hinduism. This not only suggests the
importance of Ganesha, but also shows how popular and pervasive this deity is in
the minds of the masses.

The Lord of Success

The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a
curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the
Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the
god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In fact, Ganesha is one of the five
prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being the other four) whose
idolatry is glorified as the panchayatana puja.

Significance of the Ganesha Form

Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme
reality of human existence, and his human body signifiesMaya or the earthly
existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk
represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha
holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and
remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle
implement to capture all difficulties.
The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of
sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand
suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo(sweet) he
holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His
fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his
waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of
creatures, a mouse.

How Ganesha Got His Head

The story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes
like this: Once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her
body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When
Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him
access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to
soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being
who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back
its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its
life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva
also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before
undertaking any venture.

However, there's another less popular story of his origin, found in the Brahma
Vaivarta Purana: Shiva asked Parvati to observe the punyaka vrata for a year to
appease Vishnu in order to have a son. When a son was born to her, all the gods
and goddesses assembled to rejoice on its birth. Lord Shani, the son of Surya (Sun-
God), was also present but he refused to look at the infant. Perturbed at this
behaviour, Parvati asked him the reason, and Shani replied that his looking at baby
would harm the newborn. However, on Parvati's insistence when Shani eyed the
baby, the child's head was severed instantly. All the gods started to bemoan,
whereupon Vishnu hurried to the bank of river Pushpabhadra and brought back the
head of a young elephant, and joined it to the baby's body, thus reviving it.

Ganesha, the Destroyer of Pride

Ganesha is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. He is the
personification of material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations. "All
Hindus worship Ganesha regardless of their sectarian belief," says D N Singh in A
Study of Hinduism. "He is both the beginning of the religion and the meeting ground
for all Hindus."

Ganesh Chaturthi
The devotees of Ganesha are known as 'Ganapatyas', and the festival to celebrate
and glorify him is called Ganesh Chaturthi.

How to celebrate the Great Ganesha festival

Ganesha Chaturthi, the great Ganesha festival, also known as 'Vinayak Chaturthi' or
'Vinayaka Chavithi' is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord
Ganesha. It is observed during the Hindu month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-
September) and the grandest and most elaborate of them, especially in the western
India state of Maharashtra, lasts for 10 days, ending on the day of 'Ananta
Chaturdashi'.

The Grand Celebration

A life-like clay model of Lord Ganesha is made 2-3 months prior to the day of
Ganesh Chaturthi. The size of this idol may vary from 3/4th of an inch to over 25
feet.

On the day of the festival, it is placed on raised platforms in homes or in elaborately

decorated outdoor tents for people to view and pay their homage. The priest, usually
clad in red silk dhoti and shawl, then invokes life into the idol amidst the chanting of
mantras. This ritual is called 'pranapratishhtha'. After this the 'shhodashopachara'
(16 ways of paying tribute) follows. Coconut, jaggery, 21 'modakas' (rice flour
preparation), 21 'durva' (trefoil) blades and red flowers are offered. The idol is
anointed with red unguent or sandal paste (rakta chandan). Throughout the
ceremony, Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda and Ganapati Atharva Shirsha
Upanishad, and Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted.

For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha
is worshipped. On the 11th day, the image is taken through the streets in a
procession accompanied with dancing, singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea
symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash
while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man. All join in this final procession
shouting "Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya" (O father Ganesha,
come again early next year). After the final offering of coconuts, flowers and
camphor is made, people carry the idol to the river to immerse it.

The whole community comes to worship Ganesha in beautifully done tents. These
also serve as the venue for free medical checkup, blood donation camps, charity for
the poor, dramatic performances, films, devotional songs, etc. during the days of the
festival.

Swami Sivananda Recommends 

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.

The 8 Incarnations of Lord Ganesha.

THE HINDU CLASSICS CLAIM THAT GANESHA HAS ENJOYED EIGHT PHYSICAL
INCARNATIONS -- well, eight main incarnations anyway. According to
the Mudgalpurana (20/5-12), the incarnations are: Vakratunda, Ekdunta, Mahodara,
Gajanana, Lambodara, Vikata, Vighnaraja, and Dhoomravarna. Yes, he does have an
elephant trunk in every single one of these incarnations! Most of his lives seem to involve
slaying demons! But each lifetime was different in some way, and his mode of carriage (the
animal he rode) changed in certain lifetimes -- in one life he rode a peacock and in another
he traded his ever-reliable mouse, for a noble lion!
There is an easy to notice symbolic function in these eight incarnations. In each lifetime,
Ganesha fought against and subdued a different demon. Each demon relates to a flaw in
human nature, something which needs to be overcome before one can become a Higher
Man. The eight weaknesses which Ganesha spent eight lifetimes overcoming are: jealousy,
drunkeness, illusion, greed, anger, desire, egotism, and self-infatuation (arrogance).
INCARNATION 1 ---- Vakratunda.
IN HIS FIRST INCARNATION, GANESHA WAS KNOWN AS VAKRATUNDA (THE
CURVED TRUNK ONE). If you see Ganesha pictured with a curved trunk, you can assume
this is a celebration of Ganesha's first lifetime. Basically, Vakratunda was the Ganesha who
slayed the demon Matsarasura, and his vehicle is the lion on which he is seated.
Matsarasura (or Matsara) was (and still is) a symbol of jealousy. Thus symbolically,
Ganesha/Vakratunda is the god who destroys and overcomes the destructive power of
jealousy.

INCARNATION 2 ---- Ekdunta.

IN HIS SECOND INCARNATION, GANESHA PLAYED THE ROLE OF "EKDUNTA", WITH
THE MOUSE AS HIS MODE OF CONVEYANCE. He fought the demon Madasur and
managed to subdue him. Ekdunta (or Ekadanta) means "the Lord who has only one tusk".
Madasur (or Mada) was the demon of drunkeness.
One question for the scholars: why does Ganesha have only one
tusk? The reason for this, according to Padma Purana, is that one day
when Lord Shiva was sleeping, sage Parashurama came to visit him.
However, Ganesha would not allow Parashurama in, for his father's
sleep would be disturbed. When Parashurama insisted he be
permitted entry, a fight broke out. In the course of their struggle,
Parashurama threw his axe at Ganesha. This axe had been given to
Parashurama by Lord Shiva. Recognizing the axe and out of
reverence for his father, Ganesha refused to intercept the weapon. He
bowed and took its impact on one of his tusks, which broke. This
broken tusk was used by him to write the epic, Mahabharata.
Ganesha, the embodiment of wisdom, is also depicted as a scribe to
whom sage Vyasa dictated the Mahabharata. He is accepted as the
god of learning and the patron of letters.

NCARNATION 3 ---- Mahodara.

IN HIS THIRD INCARNATION, GANESHA ASSUMED THE FORM OF "MAHODARA",

ONCE AGAIN USING THE MOUSE AS HIS VEHICLE. Mahodara contested the demon
Mohasur, and won. In fact Ganesha/Mahodara was so successful that Mohasur became a
staunch supporter, effectively won over to the Good Side of the Force. Ganesha/Mahodara
also slew two other demons, Durbuddhi and his son Jnanaari.
This quote comes from Mahodara -- Astha Vinayaka, concerning the fell dictatorship of the
Demon Mohasur: "Mohasur (sic) worshipped the Sun God and attained the name
of DaityaRaja meaning King of the Demons. He also conquered all the three worlds...
"All the gods, sages hid in caves and jungles in fear of him. There was anarchy all over. At
this time Surya, Sun God advised all the gods to worship Mahodara.
"All the Gods and the Sages started worshipping Mahodara (he is really Ganesha,
remember?) At last Mahodara/Ganesha was pleased with their devotion and blessed them,
by saying that he would slay Mohasur himself.
"When Shukracharya heard this, he told Mohasur to surrender in front of Mahodara. Lord
Vishnu also explained to Mohasur that if he surrendered he will not be killed or destroyed.
That's why he should accept the friendship of Mahodara. By saying this he started praising
and singing the glories of Lord Lambodara.
"Listening to this Mohasur became frightened and he requested Lord Vishnu to bring
Mahodara giving him due honour and respect.
"When Lord Mahodara arrived, Mohasur greeted and welcomed him with pomp and gaiety.
He sang his praises and asked for forgiveness for his evil sins. Mohasur promised the gods
that he would return them their Swargalok and assured that he would be always on the path
of righteousness. He also assured them that henceforth, he would not a dare to harass the
Gods and Sages.
"Listening to this Lord Mahodara was pleased and commanded him to go back to Pataal lok
and never return again. All the Gods and the Sages were elated, They all started singing the
praise of Lord Mahodara. (This tale) is situated in Taluka Kholapur, District Raigad."

NCARNATION 4 ---- Gajanana.

IN HIS FOURTH INCARNATION, GANESHA ASSUMED THE FORM OF "GAJANANA",
WITH THE MOUSE AS HIS VEHICLE. Gajanana made the demon Lobhasur or Lobha (son
of Kuber) submit and surrender before him, before putting him to death. Gajanana means
"the Lord with an elephant face", and Lobha was the demon of greed.

INCARNATION 5 ---- Lambodara.

THE LORD WITH THE PROTUBERANT BELLY, WHO MASTERED KRODHA, THE
DEMON OF ANGER. Ganesha's ever-present obesity is emphasized in this particular
manifestation. For the Ganapatiya devotees, who consider Ganesha as the Supreme God
and the Master of the Universe, the sweet given as offerings are seen like seeds of
innumerable worlds inhabited by innumerable living creatures, and the god's belly is large
enough to contain within all these worlds and creatures.

INCARNATION 6 ---- Vikata.

VIKATA ("THE MISSHAPEN"), WHO SUBDUED KAMA (KAMASUR), THE DEMON OF
DESIRE. Interestingly, Ganesha traded in his Mouse Vehicle to ride a peacock in this
manifestation.

INCARNATION 7 ---- Vighnaraja.

VIGHNARAJA, THE 7th INCARNATION OF GANESHA, HAD AN EVEN MORE UNUSUAL
MODE OF CONVEYANCE -- a Sheshnaag or Shasha. In this lifetime Ganesha managed to
subdue the demon Mamasur (also known as Mamtasur or Mama), the demon of the ego.
The Hindustan Times has this story to tell of Vighnaraja: "This is His (Ganesha's) most
popular incarnation, known as The Remover of Obstacles. Riding his vehicle called
Sheshnag, a serpent, he strode into battle with Mamtasur, and overcame him."
INCARNATION 8 ---- Dhoomravarna.
IN HIS FINAL INCARNATION, GANESHA RETURNED TO HAVING A MOUSE AS HIS
VEHICLE. His life mission this time around was to defeat the demon Ahamkarasur, the
demon of self-infatuation.
It is worth noting that (as all India-philes must know!) the word "Aham" means the human
ego. Aham is the demonic force which grips the human mind like a vice, with cruelty and
deception, and never lets go until the very bitter end. Like a parasitic worm Aham is so
entrenched in the psyche, the human host eventually thinks that this is all that s/he can
identify with. This demon has also been called Ahamkarasur, or Abhimanasur, both words
again pointing to the inextricable control of the ego on the human. Ganesha can smash the
bonds of your ego, if you call on Him. So call on Him. Go ahead and do it!