Ganesha Avahanam
- 11 years ago
Invoking Ganesh ji
In Indian tradition, any task, may it be a new business or a holy ceremony, is started only after worshipping and igniting Lord Ganesh. This is performed like a ritual. The underlying meaning associated with this practice is very profound. It is therefore essential for us to understand this, so that we can explain it to others, especially the younger generation, because it would make them realise and comprehend our culture and its Vedic wisdom in its true perspective.
Only when a pooja or ritual is performed, keeping in mind and understanding the philosophy and hidden messages concealed in the forms of the various deities, devi-devtas and their ritualistic worship, can it be said to be whole and complete.
The curved trunk of Ganeshji represents the arousal of the powers of the kundalini. Vast ears represent the ability to listen to and comprehend all that other's say. The big stomach inspires us to keep all that is within our minds under wraps until it is accomplished. The single tusk reminds us of that time during the Mahabharata, when the great rishi Ved Vyas, due to the ego of being very knowledgeable and a good writer could not even start writing the epic. He then had to invoke Ganeshji, who though cursed by the moon to lack lunar energy (energy for creativity and romance), heard his soulful, truthful pleas, giving him one of his tusks to be fashioned into a pen so that the task of writing the great epic could be initiated. Hence, since then, the irreplaceable use of Ivory in precious works of art was started.
The vehicle of Ganeshji is the mouse. The unique quality of the mouse is that, while the rest of the world sleeps with great abandon, it quietly keeps hoarding its burrow with all sorts of things, to be discovered only when its young ones start playing around! Similarly, before starting any task, it is essential to undergo the penance of collecting related information and making necessary preparations. This wisdom fuelled by hard work is the vehicle for success, signified by the laddoo's in Ganeshji's hands! This is his true worship or 'stuti.' A Stuti is the expression of a humble desire, of working towards realising and consequently actualizing these qualities.
In Indian tradition, any task, may it be a new business or a holy ceremony, is started only after worshipping and igniting Lord Ganesh. This is performed like a ritual. The underlying meaning associated with this practice is very profound. It is therefore essential for us to understand this, so that we can explain it to others, especially the younger generation, because it would make them realise and comprehend our culture and its Vedic wisdom in its true perspective.
Only when a pooja or ritual is performed, keeping in mind and understanding the philosophy and hidden messages concealed in the forms of the various deities, devi-devtas and their ritualistic worship, can it be said to be whole and complete.
The curved trunk of Ganeshji represents the arousal of the powers of the kundalini. Vast ears represent the ability to listen to and comprehend all that other's say. The big stomach inspires us to keep all that is within our minds under wraps until it is accomplished. The single tusk reminds us of that time during the Mahabharata, when the great rishi Ved Vyas, due to the ego of being very knowledgeable and a good writer could not even start writing the epic. He then had to invoke Ganeshji, who though cursed by the moon to lack lunar energy (energy for creativity and romance), heard his soulful, truthful pleas, giving him one of his tusks to be fashioned into a pen so that the task of writing the great epic could be initiated. Hence, since then, the irreplaceable use of Ivory in precious works of art was started.
The vehicle of Ganeshji is the mouse. The unique quality of the mouse is that, while the rest of the world sleeps with great abandon, it quietly keeps hoarding its burrow with all sorts of things, to be discovered only when its young ones start playing around! Similarly, before starting any task, it is essential to undergo the penance of collecting related information and making necessary preparations. This wisdom fuelled by hard work is the vehicle for success, signified by the laddoo's in Ganeshji's hands! This is his true worship or 'stuti.' A Stuti is the expression of a humble desire, of working towards realising and consequently actualizing these qualities.