Lord Ganesha

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Ganesha in the Vedas

 

vakratuNDa mahAkAya sUryakoTisamaprabha

nirvighnaM kuru me deva sarvakAryeshhu sarvadA ||

 

O Ganapati, One with a curved trunk, a large body, and a brilliance equal to a

crore (10 million) suns! O God, please make all my undertakings free from

obstacles always.

 

Ganesha chaturthi occurs on September 7th, this year.

 

Ganesha or Ganapati is an extremely popular God in India. He is called

Vighneshvara or Vighnahartaa, the Lord of and destroyer of obstacles. People

mostly worship Him asking for siddhi, success in undertakings, and buddhi,

intelligence. He is worshipped before any venture is started. He is also the God

of education, knowledge and wisdom, literature, and the fine arts.

 

Ganesha is also one of the five Gods the worship of whom was popularized by Adi

Shankaraacharya; the other four are Vishnu, Shiva, Devi and Surya. The worship

of these five deities is called the panchAyatana pUjA. In some cases, a sixth

God, Skanda is also worshipped.

 

The rule for determining the Ganesha chaturthi is as follows:

 

On any day, if bhAdrapada Shukla chaturthi prevails during the madhyAnha kAla,

then Ganesha chaturthi is to be observed on that day. If bhAdrapada Shukla

chaturthi prevails during two successive madhyAnha KAlas or if it does not

extend over the MadhyAnha KAla of any day, then Ganesha chaturthi is to be

observed on the day on which Tritiya ends.

 

The puja of Ganesha on the Ganesha chaturthi day, extolled in various religious

works, is to be performed at noon. A clay image of the God, painted beautifully,

is installed on a raised platform. After the usual preliminary rituals, the

prANapratishhThA must be done with the appropriate mantras. This

prANapratishhThA is done for the purpose of invoking the presence of Ganesha

into the image. This is followed by the worship with sixteen modes of showing

honor, known as shhoDashopachAra. Offering of dUrvA [grass) blades and modaka, a

delicacy prepared from rice flour, jaggery, and

coconut, is an important part of the pUjA. Usually, 21 dUrvA blades and 21

modakas are offered to the deity, where the number 21 carries a symbolic

meaning. The five jnAnendriyas or organs of perception , the five karmendriyas

or organs of action, the five prANas or vital airs, the five bhUtas or elements,

and the mind, together comprise 21 parts. The offering of dUrvA blades and the

modakas teaches us that we should offer with humility, represented by the dUrvA

blades, all the good things in life, represented by the modakas, to God. Ganesha

is also offered red flowers, and anointed with a red unguent (rakta chandana).

The immersion of the image in a body of water is ceremonially performed at the

end of the chaturthi vrata,

which could be anywhere from a day upto 10 days (Anantachaturdashi) after the

Bhaadrapada Shukla chaturthi, depending on the customs of the particular family.

 

I will try to describe the Vedic hymns commonly employed in the Ganesha puja.

 

Rg Veda contains the following verses (R^ich's) in praise of Ganapati. Ganapati

is identified with Brahmanaspati or Brihaspati, and, sometimes with Indra or

Maghavan, Agni and even Rudra.

 

gaNAnAn.h tvA gaNapatiM havAmahe kavim kavInAm- upamashravastamaM |

jyeshhTharAjaM brahmaNAn.h brahmaNaspata A naH shR^iNvannUtibhiH sIda sAdanaM ||

 

(Rg Veda 2.23.1)

 

We invoke You, O Ganapati of the ganas (troops), Who are Brahmanaspati of the

brahmas (prayers), the wisest among the wise, Who abound in treasure beyond all

measure, the most brilliant one. Do listen to our prayers, come with Your

blessings and assurances of protection into our home, and be seated.

 

ni shhu sIda gaNapate gaNeshhu tvAmAhurvipratamaM kavInAM |

na R^ite tvat.h kriyate kinchanAre mahAmarkaM maghavan.h chitramarcha ||

 

(Rg Veda 10.112.9)

 

Sit down among the troops (or worshippers), O Ganapati, the best sage among the

sages. Without You nothing can be done here or far. Accept with honor, O wealthy

One, our great and variegated hymns of praise.

 

(The translation of maghavAn into "wealthy One" (dhanavAn.h) is in

accordance with sAyaNAchArya's commentary.)

 

Both these R^ik's (verses) are part of the Ganesha sukta that is commonly

chanted during the puja. The contents of the Ganesha sukta, according to the

panchAyatana pUjA manual from Sringeri, is as follows (in order):

 

Rg Veda Mandala 8, sukta 81, R^ik's 1-9,

Mandala 10 sukta 112 R^ik's 9-10,

and Mandala 2, sukta 23, R^ik 1.

 

Another sukta that is chanted is the Brahmanaspati sukta, a collection of 62

R^iks selected from different parts of the Rg Veda. This sukta consists of the

following R^iks (in order):

 

Rg Veda Mandala 1 sukta 18 R^iks 1-5,

Mandala 1 sukta 40, R^iks 1-8,

Mandala 2 sukta 23, R^iks 1-19,

Mandala 2 sukta 24, R^iks 1-16,

Mandala 2 sukta 25, R^iks 1-5,

Mandala 2 sukta 26, R^iks 1-4,

Mandala 7 sukta 97, R^ik 3,

Mandala 7 sukta 97, R^ik 9,

Mandala 10 sukta 155, R^iks 2-3,

and Mandala 10 sukta 128, R^ik 11 (khila portion).

 

By far the most important hymn related to Ganesha upasana is the Ganapati

Atharva Shirsha Upanishad. This remarkable upanishad seeks to equate

Ganeshavidya with Brahmavidya. For example, it says:

 

namaste gaNapataye | tvameva pratyakshhaM tat.h tvaM asi |

 

Tr: Salutations to You Ganapati. You are indeed the perceptible

representation of (the Vedic utterance) ``tat tvam asi".

 

Shri upanishhadbrahma yogin's commentary:

 

AUM laM oN^kaaralakshhyaturyaruupaM te tubhyaM gaNapataye

namo .astu, aavayoraikyamastvityarthaH | yadvaa laM iti

muulaadhaarabiijaM muulaadhaarasya gaNapatisadanatvaat.h |

yadoN^kaaraarthagaNapatitattvaM lakaaravaachyapaarthivaaMsha-

muulaadhaare vibhaati tasmai lakaaravaachyamuulaadhaarasadanaaya

gaNapataye namo .astviti | ... tvameva shrotraadi pratyakshhaM

pratikaraNaM tattadvishhayapravR^ittinivR^ittinimittatayaa

yachchaitanyaM vartate tattvamasi sarvaniyantaa .asiityarthaH|

 

AUM laM. I offer obeisances to You Ganapati who are of the form of the turiiya

(fourth state), indicated by the Omkara syllable. May there be complete identity

between You and me. Or, my obeisances to You who are the Ganapati-tattva, the

meaning of the Omkara, who abide in the Muulaadhaara (chakra) as Your abode.

This muulaadhaara is indicated by the laM, the seed-syllable of the elemental

earth standing for the muulaadhaara. You guide the organs such as that of

hearing, and control their respective activity and withdrawal from activity. You

are the inner consciousness and the controller of all.

 

Later:

 

tvameva sarvaM khalvidaM brahmAsi |

 

Tr: You are the all pervading reality, the Brahman OR You are the

representation of the Vedic utterance, "sarvam khalvidam brahma."

 

The upanishad was commented upon by Sri Upanishad Brahma Yogin, who is said to

have been the only commentator on all the 108 upanishads. The GaNapati atharva

shiirsha is the most widely recited Sanskrit text among devotees of Ganesha,

atleast in Maharashtra. One can find the entire text of the upanishad on the

doorway to the temple hall in the aShTavinAyaka temple in Rajangaon. Seven other

centers of Ganesha worship in Maharashtra are Morgaon, Thevur, Mahad, Lehyadri,

Ojhar, Siddha-tek, and Pali. Five of these 8 centers are located in the vicinity

of Pune.

 

Other relevant upanishads are the Ganeshapurvatapini, Ganeshottaratapini, and

Heramba upanishads; these are generally not counted as belonging to the

collection of 108 upanishads.

 

Just as there are Vaishnavas, Shaivas, Shaktas, Sauras, and Skandas,

attached to the worship of respective deities, there are Ganapatyas, who are

ardent devotees of Ganesha. One can find them mainly in Maharashtra, which has

long been associated with Ganesha worship

 

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Philosophical significance of Ganesha's form

 

Ganesha's elephantine head and human body are explained as follows in the

Mudgala Purana:

 

tvaMpadaM narashcha tatpadaM gajashcha etayorabhedAtmako

gaNeshadehaH pratyakshhabrahmAtmakatvAt.h ||

 

Ganesha's human body representing "tvam", His elephantine countenance

representing "tat" and their joining together signifies the nondifference of

"tvam" (You) and "tat" (Brahman). Thus, the body of Ganesha is the visible

representation of the highest reality, Brahman, realized from "tat tvam asi."

 

Another explanation has it that Ganesha's head signifies Atman the Highest

Reality, while the body below the neck represents mAyA, the principle of

phenomenal existence. The Atman's involvement with the world is characterized by

the assumption of mind and speech.

 

Ganesha's ears, which appear like large winnowing baskets, have a

philosophical significance too. Just as one uses a winnowing basket to separate

grains from dirt, one must use discrimination (viveka) to separate the real

(Brahman) from the unreal (mAyA) in life. Here the grains stand for Brahman and

the dirt signifies mAyA. Or, Ganesha's ears indicate that such discrimination

between Brahman and mAyA is to be gained by taking recourse to shravaNa or

hearing. Listening to the scriptures from a Guru will lead to proper

discrimination and Brahman realization.

 

GaNapati's vehicle is the rat, although a form called Heramba-GaNapati is

depicted as riding a lion. There are also rare references to the peacock as the

vehicle in some texts.

 

The significance of the rat (muushhaka) as the vehicle of Ganesha is

explained by the Mudgala Purana.

 

IshvaraH sarvabhoktaa cha choravattatra saMsthitaH

sa eva muushhakaH prokto manujaanaaM prachaalakaH

maayayaa guuDharuupaH san.h bhogaan.h bhuN^kte hi choravat.h ||

 

The Lord (Ganesha) resides in all things and experiences everything. He is

called muushhaka because He operates unseen like a thief, concealed by maayaa,

and experiences all phenomena.

 

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Ganesha Legends

 

Perhaps the most popular story regarding Ganesha's origin is the one derived

from the Shiva Purana. Mother Parvati once wanted to take a bath and created a

boy from the dirt of Her own body, asking him to stand as a guard outside while

She bathed. In the meantime Lord Shiva returned home to find a stranger at His

door, preventing Him from entering. In anger, Shiva cut off the boy's head, upon

which Parvati was stricken with great grief. In order to console Her, Shiva sent

out His troops (gaNa) to fetch the head of anyone

found sleeping with his head pointing to the north. They found an elephant

sleeping thus and brought back its head. Shiva then attached the elephantine

head to the body of the boy and revived him. He named the boy Ganapati or

commander of His troops, and granted Him a boon that anyone would have to

worship Him (Ganesha) before beginning any undertaking.

 

The Brahma vaivarta Purana narrates a different story regarding the origin of

Ganapati. Shiva instructed Parvati, who wanted to have a son, to observe the

puNyaka vrata for a year to propitiate Vishnu.

 

harer ArAdhanaM kR^itvA vrataM kuru varAngane |

vrataM cha puNyakam nAma varshhamekaM karishhyasi ||

 

O Beautiful Goddess! Perform the worship of Hari by observing the punyaka vrata

for a year.

 

vratasyAsya prabhAveNa svayaM gopAnganeshvaraH |

IshvaraH sarvabhUtAnAM tava putro bhavishhyati ||

 

The Lord of Gopikas, the Lord of all beings, Krishna Himself will be born as

your son, as a result of the vrata.

 

On completion of the vrata by Parvati, it was announced that Krishna would

incarnate Himself as Her son in every kalpa. Accordingly, Krishna was born as a

charming infant, delighting Parvati who celebrated the event with great

enthusiasm. All the Gods arrived to have a look at the baby. But Shani, the son

of Surya, did not look at him and stared at the ground instead. Upon Parvati's

questioning regarding his behavior, Shani said that his look would harm the

baby. Parvati, however, insisted that he should look at the baby.

In deference to Her wish Shani cast his eyes on the baby. Due to his

malevolent glance, the baby's head was severed and flew to Goloka, the abode of

Krishna. Parvati and all the Gods assembled there, including Shiva, were

grief-stricken. Thereupon, Vishnu mounted Garuda and rushed to the banks of the

Pushpa-bhadra river and brought back the head of a young elephant. The head of

the elephant was joined with the headless body of Parvati's son, reviving him.

All the Gods blessed Ganesha and wished Him power and prosperity.

 

Vishnu blessed Ganesha thus:

 

sarvAgre tava pUjA cha mayA dattA surottama |

sarvapUjyagashcha yogIndro bhava vatsetyuvAcha taM ||

 

O Excellent God! O dear one! May Your pUjA be performed before that of any other

God. May You be situated in all venerable beings and may You be the best among

Yogis. This is My boon to You.

 

Shiva made Ganesha the leader of his troops (gaNa), and also gave Him the

following boon.

 

gaNeshapUjane vighnaM nirmUlaM jagatAM bhavet.h |

nirvyAdhiH sUryapUjAyAM shuciH shrIvishhNupUjane ||

 

All obstacles, whatever they may be, will be rooted out by worshipping Ganesha,

even as diseases are cured by the worship of Surya and purity results when

Vishnu is worshiped.

 

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The syamantaka jewel

 

It is said that anyone who looks at the moon on the night of the Ganesh

Chaturthi will be falsely charged with theft or a similar crime. If someone

inadvertently sees the moon on this night, he/she may remedy the situation by

listening to (or reciting) the story of the syamantaka jewel. This story may be

found in the Puranas such as the Bhagavata and the Vishnu. Briefly, Satrajit,

who secured a jewel syamantaka from Surya, did not part with it even when

Krishna the Lord of Dvaraka, asked for it saying it would be safe with Him.

Prasena, the brother of Satrajit went out hunting wearing the

jewel but was killed by a lion. Jambavan of Ramayana fame killed the lion and

gave it to his son to play with. When Prasena did not return, Satrajit falsely

accused Krishna of killing Prasena for the sake of the jewel. Krishna, in order

to remove the stain on His reputation, set out in search of the jewel and found

it in Jambavan's cave, with his child. Jambavan attacked Krishna thinking Him to

be an intruder who had come to take away the jewel. They fought each other for

28 days, when Jambavan, his whole body

terribly weakened from the hammering of Krishna's fists, finally recognized Him

as Rama.

 

jAne tvAM sarvabhUtAnAM prANa ojah saho balaM |

vishhNuM purANapurushhaM prabhavishhNumadhIshvaraM ||

 

I now know You. You are the life in all creatures, virility, grit and strength.

You are Vishnu, the Primeval Lord, All-prevailing, the Supreme Lord (of the

worlds). (Bhagavata 10.56.26) and,

 

setuH kR^itaH svayasha ujjvalitA cha lankA rakshhaH shirAMsi bhuvi

peturishhukshhatAni ||

 

He Who built a bridge (across the ocean) that is a standing monument to His

fame, set Lanka ablaze, and with His arrows severed the heads of Rakshasas,

which fell to the ground.

 

As repentance for his having fought Krishna, Jambavan gave Krishna the jewel and

also his daughter Jambavati in marriage. Krishna returned to Dvaraka with

Jambavati and the jewel, and returned it Satrajit, who in turn repented for his

false accusation. He promptly offered to give Krishna the jewel and his daughter

Satyabhama in marriage. Krishna accepted Satyabhama as His wife but did not

accept the jewel.

 

In the event that one is not even able to listen to or read the story, the

following mantra may be recited holding some water in the palm of the right

hand. The water is then to be sipped.

 

siMhaH prasenamavadhIt.h siMho jAmbavatA hataH |

sukumAraka mA rodIH tava hyeshha syamantakaH ||

 

A lion killed Prasena; the lion was killed by Jambavan. Don't cry, O dear child!

This syamantaka jewel is yours.

 

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A Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana

 

nArada uvAca:

 

Narada said:

 

praNamya shirasA devaM gaurIputraM vinAyakaM |

bhaktAvaasaM smaren.h nityaM AyuH kAmArthasiddhaye || 1 ||

 

One should bow the head and offer obeisance before the son of Gauri,

Vinayaka, whose abode is the devotees, and remember Him always for the purpose

of obtaining longevity, and desired objects (prosperity).

 

prathamaM vakratuNDaM cha ekadantaM dvitIyakaM |

tR^itIyaM kR^ishhNapi.ngAkshhaM gajavaktraM chaturthakaM || 2 ||

 

(Now the twelve names of Ganesha are mentioned. One must utter) first the name

Vakratunda, One with a curved trunk, second ekadanta, the single-tusked One,

third Krishnapingaksha, the black and red-eyed One, fourth gajavaktra, the God

with the face of an elephant,

 

lambodaraM panchamaM cha shhashhThaM vikaTameva cha |

saptamaM vighnarAjaM cha dhUmravarNaM tathAshhTamaM || 3 ||

 

fifth lambodara, the God with a large belly, sixth vikata, the gigantic One,

seventh vighnaraja, the Lord (and destroyer) of obstacles, dhumravarna, the

smoky-colored God,

 

navamaM bhAlachandraM cha dashamaM tu vinAyakaM |

ekAdashaM gaNapatiM dvAdashaM tu gajAnanaM || 4 ||

 

ninth bhalachandra, One whose forehead is adorned by the moon, tenth, vinayaka,

the great leader (of Shiva's army), eleventh, ganapati, the lord of (Shiva's)

gaNas, and twelfth gajanana, the elephant-faced One.

 

dvAdashaitAni nAmAni trisandhyaM yaH paThen.h naraH |

na cha vighnabhayaM tasya sarvasiddhikaraM prabho || 5 ||

 

Anyone who chants these twelve names during the three sandhyas (morning

twilight, noon, evening twilight), will not experience any obstacles, and will

achieve all successes, O Lord (Ganesha)!

 

vidyArthI labhate vidyAM dhanArthI labhate dhanaM |

putrArthI labhate putrAn.h mokshhArthI labhate gatiM || 6 ||

 

One who desires knowledge (vidyA) gets it; one who desires wealth gets it; one

who desires sons will have sons; one who desires moksha attains it.

 

japed.h gaNapatistotraM shhaDbhir.h mAsaiH phalaM labhet.h |

saMvatsareNa siddhiM cha labhate nAtra saMshayaH || 7 ||

 

One gets desired results if this Ganapati stotra is chanted everyday for six

months; a complete success is assured undoubtedly, within a year.

 

ashhTabhyo brAhmaNebhyashcha likhitvA yaH samarpayet.h |

tasya vidyA bhavet.h sarvA gaNeshasya prasAdataH || 8 ||

 

Anyone who writes this stotra and presents it to eight Brahmins, will obtain all

kinds of knowledge, by the grace of Lord Ganesha.

 

iti nAradapurANe sankaTanAshanagaNeshastotram sampUrNaM ||

 

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