Happy Vighna Niva:rana Chathurtthi !

[Guest guest]

Priya Bhagavad Bandhus !

 

Jai Srimannarayana !

 

Happy Vighna Niva:rana Chathurtthi !

 

All our festivals have great significance each, in its own dimension and

parameter, only for the well being of the society. They constantly remind us the

glory of our great culture and inspire us to live in Peace and Harmony with the

Nature and also with the Natural Forces. On the 4th day (chathurtthi) of the

waxing moon in the month of Bha:drapadam (usually during september) Gane:sa Puja

is performed in almost all the parts of Bharath. People join together and

celebrate this auspicious occasion with family members, relatives and friends.

This festival falls on Sept 7th this year.

 

People worship Him for success in their endeavour and for removing all the

obstacles. Basically, every day has a unique importance according to Vedic

Scriptures; as most of the westerners observe fathers day on a particular date,

mother's day on another date so on. When a seeker needs success in his efforts

and wants to get rid of the obstacles the fourth day of the Bhadrapada month

paves the way says the scriptures. So God Supreme is worshipped on that day, to

have the ability to solve the problems and get enriched in strength. That is why

this day is called Vighna Niva:rana Chathurtthi. As many people worship

Ganapathi on that day, they started naming it Gane:sh Chathurtthi.

 

Battallions are called Gana:s. Ruler of these Gana:s is called Gane:sa or

Ganapathi. Gaja:nana means the one who has elephant face.

 

People worship God in different forms like that of Vishnu, Siva etc. Worshippers

of Lord Vishnu worship Sri Vishwakse:na who is the Gane:sa or Gana Na:yaka (or

Ganapathi ), the commander-in-chief of Lord Vishnu's battallions called Kumuda

Gana:s. Ganana:yaka is one of the names of Vishwakse:na. The name Vishnu in the

famous sloka below, is also one of the names of Vishwakse:na only.

 

 

 

sukla:mbaradharam vishnum sasi varnam chathurbhujam

prasanna vadanam dhya:ye:th sarva vighno:pasa:nthaye: ||

 

 

 

It is said in our scriptures that, under the command of Vishwakse:na there are

hundreds of elephant headed commanders having two tusks. The sloka

 

yasya dwirada vakthra:dya:h pa:rishadya:h parassatham

vighnam nighnanthi sathatham vishwakse:nam tham a:sraye: ||

 

 

reveals this fact. These Gaja:nana:s keep themselves always alert in removing

the obstacles.

 

Who ever worship the form of Lord Siva, they approach through Lord Siva's

machinery. Vina:yaka is the one who interceded with Lord Siva's devotees. So on

this day, devotees of Lord Siva worship his son Vina:yaka (one with elephant

face and one tusk) who is Gane:sa (or Ganesh or Ganapathi), the leader of Lord

Siva's (Pramadha) Ganas.

 

Some people might argue that on this day it is only Vina:yaka, the son of

Pa:rvathi has to be worshipped and he is the only one who is the remover of all

the obstacles for every one. It is obvious from the above slo:ka:s that this

notion has to be corrected.

 

After doing Ganapathi Pu:ja in the form of Vina:yaka or Vishwakse:na, the common

practice that every body does is, listening to the story of Lord Krishna in

relation to Syamanthaka Mani ( a big unique jewel) which is mentioned in the

55th chapter of 10th canto in Srimad Bha:gavatham.

 

Thus, it is clear about whom to worship and celebrate this festival. For more

details you can read further.

 

People say that one should not see Moon on this day and if they happen to see

him without doing Vina:yaka Pu:ja, even by accident, then, they have to face

many false allegations/accusations. Some people didn't know or didn't understand

why this Krishna's story has to be remembered here. So, they started relating

that Krishna accidentally saw Moon in his milk on this day and hence he has to

face the false allegation / accusation that he stole the Syamanthaka Mani. But,

there is NO evidence or any mention of such an event relation in any Pura:na:s

or in our original scriptures. This story has nothing to do with Ganesh Puja.

Ganesh Puja is celebrated to pray for the removal of obstacles to one's

endeavour. Then, WHY remembering this story is recommended as a tradition on

this day, is the question ?

 

The blame or accusation may be of any magnitude and may it be on any person, if

it is a false accusation then the person should not give up or weep for that and

succumb to the allegation or get disturbed and lose heart in noble pursuit. One

should then pool up the courage and remain with bold heart, go ahead with the

solutions, which ultimately lead that person to success. "sathyame:va jayathe:"

- Ultimately only Truth Wins. This is what Lord Krishna's story of Syamanthaka

Mani reveals us. To emphasize this fact and make people face the obstacles

boldly whence, the remover of obstacles does the job, this story is to be

remembered on this occasion of praying the remover of obstacles.

 

This story also reveals that, obstacles may arise even to great persons, how

anyone with a bold heart and strong will can face the problems and solve them.

At the end it says no one need to run away from the problems. All that we need

to do is to pursue with perseverence, be hooked to God in the heart and go ahead

with the solutions resolving the problems.

 

When we worship a form, we ought to respect all its rules and subjects. Though

there are so many forms of God, You worship one that you were blessed with,

respecting all the rules and its subjects. Thus, worship Him the Supreme,

through that form with pure devotion.

 

Do you know, according to our scriptures there are so many Gaja:nana:s. Let us

know the three popular forms of Gaja:nana:s.

 

1) Vina:yaka, Son of Pa:rvathi, the consort of Lord Siva is a Gaja:nana(elephant

faced one). He was created by Pa:rvathi with the bathing paste. That Vina:yaka

was later appointed as the commander of all the battallions of Lord Siva. He is

having only one tusk, holding the second one in the hand. So he is also called "

E:ka dantha ".

 

2) There are so many elephant headed and horse headed commanders under the

command of Vishwakse:na who is the supreme controller of Paramapadam, the divine

abode of Lord Vishnu. They all have U:rdhwa Pundram(vertical mark). All these

elephant headed commanders, it is said are having two tusks. There are several

hundreds of such Gaja:nana:s always alert in removing the hurdles.

 

3) According to Ma:ndu:kyo:panishad, the worship of Lakshmi: Ganapathi is

recommended daily, where this Gaja:nana is none else than Lord Vishnu Himself.

In this form there will be 19 faces of which the main face is that of an

elephant. Many details were given in the Upanishad. We human beings be in any

one of the three stages viz., awakened, dreaming and deep sleep. A particular

form of Lord Vishnu controls each stage. Realised souls worship that particular

form for Siddhi during those stages. For the awakened state it is said that Lord

Vishnu has to be worshipped in the form of Gaja:nana ie., with elephant head,

along with goddess Lakshmi and that form is Lakshmi Ganapathi as recommended by

the Upanishad. In this form, Lord Vishnu will have U:rdhwa Pundram (vertical

mark on his head) Sankham (divine conch), Chakram (divine discus) and other

ornaments decorated in his hands.

 

Now we know that there are many Gaja:nana:s and which form should we worship and

why.

 

On this Bha:drapad Sukla Chathurtthi day people worship Gaja:nana with fresh

lotuses, honeyed fragrant flowers, greeny shoots and leafy stems of various

medicinal plants and trees brought from pure forest shrubs. They use Maize

candles, sugarcane, banyans, unhybrid & natural sweet juicy fruits etc., to

worship God.

 

The function in a nut shell enlightens us that we shouldn't disrespect or ill

treat animals, plants and trees. We should also worship them with an attitude

realising that they are also different forms put in His service.

 

 

We offer our Mangalasasanams to you all on this auspicious occasion for

worshipping Gaja:nana with heartful devotion and thus always be in His wonderful

service without obstacles of any sort.

 

Jai Srimannarayana !

=chinnajeeyar=