Ganesh Chaturthi

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Om Ganesa,

 

Below are excerpts from a charming site, hope you'll enjoy it too.

 

Blessings,

Sy

 

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http://travel.indiamart.com/fairs-festivals/ganesh-chaturthi.html

 

 

SALUTATIONS to Lord Ganesha who is Brahman Himself who is the Supreme

Lord, who is the energy of Lord Shiva, who is the source of all

bliss, and who is the bestower of an virtuous qualities and success

in an undertakings.

 

 

Mushikavaahana modaka hastha,

Chaamara karna vilambitha sutra,

Vaamana rupa maheshwara putra,

Vighna vinaayaka paada namasthe

 

 

Meaning : "O Lord Vinayaka! the remover of all obstacles, the son of

Lord Shiva, with a form which is very short, with mouse as Thy

vehicle, with sweet pudding in hand, with wide ears and long hanging

trunk, I prostrate at Thy lotus-like Feet!"

 

Ganesh Chaturthi is-one of the most popular of Hindu festivals. This

is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is the day most sacred to Lord

Ganesha. It falls on the 4th day of the bright fortnight of

Bhadrapada (August - September), It is observed throughout India, as

well as by devoted Hindus in all parts of the world.

 

Clay figures of the Deity are made and after being worshipped for two

days, or in some cases ten days, they are thrown into water.

 

Lord Ganesha is the elephant-headed God. He is worshipped first in

any prayers. His Names are repeated first before any auspicious work

is begun, before any kind of worship is begun.

 

He is the Lord of power and wisdom. He is the eldest son of Lord

Shiva and the elder brother of Skanda or Kartikeya. He is the energy

of Lord Shiva and so He is called the son of Shankar and Umadevi. By

worshipping Lord Ganesha mothers hope to earn for their sons the

sterling virtues of Ganesha.

 

The following story is narrated about His birth and how He came to

hew the head of an elephant:

 

Once upon a time, the Goddess Gauri (consort of Lord Shiva), while

bathing, created Ganesha as a pure white being out of the mud of Her

Body and placed Him at the entrance of the house. She told Him not to

allow anyone to enter while she went inside for a bath. Lord Shiva

Himself was returning home quite thirsty and was stopped by Ganesha

at the gate. Shiva became angry and cut off Ganesha's head as He

thought Ganesha was an outsider.

 

 

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When Gauri came to know of this she was sorely grieved. To console

her grief Shiva ordered His servants to cut off and bring to Him the

head of any creature that might be sleeping with its head facing

north. The servants went on their mission and found only an elephant

in that position. The sacrifice was thus made and the elephant's head

was brought before Shiva. The Lord then joined the elephant's head

onto the body of Ganesha.

 

Lord Shiva made His son worthy of worship at the beginning of all

undertakings, marriages, expeditions, studies, etc. He ordained that

the annual worship of Ganesha should take place on the 4th day of the

bright half of Bhadnpada.

 

Without the Grace of Sri Ganesha and His help nothing whatsoever can

be achieved. No action can be undertaken without His support, Grace

or blessing.

 

In his first lesson in the alphabet a Maharashtrian child is

initiated into the Mantra of Lord Ganesha, Om Sri GAneshaya Namah.

Only then is the alphabet taught.

 

The following are some of the common Names of Lord Ganesha:

Dhoomraketu, Sumukha, Ekadantha, Gajakarnaka, Lambodara, Vignaraja,

Ganadhyaksha, Phalachandra, Gajanana, Vinayaka, Vakratunda,

Siddhivinayaka, Surpakarna, Heramba, Skandapurvaja, Kapila and

Vignesh wara. He is also known by many as Maha-Ganapathi.

 

His Mantra is Om Gung Ganapathaye Namah. Spiritual aspirants who

worship Ganesha as their tutelary Deity repeat this Mantra or Om Sri

Ganeshaya Namah.