Loving Ganesha: Chapter 6 (Section 3) - Sacred Symbols--Punyalakshanani

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Namaste all,

 

The last portion of chapter six of Loving Ganesha, from

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/books/lg/lg_ch-06.html

 

Om Shanti,

 

Neil

Mulaka, RadishLoving Ganesha, by His partiality for the simple radish, makes us

grow food that is good for us. He knows devotees may grow more than they need

just to please Him.Khetaka, ShieldLoving Ganesha holds the shield of divine

security, symbol of His power to defend lands of the upright, to preserve

traditions and to protect all souls on the spiritual path.Amra, MangoLoving

Ganesha says of the mango: "It was given to Me from Lord Siva's own hand after

performing My first wisdom act. It represents the highest spiritual fruition."

Tritiyakshi, Third EyeLoving Ganesha, as do we all, has three eyes, not two, the

third being the eye of the mind, of spiritual sight. With this eye He sees the

reality behind the world's seeming.Ratnakumbha, Pot of GemsLoving Ganesha knows

the magical power resident in gems. Diamonds, rubies, emeralds are like human

souls, each with a different color, faceting, loveliness and value.Garitra,

GrainsLoving Ganesha knows there are many kinds of people and they need variety

in diet. He protects the cultivation of all kinds of grains that make their

bodies strong.

Ikshukanda, Sugar CaneLoving Ganesha is fond of sugar cane, in fact, of anything

sweet. Being the Lord all children adore, it is His joy to see their happy eyes

light up when offering sugar cane.Madhukumbha, Pot of HoneyLoving Ganesha wears

a wide smile across His face when offered a pot of sticky honey. It is, to Him,

like moksha itself, the sweetest of all things sweet, worth any

effort.Kadaliphala, BananaLoving Ganesha has in His hand the banana, ripe and

ready to eat. He looks at it longingly, yet would give it up in a moment should

a devotee smell its fragrance.

Yogadanda, Meditation StaffLoving Ganesha rests His arm upon a short staff when

talking to devotees and when in deep samadhi. He finds it helps Him meditate

more effortlessly, more deeply.Trina, GrassesLoving Ganesha knows that there

are many kinds of animals, little and big. Each needs a special environment and

foods, so He protects the grasses, little flowers and seeds.Tila Gola, Sesame

BallLoving Ganesha teaches us that size may be immense but there is nothing too

small to overlook. In His trunk is a sweet made of tiny sesame seeds, and He

rides on a tiny mouse.

Shuka, ParrotLoving Ganesha delights when the parrot talks and shows he is

happy. Perched in Ganesha's hand, he greets all who come and go, giving his

opinion when they are alone.Ananasa, PineappleLoving Ganesha holds the

pineapple and is ready to slice it to share with those in His aura. Giving and

sharing is our lesson from the sweet pineapple that He gives us.Mushika,

MouseGanesha's companion, a mouse, attests to the all-pervasiveness of the

elephant God. Mushika, the mount or vahana, carries Him into the mind's every

nook and cranny.

Lambodara, Big BellyLoving Ganesha has this world and all the billions of

galaxies in His abundant belly. All known and unknown universes are contained

within His prodigious girth.Swastika, Mark of AuspiciousnessLoving Ganesha's

good fortunes are represented by the swastika, a sign of luck and

auspiciousness. Its crooked arms show how life is filled with change and

indirection.Jambira, LimeLoving Ganesha is a practical God, and it is His wish

that all who know Him drink the juice from one of His favorite fruits. He wants

them to be healthy and enjoy life.

Aum, Cosmic SoundLoving Ganesha is Aum. He is the A, the base sound of the

universe; He is the U, the sound of the galaxies; and He is the M, the sound of

the planets and the littlest stars.Shunda, Elephant TrunkLoving Ganesha has a

versatile trunk, and makes it known that it is a symbol of His capacity to

always love His devotees. With it He reaches out to touch each of

them.Nilapadma, Blue Water LilyLoving Ganesha often sits by a lily pond,

pondering the current state of the universe. His province is to see that all is

in order until the next Great Dissolution, mahapralaya.

Panasa Phala, JackfruitLoving Ganesha's favorite, jackfruit, is a potato-like

vegetable, a chewy nut and sweet yellow fruit all in one. Like the jack's stem,

our attachments, though small, are strong.Prabhavali, Fiery ArchLoving Ganesha

sits within an arch depicting creation, preservation and fiery dissolution.

Above is the God of time, Mahakala, who ultimately claims everything.Dadima,

PomegranateLoving Ganesha knows we may be led astray by ways of worldly people

who eat meat. He offers us red dadimas, as if saying: "Its many pink seeds are

so much better than flesh."

Nagapasha, Snake CordLoving Ganesha wears a snake around Him to tell us all that

we have to be like Him and control our instinctive, animal mind. Yes, it is

possible through the grace of this God.Kapittha, Wood AppleLoving Ganesha loves

wood apples, kapittha, called the elephant fruit. Sweet to eat, packaged in a

tough shell, it is a pharmacy of ayurveda's secret medicinal potencies.Laddu,

Milk SweetLoving Ganesha was never accused of turning down a laddu, rich with

milk, flour and sugar. Maybe it reminds Him of being young. Every young one

loves sweets.

Kavacha, ArmorLoving Ganesha's sculpted form in temples and shrines worldwide is

encased on festival days in silver and gold facsimilies. He likes splendor, pomp

and adulation.Shashikala, Crescent MoonLoving Ganesha, like His father, Siva,

wears the crescent moon on His great head. It is a symbol of time's passing, of

auspicious moments and of the powers of the mind.Gam MantraLoving Ganesha is

invoked by devotees through this mystery mantra. Upon hearing it, He

immediately responds. Easy of access, He never delays in solving our problems.

Yajnopavita, Sacred ThreadLoving Ganesha wears across a massive shoulder the

holy cord to remind us that we, too, can be twice born through His grace, that

none is low and none is high.Jambu, Rose AppleLoving Ganesha loves the rose

apple among many other wonderful fruits and vegetables. He shows us the path to

good health, harmlessness to creatures and love.Payasa, PuddingLoving Ganesha is

seen from time to time enjoying sweet tapioca pudding, likened to the love and

kindness that comes from caring for others as one's very own self.Shakti,

Consort

Sakti, ConsortLoving Ganesha is often seen with two female consorts, or shaktis.

They represent ida and pingala, the two life currents, emotion and intellect,

that hold us close to Earth.Muladhara Chakra, Base CenterLoving Ganesha,

sitting on the four petalled muladhara, rules memory and knowledge as the

gatekeeper to the six chakras above and the guard of the seven below.Vriksha,

TreesLoving Ganesha is the giver of gifts from healing trees, the practitioner

of ayurveda, the great doctor who helps us gain the knowledge of health from

medicinal plants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loving Ganesha by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

 

Web sites: http://www.hindu.org/ & http://www.himalayanacademy.com/

email: contact (AT) hindu (DOT) org

Himalayan Academy Kauai's Hindu Monastery107 Kaholalele RoadKapaa, HI 96746-9304

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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