Loving Ganesha: Chapter 11 (Section 2) - Prayer to Lord Ganesha -- Ganapati Prarthanah

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Namaste all,

 

More from chapter eleven, at http://www.himalayanacademy.com/books/lg/lg_ch-11.html

 

Om Shanti,

 

Neil

 

 

Invocations are chants and prayers by which we "invoke" the presence of the

Deity. The God is being called. The God and the devotee are being brought

together, in touch. Prayers of invocation often sing out the greatness of the

Deity, His known attributes and qualities. Vedic rishis and holy sages of olden

times were masters of invocation. They could immediately call up the devata

through the strength of their mantras. In the puja and japa chapters of this

book there are many chants that also serve as powerful invocations. "Aum Shri

Ganeshaya Namah" is an invocation in itself. We begin this section on prayers

with a famous shloka to Lord Ganesha from the root scripture of all

denominations of Sanatana Dharma, the Vedas. It has been chanted by billions of

Hindus down through the ages, uttering five attributes of Ganesha and invoking

His all-powerful protection.

Aum shuklambaradharam vishnum

Shashivarnam chaturbhujam

Prasanna vadanam dhyayet

Sarva vighnopa shantaye

Aum, attired in white and all-pervading,O moon-hued, four-shouldered Onewith

smiling face so pleasing,upon You we meditatefor removing all obstacles.

Shri Adi Sankara prayed in his Ganesha Bhujangam the following invocation. It is

particularly suitable for recitation before japa and deep meditation on the

highest wisdom of Lord Ganesha, the incomparable Lord:

To You whom the wise exclaimas the single-syllabled, Supreme sound,stainless and

peerless,bliss, formless, unconditioned --the Indweller in the core ofsacred

tradition -- to thatPrimeval One I bow in adoration.

Prayers of supplication are requests, pleadings or entreaties presented to the

Deity in the spirit of personal surrender and loving devotion. Something

specific is being asked for, a specific problem is being laid at the Lord's

Holy Feet. Such supplications to the one-tusked Lord are given unconditionally,

with full trust that He will do what is best for us, though not necessarily what

we might think is best. We do not demand of the Lord; for He, like a parent,

provides not as we desire, but as we truly need. Prayers of supplication may

come forth in the natural language of our hearts.

Leaving a problem at His holy feet means we let it be there and do not carry it

home with us. Nor do we worry or wonder about how it will be handled, when it

will be taken care of, or if it will be taken care of at all. In full

unquenchable faith we leave the matter there, at the feet of the God, and walk

away from the temple or shrine, feeling that release has started and solution

will be forthcoming. We must have this kind of faith for religion to work

within us. To carry home with us the same problems, fears and worries would be

to take back the offering we have given the Deity to dissolve. This is like the

rich and famous who buy with gifts and do not give at all, slyly expecting more

than something in exchange, gaining papa rather than punya and not knowing the

difference. The course of events will later show how He works for our ultimate

spiritual welfare.

 

 

 

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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