Loving Ganesha: Chapter 14 - Prasnottari--Questions and Answers

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Namaste all,

 

I've had some perplexing problems in trying to separate the material in this

section so I am having to send it all at once. Fortunately however, it is not

too long a chapter.

 

Om Shanti

 

Neil

 

 

 

 

Prasnottari

Questionsand Answers

OW IT MAY BE ENLIGHTENING IN OUR EXPLORATION of the wonderful being, Lord

Ganesha, to share with you answers to some of the questions most commonly asked

about Him by the many inquirers worldwide. Hopefully these insights will inspire

you to draw closer to Him and learn about His grace and His ever giving boons

through your own experiences. Yes, Lord Ganapati is a mysterious God to most

adults, but not to children. We too must be like little children to really

enjoy and understand His majesty, mirth, wisdom and simple complexities. The

God whose symbol is the swastika, who moves in many directions all at once, is

truly, to a child, as simple as a digital on-and-off switch. Children who grow

up in the ten arms of Him who has no second are quick and resilient mind,

amenable to change, not affected by wealth or poverty, adjustable and secure in

His daily darsana before they worship other Lords of their choice.

Devotee: What is the nature of Lord Ganesha?Gurudeva: Lord Ganesha is a

Mahadeva, a Great God, created by Lord Siva to assist souls in their evolution.

He is the elephant-faced Patron of Art and Science, the Lord of Obstacles and

Guardian of Dharma, the first son of Siva. His will prevails as the force of

righteousness, the embodiment of Siva's karmic law in all three worlds. My

satguru, Sage Yogaswami, proclaimed: "The God with the elephant's face I shall

never forget -- Shankara's Son, with massive belly and the ring in His ear, the

Lord who gave His grace to Indra, of whom mantra is His very form." I often

explain Lord Ganesha in this way: "Lord Siva, the Almighty Power, created

heaven and earth and the God, Lord Ganesha, to oversee the intricate karmas and

dharmas within the heavens and all the earths. Lord Ganesha was created as a

governor and interplanetary, intergalactic Lord. His knowledge is infinite; His

judgment is just. It is none other than Lord Ganesha and His mighty band of

ganas that gently help souls out of the Naraka abyss and adjust them into

higher consciousness after due penance has been paid, guiding them on the right

path toward dharmic destiny. He is intricate of mind, loving pomp, delighting in

all things sweet and enjoying adulation. Lord Siva decreed that this son be

worshiped first, even before Himself. Verily, He is the Lord of Karma. All

Mahadevas, minor Gods, devas and sentient beings must worship Lord Ganesha

before any responsible act could hope to be successful. Those who do not are

subject to their own barriers. Yea, worship of Him sets the pattern of one's

destiny. Thus, this mighty ruler is truly a great God. The 2,200-year old South

Indian scripture Tirumantiram says, "Five-armed is He, elephant-faced, with

tusks protruding, crescent-shaped, son of Siva, wisdom's flower; in heart

enshrined, His feet I praise."

Devotee: What is Lord Ganesha's special role?

Gurudeva: He is Vighneshvara, Lord of Obstacles. As such, He controls our

evolution by preventing or permitting events to happen in our life.

Lord Ganesha holds the architect's plans of the divine masterpiece of universal

past and future of this small world and all the galaxies. They were entrusted

to Him when He took office by command of God Siva. His rule is compassionate,

His disciplines strong. He is equally feared and loved. His law is just, for

justice is His mind. He enjoys adulation, festivity, hearing of His name, for

this brings the devotee into His court, into His presence, close to Him. Only

good comes from Lord Ganesha, who by taking the form of an elephant

distinguishes Himself from other Gods. He staves off misfortune for those who

perform penance in His name. He is within us and not otherwise, closer than our

heartbeat, guiding our karma through the timing of events. Our Lord of Obstacles

prevents us from hurting ourselves through living under an incomplete concept or

making a request unneeded or beginning an endeavor not well thought out. He

expects us to use all of our intellectual and intuitive faculties and

resources, to employ the knowledge available to us before submitting petitions

to Him. It is for us to try to arrive at the right decision, the one that He

Himself would have made in granting the acquisition. Thus, this Mahadeva, wise

and all-powerful, truly is a great God. The ancient Agamas declare, "These

Lords who, it is said, on the pure path, attend to the various duties deriving

from a higher realm of maya are at the prow of the effects of the higher realm

of maya."

Devotee: Why must we supplicate Lord Ganesha before beginning any worship or task?

Gurudeva: At the command of God Siva Himself, we supplicate, that is, humbly

request, Lord Ganesha to clear obstacles from the path of our endeavor, if it

be His will. As Lord of Obstacles, Ganesha wields the noose and the goad, icons

of His benevolent power of preventing or permitting events to happen in our

life. Thus, we invoke His grace and wisdom before any worship or task.

My satguru, Sage Yogaswami, proclaimed: "May the Supreme Guru, who bestows on me

His grace, be my protection! May the elephant-faced God be my protection! May

the fair child who wields the shapely lance be my protection!" I have answered

this question in this way: "The father and mother, in a properly conducted

home, govern their children and prepare them to be fine citizens. The children

ask permission from their parents before beginning any new endeavor. The

employee asks permission from the employer before beginning any new endeavor.

The subjects in a realm ask permission from the monarch before beginning any

new endeavor. Why wonder we about asking permission from His Majesty, Lord

Ganesha, governor of this world, head, chieftain of our religion, before

beginning any new endeavor? He of intricate mind and power is immediate and

aware of any form of sincere prayer and supplication, humble requests to clear

obstacles from the path of our endeavors, but only if that be His will. Thus,

this loving God rules our lives, commanding acknowledgment and adulation -- a

truly great God is He.

Devotee: What does it mean when an obstacle is encountered despite our sincere

supplication of Lord Ganesha?

Gurudeva: It may mean that the time, the means or the goal itself is not right

for our karma and dharma. The architect presents his finished plans to the

engineer. They are rejected for one technical reason or another. The executive

presents a completed letter to the president. It is rejected as not being

explicit enough in the third paragraph. The architect and the executive were

equally sincere in presenting their work. The engineer and the president were

performing their duty as well. Lord Ganesha loves us. He is a loving God who

guides, governs and controls with speed and accuracy when the plan is perfect,

deliberates long and rejects often when the plan needs revision. Take the plan

back into your mind. Search your own superconsciousness for the greater ideas,

and revise your efforts with confidence. Seek for the right timing, and proceed

with confidence when you know the timing to be right. "When the will rises and

commands, even the Gods are willing to obey," or to give immediate cooperation,

to guide and enhance our efforts. We must work our minds in close cooperation

with the mind of Lord Ganesha, and then success is certain. Thus, this God is

called Bhaktavighnavinasana, He who destroys the obstacles of the devotees.

If you worship the elephant-faced Vinayaka,your life will expand bountifully.If

you worship the white-tusked Vinayaka,your desires and doubts will

flee.Therefore, worship Himwith love-offerings of jack, hoppers,plantain and

mango fruitsand thus mitigate the burden of deeds.

Saint Auvaiyar

O, Elephant-Faced One!You are so near and we are far from You.You are in and we

are out;You are at home, while I'm a stranger.Yet, You have destroyed my

egoity.I shall sing Your praise foreverand lay my garland of songs at Your

feet.

Saint Nambiandiyadigal

He is worshiped with red flowers.Unfailing, merciful, the origin of the

worlds,He appears at the beginning of creation,alone, beyond Nature, beyond the

Cosmic Person.He who meditates on His formbecomes great among the yogis.

Ganapati Upanishad

Gaja, the elephant, is the origin and the goal.The stage reached by the yogi in

hisexperience of samadhi is called ga, the "goal,"and the principle called ja,

the "origin,"is that from which the syllableof obeisance, Aum,is said to be

issued.

Brahma Sutras

 

 

 

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