to day is Vinayaka Chaturthi

[Guest guest]

The remover of obstacles

 

 

CHENNAI, SEPT.18. A factor common to all the 18 Puranas is the

reference to Ganapati, the deity popularly worshipped by all strata

of society. Adored by students especially during examinations, by

businessmen and others, Ganapati is propitiated by all as he is

Vigneswara the Lord who removes obstacles. As mentioned in the Rig

Veda, Gananam ganapatim, a very popular deity, lords over all

activities, and without him no religious rite is performed, nor

complete. Vanquisher of hindrances, protector of devoted votaries,

Ganapati is also held to be the repository of knowledge and wisdom.

He is worshipped along with the goddess of learning. Two examples are

quoted by scholars in support of this knowledge. When Vyasa sought a

scribe for his Mahabharata, Ganapati who was the obvious choice laid

down the condition that the verses should be dictated continuously

without a break or pause. Second, the popular lore detailing his

competition with his brother where they had to circumvent the

universe; the portly lord circumambulated his parents seven times and

declared himself the winner with the convincing argument (quoting

from sastras) that parents were verily one's whole world.

 

`Gana' means category. Our perception through senses or comprehension

through our minds could be generally categorised into types. The

culmination of all categories have manifested in Ganapati, the lord

of all classifications, all visible and invisible nuances. In

essence, the word encompasses the whole of creation, said Sri. N.

Neelabala Sarma in his discourse. The symbological representation of

the idol exemplifies that the manifest universe and the unmanifest

unity are both attributes of the same Absolute. In Ganapati, the

primordial sound (Omkara) is also represented, while his huge belly

is held to signify a cauldron symbolising the universe from which all

the events of the world ebb and flow. The names of his spouses Buddhi

and Siddi symbolising prosperity and adeptness respectively further

make it obvious that to acquire perfection in any venture one needs

resources and the wisdom to employ both in a harmonious blend. Hence,

Ganapati is the dispenser of wealth and wisdom.

 

As the principal remover of obstacles, he `steals' all our

difficulties and sins when we pray to him. It is for this reason that

his chaturthi day is celebrated with much fanfare by many. It is

considered even more auspicious if it were to fall on either a

Tuesday or Saturday.

copy right: the Hindu-daily