Ganesha with Astronomy and Astrology

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Suklambaradharam Vishnum Sasivarnam Chaturbhujam

Prasannavadanam Dhyasyeth Sarvavignopa Santhaye

Even to speak a few words about Lord Ganesha one may have to seek his blessings to make the effort succeed. Such an effort requires abundant knowledge and courage and this scribe has neither of them. Our editor who perhaps loves me more for my innocence than for any erudition

has only provoked me to recollect to some of my earlier thoughts, for bringing this piece, for which I seek the lenience of the erudite.

Among the many deities worshipped by the Hindus, Lord Ganesha has a special place of pride and preference. No worship of any kind can begin without invoking Him. As Vigneshwara, he is the only one who can remove all obstacles. He is the most beloved of all the deities of the Hindu pantheon, accepted by all cults and unaffected by schisms that divide them.

 

More important is the mode of worship of Ganesha that adapts to

the modern context, with no rigid rules for worship that dominate other

deities and can be worshipped in any form, even as a small pyramid of turmeric. He can be conceived in any form as the worshipper chooses.

Digressing for a moment I shall narrate a recent event. This has been reported by the media as well. After the Sabarimala debacle, an

enquiry was constituted with Honourable Justice Paripoornan, heading the commission. When the ex-chief Tantri of that famous temple, on whom various allegations were poised, was interrogated, he admitted that he knew neither Sanskrit nor the Veda, leave alone any Sooktha mantras and particularly Bhagyasooktham. However, he was doing the Ganapathy

Homa daily at the temple, as taught traditionally in his family, over the years. Opinions of scholars differ as to how a Ganapathy Homa is to be conducted. Whether it must be with or without any elaborate rituals associated with similar Homas, is however disputed. The popular belief is that no intricate rituals need be followed.

 

There is a movement with which many erudite scholars are involved for finding out the scientific principles underlying many of our ancient beliefs. Its endeavour is to try to explain the scientific background of many of our aachaaras followed from time immemorial. It has subjected the Ganapathy Homa for a scientific evaluation with the help of scientists. It has established that the vapour emitted by the coconut shell and fibre put into the havan has a special chemical property to drive away insects from the premises instantaneously. As such it is an ideal prescription for ensuring environmental hygiene.

 

The Ganapataye Cult, which was according to scholars later absorbed into Hinduism, believes that the primordial mind-blowing sound of Om with which the present Universe and the new age of the Swetavaraaha Kalpa dawned, is embodied in the form of Ganesha, commonly known as Ganapathy or Vinaayaka. HE is supposed to have appeared against the light of the first dawn, blowing a conch, dancing in great abandon, swirling and whirling, as Nrutya Ganapathy. He

was the first word or vaak, the First Cause of creation that is beyond any human conceptualization.

As a student of astronomy this scribe would like only to correlate or draw a parallel to this in the theories of the findings of modern astronomy about the first moment of creation – the Big Bang.

When Ganesha, after a huge meal of modaka was riding on his mouse, was tripped by a snake. He tumbled and fell on his back and broke

his stomach allowing the modakas to roll away. Chandra who was witnessing the event could not contain his laughter. Ganesha got up and picked the snake to tie it around his broken waist. Angered Ganesha cursed Chandra to lose his shine. As this resulted in moon-less dark nights, Devas rushed and pleaded with Him to forgive Chandra and restore

his glory. Relenting, Ganesha divined Chandra to wax and wane every fortnight alternatively. We are celebrating the day as Ganesha Chaturthi

on the fourth lunar day of bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada.

Seeing the Moon on that day is deemed to bring bad luck.

The astronomical background of this story could be quite exciting. According to astrophysicists, there was a giant collusion of a

celestial object 4½ billion years ago with the earth. The impact threw away continent sized portions out to space. Many of the debris were caught by earth by its gravity. That is how symbolically it is told that

Ganesha tied up his belly with the snake. Those bits that swirled into the space and in the process of accretion formed the Moon. However, the Moon, that was 15 times closer to us, then, than we see it today, ever shining, had to drift away slowly. It took much time to settle down to its present orbit. Slowing down its speed on its axis, it finally started to show its phases. The story of Ganesha, in fact tells us only

how the Moon got its phases, astronomically.

Like this there are many anecdotes and legends woven around Ganesha. Even though many of them are contradictory in nature, some may contain valuable astronomical information, if only sustained studies and

researches are undertaken.

As far as the legends are concerned, we have Siva and Vishnu worshipping Him. The reason for breaking his tusk has different versions

as also of his choosing the mouse as his vehicle. Art and archaeology have a plethora of information about Ganesha, popular amongst the many Gods of Hinduism. He is equally popular in Buddhism as well. Historians and archaeologists have proof of the cult travelling eastward, with Burmese Hinduism to Thailand, Cambodia and Bali.

Though the Ashta Vinaayaka(s) are deemed svayambhoos, self made

and not by humans, having their shrines in Maharashtra, the popular forms are 32, as could be seen from the dyanaslokas. However, according to the Tantric tradition, there are 51 of them including the one in the female form called Ganeshaani. A wall painting of this form can be seen

in Sucheendram Temple of Nagercoil of Tamilnadu.

It will be interesting to dwell a while what Indian astrology has got to do with Ganesha. A popular belief is that no astrologer can start his day without invoking Him. This scribe has come across quite a few popular astrologers whose powers of prognostication are impeccable.

Associating Ganesha with Ketu, though a bit enigmatic could be seen based on solid principles. According to one story when the Navagrahas came to greet the Divine Couple on the arrival of the child of Glory, Ganesha, Sani was keeping his head low, as he had a curse that

anyone whom he looked with admiration would be destroyed. When Paarvati

insisted and asked Sani to look at the child, he had no other option but to obey the Cosmic Mother. When he looked, the head of the child flew off, much to the agony of Paarvati. Vishnu came to the rescue and got an elephant head and replaced it on the headless child. Symbolically, it is nothing but acquiring the power of wisdom and strength of an elephant. Ketu as Gjnanakaaraka symbolizes wisdom. It has

been maintained that the evil propensity of Sani could do nothing with only the two, Ganesha and Maaruti while all other Gods could not escape his perilous predilections. So by worshipping Ganesha, today, all of us who would have come under the recent unfavourable transit spell can escape the wrath of Sani.

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