Ganesh Chaturthi

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From " Swami Atmananda "

Ganesh Chaturthi !

 

Ganesh Chaturthi

 

The fourth day of the month of Bhadrapad (during its Shukla paksha) is

traditionally called as the Ganesh Chaturthi. As per Bhavisya Purana Ganesh

was created on this day by Parvati (from the upatan-a mixture of various

ingredients used for bath, she was using for her bath). The Brahma-vaivarta

Purana however says that on this day the elephant-head was attached on

Ganeshji.

 

 

Since the path of knowledge is essentially intellectual, he must have a big

head. Truth can be comprehended only by listening to a teacher - so we have

a symbolic representation of this by his big ears. The trunk of the elephant

has a peculiar efficiency that beats all the ingenuity in the mechanical &

scientific world. Here is a 'tool' which can at once uproot a tree or pick a

pin fron the ground. Ssuch ingenuity is expected in our discriminative

faculty too. One should be able to intelligently understand things at the

macro as well as the individual level. The broken tusk of Ganapati indicates

that he has transcended the 'pairs-of-opposites' and later the very duality.

There is one alone. Like an elephant a man of Perfection too has an endless

appetite for life & its variagated experiences. At the same time he should

also have a big belly to stomach peacefully all the experiences of life,

good or bad.

 

Finally we have his strange vehicle - the mouse. This little animal with

tiny teeth can make even a barnful of grains disappear within no time.

Nibbling & gnawing, he is ever busy. There is a mouse in all of us which can

eat away mountain of merit in us and this mouse is the power of desire. This

is a small thing which can bring about disasterous consequences. A Man of

perfection has mastered this self-annihilating urge. Now this mouse sits in

obedience at his Masters feet. Whenever he wants to serve the world, he

rides on this desire - the desire to serve and moves around in the world

sitting onthis small yet a very powerful vehicle.

 

BEST WISHES to all readers on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi,

 

Love & om,

 

Swami Atmananda