Question on Rudri - 8- Chapter 1 - Om GAM Ganapataye Namah

[Guest guest]

Dear Nanda,

 

Thanks for continuing to keep us thirsting for more.

 

I understand what you have said here about Lord Ganesh but since in

the other classes we always praised Knowledge Goddess Saraswati at

the commencement and end of the class, can you say why it is

different in this case. Is it because of the "male" aspect?

 

 

, Nanda <chandimaakijai>

wrote:

>

> Om Gam Ganapataye Namah

>

> Dear All,

> Thank you Linda for your questions (which you answered yourself

in a later post) and jaishreemaa for sharing your insight into the

overall structure of the Rudri.

>

> Today we finally begin chapter 1 and here it is ...

> JAI GANESH

> Nanda

>

> ====================================

> The first verse of Chapter 1 is one that is in almost all

the Kushandikas in the scriptures translated by Swamiji.

> It starts off with "Om Gananam tva ...tvamajasi garbadhham"

>

> Swamiji translates

> "We invoke you with offerings, Oh Lord of the Multitudes; we

invoke you with offerings, Oh Lord of Love; we invoke you with

offerings, Oh Guardian of the Treasure. Sit within me, giving birth

to the realm of the Gods within me; yes, giving birth to the realm

of the Gods within me."

>

> My understanding.

> In keeping with tradition, we invoke Ganesh at the beginning of

every undertaking, and the Rudri is no exception. We invoke Ganesh

to not only remove obstacles in our path, but as Swamiji

says, "Ganesh is also Lord of Wisdom. No one can enter into the

secret without wisdom. So Ganesh was unanimously declared the first

to be worshiped in every ceremony."

>

> The term "Nidhipati", which Swamiji has translated as "Guardian

of the Treasure",reminds me of a story in the "Ramakrishna, The

Nectar of Eternal Bliss" .

>

> On page 187, it talks about a woodcutter who went daily to the

forest to cut wood. On the way, he meets a brahmachari, who tells

him to "go forward". The simple woodcutter takes those two words to

heart, and ventures a little deeper into the forest each day.He

finds a silver mine, and then a gold mine and even a diamond mine.

He becomes wealthy beyond his wildest dreams.

> Ramakrishna used this story to illustrate the riches to be found

within if one only continues to go inward with japa and sadhana.

>

> The treasure is within each of us, and Ganapati is the guardian

of /gatekeeper to that treasure.

>

> Maa often tell us to "wake up". Swamiji has said that the

purpose of Sadhana is to awaken the divinity inherent within each of

us. By invoking Ganesh at the beginning of our recitation of any

text, in our case the Rudri, we are asking him to help us go within

ourselves and realize the divine within.

>

> Also, here is the meaning of the word `Gum' in the verse.

Swamiji says, `Gum is a special character which amplifies the

expression of anuswara, the sound of an atom, which means

perfection. Ga means wisdom, plus Om, the Infinite beyond

conception - the ultimate wisdom, or the wisdom of the Infinite

beyond conception. "

>

> JAI GANESH

 

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