Ganesha

In the Hindu Sampradaya (Tradition) whether it be a new job, business, school, yagnas or marriage we always do prayers to Ganapathi first. Lord Ganapathi is also called Ganesha, Vinayaka, Vigneshwara, Gajamuka, Pilliar and many other names.

Why the name Ganapathi? Ganesha is gana’s adhipati -ganadhipati- Ganapati. Ganas’ are celestial beings. Why should we worship him first? Why this first respect to him? Why we make his representation in turmeric, mud, sugar, dough etc.?

Ganesha is a very simple and easily satiable God. Whichever way we make his representation and worship him, he gets easily invoked and showers his blessings. Pilliar, his other name denotes that he is the son of Shiva.

Soldiers used to carry big shields in order to protect themselves from the oncoming spears and arrows in the event of a war. Similarly, Sri Ganesha acts as a shield for the devotees. In image representation he is very big. He has the head of an elephant. The big elephant when worshipped as Ganesha first, stays in front and protects the devotees who are behind.

Ganesha is big in size as well as very big at heart. He is dayalu. He is also very heavy. However, his vehicle is very small, in fact, a little mouse is his vahana. How big he is but how light he has to make himself to ride a mouse!!

He is a personification of humility and love. Sri Ganesha blesses devotees easily and profusely. Lord Ganapathi’s heart is full of tyaga (renunciation). He broke his own ivory tusk to kill a demon and used the same as a pen to write the Mahabharata.

In any puja, whether it is Lakshmi Puja or Saraswathi Puja, we always perform prayers to Lord Ganesha first and our prayers to him; is to remove all obstructions so that we may complete our puja without blemishes or interruption.

He is offered very simple things as Naivaidya - like puffed rice, peanuts, grass, etc. Very simple is his prayer. Ganesha made with jaggery (unrefined sugar - direct from the sugarcane) is worshipped and if we have nothing to offer we can break a piece of jaggery from his image and offer him. Thus, he is very easily pleased and blesses abundantly.

Ganesha stands ahead with his big body and stops obstructions to our prayers irrespective of the fact whether they are Karmic (reaction to our past actions) or not, enabling us to complete the prayer.

Lord Ganapathi is very easily invoked. His only requirement is Bhakti from a pure and sincere heart. Vinayaka thus worshipped becomes Vigneshwara (Lord blocking obstructions towards good deeds) and blesses each and everyone.

“SRI Showers his blessings on everyone"