Know about Lord Ganesha
Ganesha is the formless divinity who is established in a supernatural form for the benefit of the devotee. As per Hindu folklore, he is the child of God Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Gana means group. This entire creation is a gathering of iotas and various energies. If there was no supreme law governing the various entities of this entire creation, there would have been a lot of turmoil. God Ganesha is the God of all these atoms and clusters of energies.
He is the Supreme Consciousness who is omnipresent and establishes an order in this creation.
Adi Shankaracharya has very beautifully described the essence of Ganesha in the Ganesh Stotra.
Although Ganesha is worshiped as an elephant-headed God. This form (Swaroop) actually manifests that formless (Parbrahma form).
He is 'Ajam Nirvikalpam Nirakarmekam'. That is, Ganesha is ajam (unborn), nirvikalpa (without any attributes), formless (without any form). And he is the symbol of the consciousness which is all-pervading.
Ganesha is a similar energy which is the reason for this creation. It is a similar energy from which everything shows and in which all that will break up.
Story of birth of Lord Ganesha
We as a whole know the account of how Ganesha turned into an elephant-headed God. When Parvati was playing a festival with Shiva, she got a little scum on her. When he realized this, he removed that scum from his body and made a child out of it. Then they asked the boy to keep guard there as long as she is taking a bath.
When Shiva returned, the boy did not recognize him, and blocked his way. Then God Shiva beheaded the boy and went inside.
Parvati was very surprised to see this. He explained to Shiva that the child was his son, and requested God Shiva to save his life at any cost.
Then God Shiva ordered his assistants to go and bring someone from anywhere with a head who was sleeping facing north. Then Shiva's assistants brought the head of an elephant, which Shiva attached to the body of the child and thus God Ganesha was born.
Realities of Thought in the Story of Lord Ganesha
- Why was there dirt on Parvati's body?:
Parvati is a symbol of happy energy. Their being muddy means that any celebration can be rajasic, it can have attachment and can shake you from your center. Dirt is a symbol of ignorance, and God Shiva is the epitome of supreme simplicity, peace and knowledge.
- Was God Shiva, the epitome of peace, so angry that he beheaded his own son? And why the elephant's head on the torso of God Ganesha?
So when Ganesha blocked the path of God Shiva, it means that ignorance, which is a quality of the mind, does not recognize knowledge, then knowledge must be conquered by ignorance. To show this, Shiva cut off the head of Ganesha.
- Why Elephant's Head?:
Elephant is a symbol of both 'Knowledge Shakti' and 'Karma Shakti'. The principle characteristics of an elephant are knowledge and suddenness.The giant head of an elephant is a sign of wisdom and knowledge. Elephants never escape from obstacles, nor do they stop them. They simply remove them from their path and move on – it is the epitome of spontaneity. Thusly, when we love God Ganesha, this load of characteristics are stirred inside us, and we take these characteristics.
Symbols of Ganeshji and their importance
Ganesha's big belly signifies generosity and total acceptance.
Ganesha's outstretched hand is a symbol of protection – that is, 'Don't panic, I am with you' and his bowed hand, with the palm facing out, means infinite charity, as well as an invitation to bow down It is a symbol that one day we will all merge in this soil.
Ganesha is Ekadanta, which means concentration. Whatever they hold in their hands, they also have some meaning.
He holds in his hands ankush, which means awakening, and pasha, which means control. With awakening, a lot of energy is generated and uncontrollable can lead to distraction.
Why does Ganesha, the elephant-headed God move on a vehicle as small as a mouse? Isn't that very strange? Again, it has a deeper mystery. A mouse tears apart the ropes that bind us. The mouse is like a mantra that can completely cut through the exclusive layers of ignorance. And reveal the ultimate knowledge that God Ganesha embodies.
Our ancient sages were so deeply intelligent, that they depicted divinity as these symbols instead of words. Because words change with time, but symbols never change. So whenever we meditate on that omnipresent. We should keep these deep symbols in our mind, like the elephant-headed God, and at the same time remember that Ganesha is within us.
0 comments: