| Ganesh
Chaturdi |
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Ganesha Chaturthi is the birthday of Lord Ganesha on
Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturti, the day is specially sacred to
Lord Ganesha. The worship of Ganesha continues till Ananta
Chaturdasi (Bhadrapada Shukla 14th). The festivities continue
for full ten days. Thereafter the highly decorated image made
of clay, is carried in big processions and immersed in sea,
river or well.
Ganesha is presented as the son of Siva & Parvati. During
one of his birthdays, His mother, Shakti Parvati, cooked for
Him twenty-one types of delicious food and a lot of sweet
porridge. Ganesha ate so much that even His big belly could
not contain it. Mounting His little mouse, he embarked on His
nightly rounds. His mouse suddenly stumbled upon seeing a huge
snake. To adjust His belly, Ganesha put the snake on as a belt
around His stomach. All of a sudden, He heard laughter
emanating form the sky. He looked up and saw the moon mocking
Him. Ganesha infuriated, broke off one of His tusks and hurled
it at the moon. The moon hid himself behind the clouds,
immediately Ganesha pronounced a curse on Him saying,
"Let no one look at your face on my birthday."
The symbology behind the mouse and snake and Ganesha's big
belly and its relationship to the moon on His birthday is
highly philosophic. The whole cosmos is likely the belly of
God. Shakti Parvati is the primordial energy. The seven lokas
above, seven lokas below and seven oceans, are inside the
cosmic belly of Ganesha, held together by the cosmic energy
kundalini symbolized as a huge snake which Ganesha ties around
Him. The mouse is nothing but our ego. Ganesha, using the
mouse as a vehicle, exemplifies the need to control our ego.
One who has controlled the ego has Ganesha consciousness or
God-consciousness.
Ganesha is the God who can protect His devotees from any vigna
or obstacle, and hence the name vigneshwara. He is also known
as Ganapati, the head of the Ganas. He is the God of Knowledge
and is invoked at the beginning of any religious function, be
it a marriage; the teaching of alphabets to a child or the
festival in a temple. It is believed that for the fulfillment
of one's desires, His blessing is absolutely necessary.
Lord Vinayaka is the Supreme Reality, who is bountiful,
eternal and the endower of joy and glory to those who worship
Him. He is pure Consciousness and Liberates devotees karmas.
He is extolled as one Who brings well-being to the entire
Universe, destroying all evil forces ever effulgent and who
manisfest the different Divinities.
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