Significance of Lord Ganesha

"Remover of all obstacles,

Pranava Swaroopi,

Embodiment of wisdom,

Devata of Muladhara Chakra!
O Lord Vinayaka,
The bestower of happiness
Who has Modaka in hand!
O Elephant-headed Lord!
Salutations unto Thee.
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha."


Lord Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom and bliss. He is the Lord of Brahmacharins. He is the foremost among Brahmacharins or celibates. He is the Lord who removes all obstacles on the path of the spiritual aspirant, and bestows upon him worldly as well as spiritual success. Hence He is called Vigna Vinayaka. His Bija Akshara (root syllable) is Gung, pronounced to rhyme with the English word "sung". He is the Lord of harmony and peace.

Amongst Hindu Gods , Lord Ganesha enjoys a very very peculiar & unique position . He is to be worshipped and revered first . If that is not done , other rituals / worships will not be fruitful . This is the boon given to Lord Ganesha by Supreme Lord so let us rever at His holy feet for success , wealth & wisdom. That way also , His blessings are unique as money without discretion leads to disaster but Lord Ganesha makes the wealth enjoyable.


Though Lord Ganesha took incarnation as illustrious son of Lord Shiva-Parvati , He is there since times immemorial . Thus in Baalkand of Ramayana , we find worship of Lord Ganesha at the marriage of His Divine parents Shiva -Parvati i.e. even before He was born ! Doha 100 reads as muni anusasan Ganpatihi poojehu Sambhu Bhawani ,

kou suni sansay kare jani Sur anaadi jiyan jaani.

On this Happy Festival of Ganeshji , may the blessings of Sri Ganesha be upon us all ! May He remove all the obstacles that stand in your spiritual path! May He bestow on you all material prosperity as well as liberation.

Mushikavaahana modaka hastha,
Chaamara karna vilambitha sutra,
Vaamana rupa maheshwara putra,
Vighna vinaayaka paada namasthe

MEANING "O Lord Vinayaka! the remover of all obstacles, the son of Lord Shiva, with a form which is very short, with mouse as Thy vehicle, with sweet pudding in hand, with wide ears and long hanging trunk, I prostrate at Thy lotus-like Feet!"

The following story is narrated about His birth and how He came to have the head of an elephant :---

Once upon a time, the Goddess Gauri (consort of Lord Shiva), while bathing, created Ganesha as a pure white being out of the mud of Her Body and placed Him at the entrance of the house. She told Him not to allow anyone to enter while she went inside for a bath. Lord Shiva Himself was returning home quite thirsty and was stopped by Ganesha at the gate. Shiva became angry and cut off Ganesha's head as He thought Ganesha was an outsider.


When Gauri came to know of this she was sorely grieved. To console her grief, Shiva ordered His servants to cut off and bring to Him the head of any creature that might be sleeping with its head facing north. The servants went on their mission and found only an elephant in that position. The sacrifice was thus made and the elephant's head was brought before Shiva. The Lord then joined the elephant's head onto the body of Ganesha.


Lord Shiva made His son worthy of worship at the beginning of all undertakings, marriages, expeditions, studies, etc. He ordained that the annual worship of Ganesha should take place on the 4th day of the bright half of Bhadrapada.


Without the Grace of Sri Ganesha and His help nothing whatsoever can be achieved. No action can be undertaken without His support, Grace or blessing.


In his first lesson in the alphabet a Maharashtrian child is initiated into the Mantra of Lord Ganesha, Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah. Only then is the alphabet taught.


The following are some of the common Names of Lord Ganesha Dhoomraketu, Sumukha, Ekadantha, Gajakarnaka, Lambodara, Vignaraja, Ganadhyaksha, Phalachandra, Gajanana, Vinayaka, Vakratunda, Siddhivinayaka, Surpakarna, Heramba, Skandapurvaja, Kapila and Vigneshwara. He is also known by many as Maha-Ganapathi.


His Mantra is Om Gung Ganapathaye Namah. Spiritual aspirants who worship Ganesha as their tutelary Deity repeat this Mantra or Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah.


The devotees of Ganesha also do Japa of the Ganesha Gayatri Mantra. This is as follows ;--


Tat purushaaya vidmahe
Vakratundaaya dheemahi
Tanno dhanti prachodayaat.

Ganesha and His brother Lord Subramanya once had a dispute as to who was the elder of the two. The matter was referred to Lord Shiva for final decision. Shiva decided that whoever would make a tour of the whole world and come back first to the starting point had the right to be the elder. Subramanya flew off at once on his vehicle, the peacock, to make a circuit of the world. But the wise Ganesha went, in loving worshipfulness, around His divine parents and asked for the prize of His victory.


Lord Shiva said, "Beloved and wise Ganesha! But how can I give you the prize you did not go around the world?"


Ganesha replied, "No, but I have gone around my parents. My parents represent the entire manifested universe!"


Thus the dispute was settled in favour of Lord Ganesha, who was thereafter acknowledged as the elder of the two brothers. Mother Parvati also gave Him a fruit as a prize for this victory.


In the Ganapathi Upanishad, Ganesha is identified with the Supreme Self. The legends that are connected with Lord Ganesha are recorded in the Ganesha Khanda of the Brahma Vivartha Purana.


On the Ganesh Chaturthi day, meditate on the stories connected with Lord Ganesha early in the morning, during the Brahmamuhurta period. Then, after taking a bath, go to the temple and do the prayers of Lord Ganesha. Offer Him some coconut and sweet pudding. Pray with faith and devotion that He may remove all the obstacles that you experience on the spiritual path. Worship Him at home, too. You can get the assistance of a pundit. Have an image of Lord Ganesha in your house. Feel His Presence in it.


Actually , as warrior son and like His brother Kartikeya , Lord Ganesha also killed many demons .Ganeshpuran records this history in details . Most of the places currently fall in Maharashtra so we find celebration of annual Ganesha Chaturthi etc in Mumbai , other parts at a very large scale there. In schools, offices it's the declared holiday there.


In South & North parts of India , Lord Ganesha is worshipped daily to ward off evils and bring success & glory to the Devotees. Now even Vaastu experts advise household to keep an image of Lord Ganesha at the entrance door for good luck and fortune. People leave for office / business after chanting one or two hymns in praise of Lord Ganesha. Following one is most popular ---


"SHREE GANESH VANDANA CHUKLAM
BARATHARAM VISHNUM SHASHI VARNAM
CHATURBHUJAM PRASANNA VADANAM DHYAYET
SARVA VIGHNOPA SHANTAYE AGAJANANA PADMARGAM
GAJANANA MAHIRSHAM ANEKA DANTAM
BHAKTANAM EKA DANTAM UPASMAHE"