Happy, Happy 2012... Divine blessings to a most spectacular year ahead.. to new beginnings, dreams and desires manifesting and a blissful journey ahead...
As one year passes and a new one begins, it's a wonderful time to invoke Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, to help you remove all that stands in your way to greater freedom, success and happiness and to move on from those people, places and situations that no longer serve a purpose on your life's journey..
So, I thought it apt to write my first blog for the new year on Ganesha (also knows as Ganapati), the Hindu Elephant Headed God, Son of Shiva and Parvati (Shakti).
Happy manifesting your dreams, goals and aspirations.. may all that you wish for manifest in divine timing.
With radiant Goddess blessings.. give love in ALL that YOU do..
Anil xox
Ganesh, the elephant-headed god of Wisdom is one of the most loved of all Hindu gods. He is happy, wise and without anger. His love of food, especially sweets, is evident in his large, round potbelly. Ganesh is usually shown with his elephant head and four arms. His mount is the rat.
Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva, the Destroyer, and Goddess Parvati (Shiva’s consort).
Meanwhile Shiva returned, his work in the world outside done. He saw a little boy sitting at the entrance to his house. He wondered who this child could be - he had never seen him before. But Shiva was tired, and longing for some rest and his wife's company. So he thought no more of the child, and made to enter his house.
Shiva stepped back in amazement. 'Do you not know who I am?' he asked the child. 'I am Shiva, and no one may stop me from going where I will!'
'I don't care who you are!' replied the child. 'I cannot let you enter. My mother said I was to let nobody in till she said so!' The child stood resolutely in front of Shiva, barring his way into the house.
'Move out of my way, child!' cried Shiva in anger. 'No one stops me from entering my own house!' But the child was adamant. 'You cannot enter until my mother says so,' he said again. Shiva was furious, and without another thought, he cut off the child's head.
Just then Parvati returned. 'What have you done?' she cried in grief. 'Oh Shiva, that was our son, our very own child whom I created from my body's sweat! How could you kill him?'
When Shiva heard this he was stricken by remorse. 'I will bring him back to life,' he promised Parvati. Shiva sent gods and men out in all directions, to bring back to him the head of the first creature they saw - human or animal.
As it happened, the first creature that anyone came across was a baby elephant in the forest. Its head was promptly cut off and brought back to Shiva who used his great power to fuse the elephant's head onto the body of his son, thereby bringing both back to life as one.
Parvati was overjoyed to have her son back again, even though he now had an elephant's head. The child combined in him the wisdom of the gods and that of the most intelligent creature on earth after man, the elephant. He grew to be the best loved of the gods. He is called Ganesh, or Ganapati.
Discover how Parvati created Ganesh, and how he acquired his elephant head.
Once, the god Shiva was called away from his home on Mount Kailash. Urgent matters in the world needed his attention, and he did not know how long he would be away. The goddess Parvati, his wife, was left alone. When Shiva did not return for many days, she began to feel lonely. 'I wish I had a little son,' she sighed to herself. 'I would talk to him, and play with him, and keep myself busy during the long days that my husband is away.'
One day, while Shiva was still away from home, Parvati said to her son, 'Child, I am going down to the river for a bath. Don't let anyone enter the house in my absence.'
The child stationed himself obediently at the door to their house, determined that he would let no one in until his mother said so.Meanwhile Shiva returned, his work in the world outside done. He saw a little boy sitting at the entrance to his house. He wondered who this child could be - he had never seen him before. But Shiva was tired, and longing for some rest and his wife's company. So he thought no more of the child, and made to enter his house.
Shiva stepped back in amazement. 'Do you not know who I am?' he asked the child. 'I am Shiva, and no one may stop me from going where I will!'
'I don't care who you are!' replied the child. 'I cannot let you enter. My mother said I was to let nobody in till she said so!' The child stood resolutely in front of Shiva, barring his way into the house.
'Move out of my way, child!' cried Shiva in anger. 'No one stops me from entering my own house!' But the child was adamant. 'You cannot enter until my mother says so,' he said again. Shiva was furious, and without another thought, he cut off the child's head.
Just then Parvati returned. 'What have you done?' she cried in grief. 'Oh Shiva, that was our son, our very own child whom I created from my body's sweat! How could you kill him?'
When Shiva heard this he was stricken by remorse. 'I will bring him back to life,' he promised Parvati. Shiva sent gods and men out in all directions, to bring back to him the head of the first creature they saw - human or animal.
As it happened, the first creature that anyone came across was a baby elephant in the forest. Its head was promptly cut off and brought back to Shiva who used his great power to fuse the elephant's head onto the body of his son, thereby bringing both back to life as one.
Parvati was overjoyed to have her son back again, even though he now had an elephant's head. The child combined in him the wisdom of the gods and that of the most intelligent creature on earth after man, the elephant. He grew to be the best loved of the gods. He is called Ganesh, or Ganapati.
All the qualities of elephants are signified by Ganesha’s head. These are the qualities of strength, auspiciousness, and extraordinary wisdom. Like the elephant, Ganesha can be powerful and destructive, yet he is similarly loyal, kind and may be swayed by the affection of his devotees. His large ears - like winnowing baskets - sift truth from untruth. Winnowing baskets are used to winnow grain. The husk and the grain get separated, so does Ganesha distinguish between truth and untruth. It may also be said that the broad ears symbolize his capacity to listen to the prayers of all his devotees with great attention. Ganesh’s twisted trunk represent the zig-zag path of wisdom. It reminds us that there is no direct path, and that there are many twists and turns in the search for truth. While his ever-moving trunk teaches that one should be active always, his single tusk denotes single-mindedness in action. His huge belly signifies that the entire Brahmanda (universe) is hidden within Ganapati. He rides a rat. The rat personifies evil qualities like anger, too much pride and selfishness. Riding on the rat shows that Ganesha checks these evil passions.
According to Kundalini yoga, Ganesha resides in the first chakra, called Muladhara. Mula means "original, main"; adhara means "base, foundation". The muladhara chakra is the principle on which the manifestation or outward expansion of primordial Divine Force rests. Ganesh Mantra
"Aum gam ganapataye namah"
This is a mantra from Ganapati Upanishad. One may always use it before beginning a journey, a new course in school, new career or job, or before entering into any new contract or business so that impediments are removed and your endeavor may be crowned with success.
