3) GANESH JAY JAY GANANAYAKA

Ganesh is the much loved ‘elephant’ headed demigod, son of Shiva and Parvati. Much of the Hindu world recognizes 33 million gods (devas). Vaishnavas refer to them as demigods. The prefix “demi,” from the Latin dimidius, or “half,” indicates that these gods are “half-gods” and not the complete, ultimate God as we understand Him from the Judeo-Christian perspective. In other words, they are not God but highly empowered beings who are themselves devotees of God. They are what Colin Powell and even Dick Cheney are to Big ‘W’! Worship of demigods, (what to speak of rock stars or athletes!) without understanding their relationship to God Himself is futile. We can never be fully satisfied because we are ultimately spiritual beings and must develop our relationship with the ultimate creator, not His (albeit high ranked) representatives. The Vedas suggest that if we do pray to demigods, we should do so for spiritual reasons. Ganesh, is described as the remover of obstacles, so the highest use of his particular expertise is to ask him to remove obstacles on our path to God realization.

Ganesh is one of the most loved and favorite of the Hindu demigods and you will see many temples in his honor. Even temples to Vishnu and other deities will often have a statue of Ganesh at the entrance. As the spiritual aspirant enters, (s)he touches Ganesha’s feet, asking him to remove the obstacles on the spiritual path. He is also worshiped just prior to religious ceremonies, both public and private, and is thus also known as “the lord of beginnings.”

With his human body, elephant head and pot-belly, Ganesh is perhaps the most easiest of all the demigods to identify. His images adorn the walls of temples, shops and homes throughout India and the world. He was also a scribe of the Vedas and is at times depicted with a quill on a palm leaf. He is missing one tusk, a piece of which can sometimes be seen in one of his four hands. In another hand he holds a hatchet (parashu) which, according some texts, is for “cutting away illusion and false teachings.” Another of Ganeshs’s hands is gesturing fearlessness and reassurance (varada-hastra-mudra). He also holds a goad (ankusha), like the one used by an elephant trainer. The goad symbolizes Ganesh’s insistence on proper training (sadhana) and spiritual discipline. In another hand Ganesh often holds a noose (pasha) used for restraining wild animals, and here representing the restraint of passion and selfish lust.

Vedic texts reveal that Ganesh is the son of Shiva and Parvati (aka Durge, Gauri), although his sonship is quite peculiar. According to one version, Shiva “emits” a son from his own body. The child is handsome, with alluring features, and grows up to be a seducer of women. Parvati is offended by her son’s exploits and curses him to have the head of an elephant and a big belly – in other words, to be unattractive! He gradually settles down, however, with two wives: Buddhi (“wisdom”) and Siddhi (“success”), who can see beyond his physical ugliness. As time passes, Ganesh becomes the commander (gana-isha or gana-pati) of Shiva’s troops. Because he becomes well known as one who removes obstacles for the demigods or the devotees he is called Vinayaka (“one who removes [obstacles]”).

In another, more popular version of the Ganesh story, Parvati wishes not to be disturbed while bathing. From her own perspiration she creates a son and appoints him to be the guardian of her quarters. Soon Shiva seeks admission into Parvati’s inner chambers. Unaware of Shiva’s identity, Ganesh refuses him entrance and pushes him away. The enraged Shiva, not one to be slighted in anyone, summons his attendants (ganas) to do away with him. But Ganesh defeats them all. Finally, Vishnu himself arrives and, drawing upon His shakti (mystic potency), creates confusion on all sides, thus enabling Shiva to cut off Ganesh’s head. Parvati is furious and decides to send a multitude of goddesses to harass the demigods. The women make clear that Parvati can only be appeased if her son is totally resuscitated. Shiva tells the gods to go north and cut off the head of the first living being that they see; this head would then be mystically placed on the body of the recently decapitated Ganesh, who would then come back to external consciousness. As fate would have it, the first living being to cross the path of the gods is an elephant.

Belief in Ganesh and his story is not a prerequisite to the practice of spirituality! All paths contain elements that extend the boundaries of reason. As J. Stillson Judah , Professor Emeritus of the Graduate Theological Union at the University of California points out:

“if to the outsider the ‘pastimes of Krishna [or that of Ganesh] appear miraculous and illogical, the following question must be asked. Does not the awareness of a higher reality, which all religions declare to be a divine mystery, come most often through participation in the irrational, the paradox – and, for the disbeliever, the absurd? For many Buddhists, it may emerge through meditating on the paradoxes of the ‘pragya-paramita’ or the nonsensical ’ko-ans’; for the Pentecostals, it speaks through the incoherent babble of glossolalia; for the Roman Catholics, it involves the mystery of the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ during the Mass; for the Moslem, it may occur during the pilgrimage to Mecca, when he trots between the hills of Saffa and Marwah imitating the Hagar’s search for water.”

If the story of Ganesh seems fantastic and unbelievable, why? The spiritual experience is not only intensely personal, but fabulously mystical and magical!

Jay Jay Jay Gananayaka

Jay Jay vikna vinayaka

All glories to Ganesh, Lord of the spirits and destroyer of obstacles.

Jaya subha mangala dayaka

Vidya buddhi pradayaka

All glories to Ganesha who is auspicious and blesses us with knowledge and spiritual wisdom.

Gaja vadana, gauri nandana

Ganga-dhara shiva shambu nandana

He has the face of an elephant and is the darling son of Shiva and Gauri (Parvati).