September 2011
Swamiji has conveyed his divine blessings to all on the ocassion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Lord Ganesha is one who bestows intelligence and success and also removes obstacles that come our way.
Swamiji wishes that Lord Vinayaka (who is the remover of all obstacles) should bring peace , happiness and prosperity to everyone, thereby making the world an abode of peace (Prasanthi Nilayam).
Spiritual Significance of Lord Ganesha
(This has been taken from from "Viswaratnamala", by Smt. Ratnamohini)
Lord Ganapati is the Lord of all Groups. He is being worshipped since primitive times, and also considered as the main power.
Those who pray to Lord Vinayaka on the Vinayaka Chaturthi day are well aware of his Lordship. Lord Ganapati bestows wisdom and realization. Both these powers are under his control. What these powers do is let deeds done with good intentions meet with success, and placing obstacles for bad deeds. Ganapati is the powers of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in union. He is the guide who delivers to the God we worship, whatever prayers we offer. He is setting an ideal for the mankind through his life. Who so ever prays to him with devotion, he bestows auspiciousness, realization and intellect, and showers his grace so that all tasks are accomplished with wisdom.
Lord Vinayaka is embodiment of education. His knowledge is very sharp. He is a great poet among poets. Sage Vyasa used Lord Ganapati for writing the epic Mahabarata, While writing when his pen broke, he immediately pulled out his tusk, and used it as a pen, thereby showing us that one should not waste any time. He is called as Eka Dantaya, because of being left with only one tusk.
Lord Ganapati is symbolic of Sattvic food. His behavior is Sattvic(balanced) in nature, because of taking Sattvic food. He does not have any desires. He has made desire his vehicle. The mouse depending upon the smell wishes for everything, and craves for it. The vehicle as a mouse is symbolic of the fact that Lord Ganapati has cravings and desires under his control.
Ganapati is the basis for all life, just as OM is the basis of all sounds. For all living beings and all endeavors, Lord Vinayaka qualifies to be worshipped first. Just as the footprints of all the animals in a forest merge into the footsteps of an elephant, Lord Vinayaka merges into himself, the footsteps of all living beings. The elephant head of Lord Vinayaka symbolizes all good qualities. One who has proven that the whole world is in him, is Lord Vinayaka. We believe that because of eating food, Vinayaka has a big belly. In reality what it means is a stomach that has the whole universe in it.
Ganapati also means divinity in humanity. It also means humanity with human instinct. In any good task you undertake he protects you like God. If you do any wrong deeds he will torment you like an animal. So what Vinayaka philosophy preaches is to do good tasks with good intentions and good intellect.
Lord Ganapati drives away all obstacles and blesses any work undertaken by us with good intentions.