Wednesday, September 19, 2018

The True Meaning of celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi and pleasing Ganesh




(based on the Pravachan of Gurudev Swami Divyachetnanandji Maharaj)


Ganesh is the head of all the deities. We recite “Ganaanaam cha Ganapati …” - Gana means group, Pati means head – Ganapati is the head of all. He represents the Earth element which is why he is so heavy. He is the most intelligent and if you read about him in the scriptures this has been demonstrated through many stories about him.

Currently the ten days of Ganesh are ongoing. Most of us have made/bought a clay idol of Ganesh and worshiped him, and have/will immerse this idol in water (visarjan). But that is not what Ganesh worship and pleasing him is all about. We need to try to understand what Ganesh represents, what we need from him and what we should take from him during these days.

This body is a temple. All the deities reside in it. What is outside is also inside. Ganesh resides at the Muladhara chakra. Mula means base, so Ganesh is the base. Ganesh got blessings from all the Gods that he would be the first one to be prayed too. He is “pratham pujya”. If we have his blessings, if we imbibe his qualities we will be first and foremost too. We should strive to be like him.

Ganesh has two wives – Riddhi and Siddhi. He has two sons – Shubha and Labha. His sons are said to be very young. Mothers are always present where their young children are. If we honor Shubha and Labha then their Mothers will automatically be there for us too.

What is Shubha? Doing all virtuous deeds is called Shubha. Not harming anybody may be good karma but it is not a shubha karma. Shubha karma is doing good to others. Doing karma that will benefit others. Charity comes from this. Doing more and more for others without any ego; that is, not doing charity with an expectation to receive praise. It is said about daan (charity) that when you give something others should not know. Even your own left hand should not know that your right hand gave. This is true charity. When we do more and more good karma like being with Guru, listening to pravachans, understanding them, practicing what was taught, experiencing the benefits of the teachings and then in turn spreading the teachings to others, it is shubha karma. If we change the lives of a hundred people for the better it is shubha karma. Our life on Earth has been useful.

If we have done a lot of shubha karma, labha automatically comes to us. Labha means gains. Gaining more and more. As an example, if we know exactly how much wealth we have it means that we don’t have enough. When we have so much wealth that we can’t even keep count of it and still more and more keeps pouring in, we are indeed wealthy. Wealth is not just money, it is all good things. Labha means countless blessings keep coming our way. Infinite kinds of Lakshmi always come to us when we do Shubha. Bliss is always there.

Riddhi is prosperity/wealth/good fortune and Siddhi is special spiritual powers. When Shubha and Labha are with us automatically Riddhi and Siddhi are with us too. When all these four are there then Ganesh is there. Ganesh represent Swastik – these four – the entire family inside. Swasth is kalyan. All these are hidden inside Ganesh only.

But the key to having Ganesh with us always is based only and only upon the shubha karma we have done and are doing. Keep doing shubha karma always and Ganesh will always be with you.  And the origin of all shubha karma begins with respecting one’s own parents. Because our origin starts from our parents. Respect parents do shubha karma and be always with Ganesh.

This is the true meaning of celebrating Ganesh.

Jai Ganesh

Jai Gurudev

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