One always starts any prayer, ritual and/or occasion by worshipping our Beloved Elephant God. The famous mantras dedicated to Ganpati follows:
"Vakratunda Mahaakaaya Suryakotee SamaPrabha
Nirvighnam kuru mey Deva
Sarva kaaryeshu Sarvadaa" .
Traditional stories tell that Lord Ganesha (or Ganapati) (was created by goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva. Parvati created Ganesha out of sandalwood paste that she used for her bath and breathed life into the figure. . She then set him to stand guard at her door while she bathed. However, while she bathed, Lord Shiva returned and as Ganesha didn't know him, he didn't allow him to enter. Lord Shiva became enraged and severed the head of the child and entered his house. After realizing that he had beheaded his own son, Lord Shiva fixed the head of an elephant in place of Ganesha's head. In this way, Lord Ganesha came to be depicted as the elephant-headed God.
"Tat purushaaya vidmahe
Vakratundaaya dheemahi
Tanno dhanti prachodayaat."
Son of Siva and Parvati, is the god of knowledge and thresholds. Lord Ganesha is also called Vighneshvara or Vighnaharta. Ganesha is the lord of and destroyer of obstacles. The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth
Lord Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom and bliss. He is the Lord of Brahmacharins. He is foremost amongst the celibates. He has as his vehicle a small mouse. He is the presiding Deity of the Muladhara Chakra, the psychic centre in the body in which the Kundalini Shakti resides.
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.
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.
Ganesha, the Destroyer of Pride. Ganesha is also the destroyer of vanity and selfishness . The personification of material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations. "He is both the beginning of the religion and the meeting ground for all Hindus."
Ganesha is represented as a happy, fun-loving god. And that is part of the reason why he is so popular. When you look at Ganesha in profile, the upraised trunk of his elephant head can give the impression of "aum." "Aum" is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism. He is also the guardian of doorways and the lord of beginnings and his name is invoked before any new undertaking is commenced. He has four hands, an elephant's head and a big belly, sitting on a tiny mouse.
Ganesha Chaturthi
Ganpati is everyones favourite god. Gana means 'people' and 'pati' means leader. Thus he is the leader of people. He is the god of wisdom. He is a good warrior and an excellent dancer.
Shri Ganesha’s Chaturthi is observed by his devotees. This Chaturthi is very dear to Shri Ganesh. Ganapati Atharvashirsha describes this Chaturthi as ‘Chaturthyamanshnan Japati’. Chaturthi means fourth stage. Ganapati is beyond three stages of human body i.e. awakened stage, dreaming stage & a middle stage between these two stages. When Ganesh is in his Turia Means fourth stage, one can have his darshan. As Such Chaturthi has special importance. SANKASHTI CHATURTHI : This vow is done by devotees on fourth day of sencond fortnight of every month. On this day devotees fast for whole day & break their fast after having darshan of Lord moon & worshipping Lord Ganesha.This vow is observed strictly by devotees to get rid of problems in there life. On this day in the evening after having bath first, worship Lord Ganesh, offer 21 Durvas, do Aarti, show Naivedyam & pray for fulfilling your desires. Then have Lord moon’s darshan, offer his Naivedyam, give meal to Brahman & break your fast. In this way if vow is observed all your desires are fulfilled. VINAYAKAI CHATURTHI : Fourth day in the first fortnight of every month is called as Vinayaki Chaturthi. This vow is to be observed for full day.ANGARAKI CHATURTHI : If Sankashti Chaturthi comes on Tuesday, it is call Angaraki. The vow is completed on the same day. Devotees have their meal in the night after having darshan of lord moon.
Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganesh Utsav or the birthday of Ganesha (the elephant-headed God of Wisdom and Prosperity) falls on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (around August-September). It is celebrated all across India and is the biggest festival in Maharashtra.
Ganesha is the foremost god of the Hindu pantheon. This brave guardian of the door to Parvati’s bath is beheld today as the most auspicious God of new beginnings. He is worshipped during every festival and before people undertake a journey or embark upon a new venture. You will also see him carefully guarding entrances to temples and homes, peeping out of calendars and happily gracing marriages and other such occasions.
Ganesha statues installed in street corners and in homes, and elaborate arrangements are made for lighting, decoration, mirrors and the most common of flowers. Poojas (prayer services) are performed daily. The artists who make the idols of Ganesh compete with each other to make bigger and more magnificent and elegant idols. The relevantly larger ones are anything from 10 meters to 30 meters in height.
Stories - Ganesha goes round the world
This is another interesting story about Lord Ganesh with Narada trying to create trouble as usual. Narada visited Lord Shiva & Parvati and presented them with a fruit, saying that they should give it to the person whom they liked most.
Shiva set a test for his two sons Ganesha and Murugha. He asked them to go round the world and said that the person who finished doing this first would get the fruit. Murugha at once rushed on his mount, the peacock and made a quick trip around the world. He was surprised to find that Ganesha had already finished doing this, since he knew that Ganesha could not move very fast. Ganesha replied that his parents were his universe, his only world. So he had completed his task by just going around them.
Shiva set a test for his two sons Ganesha and Murugha. He asked them to go round the world and said that the person who finished doing this first would get the fruit. Murugha at once rushed on his mount, the peacock and made a quick trip around the world. He was surprised to find that Ganesha had already finished doing this, since he knew that Ganesha could not move very fast. Ganesha replied that his parents were his universe, his only world. So he had completed his task by just going around them.
Vallinayaki
Legend has it that the ghat region of Tamil Nadu was ruled by Nambirajan, the king of the Kuravas or the hill tribes. Nambirajan worshipped Shiva, praying for a daughter. His prayers were answered and it was revealed to him that he would discover a baby in the nearby woods and that she would be his daughter.
Accordingly the Kurava king discovered ‘Vallinayaki’ in the woods and brought her up as his own. Valli grew up to be a beautiful maiden and Subramanya - son of Shiva and Parvati sought her hand in marriage. Their courtship is full of many interesting stories that form the basis of many a folk tale and classical performing arts in Tamil Nadu.
Murugan assumed the form of an old bangle seller, and sold bangles to Valli, in return for a local delicacy of honey soaked corn flour. A conversation ensued between the two, which was interrupted by the arrival of Valli's brothers, a valiant lot who were highly possessive and protective of their sister. Flustered by their sudden appearance, and unwilling to indulge in battle, Murugan (Skanda) changed himself into a Vengai maram (a stump of which is still seen in the Temple at Velimalai in Southern Tamil Nadu).
Skanda appeared again, in the guise of an old tribal king and sought her hand in marriage. The brothers materialized again, and Skanda transformed himself into an old ascetic from the Himalayas, and they left the spot.
Upset by the ongoing hindrance, Skanda sought the help of his brother Vinayaka - the remover of obstacles, who appeared on the spot as a wild elephant. A scared Valli embraced Skanda and promised to offer him anything in return for protection from the wild beast. Skanda sought her hand in marriage, and Valli consented gladly, realizing that her suitor was none other than Murugan, whom she and her tribe held in great regard.
Valli married Murugan and the marriage was celebrated with great pomp and splendor by Nambirajan, the king of kuravas.
Accordingly the Kurava king discovered ‘Vallinayaki’ in the woods and brought her up as his own. Valli grew up to be a beautiful maiden and Subramanya - son of Shiva and Parvati sought her hand in marriage. Their courtship is full of many interesting stories that form the basis of many a folk tale and classical performing arts in Tamil Nadu.
Murugan assumed the form of an old bangle seller, and sold bangles to Valli, in return for a local delicacy of honey soaked corn flour. A conversation ensued between the two, which was interrupted by the arrival of Valli's brothers, a valiant lot who were highly possessive and protective of their sister. Flustered by their sudden appearance, and unwilling to indulge in battle, Murugan (Skanda) changed himself into a Vengai maram (a stump of which is still seen in the Temple at Velimalai in Southern Tamil Nadu).
Skanda appeared again, in the guise of an old tribal king and sought her hand in marriage. The brothers materialized again, and Skanda transformed himself into an old ascetic from the Himalayas, and they left the spot.
Upset by the ongoing hindrance, Skanda sought the help of his brother Vinayaka - the remover of obstacles, who appeared on the spot as a wild elephant. A scared Valli embraced Skanda and promised to offer him anything in return for protection from the wild beast. Skanda sought her hand in marriage, and Valli consented gladly, realizing that her suitor was none other than Murugan, whom she and her tribe held in great regard.
Valli married Murugan and the marriage was celebrated with great pomp and splendor by Nambirajan, the king of kuravas.
Lack of a Second Tusk
Version II
Yet another myth is that, in the process of writing the Mahabharata (at the dictation of Vyasa), Lord Ganesh found that his pen had broken, and in the urgency of taking down the great words, snapped off his left tusk as a replacement quill.
Yet another myth is that, in the process of writing the Mahabharata (at the dictation of Vyasa), Lord Ganesh found that his pen had broken, and in the urgency of taking down the great words, snapped off his left tusk as a replacement quill.
