PAVAMĀNA: Enduring Indic Wisdom

Gathering the Goodness of gaṇeśa

© by Bala Bharadvaj, 7 September 2024

approx 14-minute reading time

Summary

śrī gaṇeśa is a popular deity in the Hindu pantheon worshipped all across India and even in other countries.  He is a “down to Earth” type of deity, who blesses His devotees with special modaka.  In this article, we learn more about this deity, explore the hidden meaning behind the delicious modaka, and discuss some practical ideas on how to overcome obstacles.

Background

Today (7 Sep 2024) is vināyaka caturthi, the annual festival dedicated to śrī gaṇapati or śrī gaṇeśa, the deity depicted with the face of an elephant.  He is introduced in the purāṇa-s as the child of devī pārvatī (or gaurī) and śrī mahādeva (Lord śiva).

Hindu children are taught from an early age that śrī gaṇeśa is the deity associated with the intellect, knowledge, wisdom and success.  He is probably most famous as the god who manages obstacles – by creating and removing them; of course, we are more interested in the latter.  As a result, we are respectful to this happy looking god, especially during his festival; and we look forward to the wonderful special prasād called modaka.

Growing up in Hyderabad, I recall the local gaṇeśa festival which was a grand affair that lasted for ten days.  On the final day there was a special procession to the nearby river (3 km) where the large idol was immersed in water and the clay from the idol merged with the sands of the river.  The yearly event was an uplifting community experience.  It was as though the Lord emerged out of the Earth in the form of a clay idol, enabled the people to venerate and celebrate the divine being, and then merged back into the Earth – very much in sync with the idea of advaita vedanta with the manifestation and dissolution of the universe by the Universal Spirit we refer to as brahman.

Over the years, we seem to have forgotten the fundamental principles behind the great gaṇeśa.  Today, we see grand images of gaṇeśa installed in various communities competing for attention.  Unfortunately, the idols are made of Plaster of Paris and other man-made materials that don’t go back into nature easily.  It is a sad sight to see the large idols of gaṇeśa that were venerated just a day earlier being taken to large water bodies and dumped there.  They don’t dissolve as the clay idols did.  This is completely opposite to the idea of a benevolent, earth-friendly gaṇeśa introduced by our ancestors.

Gaṇeśa of the purāṇa-s

In the purāṇa-s, śrī gaṇeśa is introduced as a child created by mother pārvatī from the fragrant paste applied on her own skin.  gaṇeśa is a “down to earth” kind of divinity closely associated with the Earth and is said to reside at the mūlādhāra cakra (located at the base of the spine).  Traditionally, idols were made of clay, or a lump of turmeric, which is a great medicinal root cultivated from the Earth.  Offerings to Him during the festival consisted of leaves, flowers and fruits available locally. Even two blades of grass (dūrvā yugmam) are special offerings to Him.  He demands very little, provided the offering is done with sincerity and devotion. 

At the body level, we are also children of the Earth.  The food we consume to feed our body comes from the blessings of Mother Earth, who is another form of the Universal Mother Goddess.  From this perspective, both śrī gaṇeśa and we are children of the same Universal Mother!

This leads to two points: (1) Since śrī gaṇeśa and we are siblings, we can reach out to our exalted elder sibling for help; (2) However, while honoring this elder sibling, let us not ruin the Earth and the environment that is our common Mother.

How to honor and worship śrī gaṇeśa

Traditional pūja is done with locally available materials.  The rains have created a lush growth and there are plenty of natural items available to offer.  There is no need for introducing artificial items.

Most importantly, chant the name of the Lord and remember his glories.  Offer fruits to the Lord if you don’t know how to make any special offerings.  The most important part of worship is doing it with devotion and sincerity as explained in bhagavad gīta 9.26.

What will He give in return?

When we ask this question, we are converting the worship into a transaction.  The scriptures assure us that the lord will bless us by removing obstacles and providing the special gift of modaka.  However, this is a bit different from a worldly transaction where we exchange one type of goods for another.

It is useful to understand what “modaka” really means.  This word “modaka” has come to mean the special sweet that is offered to śrī gaṇeśa on special occasions such as on vināyaka caturthi.  However, this is a limited meaning.

In Sanskrit, the word “modaka” is related to the root word “mud” which means to delight, or to cause joy.  So, “modaka” is that which causes joy or delight (modam karoti iti modakaḥ).  The physical sweet is only a symbolic representation of the joy that śrī gaṇeśa bestows on His devotees, and this happiness can take on different forms for different people.

The edible sweet modaka, consists of an outer layer made of rice flour and a sweet and delicious filling inside.  The blessings of śrī gaṇeśa gained through regular worship change our inner personality to become sweeter (like the sweet part of the modaka).  Since a person with a sweeter personality is generally more successful in life, we can say that śrī gaṇeśa’s blessings help us to become more successful.

Philosophically, the modaka is also an analogy for our own body.  During the early stages of our spiritual journey, we identify ourselves primarily with the physical body and don’t even know about the inner layer.  In this condition, we experience the debilitating effects of various obstacles and challenges in life to a full extent. 

The sweet core of the edible modaka is known as “pūrṇam”.  As we start receiving blessings of śrī gaṇeśa, we begin to understand that we are not just the outer layer (jīvātma) that is suffering, but also have an inner spiritual entity (paramātma) which is complete (another meaning of the word “pūrṇam”).  This understanding changes our perspective and our outlook on life becomes much sweeter. 

With more blessings and spiritual progress, when we realize that we are not a body with a spirit inside, but we are actually a complete sweet spiritual entity (pūrṇam) with a physical body outside, this becomes a transcendental experience. 

The grace of śrī gaṇeśa can enable us to gain this understanding and transform us into a walking and talking modaka!

How to speed up the blessings of śrī gaṇeśa

Now that we know what His blessings can do, we want to know if it is possible to speed up the process.  It turns out that the process can indeed be expedited based on a śloka that says that chanting a set of sixteen names of śrī gaṇeśa removes obstacles in all our endeavors.

The sixteen (+2) names are given below

ॐ सुमुखाय नमः ।	oṃ sumukhāya namaḥ |
ॐ एकदन्ताय नमः ।	oṃ ekadantāya namaḥ |
ॐ कपिलाय नमः ।	oṃ kapilāya namaḥ |
ॐ गजकर्णकाय नमः ।	oṃ gajakarṇakāya namaḥ |
ॐ लम्बोदराय नमः ।	oṃ lambodarāya namaḥ |
ॐ विकटाय नमः ।	oṃ vikaṭāya namaḥ |
ॐ विघ्नराजाय नमः ।	oṃ vighnarājāya namaḥ |
ॐ विनायकाय नमः ।	oṃ vināyakāya namaḥ |
ॐ धूमकेतवे नमः ।	oṃ dhūmaketave namaḥ |
ॐ गणाध्यक्षाय नमः ।	oṃ gaṇādhyakṣāya namaḥ |
ॐ भालचन्द्राय नमः ।	oṃ bhālacandrāya namaḥ |
ॐ गजाननाय नमः ।	oṃ gajānanāya namaḥ |
ॐ वक्रतुण्डाय नमः ।	oṃ vakratuṇḍāya namaḥ |
ॐ शूर्पकर्णाय नमः ।	oṃ śūrpakarṇāya namaḥ |
ॐ हेरम्बाय नमः ।	oṃ herambāya namaḥ |
ॐ स्कन्दपूर्वजाय नमः ।	oṃ skandapūrvajāya namaḥ |
ॐ सिद्धिविनायक स्वामिने नमः ।	oṃ siddhivināyaka svāmine namaḥ |
ॐ श्री महा गणपतये नमः ।	oṃ śrī mahā gaṇapataye namaḥ |

Let us first look at the direct meaning of the Sanskrit terms used in the śloka to describe śrī gaṇeśa (also known as śrī gaṇapati).  This set of meanings is usually the one used by most people who approach śrī gaṇeśa as devotees to seek His blessings.  When taken as a group these names, indicate the position of śrī gaṇeśa in the hierarchy among the divine beings, describe his physical features and his functions. 

He is the divine son of pārvatī devī and Lord śiva (from the purāṇa-s), and the elder brother of skanda.  He has a yellowish-brown large body, the head of an elephant with big ears, a curved trunk and a broken tusk, with a crescent moon as an ornament on his forehead.  He is handsome with a face that is beautiful, he is mysterious (obscured by smoke), and capable of causing fear, but also an unsurpassed leader with a multitude of beings at his command.  He is the master of obstacles and the protector of the humble and good people.  I seek the grace and blessings of the great gaṇeśa for success in all my endeavors.

These names also have profound meanings that indicate how śrī gaṇeśa is a great divine mentor for our progress and prosperity both in this world as well as for spiritual progress.

What if I don’t chant all the names?  Is there an easier way?

On the spiritual path, even a small amount of effort contributes to making progress.  In the case of the benevolent gaṇeśa also, one does get partial credit for one’s effort.  For those who can’t chant sixteen names, chanting even one name can have great benefits.  The requirement is that it should be done with understanding and sincerity.

The very first of these sixteen mantra-s is loaded with meaning, and connecting with śrī gaṇeśa with this name is extremely powerful.

The Sanskrit word “sumukha” consists of two parts “su” + “mukha”.  su refers to something that is pleasant, good, positive, etc. and the word mukha can have three distinct meanings as the face, the mouth, and countenance.  These three meanings pertain to three perspectives of kāya, vāk and manaḥ (i.e., body, speech and the mind).

From the perspective of the body, sumukha simply means pleasant face, and when we address śrī gaṇeśa with “oṃ sumukhāya namaḥ”, we are saluting and honoring the physical beauty of the Lord as having a pleasant face that is at once charming, calming and reassuring to the devotee.  He makes the devotee very comfortable, and the devotee feels that the Lord will protect and take care of the devotee.  This is the meaning provided most often by translators.

When we look at the word sumukha from the perspective of speech, it represents a sweet or pleasant manner of speaking.  This is indicated in the purāṇa-s where śrī gaṇeśa is depicted as having a brilliant mind and speaks very cleverly.  His ability to speak well enabled him to navigate through tricky situations and overcome obstacles.  Based on this meaning, when we say, “oṃ sumukhāya namaḥ”, we are saluting and honoring the ability of śrī gaṇeśa to speak very well and are seeking His blessings so that we may develop similar qualities. 

From the perspective of the mind, sumukha takes on the meaning of having a positive countenance or positive attitude.  Having the right attitude is essential for success anywhere.  By honoring Him with this meaning, we are seeking His blessings for developing a positive attitude towards life.

śrī gaṇeśa is a great mentor.  The best way to gain from a mentor is to emulate the mentor. 

Now, we can see how śrī gaṇeśa as sumukha can help us to overcome obstacles if we emulate His qualities.  When we encounter obstacles, the first thing to do is to invoke the grace of the Almighty and remain calm and composed so that we can examine the situation objectively.  Often, obstacles can be overcome by discussion with the right people.  Speaking the right words can help us navigate through the obstacle and take us towards the goal.  Both these will be significantly benefitted if we also approach the situation with a positive attitude.

So, when we salute the Lord with “oṃ sumukhāya namaḥ”, it is not just about admiring a pleasant faced gaṇeśa.  It is an affirmation of His glory and a reminder to us that the Lord can help us if we follow his example.

In conclusion

śrī gaṇeśa is the popular deity associated with removing obstacles.  He can be worshipped very easily with simple offerings.  His blessings can produce success in worldly endeavors, as well as with spiritual evolution.  He is also a great mentor and following His example can lead to faster resolution of obstacles.

ॐ gaṃ gaṇapataye namaḥ!

Hari Om!

May the blessings of śrī gaṇeśa guide you to achieve success in all your endeavors!

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