Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara – Our sathsang volunteer has shared this interesting article on Maha Ganapathi citing various facts from our Adhi Aacharyal, Maha Periyava, Ithihasa Puranas, etc. Rama Rama

Maha Ganapati Mahimai

Sri Vedavyaasaaya Namah
Namah Paravati Pataye Hara Hara Mahadeva

All our deeds start with Vinayaka Swami, he is the embodiment of all auspiciousness and turmeric is another auspicious object. So, we combine the double auspiciousness into one Manjal Pillayar, all work gets complete success.

We shall see his significance in Ramayanam, Mahabharatam and Puranas.

The most important of all the devatas is our Ganapati. Music, scriptures, work, studies, travel even our Bakshanams (savouries) made at home is started by honouring Ganapati.

Ganapati in Ramayanam –

Maha Periyava explaining about “vinayakaH shamyanti” meaning in Sri Rama Pattabhishekham (during a sadas) –

” शुभ इतर स्थानेषु स्थितानाम् ग्रहाणां दोषः शाम्यन्ति । शुभस्थानेषु स्थितानां ग्रहाणाम् आनुकूल्यम् यथा जायते । तदैव शुभेतर​ स्थानेषु स्थितानां ग्रहाणाम् आनुकूल्यमपि लभ्यते ॥ – इति अर्थः । ”

“shubha itara sthAneSu sthitAnAm grahAnAm doSaH shamyanti; shubhasthaneSu sthitAnAm grahAnAm AnukUlyam yatha jAyate, tadaiva, shubhetara sthAnesu sthitAnAm grahAnAm AnukUlyamapi labhyate – iti arthtaH”

“The planets in the horoscope that are housed in benevolent positions do great good. But reading the Ramayana results in planets that are not housed in benevolent positions also doing great good to one, as if they are located in benevolent positions.”

There is one more important hint at Vinyaka’s significance in SriRama Pattabhishekham.

अक्षतन् जातरूपं च गावः कन्यास्तथा द्विजाः ।
नरा मोदकहस्ताश्च रामस्य पुरतो ययुः ॥

akSatan jAtarupam ca gAvaH kanyAstatha dvijAH
narA modakahastAshaca rAmasya purato yayuH

“Men with akshata along with cows, then little girls and brahmanas with modaka in their hands walked in front of Rama. ”

Auspicious objects like Akshata (unbroken rice mixed with turmeric, water and a drop of ghee) and Modakam (kozhukatti) were taken infront of Rama by little girls (verily the form of Ambal) then Brahmanas and cows in whom the 33 crore Devatas reside walked in front of Rama. Didn’t they try to appear like Vinayaka to ensure kshemam for Rama ?

Observe carefully, why they appeared with a modaka in their hands ?

Remember, who has a modaka in his hand ? Acharyal starts Ganesha Pancharatnam with the line stating Ganesha as the one who holds the divine joy as a Modaka in his hand, modakam = modak/ கொழுக்கட்டை (a sweet made with coconut and jaggery) –  ” मुदाकरात्तमोदकं सदा विमुक्तिसाधकं “.

So, mangalam is Vinayakar. Elders used to make modaks at home during Chaturthi and Fridays to celebrate the importance of happiness booster modakam. Those who eat the favourite sweet of Vinayaka as Naivedya Prasadam never get dejected in this age of Kali.

Darshan or meditation on the hand with modak is also effective in removing agony.

Is it laddu or modak that has to be in Vinayaka’s hand ?

Modak is the answer, coconut is one of Vinayaka’s favourite (coconut also symbolizes the form of Shiva, both having three-eyes) . Modak has both jaggery and coconut, laddu doesn’t have coconut.

Acharyal has mentioned only one modak in his description, so the correct illustration is Ganesha with only one modakam not multiple modaks or laddus.

(Laddu is also correct but modakam is more apt, if there are any stotras or slokas mentioning laddu, please post them in the comments.)

Even when a big mahan arrives, we can also arrange a welcome like this. Imagine a veda gosham or thotakashtakam or thirupavai recitation with modaks or akshata in hand. Even in Mahabharata’s Virata Parva, Uttara and Arjuna were given a welcome (like this) by King Virata in a similar scenario.

Vinayaka in Mahabharatam –

Mahabharatam is the fifth Veda.

It contains so many gems like Vishnu and Shiva Sahasranamam, Yaksha Prashnam, Bhagavat Gita, a mini-Ramayana etc.

Veda Vyasa thought who would be capable of making the 1,25,000 sloka Mahabharatam very popular, every akshara of this text has immense potential to provide all that is best. Regularly reciting verses of Mahabharatam is equivalent to Pushkara snanam.

Veda Vyasa called Ganesha through his mind, then Ganesha appeared. Ganesha, upon hearing this prayer, answered, “I will become the writer of your work, provided my pen does not for a moment cease writing.” And Vyasa said that wherever you don’t understand my verse, cease to continue writing. So, Vyasa dictated and Ganesha broke one of his tusk (tusk is a symbol of pride for elephants), then used that tusk to write the greatest treasure.

धर्मे च अर्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च भरतर्षभ ।
यदिहास्ति तदन्यत्र यन्नेहास्ति न तत्क्वचित् ॥

dharme ca arthe ca kame ca moKse ca bharatarSabha
yadihAsti tadanyatra yannehAsti na tat kvacit

“With regards to the four Purusha Arthas – Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, only what has been said in the Mahabharata can be seen in the world, and whatever has not been said here is not to be seen anywhere else.”

Mahabharata is the king of all scriptures, one gets satisfied by reading Mahabharata alone. Mahabharatam is a huge gift given to us. Manu Smriti says following something is better than remembering something. So, it is a lot better to follow Bhagawat Gita than remembering it.

Ganesha in Puranas –

Once during a battle between Devi and Asuras, one Asura by the name Pandasura keeps a mantra-charged yantra during night time to discourage the Devi’s army and he buries it in their camp. The next morning, everyone is dejected at the idea of battle, then Ambal meditates and finds the reason then summons Vinayaka. Then by the grace of Vinayaka, the army’s spirit is lifted and obstacles were removed.

Durva (அறுகம்புல் – Cynodon dactylon)

There was an Asura by the name Anal Asura (an Asura who spits fire at his foes)  who used to torment the Devas.

They went to Vinayaka for a solution, Vinayaka agreed to fight and the duel went for a long time. Vinayaka thought of a solution and swallowed him to end the battle (just like Shiva consuming Halaahala). This caused severe burning sensation for Vinayaka, many solutions were tried but none of them worked.

Then Sage Agastyar arrives, he uses Durva to pacify the heat then Vinayaka get very much pleased and mentions whoever uses durva to worship him gets all kinds of protection and prosperity.

One may see the Patala Vinayaka in Sri Kalahasti temple, Agastya faced several obstacles in his work then he did prastista of Vinayaka then everything became a huge success.

Summary

Everyone including Ambal and Parameshwara has this starting trouble. We have lots of potential in us, a mahout ties a chain around an elephant calf’s leg but even after growing into an elephant, that elephant won’t realize it’s strength to break away from the shackles.

We are like that elephant calf, we need to begin our day with a Ganesha stothra or song, then that day is a success!!!

Use your maximum power, use that Elephant Balam i.e., Vinayaka Balam.

Jaya Jaya Shankara Hara Hara Shankara
Sri Rama Jayam

Categories: Deivathin Kural

Tags: deivathin kural