Durgadas explains the importance of Lord Ganesha and why, as Hindus we invoke him.

 
Why do we pray to Lord Ganesha?

By Ved Kovid, Durgadas.

(c) Ved Kovid, Durgadas / Arogya Ayurvedic Health Ltd.
All Rights Reserved. 

Ganesha is the lord of beginnings and represents the angirasa (messenger) between God and men. He is connected to the Seer Barhaspatya Angirasa (Brihaspati, Planet Jupiter) as the Guru of the Devas or Gods, their inner-guide. Ganesha is more the antararupa (inner form) of Brihaspati and also especially related between the lower pashava (animate) and the manava (kingdom) for linking them with the celestials. The Sanskrit term Angirasa is also related to the Greek term angelos for Angel, which also means 'messenger'. St. Gabriel here connects to Lord Ganesha, his trumpet being the trunk of Lord Ganesha that sounds forth the celestial sound of "AUM".

Some people ask why is it Ganesha is said as Ganesh? Actually, I commonly in speech use Ganesh, as this is the Hindi pronunciation, which commonly drops the final akara (syllable 'a', short vowel) at the end of words, which Sanskrit does not. Sanskrit is the Devabhasha or the language of the Devas or celestials and as such, Ganesha helps us connect with them through this celestial tongue.

Many languages of India, especially the so-called "Dravidian" languages of the south such as Malayalam, Kanada and Telugu have very high percentages of Sanskrit terms and are very Sanskritic languages with regards to vocabulary. Ganesha shines down many blessings across India, but also in the south, where ancient Vedic traditions have remained more in-tact and less modified than in Northern India, due to successive invasions. Ganesha himself also helps us to connect all languages together from their primal level of manas or the mind or mati (thought). Sanskrit is a language based on these sacred sounds that issue forth from the celesial sound OM, from Ganesha himself and thus remains man's greatest friend (mitra, sakha).

Man cannot reach the Supreme by himself. Ganesha as the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati assists and being created by Parvati herself, he connects to the world-manifestation (jaga-rupa) or form of the cosmos itself. Through him, we can access the deeper truth that is Shiva, as at present, we are transmigrating individual souls (jivatmas), representing the "son", but Lord Ganesha can help unite us with our true origin and reality as the Paramatma (supreme Self), that is the "father", Lord Shiva, as having been born from Parvati, Shakti itself, he also has her energies and grace. He also takes us and guides the ascent of shakti and descent of her grace in our lives. All is accessed through him as the Divine Son. 

He is also the lord of mantra or prayer (Brahmanaspati) and has command over speech (vak) itself, represented by agni (fire), which is his younger brother, Skanda-Murugan. Ganesha is the removal of obstacles threefold - material, spiritual and mental. He is also related to the dhanapati (lord of wealth), Kubera, of whom, along with several other hosts (ganas), he rules (as overlord of Kubera). Thus he is called Gan-esha or Gana-pati (lord / master of ganas or hosts). Kubera rules over riches and wealth and luck itself and his attendants are the Yakshas, who guard underground wealth, gemstones and natural minerals. Yakshas and their female forms, Yakshinis are often invoked in Tantra for their magical powers (siddhis) which they bestow, when pleased.

Ganesha has two wives, called Siddhi (spiritual power) and Buddhi (intellect), which also represent his command over these energies also and containing all ashtasiddhis (eight mystic powers of Yoga) and buddhi (intellect and wisdom) within himself. 

Most of all, Ganesha grants the deeper vidya (wisdom), more specifically, atmajnana (self-wisdom) and represents the transformation of the ahankara or ego-complex. For the spiritual aspirant (sadhaka), he brings one closer to Lord Shiva and Shakti and assists them in their spiritual growth. Connected to planet Ketu, the south-lunar node represented by the headless serpent, he, like Lord Brahma, signifies the deeper esoteric teachings of the Vedas as those of the Tantra-Agama and Yogic tradition or occultism, as well as the Vedas and helps us also dispense our past-life karmas we bring into this life with us. He helps us unfold them in their natural flow, the unfolding of the prarabdha or fruit-bearing karma that comes out in this life as a result of past-actions and samskaras (karmic traits) gained due to these.

Hindus work with Ganesha always. Before starting any ventures or projects, he should be invoked for removal of obstacles and success also and is revered first before other Deities due to his blessing from Lord Shiva his father, as also as a result of him being connected to the Guru of the gods, Brihaspati as the Celestial Guru to be invoked for blessings before all others and for humans, represents this connection as noted between the animate and divine kingdoms (humans in this age are animistic in tendencies) and grants the effectiveness of all mantras and rituals as he presides over them inwardly. 

As the inner and celestial Guru, he should always be sought first, before looking for a worldly Guru, since he can help take us to a correct Guru. The Tantras, Puranas etc. warn us always, in this age of Kali-Yuga, against the false-Gurus wearing saffron robes etc. and deluding their students, espousing Jnana (inner knowledge), but not actually possessing it. Lord Ganesha helps guide us to the higher aspects of these beyond the mundane, superficial Gurus and teachers and helps us cut through their maya or illusion with his grace of viveka-shakti (power of discrimination).

Yoga practitioners should always invoke Ganesha as the celestial Guru and inner guide and to remove obstacles and impart wisdom before commencing daily sadhanas and before teaching. They should work with his energies always. Ayurvedic practitioners likewise invoke Ganesha and one should do so mentally before receiving clients also, to help guide us to the correct path of nidana (diagnostic measures), arogya (freedom from health) and also to help clear the negative energies in our clinics or consultation rooms on a daily basis, which is why he should always be invoked, as he keeps the asuric forces at bay and as lord of ganas or hosts can also control them and bring down the divine army of his brother Skanda to negate them. These enemies are also the passions within us such as greed (lobha), hate (dosa), delusion (moha), anger (krodha) etc. and the five kleshas or afflictions (avidya - ignorance; asmita -egoism; raga - attachment; dvesha - aversion and abhiniveshah - fear of death).

Ayurvedic students should pray to Ganesha for wisdom and success in studies as also smarana (memory) and those undergoing treatment should also invoke him for blessings of arogya-bhava (disease-free state) and removal of all obstacles in treatment and success in the mantras and techniques given by their Vaidyas (Ayurvedic practitioners).


For those wanting to learn more about Ganesha and his mantras, you can order my book, Exploring Mantric Ayurveda. Those in India can purchase it from Amazon.in (Amazon India), Bookadda etc.

 

 Jai Ganesha!

--Ved Kovid, Durgadas