Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Destroyer of Pride
When Veda Vyasa was beginning to write the epic Mahabharata, he requested Ganesha to be the scribe. Being playful, Ganesha agreed to be the scribe on one condition - that
Vyasa must recite the epic non-stop. Vyasa agreed and thus
the great epic of Mahabharata was written by Ganesha.
Ganesha,
t h e
chillies. Ganesha was in agony, unable to lie down or remain still. The panicked gods offered several remedies to
cool Him down but nothing worked. Finally, relief came in
the form of 88,000 sages, each of whom performed healing rituals with 21 blades of Durva grass.
Ganesha declared that henceforth, anyone worshipping
Him with Durva grass would be the recipient of his benevolence.
Durva grass has played an important role in Hindu rituals since ancient times. It is believed to have purifying and
healing properties. When plucked, it grows back rapidly. It
is thus an enduring symbol of renewal, regeneration and
fertility leading to associations with prosperity. For this
reason, Durva is linked to a householder god like Ganesha,
rather than His hermit father, Shiva.
Durva is derived from two words duhu, the first word
means that which exists afar while avam is that which
pulls closer. Interpreted in the context of Ganesha, the use
of Durva during worship draws His great power, which in
turn dispels the negativity within our bodies.
The Durvas three blades symbolize the essence of Shiva,
Shakti and Ganesha.
At a more basic level, the ritual exemplifies how easy it is
to please Ganesha with the offering of this humble grass.
also consider this mark auspicious. It is therefore customary to make this mark before any auspicious ceremony or
function.
Puja
Jap Mantra
Aum gam ganapataye namah
This mantra should be recited 108 time to gain
the greatest Benefit from the Fast.
Religious texts explain that the eight arms of the swastika are symbolic of the earth, fire, water, air, sky, mind,
emotions and feelings. The four main arms point in four
directions. They represents the four eras- Satyug, Tretayug, Dwaparyug and Kalyug. They also represents the four
castes Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. They
represents the four ashrams of life too Brahmacharya,
Grihast, Vanprasth and Sanyas. The four arms are also symbolic of the four basic aims of human pursuit dharm (righteousness), arth (prosperity), Kaam (passion) and moksha
(salvation). They are also symbolic of the four faces and
four hands of Brahma and of the four Vedas Rig-Veda,
YajurVeda, Sam-Veda and atharva-veda. T
In one of the hymns in the Rig-veda it is said that the swastika is symbolic of Surya (Sun). In the Amarkosh, it is referred to as a pure and auspicious blessing.
In this way, the swastika is really symbolic of all the directions and of Gods and auspicious circumstances. One must
appreciate its importance and adopt it as a part of everyday life.
Ganesh Chalisa
JAI JAI VANDANA BHUVANA
NANDANA GAURI GANESHA
DUKHA DVANDVANA PHANDANA HARANA
SUNDARA SUVANA MAHESHA
Glory, glory, all glory toyou, O Ganesha; to you the whole
world pays homage, for you are the delight ofGauri and the
charming son of Shiva. You are the extirpator of all pairs
ofcontraries (such as joy and sorrow, birth and death, attraction and repulsion,etc.) and deliver from them.
JAYATI SHAMBHU-SUTAGAURI-NANDANA
VIGHNA HARANA NAASANA BHAVA-PHADANA
JAI GANANAYAKA JANASUKHA DAAYAKA
VISHWA VINAAYAKA BUDDHI-VIDHAAYAKA
Glory to you, O son ofShambhu and delight of Gauri, you
are the destroyer of all obstacles anddeliverer of all from
the cycle of birth and death. Glory to you, O leader ofShi-
Name
1
Akhuratha
2
Alampata
3
Amit
4A
nantachidrupamayam
5
Avaneesh
6
Avighna
7
Balaganapati
8
Bhalchandra
9
Bheema
10
Bhupati
11
Bhuvanpati
12
Buddhinath
13
Buddhipriya
14
Buddhividhata
15
Chaturbhuj
16
Devadeva
17 Devantakanashakarin
18
Devavrata
19
Devendrashika
20
Dharmik
21
Dhoomravarna
22
Durja
23
Dvaimatura
24
Ekaakshara
25
Ekadanta
26
Ekadrishta
27
Eshanputra
28
Gadadhara
29
Gajakarna
30
Gajanana
31
Gajananeti
32
Gajavakra
33
Gajavaktra
34
Ganadhakshya
35
Ganadhyakshina
36
Ganapati
37
Gaurisuta
38
Gunina
39
Haridra
40
Heramba
41
Kapila
42
Kaveesha
43
Kirti
44
Kripalu
45
Krishapingaksha
46
Kshamakaram
47
Kshipra
48
Lambakarna
49
Lambodara
50
Mahabala
51
Mahaganapati
52
Maheshwaram
53
Mangalamurti
54
Manomay
55
Mrityuanjaya
56
Mundakarama
57
Muktidaya
58
Musikvahana
Meaning
One who has Mouse as His Charioteer
Ever Eternal Lord
Incomparable Lord
Infinite and Consciousness Personified
Lord of the whole World
Remover of Obstacles
Beloved and Lovable Child
Moon-Crested Lord
Huge and Gigantic
Lord of the Gods
God of the Gods
God of Wisdom
Knowledge Bestower
God of Knowledge
One who has Four Arms
Lord of All Lords
Destroyer of Evils and Asuras
One who accepts all Penances
Protector of All Gods
One who gives Charity
Smoke-Hued Lord
Invincible Lord
One who has two Mothers
He of the Single Syllable
Single-Tusked Lord
Single-Tusked Lord
Lord Shivas Son
One who has The Mace as His Weapon
One who has Eyes like an Elephant
Elephant-Faced Lord
Elephant-Faced Lord
Trunk of The Elephant
One who has Mouth like an Elephant
Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
Leader of All The Celestial Bodies
Lord of All Ganas (Gods)
The Son of Gauri (Parvati)
One who is The Master of All Virtues
One who is Golden Coloured
Mothers Beloved Son
Yellowish-Brown Coloured
Master of Poets
Lord of Music
Merciful Lord
Yellowish-Brown Eyed
The Place of Forgiveness
One who is easy to Appease
Large-Eared Lord
The Huge Bellied Lord
Enormously Strong Lord
Omnipotent and Supreme Lord
Lord of The Universe
All Auspicious Lord
Winner of Hearts
Conqueror of Death
Abode of Happiness
Bestower of Eternal Bliss
One who has Mouse as His Charioteer
59
Nadapratithishta
60
Namasthetu
61
Nandana
62
Nideeshwaram
63
Omkara
64
Pitambara
65
Pramoda
66
Prathameshwara
67
Purush
68
Rakta
69
Rudrapriya
70
Sarvadevatman
71
Sarvasiddhanta
72
Sarvatman
73
Shambhavi
74
Shashivarnam
75
Shoorpakarna
76
Shuban
77 Shubhagunakanan
78
Shweta
79
Siddhidhata
80
Siddhipriya
81
Siddhivinayaka
82
Skandapurvaja
83
Sumukha
84
Sureshwaram
85
Swaroop
86
Tarun
87
Uddanda
88
Umaputra
89
Vakratunda
90
Varaganapati
91
Varaprada
92
Varadavinayaka
93
Veeraganapati
94
Vidyavaridhi
95
Vighnahara
96
Vignaharta
97
Vighnaraja
98
Vighnarajendra
99 Vighnavinashanaya
100
Vigneshwara
101
Vikat
102
Vinayaka
103
Vishwamukha
104
Vishwaraja
105
Yagnakaya
106
Yashaskaram
107
Yashvasin
108
Yogadhipa